A Question about LOTH Night Prayer

[DisorientingSneeze]

After night prayer/compline do you choose to go straight to bed?

I’ve only prayed the Night Prayer twice so far. Both times I felt such peace and so well prepared for sleep. But last night despite feeling so well prepared to sleep I thought well I could go to bed or I could stay up and read, so I did the latter.

Is it meant to be the very last thing you do? Is then choosing to go to sleep part of the discipline of it?

 

[UpUpAndAway]

I don’t. I have a set time to pray Night Prayer but may not go to sleep for hours afterwards.

While on retreat in a Benedictine abbey, I noticed that several monks were up and (quietly) active after NP. The Guestmaster, for example, often remained in his office well into the night.

Up to that point I’d been having trouble praying NP because I’d often fall asleep earlier than I intended, thereby missing the hour altogether. By setting a time at which I always pray NP, I no longer miss it because I dozed off.

When possible, I dial down my activity level after NP.

 

[mrsdizzyd]

When possible, I dial down my activity level after NP.

I believe in many religious communities Grand Silence follows shortly after Compline. It might not be possible for lay people to be totally silent, but dialing back sounds like a good alternative.