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Praying in Rest and Peace?
Hey everyone,
I would like to bring up a issue about prayer.
I have got some moments that I really long to be with God and to talk to him and to feel him.
Especially when I am hearing some spiritual songs, like this one from the movie of Abouna Yostos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Abe9goxafMA
However, when I finally pray, e.g. in the morning before having breakfast, I feel that I am facing some limitations.
Like this morning. I waked up at 9.45 am, gave my dad a good morning and I told him that I am going to pray. He told me good, meshy, ro7y sally. Now I like it to listen first a spiritual song before praying and sometimes even while I am praying I listen to it. I was praying and 10 minutes later my dad opened the door of my room carefully to see what I was doing. When he saw me praying, he walked away. Then I turned the spiritual song on at my mobile again (I stopped it, because I was worrying that my dad would tell me that I can't concentrate at prayer the same time) and 5 minutes later he did the same thing. My problem is that I CAN NOT concentrate and enjoy prayer when I know someone is watching me and while I know he is waiting for me to finish. I don't like it to hurry in prayer. I felt that my concentration and peace escaped and I finished my prayer and walked to my dad. I asked him why he did that and he told me that he wanted to see if I am finished so that I can having breakfast. A point I have to add: my dad is very worried about my time, because like the most of us do, I am studying. And I am in the first year of college (applied psychology) which is asking very much time to study because it's intensive, (and I am not used to finish everything quickly and my dad knows that I am not efficient with time and he finds that I am doing everything slowly.)
Then I tried him to explain that I can't stand it what he did, and he find that I was talking with a loud voice and get upset. I didn't pass to explain him and I get angry because I didn't get a oppurtunity to tell it (and I must admit that sometimes t I am loosing my temper fastly and probably I don't notice how I talk).
I lost my peace of prayer and I find this really a pity!!
Nowadays, everyone is in a rush (studying fast fast, working fast fast, everthing must be done fast). Sometimes I just wish I could go to a convenant of the monastry of Fr. Yostos, to pray there in rest, peace and silene. I just want to spend enough time with God, but unfortunately there are always things that stop me or don't make me able to do it properly. What a shame that there is no monastery in the country where I life. We have got a church, but I won't be able (and not even allowed) to go there unless there is a liturgy or something. And even then my dad wants me to hurry and I don't have got enough time to enjoy my time with God.
Probably the problem is in myself and not in anyone/anything else. (E.g. I know my dad loves me a lot and wants me to pray and to be very good with God. But despite that I am feeling I am not gettin' better. The most important cause of this, is a lack of time. Or the fact that I am not being efficient/careful enough with time). Could you please give me any advice on how to deal with this? Please, answer the following questions, they are important to me to find a solution.
1. [b]How to pray in rest and peace, without being disturbed by anything/anyone and without having to hurry?[/b]
2.Also how to combine study with prayer and that I can be efficient with time so that I don't have to hurry in everything?
3. How can I hold my peace even when someone is getting angry at me???? And the most important, how to not getting angry too?? (--> has to do with having a humble heart)
And everyting I told above.
Thanks in advance,
GBU.
I would like to bring up a issue about prayer.
I have got some moments that I really long to be with God and to talk to him and to feel him.
Especially when I am hearing some spiritual songs, like this one from the movie of Abouna Yostos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Abe9goxafMA
However, when I finally pray, e.g. in the morning before having breakfast, I feel that I am facing some limitations.
Like this morning. I waked up at 9.45 am, gave my dad a good morning and I told him that I am going to pray. He told me good, meshy, ro7y sally. Now I like it to listen first a spiritual song before praying and sometimes even while I am praying I listen to it. I was praying and 10 minutes later my dad opened the door of my room carefully to see what I was doing. When he saw me praying, he walked away. Then I turned the spiritual song on at my mobile again (I stopped it, because I was worrying that my dad would tell me that I can't concentrate at prayer the same time) and 5 minutes later he did the same thing. My problem is that I CAN NOT concentrate and enjoy prayer when I know someone is watching me and while I know he is waiting for me to finish. I don't like it to hurry in prayer. I felt that my concentration and peace escaped and I finished my prayer and walked to my dad. I asked him why he did that and he told me that he wanted to see if I am finished so that I can having breakfast. A point I have to add: my dad is very worried about my time, because like the most of us do, I am studying. And I am in the first year of college (applied psychology) which is asking very much time to study because it's intensive, (and I am not used to finish everything quickly and my dad knows that I am not efficient with time and he finds that I am doing everything slowly.)
Then I tried him to explain that I can't stand it what he did, and he find that I was talking with a loud voice and get upset. I didn't pass to explain him and I get angry because I didn't get a oppurtunity to tell it (and I must admit that sometimes t I am loosing my temper fastly and probably I don't notice how I talk).
I lost my peace of prayer and I find this really a pity!!
