I am new to Eastern Christian prayer - where to begin?

[Cecilianus]

I was curious about something when it comes to prayer:

Is there a list of specific <don’ts> when trying to practice your prayers??.

Does anyone know? .

Here’s a partial list of “don’ts” that I’ve heard:

First, you really shouldn’t act without the guidance a spiritual director - in other words, don’t start trying psychosomatic meditation techniques (navel-gazing, breath control) on your own. Many Orthodox writers even say not to say the Jesus Prayer without the guidance of a spiritual director.

Secondly, don’t say anything that is reserved for a priest - prayers that are obviously Eucharistic for example (usually more of a temptation for Western Christians where the “dry Mass” or Liturgy of the Presanctified is commonly said when a priest is not available, or privately as a devotional practice), but also any litanies, any prayer (such as the kontakia in the Akathistos) where the “alleluia” is proclaimed, and any blessings or prayers marked in the liturgical books as belonging to a priest (for example, the “for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory” etc.).

Third, it is alien to our Eastern tradition to adore or venerate parts of Christ’s physical body in isolation to the rest of them (i.e., the Sacred Heart devotion). I don’t think this is heretical, because Roman Catholic spirituality uses the term “heart” differently than we do (they are worshiping not his physical organ or his nous; rather, the Sacred Heart devotion is a meditation on Christ’s love). It’s just not what we do, and since the East has its own integrity of method and symbolism, mixing images can lead to confusion.

Fourth, because Orthodox spirituality is firmly rooted in the “eye of the heart” or nous rather than in the imagination and reason, we should avoid using our imagination in prayer. Again, we should nonetheless recognize that our Roman Catholic brethren are more than capable of attaining great sanctity using such meditations (as they do in the Rosary and Stations of the Cross), but our spiritual method coming from the Eastern monastic fathers is different and for us to employ the imagination would lead to the danger of prelest (spiritual delusion). Using Western methods within an Eastern spirituality can be dangerous (and vice versa - just look at the way some Roman Catholics have misused the Jesus Prayer), and this is because each has their own integrity that needs to remain intact (not because one is “right” and the other is “wrong”).

So if you pray the Rosary (something given by St. Seraphim of Sarov to all his spiritual children), do not let your imagination build elaborate constructions of what you think the mysteries look like. That would be useful for inspiring loving emotions towards God, which is certainly a noble thing but a bit counter-productive to the rest of our spirituality (the chotki, and I will argue the Akathist and Liturgy) which is more kenotic in character, stripping us naked in our sins before God and purging us of our sins and our passions and all that stands between us and our God). This isn’t a problem for Roman Catholics since the Mass (at least in the Tridentine form) works with the emotions and reason elevating them up to heavenly mysteries rather than trying to “blow them away” with the transcendence of heavenly grace, but it is a problem for us. They’re cataphatic; we’re apophatic.

Instead, therefore, glorify and love the Theotokos in your heart when you pray the “Bogoroditse Devo”.

Those are the only four "don’t"s I’ve heard.

 

[Dolores_IHS]

All devotions are the same in their essence Dolores. What counts is that you stick to that same devotion. I know a friend of mine who prays the rosary more because he finds the Jesus Prayer not to his liking. And he is Orthodox. I have been devoted praying the Chaplet of Divine Mercy. If there is one devotion you prefer then stick to it.
… One devotion I use and always recommend is the Akathist Hymn to the Mother of God written and composed by St.Romanus the Melodist. Find a time during the day to do this. I like the evenings when it is darker and I lit my candles before my Icons and Statues. I then proceed with my prayers and will always include Eastern and Western prayers together. For the Eastern devotion I will pray an Akathist Hymn and the Jesus Prayer and normally for the Akathist Hymn it is the one written by the Saint I have previously mentioned. I will always throw in plenty of Divine Mercy Chaplets and while I pray I am observing the Icons in the darkness under much candlelight. I will throw in some scripture readings and then I will read from a Church Father one from the West and one from the East. I will always find the time to talk to the Lord in my own words. I will then proceed to give intentions both mine and those who have requested them. I tend to spend alot of time begging God for Mercy on those who do not know Him. Eastern devotions can be a great plus for anyone who wants to engage in the discilpline of Daily prayers and meditation. Father John Corapi a great Catholic evangelist and priest has made it known that he owes his conversion and developement in his first 3 years to his study and prayers from the Eastern Church. It has made him a better Catholic. I wish you well.

