Часть III. Наука из наук. Важнее молитвы ничего нет

Please understand all this and take it as a guide and read it often in order to refresh your memory of how you should act. (18, p. 94) 1. What is the Jesus Prayer When we pray, we must stand with our minds before God and think about Him alone. Meanwhile, various thoughts are constantly buzzing around in the head and distracting the mind from God. In order to teach the mind to stand on one thing, the holy fathers used prayers and learned to pronounce them incessantly... This constant repetition of prayer kept the mind thinking about God and dispersed all extraneous thoughts. These short prayers were different... The Jesus Prayer was especially established and became a common custom among us: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner. So this is what the Jesus Prayer is. It is one of the short prayers, verbal, like all other short prayers. It is prescribed to keep the mind on one thought about God. (12, p. 63) Do not forget that you should not limit yourself to just mechanical repetition of the words of the Jesus Prayer... The essence of the matter is conscious standing in the presence of the Lord with fear, faith and love. (12, p. 194) Prayer according to Theophan the Recluse Prayer itself is the emergence in our heart, one after another, of reverent feelings towards God - feelings of self-abasement, devotion, thanksgiving, glorification, petition, contrition, submission to the will of God, diligent prostration, etc.... When there are all these feelings in it or any one of them directed towards God, then our prayer is prayer, and when not, it is not yet prayer. (12, pp. 33–34) The main thing is standing and walking before God, crying out to Him from the heart. (15, p. 189) The main thing here is to pay attention in your heart and cry out to the Lord, who exists everywhere. (15, p. 163) 2. Why is this prayer necessary for every Christian? Anyone who has repented or begun to seek the Lord can and should be given full instruction in doing the Jesus Prayer at the very first time, and with it introduced into all others, because in this way you can quickly strengthen yourself, quickly gain spiritual sight and reach inner peace. Not knowing this, others, or most of them, stop at physical and mental activities and almost idly waste their time and work. (1, p. 244) It seems like a simple thing, but without knowing about it, you can sweat for a long time - and everything will be ineffective. And this is due to the nature of bodily activity. It is lighter and therefore attractive; the inner is difficult, and therefore repels... And it turns out that at first another will leave the inner, as if until the time of maturity: the time will come, but then, looking back, he finds that the time has passed and, instead of preparing, he has become completely incapable of it. (1, p. 223) And why is the conscience restless and dissatisfied?.. Without the memory of God, without the fear of God, without a feeling for God, it is impossible to make the soul contented... Prayer, about which we keep talking, is the direct path to this... The thought that it is not time for you to engage in the [Jesus] Prayer is not true. Everyone should pray with heart and mind. Any other prayer is not prayer. Please work hard and don't be lazy. (15, p. 173) If you do not work and sweat so that this terrible name is imprinted on your heart and mind, you are silent in vain, you sing in vain, you fast in vain, you watch in vain. In a word, all the work of a monk will be worthless without such work, without the memory of God. (35, pp. 34–35) Those who deny themselves [spiritual work and the Jesus Prayer] do bad things. They themselves are the reason that their work goes on without fruit - they sweat, but do not see the fruit, then they soon cool down, and that’s the end of everything. (1, p. 246) And this prayer should be performed by everyone, not only by monks, but also by laymen. This is not some kind of lofty matter, but a simple one. And the Jesus Prayer (alone, in itself) is not miraculous, but, like any other short prayer, verbal and, therefore, external. But she can turn into smart and warm-hearted. (12, p. 193) 3. The place of the Jesus Prayer among other prayers She is the easiest means to continuity in prayer There are degrees of prayer. The first degree is physical prayer - more in reading, standing, bowing. Attention runs away, the heart does not feel, there is no desire: there is patience, work, sweat... The second degree is attentive prayer: the mind gets used to gathering at the hour of prayer and saying it all with consciousness, without plunder. Attention merges with the written word and speaks as if it were its own. The third degree is the prayer of feelings: attention warms the heart, and what is there in thought, here becomes a feeling... And here is the general advice of the saints - do not