Getting started with a daily prayer rule

[HabteSelassie]

Greetings in that Divine and Most Precious Name of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

I have an Agpeya, and it is the main book I use. It is truly wonderful, and it is small enough to be carried everywhere.

Isn't it? After a while when the prayers have been memorized, you can just carry around a small pocket New Testament with the Psalter with you and need nothing more.  

This is a wonderful thread.  There are so many thoughtful and helpful posts regarding a daily prayer rule.  

Prior to, and since becoming Orthodox, I acquired several prayer books to use for daily prayer.

I think another very helpful prayer routine is to find a melody from the Church to chant and accompany the texts prayers and Psalms rather then just to recite or read them.  As Saint Augustine said, "They who sing  pray twice."  The chanting really brings the meditation of prayer into full effect, and lifts us momentarily out of the mundane towards the Divine.  Learning to sing the prayers and Psalms in the melodies of my Ethiopian Orthodox tradition was perhaps one of the most life changing aspects of my Orthodox living, and it continues to literally reverberate across my life every new day I rise up and sing in prayer from my Agpeya.


The Ethiopian Se'at

Stay Blessed,
Habte Selassie

[Hermogenes]

The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, Who art in the heavens, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Where exactly is the thanking element?

Gratitude is one of the most important components of a spiritual life, IMHO, and the key ingredient for a joyful life of any kind. We look for opportunities to be grateful--the light turns green just as you get to the intersection; the subway pulls into the station just as you reach the bottom of the stairs; you make it all the way down Second Avenue on one light. You're wondering how you're going to get the door with all the stuff you're carrying, and someone steps out and opens it. These are little everyday things, and of course we express our gratitude for the major things, such as our faith, our lives, our Savior who loved us so much! I have found that cultivating the habit of gratitude in small things makes it easier to remember to thank God for the big things. And it helps me not to take anything for granted--like the fact that I have a bed, and shoes. I tend to take a lot for granted. so I really need this kind of exercise. There are a number of thanksgiving psalms, too, which you can seek out.

[Hermogenes]

Wouldn't praying the Small Compline be a good starting point for a prayer rule.

Oh yes!

[Hermogenes]

http://www.northumbriacommunity.org/pray-the-daily-office

I'm not sure if I would recommend that. They look to be some independent group without any link to a canonical Orthodox body. :/

In Christ,
Andrew

Yes, they are. They are "interfaith," but I believe the founders were/are Anglicans. Seems like a nice group, and the book is a wonderful book, all things considered, but it isn't Orthodox.

I love and use the Agpeya, but I am wondering if it is really a resource I'd recommend to someone who has just converted? Except if they are in the Coptic jurisdiction, of course. I feel the same about my own personal favorite prayer book--the Old Orthodox Prayer Book. Unless a person has converted to an Old Believer church, it might be more confusing than helpful at the start.

One book I believe doesn't get the attention it deserves is the Liturgikon published by the Antiochian Archdiocese. Considering the breadth of material it contains, it is very reasonably priced; the English is quite readable (unlike some Holy Transfiguration and Jordanville texts); and it covers the important parts of the liturgical day and year. If I were only going to recommend one book, this would be it.

[WPM]

Everyday I usually focus on my prayer corner and daily rosary.

[Hermogenes]

Everyday I usually focus on my prayer corner and daily rosary.

Which, of course, isn't an Orthodox prayer, unless you mean a choki. 

[Aindriú]

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pray-always/id467806204?mt=8

New EO prayer App

[Altar Server]

Everyday I usually focus on my prayer corner and daily rosary.

Which, of course, isn't an Orthodox prayer, unless you mean a choki. 

actually it is western rite

[JamesR]

I have not officially developed one although recently I have been following the prayers from the red Antiochian prayer book along with reciting five or six Psalms in order from my OSB to go with it.

[Tommelomsky]

I got a question as i have developed a prayer rule (i am a non-practicing catholic inquiring and hope if God wills it to some day become orthodox) and developing a prayerlife after this model: http://www.orthodoxprayer.org/Daily%20Prayer%20Basics.html. But i got two questions:

1) Should i add the daily scripture readings into it or should i read them after prayers in morning/evening (sometime during the day).
What do you that has been orthodox for years or your entire life recommend?

2) Is the daily scripture readings universal or do they change from church to church? I attend a russian orthodox parish in Oslo, Norway
and the orthodoxy is at a very small level here.

Blessings.

[africanus]

How can one learn 'The Creed' in order to master it by heart?