Thanks David, I found your sharing very helpful. It was good to see examples of what others do in Eastern prayer!

Dolores

 

[Dolores_IHS]

My recommendation is to do two things.

(a) Buy a chotki (prayer rope) and pray the Jesus Prayer (“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner”).
…
(Here are some of our prayers that every Byzantine Christian knows:
“It is truly proper to glorify you, who have borne God, the ever-blessed, immaculate, and the Mother of our God. More honorable than the Cherubim, and beyond compare more glorious than the Seraphim, who without spot gave birth to God the Word, truly the Theotokos we magnify.”

“Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us. Lord, cleanse us of our sins. Master, forgive our transgressions. Holy One, come to us and heal our infirmities for Your Name’s sake.”

“Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, everywhere present and filling all things, Treasury of Blessings and Giver of Life, come and dwell within us, cleanse us of all stain, and save our souls, O gracious one.”)

Then, if you’re ambitious,

(b) Go to metropolitancantorinstitute.org, go to “Publications”, and print off the Akathist Hymn to the Theotokos and Vespers. (Vespers is a lot to print - you might just print off Great Vespers, which is Vespers for Saturday.) This might be difficult to figure out if you do not have someone to show you, because our chant system (prostopinije for the Ruthenian Church) can be a bit difficult. All of our prayer except the chotki is chanted. The psalm tone is printed at the beginning of each document; on each paragraph where the text is simply written you hold the “D” until you reach the indented line, then chant on the “E” until the bold italicized word. One thing you should note is that there are certain prayers which are only allowed to be said by a priest - all litanies, and kontakia in the Akathist (because only a priest can proclaim the Alleluias), and the doxology after the Our Father (“for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages”). Skip the kontakia in the Akathist, replace all litanies with 12 “Lord Have Mercies” the first time and 3 “Lord Have Mercies” each subsequent time a litany appears, and on everything else chant “Through the prayers of the holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God have mercy and save us” on the psalm tone instead of the written text. Instead of “Father, give the blessing” chant “O Lord, bless” on the same tone.

That sounds really complicated, and one of the fortunate or unfortunate things about our spirituality is that it is very strongly and heavily liturgically centered. Even the chotki is a bit peripheral to our spirituality. Unfortunately even our services without a priest (“reader’s matins” or a reader’s Vespers or Akathist) are a bit difficult to simply print off and sing without having ever heard prostopinije before. I am trying to learn to cantor Great Vespers (without a priest) and still having trouble adapting the tones to the text where no music is explicitly written out, and I am a Greek Catholic.

Whoa, it does sound complex! But what I like so much about the Eastern Churches is that they have not become so modernised in liturgy, but have kept their traditions of chanting – and with no instrumental accompaniment it sounds so heavenly! When I attend Mass, I groan so much when I have to sing these watered-down “happy family” hymns and there is no Gregorian chant sung in our parish. It is all so mundane…

Recently in our South African weekly Catholic paper there was a priest who wrote an article complaining about the quality of liturgical music in our churches. I was so happy to read it! After that there was a flood of letters to the Editor (I wrote one too) about it, and most of them seem to agree with the priest. Hopefully something will be done about it in the future! Because our parish Masses sound as if they were largely made for children – so casual, that it makes me angry that we forgot the awesomeness of Mass. I haven’t even been able to experience a Tridentine Mass yet, and it has been over three years since our Holy Father’s Motu Proprio. (Sigh!)

Thanks for your suggestions! I made two chotki from black wool and beads. The bigger one has wooden beads and a tassel, and the smaller one black beads and a little silver cross. I then got them blessed by my priest (who also loves Eastern prayer – there are icons all over the walls in his house and the back room of the church). I usually like to pray a 100 Jesus Prayers at a time (with my 33-bead chotkis I go around them 3 times). Yesterday I walked outside in the garden when I spontaneously decided to pray. I keep the little chotki in my pocket all the time. I’ll try adding the Trisagios as you said.

Dolores

 

[Dolores_IHS]

I’m with Hesychios that plenary indulgence makes no sense. Indulgences are primarily Western and since we don’t define the intermediary stage as particularly the Western “Purgatory” there is no need for them. By the way Western “Grace” is better defined as the Eastern “Energy” because the Eastern “Grace” refers more to God’s divine love for us and our love for him. Therefore through this label then Eastern “Grace” can never be lost since God will always love us, we can block his Grace but it will always be there for it is our yearning to come closer to God, we strengthen our “Grace” through God’s Energy which is His communication with us. This is at least the Byzantine teaching and tradition.

