Gardening Quote by Henry Corbin
““And the ritual of Prayer embraces all these movements: (a) There is the ascending, vertical movement which corre- sponds to the faithful's erect stance. This is the movement of the growth of man, whose head rises toward the heavens. ( b ) There is the horizontal movement, which corresponds to the orant's state at the moment of the profound inclination. This is the direction in which animals grow. (c) There is the inverse, descending movement, corresponding to the prosternation. This is the movement of the plant , sinking its roots in depth. Thus Prayer reproduces the movements of the creatural universe; it is itself recurrence of Creation and new Creation.””
About This Quote
Prayer mirrors natural patterns: upward growth, outward spread, and deep grounding, symbolizing human aspiration, humility, and rootedness.
In simple terms: Prayer reflects universal motions of growth, expansion, and grounding.
Key Takeaway
Prayer aligns human posture with cosmic cycles.
Themes
spiritual symbolism
human-nature connection
ritual embodiment
cosmic order
growth metaphors
humility
Mood
reverent
reflective
awe-inspired
Type
philosophical
mystical
didactic
When to use this quote
- personal meditation
- public worship
- interfaith dialogue
- educational lectures on mysticism
Key Concepts
vertical ascent
horizontal inclination
descending prostration
creation-recreation cycle
Practical Applications
- spiritual formation
- theological education
Questions to Reflect On
- How does bodily posture influence spiritual experience?
- What does the comparison to plants suggest about humility?
![“In this essential point Ibn rArabi declares concisely: "Those to whom God remains veiled pray the God who in their belief is their Lord to have compassion with them. But the intuitive mystics [Ahl al-Kashf] ask that divine Compassion be fulfilled [come into being, exist] through them."28 In other…” quote by Henry Corbin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/13a/henry-corbin-26358_prayer_in-this-essential-point-ibn-rarabi-decla_1274231.jpg)
