Personal Spiritual Practical Tips...

youstina04

don't tell me to read books i know there is a lot of books out there about liturgy and how to benefit from liturgy, reading it's not my hobby at all. I'm seeking practical advice, exercises.
Full attention in the mass What do you do in a liturgy to have full focus and attention without any other thoughts to distract you?
i was just wondering if you guys do others practical exercises to help you to be in the spiritual mood and benefit from going to church.
you know guys what i mean so hope to hear from you guys
guys share your thoughts, experiences, personal practical exercises

hany58

Hey Youstina, I'm Hany, well basically my own advise is to really try to concentrate on the hymns, on the beauty of it and on the spiritual mood that it gives. Also trying to learn the hymns will give you a great interest in listening to them in the mass and understanding what they mean. Personally I do love the mass because of the rich hymns that are said in it, especially the masses that are not in the annual days, I mean for example the 50 days after the resurrection we sing the mass in festival tune, so basically try your best to concentrate on the hymns. Secondly try your best not to sit beside your friends that you know that they talk and distract you. Try to make the mass just a time being with God. What I also do is really holding a book and trying my very best to follow and to understand every single word, when you understand the words that you are praying, you will automatically concentrate. Try to sit on the front of the church so that you can concentrate and hear what abouna and deacon say, don't try to sit on the back where you will get distracted easily by running kids and teenage girls, hope you get what I mean aye. God bless you, I hope that helps

Unknown

[quote author=youstina04 link=board=4;threadid=3956;start=0#msg55669 date=1149029308]
don't tell me to read books i know there is a lot of books out there about liturgy and how to benefit from liturgy, reading it's not my hobby at all. I'm seeking practical advice, exercises.
Full attention in the mass What do you do in a liturgy to have full focus and attention without any other thoughts to distract you?
i was just wondering if you guys do others practical exercises to help you to be in the spiritual mood and benefit from going to church.
you know guys what i mean so hope to hear from you guys
guys share your thoughts, experiences, personal practical exercises


1. Try to learn hymns - listen to the ones on this site and try to remember the words and melodies. It is much easier to pay attention to something familiar.

2. Try to stand with your eyes looking at the floor or at the front of the church - don't look around at what others are doing and don't turn around. If there are pews in your church, do the same thing but sitting.

3. Make sure you say your prayers in the morning before you go to the Liturgy, and stay away from TV from the night before until after you've come back from church the next day.

4. Just like its good to learn the hymns, its good to learn everything else. The easiest way to do that is reading, but since you hate that so much, ask your priest or someone else who knows if they can talk you through the basics.

5. Try to avoid any other disctractions as well. So don't chat with your friends before the Liturgy so that you'll stand there thinking about jokes they made, etc.

Miss Anastasia

Although reading is not your hobby.... part of being a christian is to read and understand the bible. You asked for some suggestions and exercises, so just take it like maybe you need to alter some of your hobbies. Participating in this forum requires you to actually read and understand each others view, opinions, suggestions, facts etc. No offense to you, I just know actually holding the liturgy book will help you to follow and understand what is going on, if you are having sooo many distractions or troubles paying attention.

PopeKyrillos

Well i didn't have time to read the posts, but i think it would help if u would learn the hymns so when the deacons say them u can say it with them while following along in the book. then in the liturgy after the waza that abouna gives, look to see waht is abouna doing and find out waht is the symbol of waht he's doing. well neways hope this helps.

PK