Mahalo (thanks in Hawaiian) for asking this question.
First, we need to define Holy Communion. Holy Communion refers to what Jesus told His disciples about His death in Matthew 26 and 1 Corinthians 11. That His body would be broken and His blood would be shed. Jesus instructed His disciples to eat the bread that represented His body. “To eat” symbolizes “to participate and believe fully.” Have you heard or used the phrase “They eat it all up?” This means they unquestionably believed it. Jesus also instructed His disciples to drink all of it. “To drink in” symbolizes “to take it all in.” We need to experience all of the meaning of communion. You probably heard or used the phrase, “I took it all in the sights, the smell, and the feelings.”
Second, we need to know why we take Holy Communion. We take communion simply to remember what Jesus did for us on the cross. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 11 that Jesus told His disciples to remember Him when they ate the bread and drank the wine.
Now that we know what Holy Communion is and why we take it, does it really matter how we take it? As long as when we take it, we remember Jesus’ broken body and His shed blood, it should not matter how we take it. Take it and remember. But if you are still worried that you are taking communion wrong, read what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 11.
Remember, if you don’t understand, ask!