A practical introduction to the role of hands in heart prayer I first received through the book The Practice of Heart Prayer by Andreas Ebert and Peter Musto. 

It is a recommended course book for beginners in prayer of the heart. The book even includes a CD with guided meditations and exercises. 

What particularly appealed to me was the approach to dealing with hands in prayer.

What was special for me was how gently the sensation and posture of the hands is introduced. There is no predetermined posture – rather, the hands find their prayer posture through mindful sensing. 

First, you rest your hands on your thighs and become consciously aware of them. After a while, you turn them over so that the palms face upwards. Then you wait mindfully until the hands lift themselves and find their prayer position.

This approach promotes a very mindful treatment of the hands, which play an important role in prayer. 

It's not just about the physical hands, but also their energetic aspect. With increasing prayer practice, a fine energetic perception develops. You feel the energy in the palms, which are also called the “hearts of the hands.”

Andreas Ebert and Peter Musto were students of Franz Jalics, a Hungarian Jesuit priest, who last taught heart prayer in Germany. Franz Jalics led us to pray in the hands because they lead us to the heart. 

With some practice, the connection between the energy of the palms and the heart becomes noticeable.

I am very grateful to these great prayer leaders and authors and can warmly recommend their books.

My personal experiences with hands in prayer

When I began to meditate with my hands in prayer, a special dynamic developed. The hands found their own posture - for example, they positioned themselves so that the palms were facing each other and the fingertips were lightly touching. The energy in the palms became clearly perceptible.

It often happened that the hands changed their posture as if by themselves – for example, with bent elbows and open palms facing upwards. 

These movements often occurred when I entered a deeper state of prayer.

The hands also frequently assumed a position with raised arms. Even when this became tiring over time, I let the hands move freely and did not consciously influence them. 

In this way, the position of my hands directly reflected my state of prayer.

Especially in moments when I felt spiritual grace come over me and I was lifted into a higher state, the hands began to move as if by themselves.

Developing your own relationship with prayer hands

I am not suggesting that you should consciously strive for something like this.

My intention is rather to encourage you to develop your own relationship with your prayer hands and not to underestimate their spiritual significance.

We have already discussed what the Jesus Prayer and the Prayer of the Heart are and where they historically originate from. 

Now we turn to a practical introduction.

Praying with the name of God or a kind of mantra

In Part 2, I described the three phases of the Prayer of the Heart. 

1. Thought and breathing rhythm
2. Automatic repetition
3. Awareness of the divine presence

These phases show that we are moving toward a state in which the word is no longer just a thought, but becomes an awareness of the spiritual presence of what we are speaking.

Finding the prayer phrase 

Before beginning this practice, you must choose a prayer phrase.

Different categories of phrases 

I distinguish between three categories of prayer phrases or mantras:

1. The name of God
2. The name of the incarnation of God
3. Personal phrases that help manifest a particular spiritual awareness

The name of God as a mantra 

The first option is to choose the name of God as a prayer mantra. This can vary depending on tradition or personal preference. 

Examples of this are: 

• Allah
• Brahman or Om
• God
• Great Spirit
• Heavenly Parents
• JHWH (Yahweh or Jehovah)

The name of God's incarnation

Some explanations about the value of connection with the Incarnation of God in prayer were given in Part 2. The choice can be oriented towards one's own tradition. 

Examples: 

• Gautama Buddha
• Jesus Christ
• Krishna
• Prophet Muhammad
• True Parents

Personal phrases 

Personal phrases can help manifest a particular spiritual awareness. 

Once we earnestly seek God and the path to Him, we can be sure that He will guide us.

I have often experienced that certain phrases were given to me through dreams or intuitive moments of prayer. These phrases can be used as mantras over an extended period of time to anchor their awareness within us and make them substantial.

Some examples I have received: 

• True Love
• I am important to God
• God stands behind me from now on
• God wants to be there through me
• Dignity and strength
• I am here 

A psychological perspective 

From a psychological perspective, such phrases are emotional and spiritual resources or inner, liberating attitudes that we may still be lacking. They are given to us as both guidance and task for our transformation. They hit the nail on the head—that is, they name exactly what we are meant to embody.