let this pass without attention: that is, when the feeling is there, stop all other activities [reading, thinking] and stand in it... By paying attention to these manifestations of prayer, the education of prayer is accomplished, but by inattention, it is ruined... No matter how, however, someone considers himself to be perfected in prayer, the rules of prayer You should never leave it, but do it as indicated, and always begin with active prayer. The smart one should be with her, and the warm-hearted one will come after them. Without this, these latter ones will be confused, and a person will think that he is praying, but in reality this will not happen. The easiest way to ascend to continuity in prayer is to become accustomed to the Jesus Prayer and root it in yourself. (1, pp. 242–243) The main condition for success in the Jesus Prayer The Jesus Prayer can go to all these [degrees], but its real place is with unceasing prayer. The main condition for success in prayer is cleansing the heart from passions and any attachment to anything sensual. Without this, prayer remains at the first level, or reading. As the heart is cleansed, reading prayer will turn into mental-heart prayer, and when it is completely cleansed, then unceasing prayer will begin. (12, p. 61) Three degrees of prayer according to Theophan the Recluse When the Jesus Prayer is More Powerful than Other Prayers The Jesus Prayer is like any other. It is stronger than all only by the omnipotent name of Jesus, the Lord, the Savior, when it is called upon with full, warm, unwavering faith - that He is nearby, sees and hears everything, and listens wholeheartedly to what is asked - and is ready to fulfill and grant what is asked. Such hope does not disgrace. If fulfillment sometimes slows down, it depends on the unwillingness of the person asking to accept what is asked. (15, p. 113) 4. What to look for with the Jesus Prayer Seek and you will find, search and it will be opened to you. The blacksmith knows that if he hits with a hammer, a nail will come out... But someone who is zealous for the spiritual cannot say: I’ll do this and that and I’ll get this. Fight like a fish on ice, searching, and you will receive what the Lord wants to give and whenever you want: write this letter on your heart. Seek, cry out with contrition of heart, with extreme self-humiliation and with undoubted faith that the Lord will give everything you need; when will something happen... It’s not ours... Even if the Lord doesn’t give anything, then thank God! You must give all your salvation into the hands of the Lord - the most faithful, reliable, good and wise path. (15, pp. 28–29) The Lord is near and even in the heart What should you look for? Living tangible communication with the Lord. The grace of God gives this, but we need to work for it ourselves. Where should the labor be directed? To always remember the Lord, as if it is near and even in the heart... The first work is the skill of constantly repeating the Jesus Prayer... And begin, repeat and repeat, but always with the thought of the Lord. And that's it. (15, pp. 164–165) When attention descends into the heart, it will attract all the forces of soul and body to one point... This concentration of all human life in one place immediately responds there with a special sensation; this feeling is the beginning of future warmth... This feeling, at first light, intensifies, becomes stronger, deepens, and from the cold, as it is at the beginning, turns into a warm feeling and holds attention to itself... Now the question is - is this spiritual warmth? No - not spiritual! And ordinary, blood... This warmth can be called spiritual only when it is accompanied by spiritual, prayerful movements. (12, pp. 64–65) Take the spark and fan the flame What are they looking for through the Jesus Prayer? - So that the fire of grace sank into the heart and unceasing prayer began, which determines the state of grace. It is fitting to know that the Jesus Prayer, when a spark of God falls into the heart, fans it into a flame, but itself does not give this spark, but only contributes to its acceptance. What does it contribute to? - By gathering thoughts together and giving the soul the opportunity to stand before the Lord and walk in His presence. (15, p. 189) What one should seek through prayer is the planting in the heart of a quiet, but warm feeling for God that does not go away; do not seek delight and special movements; and when God sends special prayer feelings, to thank for them, and not to appropriate them to yourself and not to regret when they leave, as if about a great loss, but always humbly descend from them to a quiet feeling for the Lord. (36, p. 47) There is a special warmth of grace, and it is actually spiritual... It is detached from the flesh, and does not produce noticeable changes in the body, and is evidenced by a subtle sweet feeling. By