Nowadays, everyone is in a rush (studying fast fast, working fast fast, everthing must be done fast). Sometimes I just wish I could go to a convenant of the monastry of Fr. Yostos, to pray there in rest, peace and silene. I just want to spend enough time with God, but unfortunately there are always things that stop me or don't make me able to do it properly. What a shame that there is no monastery in the country where I life. We have got a church, but I won't be able (and not even allowed) to go there unless there is a liturgy or something. And even then my dad wants me to hurry and I don't have got enough time to enjoy my time with God.
Probably the problem is in myself and not in anyone/anything else. (E.g. I know my dad loves me a lot and wants me to pray and to be very good with God. But despite that I am feeling I am not gettin' better. The most important cause of this, is a lack of time. Or the fact that I am not being efficient/careful enough with time). Could you please give me any advice on how to deal with this? Please, answer the following questions, they are important to me to find a solution.
1. [b]How to pray in rest and peace, without being disturbed by anything/anyone and without having to hurry?[/b]
2.Also how to combine study with prayer and that I can be efficient with time so that I don't have to hurry in everything?
3. How can I hold my peace even when someone is getting angry at me???? And the most important, how to not getting angry too?? (--> has to do with having a humble heart)
And everyting I told above.
Thanks in advance,
GBU.
Comments
Or, the time before you sleep pray, stay up a little longer and pray... if you have the desire you will not let things get in your way.
If you want to pray at church.. try and go 10 minutes, or 30 minutes earlier to the liturgy or youth meeting and spend that time before the service in quiet time and prayer... Or are you still too restricted? Could you try asking your dad to let you go an hour earlier than the liturgy or youth meeting and go to a nice park and read a spiritual book in prayer and contemplation (pretty much what you'd do in a monastery... sit in the nature and read/pray in contemplation.) Or sit in silence for some time to hear God...
Prayer and study: JESUS PRAYER.. really, for anything and prayer it's the Jesus prayer that will do it for you! I guarantee it!
So every time you can't do a question, say it. Or every time you do a question, say it. Or every time you're stuck, say it. Every time you complete some work, say it... the possibilities are endless...
http://www.copticheritage.org/orthodoxy/tradition_of_the_jesus_prayer
Not sure about your last question but "be angry and do not sin". Actually, when I am angry I mainly don't do much, very few times I thought I'd actually pray about it... Works like a charm ;) If you are angry at a certain person... Pray for them.. and thus how then can you be angry at them when you prayed for them and you showed you love them by doing so...
Hope I helped
Well, this is a topic which I love because I have gotten so many questions from people regarding this topic. Prayer!
I see that there are a few things which you are doing wrong, or rather, I myself would not do. For example: What's up with the music? The thing is your not alone. The amount of people who have come up to me and told me that they pray after listening to that specific song (sometimes people pray while listening) is huge. I, when I was still new to the idea of prayer used to watch a saint movie, and being so touched, I would go pray. Then I realized something, and it has since become my favorite thing to tell people of this mindset: "The life of a saint does not come with a soundtrack." This music that gets you into the "mood" of prayer is a self induced thing. It has little to do with spirituality and a lot to do with emotion. I would beware.
Secondly, why would you tell your dad that you are going to pray? I'm not going to pull out the verse about locking your door because you probably already know it, but this is where it is applied. If you are telling your dad so that he wont knock, the devil will knock instead! Forgive me for the allusion here, but when a husband and wife are getting intimate, there is no reason to tell the children so that they don't enter the room. Just slide away and do your prayer.
Also, like Blimbo said, pray immediately when you wake up. Wake up a little earlier, and say your prayers.
As for prayer and study, there is nothing wrong with taking a break to pray. While others take a break to watch TV, read a book, you should take a break to pray or read the bible. One of the fathers found a way to mix the two. while working, every once in a while, he would look to heaven and say, "Lord have mercy." Those arrow prayers work very well, and should be wielded by us.
When someone gets angry at me, I just smile, and nod. in prayer, though I may be angry with them, I would mention them in my prayer until I eventually forget what they did. It actually works. One of the saintly bishops (I believe it was The Late Bishop Samuel) used to keep a drawer full of hate letters that he received from people, and on having a bad day, he would read some of them, and receive consolation at the blessings he would receive.
Finally, a nice story: A father saw that his disciple was being proud, so he sent him into the city, and told him to pay the gate keeper to constantly make fun of him whenever he went in and out of the city. He did so. a While later the brethren were walking and a man insulted this disciple. The disciple began to laugh and was extremely joyful. When the brethren asked why he laughed he said, "I used to have to pay for insults, and now, I receive them free!"
I hope you fell better, and get your spiritual life to increase. When it gets to the heights and on its way up there, don't forget to pray for me!
ReturnOrthodoxy
yes, just keep trying and keep praying. the more u pray the more u will love God, be kind to people etc. etc.
i know from my own life it can be hard to find the time.
but that is not a good excuse (at least not for my priest!)
;)
so keep trying and never give up.