In psychology, such resource-strengthening solution statements are known. 

Here are some examples: 

• My parents stand behind me
• I am enough
• I am in my power
• I am free
• What I have received is enough – I will take care of the rest myself 

You can also simply name the resources you feel are currently missing. 

Examples:

• Peace
• Joy of life
• Connectedness
• Power and strength
• Trust

How do we start with our newly chosen mantra? 

After grounding ourselves and entering meditation mindfully, we begin to internally speak the mantra. 

This occurs in the rhythm of the breath. Individual words can be recited with inhalation or exhalation, while longer phrases can be split between inhaling and exhaling.

Whether the word is spoken while breathing in or out is not fixed. Different practitioners give different instructions on this, as well as on whether to begin the phrase with the inhalation or exhalation.  

I personally say the word or start the phrase on the inhale and continue it on the exhale. At the end of the exhalation and in the pause before the next breath begins, the body is at its calmest - this is the so-called zero point of the breath. 

I let myself sink into the exhalation and this zero point with the completed mantra.  

What matters  

It is important that we do not think about the content or imagine any images. 

The mantra works on the level of the spirit, not of the mind. 

The mind will sometimes produce images or feelings, especially when using the name of a person. For example, when using the name "Jesus Christ," an image of him may arise or a feeling of devotion may appear. 

That's fine, but we can just let it go - that's not the point.  

When the mind no longer produces images and feelings, we are one step further. At this point, it can feel like the mantra is empty or neutral, like nothing is happening. 

But that is exactly a good sign. It is important to continue reciting the phrase mindfully and with devotion.  

The development of the mantra  

After a few weeks, the mantra establishes itself, and we can speak it more softly and quietly in our thoughts – while it becomes more powerful at the same time. 

In the third phase, grace comes into play: 

The mantra becomes a real spiritual consciousness. 

This is a mystical experience and a gift - it cannot be brought about by will. However, we can move towards the second phase with patience and devotion.  

Here I experience that the breath already carries the mantra within itself. The mindful awareness of the breath and the thought mantra have become one. 

All the devotion we have invested is now embodied in the conscious awareness of the breath. 

The mantra no longer needs to be actively thought - it feels as if the breath is singing it. This state naturally requires many hours of repetition.  

Using the mantra in everyday life  

We can also use the mantra during the day:  

• In a mindful moment, breathe deeply into your heart and speak the mantra inwardly
• During a walk
• During a simple activity  

In this way it becomes a constant prayer - a preparation for the grace of perpetual prayer. 

The essential power of prayer does not lie in the method, but in our heart. 

In our deepest being, we love God infinitely. 

Prayer is meant to reconnect us with this innermost and most precious part of our humanity.

When we turn inward and do not immediately find God, a process begins. 

We experience emptiness and loneliness. 

If we endure this and don’t allow ourselves to be immediately diverted or distracted, the longing for God begins to grow naturally.

Some Christian mystics say that the longing for God is already a grace that God has placed within us. In fact, it is the decisive drive of the mystics to seek God within. 

As deep as human relationships may be, they cannot satisfy this longing.

In comparison, they often feel superficial and distant. The relationship with God is closer than we could ever imagine. 

Longing knows this and drives us not to give up until we have found God.

Within our longing for God, love for Him is already present.

When we feel this love, it acts like a magnet that draws God toward us.

The closeness to God that we then experience is a natural result of our love for Him and at the same time a gift of grace. If we stay in contact with the deepest core of our being and consciously feel this love, God will visit us sooner or later. 

Sun Myung Moon says that not even God can escape this principle.

Longing grows deeper

Along the path of prayer, longing becomes so intense that we want to pray in every moment.

This doesn’t mean we want to sit in a prayer room with folded hands all the time. Rather, it means we begin to desire to turn inwardly to God again and again and to involve Him in everything.