these feelings, anyone can easily identify and distinguish warmth... Everyone should do this; there is no business or place for an outsider here... Still, pay attention to spiritual actions and feelings. They will pass through your soul and body, like a pleasant morning coolness. (12, p. 66) The spiritual burning of the heart towards the Lord is love for Him. It lights up at the touch of the Lord on the heart. Since He is all love, His touch on the heart immediately kindles love for Him. And from love - the burning of the heart towards Him. This is what you should be looking for. (18, pp. 93–94) 5. How and when the Jesus Prayer will take root in the heart When it is grafted onto the heart, then there are no breaks inside, but everything is one and the same... How will it graft itself?! Who knows how? And it is vaccinated. The worker is aware of this, without knowing how it happened. Work...walking in the presence of God with frequent, as much as possible, repetition of this prayer. As soon as freedom - now for it... And it will be given. (15, p. 49) Some soon, others not soon Let you know that mental-heart prayer comes to the heart of some quickly, and not so quickly of others. I know three people: one came as soon as it was said, at this very hour; another one arrived in six months; the third - after ten months; and to one great elder - in two years. And why this happens - only God knows. (15, p. 228) Duration - according to strength and diligence Do not determine the time required for success in this prayer. Just put in work and work. Months and years will pass before the faint beginnings of success appear. One of the Athonite fathers said about himself that two years of labor passed before his heart warmed; for another person it came after eight months. For everyone this happens according to his strength and zeal for this matter. (37, p. 312) Snatches won't do any good And most importantly, what is appropriate? Just get down to business, get down to it, and nothing will happen in fits and starts. When they dam a pond, how do they do it? Suddenly they rush to block the passage. And if you put a clod of earth and leave it, the water will carry it away. Put the lump again and leave it - again the water will spread it away. And so - labor without end - but we still can’t build a pond. Apply this to the soul. The current of thoughts, like a river, quickly flows from the head and heart. Suddenly you need to clamp the passages - and not let go. But if you hold it a little and let it go, it won’t do any good. This is the same as building and destroying. (6, p. 51) Perfection in prayer comes with all the virtues But if we are careless about prayer, we will never succeed in it. Remember also that prayer alone is not perfect, but together with all the virtues. As virtues improve, prayer also improves. The most important ones are: fear of God, chastity, humility, contrition, mortification of the flesh, patience, love... When they are there, all the others will appear, and with them prayer. (15, p. 168) Real heartfelt prayer is a gift of grace, given through the sacraments of Confession or Communion... What grace gives, labor cannot give. He only prepares for the acceptance of the gift - and upon receiving it, he warms it up - along with the Sacraments. (15, pp. 195–196) 6. Which rule should I choose? In your prayer rule, define the part of the Jesus Prayer. Say this prayer several times at the beginning of your prayer and several times after it. If you have zeal, and after each prayer included in such a prayer book, do the same... Determine the number of times to repeat this prayer, and in what case, for yourself or with the advice of your spiritual father. Just don’t prescribe too much at first, and then, as you enjoy this prayer, add a little. If when the desire comes to repeat the assigned number, do not deny yourself this, without making it a permanent rule, but only in this case. And no matter how many such repetitions your heart requires, do not refuse. Do not rush to rush one prayer after another, but say them with measured duration, as they usually say in front of a large person when they ask him for something. However, do not worry about words alone, but more so that your mind is in your heart and stands before the Lord, as if present, with full consciousness of His greatness, grace, and truth... Prayer according to Theophan the Recluse. When will prayer “fly” to God? (6, pp. 125–129) When performing this prayer on the rule or, in addition to it, placing yourself in a prayer position for it, each time you pronounce it, make a bow: ten times from the waist, and then to the ground, until you finish. (31, pp. 309–310) “Should I define myself by the number of prayers and bows or should I be more concerned about attention?” – Without attention, prayer is not prayer. Therefore, this is the main thing. But at the same time, it is