In reference to the op, Dolores I would suggest also reading some Eastern Theology books because in the East both Theology and Spirituality come hand in hand, in our tradition it would be folly to separate them. Anyways any Eastern Spirituality book you pick up will have Theology aspects just as any Eastern Theology book has Spirituality aspects.

I’m neutral when it comes to Indulgences – I don’t try and collect them all the time, but don’t mind collecting one either for a special intention. It does feel funny sometimes, because I don’t believe that there is time in Purgatory, so 300 days indulgence doesn’t make sense when there is no time!

Anyway, what I was wanting to say, is that I LOVE the way the Western notion of “grace” is seen in the East as “energy”! After some spiritual experience I had a few years back, I love to see God’s work as energy! To me “Grace” is that open channel between us and God, begun by His love. This we can lose by sin, but, as you said, we don’t lose His love. Perhaps one can say that if we lose grace when we sin (the Eastern “energy”) it is like the channel is blocked by an impediment. It is still there, but needs to be unblocked. This will then need energy.

I have always thought that spirituality and Theology come together, even in the West. The Rosary is a very theological prayer. If theology is separated from spirituality, it is like saying that the head is separated from the heart. We do need both to live!

Dolores

 

[Dolores_IHS]

Just some more questions about the East…

I have heard that in the churches they don’t have pews, but stand for the Divine Liturgy. Is this true in all Eastern Churches? And when it is homily – do they stand for that too, or sit on the ground? When are prostrations made? And other postures? Do you kneel to receive Communion, or stand?

I have a great interest in Islam, because I love the way Muslim women practice modesty, and how the prayers are so ritualistic and made with prostrations, unshod and sitting on the ground. It is so down-to-earth and simple! I know in mosques there are no chairs except at the back for the elderly, and that they take their shoes off, and men and women worship in separate areas. I love all of these things. I don’t suppose Eastern Christians go as far as to remove their shoes, but, out of interest, do any of the Eastern Churches also have men and women worshipping in separate areas? And is it mandatory – or at least strongly encouraged – for women to dress modestly or cover their head?

What I would like to see from asking these questions is the similarities between Eastern Christianity and Islam. I have been strongly drawn to Islamic practices, but do not want to convert, as I believe in the Trinity and the Incarnation very strongly. So if I can find some place where there are similarities between Christian practice and that of Muslims, it would be lovely. I love that we can learn from other religions and yet still adhere to Christ.

Dolores
+

 

[ciero]

Just some more questions about the East…

I have heard that in the churches they don’t have pews, but stand for the Divine Liturgy. Is this true in all Eastern Churches? And when it is homily – do they stand for that too, or sit on the ground? When are prostrations made? And other postures? Do you kneel to receive Communion, or stand?

I have a great interest in Islam, because I love the way Muslim women practice modesty, and how the prayers are so ritualistic and made with prostrations, unshod and sitting on the ground. It is so down-to-earth and simple! I know in mosques there are no chairs except at the back for the elderly, and that they take their shoes off, and men and women worship in separate areas. I love all of these things. I don’t suppose Eastern Christians go as far as to remove their shoes, but, out of interest, do any of the Eastern Churches also have men and women worshipping in separate areas? And is it mandatory – or at least strongly encouraged – for women to dress modestly or cover their head?

What I would like to see from asking these questions is the similarities between Eastern Christianity and Islam. I have been strongly drawn to Islamic practices, but do not want to convert, as I believe in the Trinity and the Incarnation very strongly. So if I can find some place where there are similarities between Christian practice and that of Muslims, it would be lovely. I love that we can learn from other religions and yet still adhere to Christ.

Dolores
+

The reason you see the similarities in Eastern Christianity and Islam is because most if not all of the things you mentioned about liking in Islam was taken from Eastern Christianity. One should remember that Islam was founded in a time and place where Eastern Christianity was the norm.

The way Muslim women dress was the norm for all women in the area at the time,(still is for Eastern nuns), prostrations were and still are part of Eastern Christianity, removing shoes was and still is the norm in MANY Eastern churches and men and women worshiping in separate areas was the norm in East and Western Christianity until quite recently and is still practiced in a lot of places.

The book, Lost Christianity by Philip Jenkins goes into quite a bit of the history of this, well worth the read.

 

[Cecilianus]

Just some more questions about the East…

I have heard that in the churches they don’t have pews, but stand for the Divine Liturgy. Is this true in all Eastern Churches?

