(Lynn Pratt) “Soaking prayer,” which became trendy some years back, is billed as resting/soaking in the presence of God/the Holy Spirit. Sometimes actual prayer (that is, talking to God) is involved, but the emphasis seems mostly on having the mind clear/empty/open. And it’s obvious that participants are expecting something to happen right then. Assorted promos suggest that, as you soak, you might feel a warm/cold sensation, a tingling, a breeze; you might see an aura. You can also entertain a hope to hear God speak, be visited by an angel, understand the Bible better, “get results faster” (faster than what?), experience a healing, come out of spiritual dryness, receive a direct revelation… The idea is that soaking “allows the Lord to show his love for you.” (I’m confused. Since the Lord shows his love to me 24/7, I’m pretty sure he knows he’s “allowed” to.)
When I first started hearing about soaking, the push was for everyone in the group to lie down during the experience. (Psalm 23 is considered a supporting Scripture for lying down: “He makes me lie down…”) But there are also sessions where the people sit. One report had added “energy healing” to the mix: While the soakee sits, others “lay on hands” so that the person receives “energy healing through the soaking prayer technique.” (Note that energy healing would presumably hold the hands above, not literally “lay on hands.”)
Related
Are You Praying to the Only True God? by Marsha West
How Is the Trinity Involved in Our Prayers? — Beautiful Christian Life
Research