necessary to determine the number of prayers and bows as a rule. This is for home prayer. The best way to succeed in prayer is to go to church for all services and try to be in reverent prayer there. (15, pp. 168–169) There is no need to fill your stomach with food, let it feel empty there, and you should not indulge in sleep. Entertainment should not be allowed - either laughter or jokes. Always behave as if you were in the presence of a king. If you do everything carefully, the task itself will teach you a lot. Don't look at the book - stories. There is advice there that is not good for you, which can lead to charm. Read a book about sobriety and prayer *. (15, p. 112) 3 Starting rule: whole lesson at once Standing with consciousness and attention in your heart, constantly say: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me - without any image or face, in faith that the Lord sees you and listens to you. To be confirmed in this, one must set a certain time in the morning or evening, a quarter, half an hour or more, as much as possible, just to say this prayer. This is after morning and evening prayer, standing or sitting. This will lay the beginnings of skill. (1, pp. 244–245) Another rule: little by little, but more often To practice the Jesus Prayer, determine a special time between morning and evening prayers. Stand up twice before lunch, twice after lunch, each time saying one hundred Jesus prayers with bows: waist bows for small knots and earthly bows for large ones. Having put it this way, do it urgently every day, without making any excuses. When you begin to pray, immediately remember that the Lord is near - and sees, and hears, and wants to give you what is saving for you... Consistency in fulfillment is the main condition for success. (15, p. 111) Another rule: often, doubling and tripling It is advisable for you to combine your mind with the thought of the Lord. The best way to do this is to practice the Jesus Prayer, as it is written ahead. Assign yourself three or four times a day to stand in front of the icons to perform this prayer with reverence and contemplation of the Lord before you, and do it every time 100, 200, 300 times, as you can. Having set a deadline for this, do not cancel it. The thought will see ahead all day long... it’s about to become. And the Lord will be near. (14, p. 52) From Simeon the New Theologian on the artistic development of mental prayer... In this case, bodily positions and techniques do not constitute the main thing - they are nothing more than devices. I will especially designate them here: sit in a secluded place, bow your head to your chest, slightly constrict your breathing and turn your bodily eyes inward, to the place of the heart, and in this position, having gathered your mind in your heart, say: “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me!” (30, pp. 180–181) A rule modeled after a wanderer. 4 The prayer lesson must be done immediately. Start with a smaller measure. For example: two or three days at 1000, then two or three days at 2000, then a week or more at 3000... You can stay at 3 thousand longer. Afterwards, add 1000, if the time is convenient and other services allow... Perform the prescribed number of prayers, sometimes standing, sometimes on your knees... Keep your attention in the chest, a little below the hollow that is under the throat... Speak the prayer words slowly, as if in a chant. Bows should be made arbitrarily. If things go better without them, it’s better not to put them in, or only put them in occasionally... You don’t have to limit yourself to just words, but at the same time refresh the contemplation of God as omnipresent, all-containing, providing for everything, and so on. It is best to serve this lesson at night... And this prayer should be said by everyone, not only a monk, but also a layman... External techniques (described in volume 5 of the Philokalia): sit on a chair, bow your head, constrict your breathing - you can leave it. Stop all effort on concentrating your attention in the said place. (12, pp. 192–194) 7. How to say the Jesus Prayer besides the rule All day in a feat of attention In the morning, firmly establish yourself in your thoughts about the Lord, stand before Him with your mind during prayer, and then throughout the day, strain not to depart from Him, taking His sweetest name as your aid. Whether you are doing anything, talking to someone, walking, sitting, eating, let your mind be with the Lord. You will forget, and again return to the Lord, and scold yourself with contrition... and that’s all... this is the feat of attention. (6, p. 37) There is no need to constantly say the Jesus Prayer It is the grace of God to generate prayer while doing handicrafts, and pray immediately while working. You regret that the Jesus Prayer is not continuous, that you do not say it incessantly - this is not required. A constant