It should be true for all Eastern churches, but here in the United States most churches have pews (which are not used a whole lot - we sit only during the homily, Epistle, and a couple litanies, and some people only sit during the homily - but they can be rather constraining; we should be free to walk around and venerate the various icons during the Liturgy).

When are prostrations made? And other postures?

There are two kinds of prostrations - minor (bowing low to the waist and touching the floor) and great. A great prostration is the kind of prostration Muslims make that is probably a familiar image to you; they learned it from us. Usually in America we see people making minor prostrations upon entering the church and before communion, and often at the epiklesis (there are actually supposed to be two or three set times according to the Ruthenian bishops, but nobody knows when they are and uniformity on the part of the congregation is not a part of the Eastern tradition for anyone except the Old Believers). The Old Believers will make a great prostration upon entering the church and then again at the beginning of the Liturgy; we only make great prostrations when venerating the Cross on the second sunday of Great Lent and then again in October on the Triumph of the Life-Giving Cross (same feast as in the Western Church).

After Liturgy many people, especially women, will find an icon on the iconstasis to venerate and pray in a great prostration in front of it (it’s more common for men to stand).

Do you kneel to receive Communion, or stand?

We stand, and if you have the opportunity to come to Liturgy please do so as well; it is our gesture of reverence and would actually be more reverent than kneeling. Kneeling and standing have different meanings in the East than in the West; standing during Communion doesn’t feel as irreverent to me as it does in the Novus Ordo Roman Mass (where I kneel for Communion instead).

I have a great interest in Islam, because I love the way Muslim women practice modesty, and how the prayers are so ritualistic and made with prostrations, unshod and sitting on the ground. It is so down-to-earth and simple! I know in mosques there are no chairs except at the back for the elderly, and that they take their shoes off, and men and women worship in separate areas. I love all of these things. I don’t suppose Eastern Christians go as far as to remove their shoes, but, out of interest, do any of the Eastern Churches also have men and women worshipping in separate areas? And is it mandatory – or at least strongly encouraged – for women to dress modestly or cover their head?

I also admire those things in Islam. My understanding is that the Copts do take their shoes off - I think it is a beautiful custom. The Old Believers separate men and women, and it is strongly encouraged everywhere for women to cover their head with a scarf or mantilla. The only non-Catholic Liturgy I have ever been to was at an Armenian Apostolic Church, and someone was standing at the back of the Communion line with a pile of mantillas (chapel veils) she gave to every woman who was not wearing one so that the would present themselves appropriately for Holy Communion. As far as I know only the Armenians made it mandatory, but it is really best no matter where you are (East or West) for the women to cover their head. In churches of the Roman Rite the mantilla is traditionally worn loose and resting on top of her head; in Eastern churches it is traditionally tied under the chin.

What I would like to see from asking these questions is the similarities between Eastern Christianity and Islam. I have been strongly drawn to Islamic practices, but do not want to convert, as I believe in the Trinity and the Incarnation very strongly. So if I can find some place where there are similarities between Christian practice and that of Muslims, it would be lovely. I love that we can learn from other religions and yet still adhere to Christ.

Dolores
+

Well, we’re the ones they learned everything from! If the great prostration looks a lot like the Muslim prostration, and if their hand gestures sometimes look similar to the way we fold our arms across our breast while praying, there’s a pretty good historical reason for it!

 

[Wesley7]

Secondly, don’t say anything that is reserved for a priest - prayers that are obviously Eucharistic for example (usually more of a temptation for Western Christians where the “dry Mass” or Liturgy of the Presanctified is commonly said when a priest is not available, or privately as a devotional practice), but also any litanies, any prayer (such as the kontakia in the Akathistos) where the “alleluia” is proclaimed, and any blessings or prayers marked in the liturgical books as belonging to a priest (for example, the “for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory” etc.).

Any particular reason(s) why? . .

 

[Cecilianus]

Any particular reason(s) why? . .

I’m not particularly sure why some prayers have to be reserved for the priesthood, but both the Orthodox and Eastern Catholics have always been very careful to preserve the distinction. It would just feel wrong for a lay reader to sing the petitions in the ektenia, for example - I would feel like I was impersonating a priest.

 

[ciero]

I’m not particularly sure why some prayers have to be reserved for the priesthood, but both the Orthodox and Eastern Catholics have always been very careful to preserve the distinction. It would just feel wrong for a lay reader to sing the petitions in the ektenia, for example - I would feel like I was impersonating a priest.

