The Sufi Latifa Prayer

When I was an undergraduate at Rutgers, I had a course in religion and literature that really changed how I viewed both topics. The professor (Thank you, Dr. Ellen Weaver!) had us read many books of fiction and non-fiction. One of those books was The Wisdom of the Sufis. I learned about things that were totally new to me - prayers and legends of the Sufi mystic, the dervish, and how this mysticism grew out of medieval orthodox Islam. Like most of my classmates at that time five decades ago, I knew essentially nothing about Islam.

Just recently I came across a post about the Latifa, an ancient Sufi prayer meant to connect us with the essence of our being. It is a simple prayer accompanied by hand movements. The words are connected with a specific body part.

Non-Sufi believers now use the prayer as a guided meditation and I have seen yoga centers that use this much like the chakras in Indian spirituality.

The Latifa prayer was once a secret prayer only for initiated disciples, but the prayer is out there now. I'm not sure this pleases the Sufi followers or if they are gladdened to see their practices being more widely understood.

The prayer is a succession of seven themes:

I exist

I desire

I hope

I trust

I release

I love

I am prepared

But then, there are the movements... When you say, "I exist," you place your right hand on your left hip with the help of your left hand while thinking about why you exist.

With your left hand, place your right hand on your right hip and say to yourself: “I desire.” What are the things you desire and how do they influence your life. 

"I hope" is connected to your right hand on your left lung with your left hand. Think about what you are hopeful about and how that feels.

Right hand to your right lung and “I believe and trust.” Trust comes out of hope and trust makes you stronger.

Now, your right hand goes to your neck as you say “I release.” Think about what you need to let go of - maybe sadness or anger.

Move that right hand to the center of your chest and tell yourself “I love.” Think of love strong and pure. Is it in you? Does it come from outside? Can you feel love radiate from your being or from others?

To finish the prayer, your right hand goes above your navel, and you place your left hand on top of it. Now, say “I am prepared.” You should feel better prepared to face the world and to know your own voice within.

You can probably tell that the Latifa prayer is for inner peace and self-affirmation. You don't need to follow Islam or any religion to use it. It doesn't seem very religious in a traditional sense, and it is an experience for yourself. That is not something we usually associate with prayer, except that many of us actually do pray for things. We pray for the material things we want, things we want to happen or not happen, things we want to change. This prayer is about finding things more in yourself, not outside.