feeling for God is required, which can occur during conversation, and when reading, and when observing and looking at something... But just as the Jesus Prayer, when you pray it, happens in its present form, then continue to act this way, and this prayer... will expand its area. (14, p. 155) Let the mind work while sitting in the heart For the most part you live in your head, and you go into your heart only when your head work arouses some feeling. But you must, on the contrary, be persistent in your heart, and completely abandon your head - if you encounter a need, according to the needs of spiritual life, to work with your mind, then let it work, sitting in your heart. (32, p. 527) When to say the Jesus Prayer in church, and when to pray the common prayer You ask: should the mind be forced to say the Jesus Prayer in church, when the soul is peaceful, serene, and when the mind, in this silence, listens to what is being read and sung? You should stand in the presence of God and in feeling for God, no matter what you do... So in the church... This prayer revives and maintains attention to God with corresponding feelings. (13, p. 227) During the service, one must listen to the service... standing with attention in the same place where the Jesus Prayer is being said. And when they read and sing something inaudibly, then do this prayer. (12, p. 194) How to be in church: should you pray your own prayer internally or listen to what is read and sung? – Warm up your inner prayer and listen while you do it... Prayer inside is like a stove, and listening is like throwing wood into the stove. But if listening breaks your inner prayer, then it is better to remain with your prayer; but during the liturgy one must follow the service with one’s thoughts and feelings. Here’s another thing to remember: we gather in church for common prayer, so that everyone has the same thoughts, feelings, and words, otherwise we won’t receive what the Lord promised when two or three pray. (32, p. 500) 8. What to do when attention wanders The mind cannot be tied to anything other than feeling The mind keeps running from subject to subject. How to tie it? You can't do anything but feel. When there is a feeling in the heart, it ties the mind to the object of the feeling. Therefore, whoever wants to tie the mind to God, so that it constantly perceives God, must revive the feeling for God. (12, pp. 95–96) What about mind wandering? When there is a feeling in the heart, they will not wander. When the tap in the samovar is turned off, the water flows uncontrollably, but when you turn it on, the water stops; It’s the same with thoughts: everything flows and flows, you turn on the tap and it stops. This turning on of the tap is the awakening of a holy feeling in the heart and maintaining it. (32, p. 501) The memory of God and contrition will not allow thoughts to dissipate I'm getting distracted... Who's to blame? - Don't get distracted. And as soon as you notice that your thoughts have begun to wander, immediately turn them around again. Learn to be in the memory of God and the memory of death. There will be contrition and will not allow thoughts to dissipate. (15, p. 175) Apply self-reproach and sobriety - and stop escaping attention But our trouble is that our thoughts scatter, attention goes with them, and the mind begins to wander outside and not know where it is going. Prayer is stopped, even though we stand in prayer. How can this be? I don’t see any instructions anywhere, everyone says one thing: when you come to your senses, return to your heart again and begin to cry out from your heart again, cry out so that your mind does not run away outside. Again the mind will run away - turn it back again and again begin to cry, and that’s it... What will happen? Will there be an end to this runaway? He should be, but things aren’t going well for you and me. It seems to me that if we add self-reproach to ourselves and asking the Lord for sobriety to this struggle, then the Lord, seeing our patient search and sincere desire for sobriety, will give us His mercy. (32, p. 501) “I can’t,” you say, “stay sober and stay awake.” If, as you write, it finds and goes away, then it’s nothing... But if it drags on for a long time, we need to encourage ourselves with thoughts of God, or contemplation of the mystery of our faith, especially: death, judgment, hell and heaven. The fear of God must be warmed up; it has great stimulating power. From weakening he finds laziness, carelessness and drowsiness... (32, p. 500) When praying the Jesus Prayer, contemplation of God is still necessary - otherwise it is dry food. It’s good for those who have the name of Jesus stuck on their tongue. But at the same time, you can not remember the Lord at all, and even hold thoughts that are contrary to Him. Consequently, everything depends on a conscious and free turn to God and the work of maintaining