Sometimes I lie on the couch listening to rock music. I try to enjoy the moment mindfully. Yet even here, I sometimes feel the longing for God, and suddenly the moment turns into an intense prayer - without prayer posture, surrounded by skull decorations and party lights.

What matters is the inner connection, not the outer environment or our outward actions.  

Through the inner path of prayer, we lay the foundation for awakening and enlivening our spiritual mind and spiritual heart. In this state, we develop spiritual sensibility and a spiritual feeling in the heart. As a result, the heart becomes consistently conscious to us.

To facilitate this process, we can consciously practice the perception of the heart. There are several helpful exercises for this purpose.

Perceiving the heart area

A simple and effective exercise is to consciously perceive the area in the body where the spiritual heart is located during meditation. 

We make the heart region the primary object of our meditation. 

The spiritual heart is located in the middle of the chest, slightly above the physical heart - not on the left, but in the center, where the upper half of the breastbone is located.

The aim is explicitly not to generate feelings, but only to mindfully perceive what is there in this area. 

The breath moves the upper chest area and we can feel this movement: when we inhale, the chest expands - this expansion is the easiest to feel. 

We can gently place a hand on this area to support our awareness.

It is normal not to be able to perceive the spiritual heart immediately—this process can take weeks or months. Yet, this exercise promotes the awakening of heart consciousness.

I myself practiced this exercise daily for six months. During mantra meditation, you can consciously focus on the heart area while breathing in and starting to recite the mantra. 

In this way, the inner focus on this area becomes firmly established.

Connection between breath, grounding, heart perception, and mantra

Later, I began to combine the different aspects.

• When I breathe in, I perceive the heart region and say the first part of the mantra.
• As I breathe out, I let the energy sink downwards and say the second part of the mantra.

Buddha himself taught his monks the Metta meditation. Metta is a word from Sanskrit and is usually translated as “loving-kindness”. 

Metta Meditation is a contemplative practice that leads us toward forgiveness and the development of loving-kindness.

In this practice, we recite blessings or well-wishes for specific individuals and groups of people.

• We begin with ourselves.
• Then we continue with people we love or feel close to.
• Next, we direct our wishes to neutral individuals with whom we have no particular connection.
• Finally, we include those considered “enemies” - people who are hostile toward us, or who have hurt or harmed us in some way

We can also include broader groups of people in our blessings - for example, all women, all men, the wealthy, the poor, politicians, or all Germans. Again, we start with groups we feel positively toward, then gradually expand to include those who evoke more difficult feelings in us.

By gradually including more challenging individuals and groups, we expand our hearts and our capacity for loving-kindness.

The classical Metta phrases are:

1. May (I) be free from danger.  
2. May (I) be happy.  
3. May (I) be physically healthy.  
4. May (I) go through life with ease.

You can also create your own versions of these well-wishes.

This is just a very brief and simplified introduction. For those who wish to engage more deeply, I recommend the book “Metta Meditation – Buddha's Revolutionary Path to Happiness” by Sharon Salzberg as a practical guide.

There are a few rituals I perform before entering into silent prayer. These include, for example, a bow and a spoken prayer from my tradition. For Christians, this might be the “Our Father.”

What matters most to me is carrying out these rituals mindfully.

When I enter the prayer room, I try to be especially aware. As I stand before the altar, I consciously feel the soles of my feet, or my hands as I strike the gong or light a candle.

I try to open myself to the spiritual atmosphere in that moment.

When I say a spoken prayer, I feel the vibration of the voice in my heart area. 

I also speak the prayers quite slowly, with pauses between the phrases. I try not only to think the words, but to feel them deeply.

These pauses are especially important – in them, I become aware of God's presence.

As a result, everything gains a deeper quality for me – every moment becomes more and more a personal experience that touches me inwardly.

Create your personal prayer time

There are many beautiful rituals that can help prepare us for prayer. They bring our attention back to what truly matters in life.

Our daily routines quickly overwhelm the mind with countless themes and concerns.

Prayer time is our time – a time to refocus on the essential.

