St.

TheophantheRecluseSayings

"Godabandonsnoone.ForHimallarechildren.Nonearestepchildren.Andthe
hardoccasionsandsituationsallissentforourbenefit."
"Attentiontothatwhichtranspiresintheheartandproceedsfromitthisis
thechiefactivityoftheproperChristianlife."
"Youmustwatchafteryourself."
"Descendwithyourattentionintotheheart,standtherebeforetheLordand
admitnothingsinfultoenterthere.Inthisistheentireactivityofinner
warfare."
"Mercilessnesstooneself,readinesstoperformanyfavortoothersandthe
surrenderofoneselfentirelytotheLordwithaprayerfulabidinginHimthese
arethecreatorsofthespirituallife."
"Youmustkillegoism.Ifyoudon'tkillityourself,thentheLord,hammerblow
afterhammerblow,shallsendvariousmisfortunes,soastocrushthisstone."
"Selfpleasingandselfpitytestifythatintheheartabidestheego,andnotthe
Lord."
"Vainfussingaboutisnotmadeupofmanytasks,butofthemannerinwhich
theyarecarriedout.Whenoneisbeingcarriedoutandhundredsjostleinyour
head.Youmustchaseallthoseout,andcarryouttheonetask,anddoitwith
yourhandsatthat,whilewithyourmindabideinyourplace."
"AChristianwithoutzealisapoorChristian."
"Divinedeterminationdependsonthelifeofaman,andnothislifeuponthe
determination."

 St.TheophanARuleForReading:

1)Beforereadingyoushouldemptyyoursoulofeverything;

2)Arousethedesiretoknowaboutwhatisbeingread;

3)TurnprayerfullytoGod;

4) Follow what you are reading with attention and place everything in your open
heart;

5)Ifsomethingdidnotreachtheheart,staywithituntilitreaches;

6)Youshould,ofcourse,readquiteslowly.

Stopreadingwhenthesoulnolongerwantstonourishitselfwithreading.Thatmeans
itisfull.Ifthesoulfindsonepassageutterlystunning,stopthereandreadnomore.

ThebesttimeforreadingtheWordofGodisinthemorning.LivesofSaintsafterthe
middaymeal,andHolyFathersbeforegoingtosleep.Thusyoucantakeupalittlebit
eachday.

During such occupations, you should continually keep in mind the main goal
impressingthetruthonyourselfandawakeningthespirit.Ifreadingordiscoursedoes
notbringthisabout,thentheyarebutidleitchingsofthetongueandears,orempty
discussion. If it is done with intelligence, then the truths impress themselves and
rousethespirit,andonethingaidstheother.Butifthereadingordiscoursedigresses
fromtheproperimage,thenthereisneitheronenortheotherstruthisstuffedinto
theheadlikesand,andthespiritbecomescoldandhard,smokesoverandpuffsup.

Impressingthespiritisnotthesameassearchingforit.Thisrequiresonlythatyou
clarifywhatthetruthis,andholditinyourminduntiltheybondtogether.Letthere
benodeductionsorlimitationsonlythefaceoftruth.

Theeasiestmethodforthiscouldlawfullybeconsideredthefollowing:thewholetruth
isinthecatechesis.Everymorningtakethetruthfromitandclarifyittoyourself,
carryitinyourmindandnourishyourselfwithitforaslongasitfeedsthesoula
day,twodaysorlonger.Dothesamethingwithanothertruth,andcontinuethusto
theend.Thisisamethodthatiseasyandapplicabletoeveryone.Thosewhodonot
knowhowtoreadmayaskforonetruthandproceedfromthere.

Wecanseethattheruleforeveryoneisthis:impressthetruthinawaythatwill
awakenyou.Themethodsforfulfillingthisrulevary,anditisnotatallpossibleto
prescribethesameoneforeveryone.
Thus,reading,listeninganddiscoursethatdonotimpressthetruthorawakenthe
spiritshouldbeconsideredwrong,astheyleadawayfromthetruth.Itisasicknessto
readmanybooksoutofcuriosityalone,whenonlythemindfollowswhatisbeingread,
withoutleadingittotheheartordelightinginitsflavor.