oneself in this with reasoning. (11, p. 19) Must continually repent There is no moment when someone does not have something on their conscience - voluntary or involuntary, and therefore there is no moment when their peace with God is not disturbed... Therefore, one must continuously repent. For repentance washes away all filth from the soul and makes it clean. (2, vol. 2, pp. 377–378) With the Jesus Prayer, immediately blot out the traces of sin. Usually thoughts are spinning in your head. These are empty. But you look for those who pierce the heart like an arrow and leave a mark there, like a scratch. Immediately take up and erase the trace with this prayer, replacing its opposite feeling. When heat is stored, these cases are rare and weak. (14, p. 177) Regarding mental prayer, keep one precaution so that while constantly remembering God, you do not forget to kindle both reverent fear and the urge to fall into the dust before the face of God, the most merciful Father, but also the terrible Judge. Frequent remembrance of God without reverence dulls the feeling of the fear of God and thereby deprives it of that saving effect that belongs to it in the circle of spiritual movements and which, apart from it, nothing can produce. (7, p. 412) It’s difficult at first, and it seems like some kind of absurdity, pretentiousness, and how many unprofitable thoughts about this matter! The main thing is to become your mind in your heart before the Lord and stand before Him relentlessly, day and night, until the end of your life. Use a little work. The duration of studying a lesson is both duty and short, depending on faith and diligence. Don't weaken. There will be suspicion towards the person advising, and displeasure towards the very act of prayer: blasphemy against it, exhaustion, a desire to give up - precisely because it is tricky. Dangerous! Don't listen, keep your job. The enemy most of all blasphemes this prayer. For then the fire burns him and drives him away. He has no attack on the person in whose heart the Jesus Prayer is implanted. The sweetest name of the Lord, constantly sounding and speaking in the heart, will beat it even without your knowledge. (6, pp. 49–50) You wrote that the attention even makes your head hurt. Yes, if you only work with your head, and when you descend into your heart, there will be no work, your head will be empty and your thoughts will end... If you find your heart and are able to stand in it, then every time your thoughts begin to confuse you, you just have to descend into your heart and the thoughts will scatter. It will be a cozy corner, a safe haven. Don’t be lazy to descend... There is life in the heart, and you need to live there. Don't think that this is a matter of perfection. No. This is the work of all who begin to seek the Lord. (10, p. 52) Saying the Jesus Prayer, as we all learn to do, is a good deed. In monasteries this is assigned as a duty. Would they really lay it on if it were dangerous?! The art that was invented and adapted to this prayer is dangerous. It plunges some into dreamy delusion, and others, it’s amazing to say, into a constant state of lust. Therefore it must be both advised against and prohibited. And the sweetest name of the Lord in simplicity of heart must be instilled in everyone and everyone must be disposed to do so. (17, p. 87) Light warmth from nature From the Jesus Prayer, you don’t know what you did. They think that as soon as someone began to say this prayer, then by this alone they had already done everything. This prayer became like some kind of conspiracy among them: do it, adding to it those bodily positions that are spoken about elsewhere, and you will receive everything. So they purr, but the heart remains empty, and thoughts wander, even shameful movements come, but they don’t care, as if everything is in the order of things. For others, a little warmth comes at this, and they shout: here is grace, here is grace! And they won’t remember what the experienced say: look, a slight warmth will come, don’t be surprised, this is from nature, and not from grace. (15, p. 189) Know that real success happens inside, imperceptibly, without showing, just as the body grows. Therefore, when it shouts inside you: ah, here it is! - know that this is an enemy’s cry, presenting to you something apparent instead of what is real. This is the beginning of self-delusion. Silence this voice at once; otherwise he will hum like a trumpet, feeding your conceit. (37, p. 312) Discord from sinful habits Madness from the Jesus Prayer can occur when, while doing this prayer, one does not lag behind any sins and habits of sinners, which the conscience condemns. At the same time, a deep discord occurs inside, driving away all peacefulness of the heart... From here the head can become clouded and concepts can become confused and confused. (15, p. 192) A truly Christian life is a life hidden