So be creative and design your prayer time so that it becomes your personal quality time with God. Integrate rituals and prayers that touch you inwardly.

My path to spiritual care

In the Unification Movement, to which I feel connected, people are strongly oriented toward altruism.

A central focus lies in living for the sake of others and building a peaceful world. Many peace movements were founded by Sun Myung Moon and his wife. These activities require deep personal commitment from each individual.

From my perspective, personal spirituality and pastoral care often fall short. 

That’s why I decided to place my focus there - although it was less a conscious decision and more something that felt destined. It arose from my personality, my challenges, and the way God led me out of my misery.

A Prayer that has grown with me

Along my journey, a prayer for the spiritual well-being of people has developed. 

Over the years, this prayer has evolved and changed. Many of the small enlightenments and revelations I received along the way are reflected in it. I’d like to share it here as inspiration.

Prayer for our spiritual well-being

Beloved Heavenly Parents,  
please forgive us our sins and transgressions.  

Please open our innermost, pure, humble, and grateful heart that constantly longs for You.  

Please lead us to true, absolute faith and trust in You.  

Please grant us wisdom in recognizing, understanding, and acting,  
and give us the strength for a victorious path.  

Please open our heart to Your true love, true joy, and true happiness,  
so that we may always remain bound to Your heart,  
and so that You may be present through us.

Please grant us loving kindness, true compassion, and true strength in our relationships with others,
and empower us to fulfill all that has been entrusted to us.

Make us Your true children and families of heaven. 

Please guide our lives and transform us according to Your will.

May your will be done!
 

As a final point before I begin silent prayer, I say:

Heavenly Parents, I want to offer this prayer as a gift of love.

Franz Jalics inspired me to add the final sentence through his book Contemplative Exercises. It helps us attune ourselves to a heart-oriented posture focused on deep love for God.

Turning inward is an essential process on the path of prayer. It is difficult to clearly grasp and describe this step. I would at least like to offer a few pointers here.

Focusing on the heart

One aspect of the practice that leads us from outward mindfulness to the inner world is directing our attention to the perception of the heart area. I have already written about this topic.

However, it only becomes truly inward when we can sense the energetic perception of our heart. The inner reality of the heart is the direction in which we are moving. Yet even the perception of this energy still belongs to the outer aspect of the heart.

How do we enter the inner heart?

Spiritual sensitivity opens the Interior

A significant step for me was to stop seeking God in perceptions. 

In the "dark night of the soul" that I described in Part 2, I was still expecting a tangible sign from God. Even though I was in meditation, I continued looking for God in some outer perception or feeling.

But since God is pure spirit, He lies beyond the perceptible realm of our five senses. It was here that God opened the access to the spiritual realm through spiritual sensitivity.

Rediscovering the love for God within us

Perhaps the most essential step inward is to seek the love for God that lives within us.

Time and again, I experience phases where I am not emotionally moved. In good phases, hardly a day passes without me being moved to tears - either by something I read in the scriptures or by an intuition I receive. 

When this does not happen, it helps me to engage with love. I search for my longing and love for God within me. As soon as I rediscover this, I am open again, and touches of the heart begin to happen again.

Prayer is the essential element that is supposed to lead us inward. 

In silent prayer, the heart is touched from within - not by themes, content, or images.

It comes from the heavenly spiritual world - or, in Christian terms, from the Holy Spirit.

This is a grace we should deeply long for. That’s why some Christian mystics recommend praying for our hearts to be moved.

Everything begins with a question, a request, a longing.

If we don’t consider this important - how can God then grant us this grace?

Do not accept the dryness of the heart as a normal state

We often accept the dryness of the heart as the norm, without realizing that something essential is missing.

Life and even the life of faith occupy us with many things and topics. Most things can also be managed quite well with a dry heart. 

But can we truly lead others to God if we do not feel God deeply within?

When we are inwardly alive, we can touch others much more easily than when we are in a dry state - even if we are able to explain things with great wisdom. The extent to which we feel love for God within us has a major impact on the quality of our religious work.