This is the science of dreaming; it is not creative, does not hasten success, but is
devastatingandalwaysleadstoarrogance.Allyourworkshouldbelimited,aswehave
said,tothefollowing:clarifythetruthandholditintheminduntilthehearttastesof
it.TheHolyFathersputitsimply:rememberit,holditinthemind,andhaveitalways
beforeyoureyes.END

fromSt.TheophantheRecluse,"ThePathtoSalvation,"(Platina,California:St.Hermanof
AlaskaBrotherhood,1998),pp.243244,247250

AndthisonPrayerRulefromFrom:TheSpiritualLifeandHowtoBeAttunedtoIt

AprayerruleforonewhoisonthepathofaGodpleasinglifeYouaskaboutaprayer
rule.Yes,itisgoodtohaveaprayerruleonaccountofourweaknesssothatontheone
handwedonotgiveintolaziness,andontheotherhandwerestrainourenthusiasm
toitspropermeasure.Thegreatestpractitionersofprayerkeptaprayerrule.They
wouldalwaysbeginwithestablishedprayers,andifduringthecourseoftheseaprayer
startedonitsown,theywouldputasidetheothersandpraythatprayer.Ifthisis
whatthegreatpractitionersofprayerdid,allthemorereasonforustodoso.Without
establishedprayers,wewouldnotknowhowtoprayatall.Withoutthem,wewouldbe
leftentirelywithoutprayer.
However,onedoesnothavetodomanyprayers.Itisbettertoperformasmallnumber
ofprayersproperlythantohurrythroughalargenumberofprayers,becauseitis
difficulttomaintaintheheatofprayerfulzealwhentheyareperformedtoexcess.
Iwouldconsiderthemorningandeveningprayersassetoutintheprayerbookstobe
entirelysufficientforyou.Justtryeachtimetocarrythemoutwithfullattentionand
correspondingfeelings.Tobemoresuccessfulatthis,spendalittleofyourfreetimeat
readingoveralltheprayersseparately.Thinkthemoverandfeelthem,sothatwhen
yourecitethematyourprayerrule,youwillknowtheholythoughtsandfeelingsthat
arecontainedinthem.Prayerdoesnotmeanthatwejustreciteprayers,butthatwe
assimilatetheircontentwithinourselves,andpronouncethemasiftheycamefrom
ourmindsandhearts.
Afteryouhaveconsideredandfelttheprayers,workatmemorizingthem.Thenyou
willnothavetofumbleaboutforyourprayerbookandlightwhenitistimetopray;
neither will you be distracted by anything you see while you are performing your
prayers,butcanmoreeasilymaintainthoughtfulpetitiontowardGod.Youwillseefor
yourselfwhatagreathelpthisis.Thefactthatyouwillhaveyourprayerbookwith
youatalltimesandinallplacesisofgreatsignificance.Beingthusprepared,when
youstandatprayerbecarefultokeepyourmindfromdriftingandyourfeelingfrom
coldnessandindifference,exertingyourselfineverywaytokeepyourattentionandto
sparkwarmthoffeeling.Afteryouhaverecitedeachprayer,makeprostrations,as
manyasyoulike,accompaniedbyaprayerforanynecessitythatyoufeel,orbythe
usualshortprayer.Thiswilllengthenyourprayertimealittle,butitspowerwillbe
increased.Youshouldprayalittlelongeronyourownespeciallyattheendofyour
prayers, asking forgiveness for unintentional straying of the mind, and placing
yourselfinGod'shandsfortheentireday.
YoumustalsomaintainprayerfulattentiontowardGodthroughouttheday.Forthis,
aswehavealreadymentionedmorethanonce,thereisremembranceofGod;andfor
remembranceofGod,thereareshortprayers.

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