with Christ in God. It is mysterious both in its origin, and in the ways of maturation, and in its perfection. Therefore, not all mysticism is false. False mysticism comes from deviation from the right path of ascension to communion with God... The deviation into false mysticism among the fathers, sober ascetics, is called a deviation into delusion... Some get stuck on the imagination, others stop at doing things in the mind. The true step is taken by those who, bypassing these stations, go to the heart and take refuge in it. But here, too, error is still possible, because part of mental-heart prayer is self-made, laborious; and where we are, there is always the possibility of falling into delusion, just like into sin. Security begins when pure and unwavering prayer is established in the heart. (30, pp. 231, 233–234) He who is in the heart is safe. It is even safer who painfully falls to God at every hour in contrition, with a prayer for deliverance from charms. (1, p. 245) 10. It is necessary to have a leader So, from the very beginning of movement from the outside in... it is possible to deviate into false mysticism. How to avoid this misfortune? The fathers indicate one way for this: do not be left alone, have an experienced adviser and leader. If there is none, get two or three together and be mutually guided in the light of the fatherly writings. I don’t know of any other way to avoid the errors of mysticism, except perhaps for the special grace-filled guidance that God’s chosen few were granted. But these are specifics, and we are talking about ways of life that are common to everyone. (30, pp. 234–235) Where can a layman find a leader? Another bewilderment: in the matter of mental prayer one must have a leader; where can a layman get it? - There, in the world, - and between spiritual fathers, and even between laymen. It is true that people to whom one could reliably turn for advice on spiritual life are becoming rarer and rarer. But they always exist and will be. And whoever wants it always finds them, by the grace of God. Spiritual life is God's life, and God has special care for those who seek it. Just get jealous and you will find everything you need around you. (7, pp. 384–385) When attention to the Lord becomes persistent, then it is grace-filled attention; and our own attention is always forced. From such mental prayer there is a transition to heartfelt inner prayer, if only there is an experienced teacher - very convenient and free. (15, p. 227) What to remember and do You ask what is needed... Remember and do so... With attention you need to descend into the heart and stand there before the face of the Lord, who is omnipresent - both in you, and all-seeing - and in you... Standing before the face of the Lord, do not let in other thoughts... but only contemplate the Lord with the feelings due to Him: what he sees, hears, he is ready to heed and fulfill. Do not leave the word [of the Jesus Prayer] without thinking about the Lord and what He is for us, but have simple thoughts: that He is near, keeps, holds, teaches, guides... When you start, then certain needs regarding this prayer will open up - and ask. Look at the end of the matter... Thought and feeling will become so close to the Lord that they will become inseparable - there will be an inseparable feeling for the Lord - warm and sweet. Still, everything else will become outside, as if it were someone else’s. When you are humble, the grace of God will soon bring this prayer into force... Make sure that everything comes from the heart. Don't think about external situations... As soon as such a thought is born [that prayer has been established], know in advance that it is a lie - and do not dwell on it. Strength will begin when a fire is formed in the heart. (16, pp. 102–103) Fuck the main thing, and then... Work like this and pray to the Lord to let you finally feel and know what a sore in the heart is, according to the word of Elder Parthenius. Suddenly it doesn't work out. A year of intense work will pass, and maybe more, until some traces of this begin to appear. Bless you, Lord, on this work and path. But don’t consider this as some kind of side-effect, but take it as the main thing... When, God willing, a sore arises in your heart, then what you want will naturally arrive, or something much higher than that - a special certain tact will be established, according to which everything will go well, smoothly and appropriately for you, without thinking about it. Then you will carry within you a teacher who is wiser than none on earth. (7, p. 366) We are talking about the book by Theophan the Recluse “Holy Fathers on Sobriety and Prayer.” Note comp. This refers to the rule from the book “Tales of a Wanderer to His Spiritual Father” and it is applicable only at a certain level of prayer; its implementation should be discussed with the confessor. – Approx. comp.