Where do you get the idea that only a priest can read the Kondakion and Alleluias during an Akathist? Thats a new one to this Byzanto-facist.

 

[Cecilianus]

Where do you get the idea that only a priest can read the Kondakion and Alleluias during an Akathist? Thats a new one to this Byzanto-facist.

By a Romanian friend. It was new to me too, I had been saying them , but apparently we’re not supposed to. I don’t know if that’s universally Byzantine, or just a local custom in Chicago, or just a Romanian rule. I asked Bishop John (Kudrick) if I could get a Roman priest to sing them for us, and he said yes but didn’t correct me about needing a priest to do it to begin with.

 

[Hesychios]

By a Romanian friend. It was new to me too, I had been saying them , but apparently we’re not supposed to. I don’t know if that’s universally Byzantine, or just a local custom in Chicago, or just a Romanian rule. I asked Bishop John (Kudrick) if I could get a Roman priest to sing them for us, and he said yes but didn’t correct me about needing a priest to do it to begin with.

You attend Annunciation?

 

[Cecilianus]

You attend Annunciation?

I don’t; the person who told me not to sing the Kontakia in the Akathist did.

 

[ciero]

I don’t; the person who told me not to sing the Kontakia in the Akathist did.

Interesting…I haven’t seen it done that way in Romania.

In the Romanian monasteries I have been to the Akathist is sung every day as part of the daily round of services. In all of the nuns monasteries I have been to the Akathist was sung by the nuns with no priest serving…Kondakions and Alleluias were sung. Incense was used by one of the nuns with a hand censer.

Chalk it up to another local tradition?

 

[joejonesonline]

I’m neutral when it comes to Indulgences – I don’t try and collect them all the time, but don’t mind collecting one either for a special intention. It does feel funny sometimes, because I don’t believe that there is time in Purgatory, so 300 days indulgence doesn’t make sense when there is no time!

Dolores

The 300 days does not measure “time off” from purgatory, but instead, quantifies the merit received from performing the indulgenced act. Thus, 300 days means that the merit of the indulgence is equivalent to the merit received from 300 days of prayer and fasting.

Glory to Jesus Christ.

 

[Cecilianus]

The 300 days does not measure “time off” from purgatory, but instead, quantifies the merit received from performing the indulgenced act. Thus, 300 days means that the merit of the indulgence is equivalent to the merit received from 300 days of prayer and fasting.

Glory to Jesus Christ.

Glory to Him forever!

 

[Hesychios]

The 300 days does not measure “time off” from purgatory, but instead, quantifies the merit received from performing the indulgenced act. Thus, 300 days means that the merit of the indulgence is equivalent to the merit received from 300 days of prayer and fasting.

Glory to Jesus Christ.

Why wouldn’t you just do the akathist out of love and the prayer and fasting for spiritual strength?

 

[Cecilianus]

Why wouldn’t you just do the akathist out of love and the prayer and fasting for spiritual strength?

Isn’t that what an indulgence is?

 

[Hesychios]

Isn’t that what an indulgence is?

Is that what you think?

It doesn’t seem like that to me. It looks more like when we introduce the concept of indulgences into the mix, one does the akathist to escape doing the prayer and fasting.

Does it seem to you that standing two hours praying an akathist is equal to praying any kind of heartfelt prayers and fasting 300 days?

Is standing in prayer for one akathist worth praying the rosary plus fasting for 300 days?

I am sure there are people out there who haven’t actually fasted for three hundred days in their entire lives, much less prayed and examined their consciences in the process.

 

[Cecilianus]

Is that what you think?

It doesn’t seem like that to me. It looks more like when we introduce the concept of indulgences into the mix, one does the akathist to escape doing the prayer and fasting.

Does it seem to you that standing two hours praying an akathist is equal to praying any kind of heartfelt prayers and fasting 300 days?

Is standing in prayer for one akathist worth praying the rosary plus fasting for 300 days?

I am sure there are people out there who haven’t actually fasted for three hundred days in their entire lives, much less prayed and examined their consciences in the process.

It depends on the degree of love with which you say the Akathist. One single moment of prayer in perfect love and disattachment from sin brings you closer to God than a whole lifetime of fasts mixed with human passions and attachment to sin (though it would certainly seem difficult to reach the state of perfection without such fasts - indulgences aren’t a “shortcut” to sanctity in any sense of the term). You need complete disattachment from all sin in order to receive a plenary indulgence; as I said, they aren’t shortcuts.