[Mor Ephrem]

Say it every day with your morning and evening prayers. 

[DeniseDenise]

How can one learn 'The Creed' in order to master it by heart?

Or sing it at liturgy for six months in a row...you soon won't need the words in front of you.

[Rufus]

How can one learn 'The Creed' in order to master it by heart?

A line or two each day, frequently reciting it as far as you've memorized.

[Altar Server]

I got a question as i have developed a prayer rule (i am a non-practicing catholic inquiring and hope if God wills it to some day become orthodox) and developing a prayerlife after this model: http://www.orthodoxprayer.org/Daily%20Prayer%20Basics.html. But i got two questions:

1) Should i add the daily scripture readings into it or should i read them after prayers in morning/evening (sometime during the day).
What do you that has been orthodox for years or your entire life recommend?

2) Is the daily scripture readings universal or do they change from church to church? I attend a russian orthodox parish in Oslo, Norway
and the orthodoxy is at a very small level here.

Blessings.

I normally sit down and read scripture and some other spiritual reading after I complete my morning prayer rule (but thats just because its what works best for me) I don't think there really a rule other than that you should read scripture on your own at some point during the day.

In Christ,

Seraphim

[Eruvande]

This is an interesting thread, thank you. I use Our Daily Life from the British Orthodox Fellowship. I haven't yet graduated to Glory to God, which contains the longer prayers. I'm still very much a baby in Orthodox understanding and practice!

[Mor Ephrem]

This is an interesting thread, thank you. I use Our Daily Life from the British Orthodox Fellowship. I haven't yet graduated to Glory to God, which contains the longer prayers.

What are the contents of these books?

I'm still very much a baby in Orthodox understanding and practice!

Being a baby is not always so bad. 

[Eruvande]

This is an interesting thread, thank you. I use Our Daily Life from the British Orthodox Fellowship. I haven't yet graduated to Glory to God, which contains the longer prayers.

What are the contents of these books?

Let me see... Glory to God is the name of the liturgical English version from the Hours (Agbia) of the Coptic Orthodox Church. Our Daily Life contains an abridged version of these prayers.

I'm still very much a baby in Orthodox understanding and practice!

Being a baby is not always so bad. 

No indeed But it's very much a fish-out-of-water feeling when it comes to Orthodoxy.

[Mystes]

Hi all,

since I am new to Orthodox spirituality, I would very much like to know where I should stand with my daily prayer rule. Basically, I use the standard prayer rule as issued in prayerbook of the Russian Orthodox Church and my parish priest has confirmed that the prayers listed there should conform to 'a minimum standard' of our daily spiritual life, in other words, daily morning and evening prayers contained in the prayerbook should be regarded as the essential core. However, I'm struggling with a personal issue - I get back from work really late and the medication I have to take due to certain health issues makes me fatigued and dizzy, so by the time I get home I can hardly concentrate on the prayers. My question is whether it's okay to skip some of the prayers (without discarding them in any way 'unnecessary') leaving only 'the basics', i.e. The Trisagion Prayers, Prayer for the End of the Day, daily confession of sins etc. One other thought comes into mind as well - is it man to letter or letter to man? The latter expression seems to shed some light on my issue but I don't want to be too arbitrary in 'picking out' what may seem 'appropriate' in the prayerbook and what may not.

[Mor Ephrem]

Hi all,

since I am new to Orthodox spirituality, I would very much like to know where I should stand with my daily prayer rule. Basically, I use the standard prayer rule as issued in prayerbook of the Russian Orthodox Church and my parish priest has confirmed that the prayers listed there should conform to 'a minimum standard' of our daily spiritual life, in other words, daily morning and evening prayers contained in the prayerbook should be regarded as the essential core. However, I'm struggling with a personal issue - I get back from work really late and the medication I have to take due to certain health issues makes me fatigued and dizzy, so by the time I get home I can hardly concentrate on the prayers. My question is whether it's okay to skip some of the prayers (without discarding them in any way 'unnecessary') leaving only 'the basics', i.e. The Trisagion Prayers, Prayer for the End of the Day, daily confession of sins etc.

Since you are speaking to your parish priest about these matters, I would ask him.  Personally, I don't see why it should be a problem.  Just explain to him your situation as you did here. 

One other thought comes into mind as well - is it man to letter or letter to man? The latter expression seems to shed some light on my issue but I don't want to be too arbitrary in 'picking out' what may seem 'appropriate' in the prayerbook and what may not.

The rule is for you, not you for the rule.  So again, talk to your priest and I'm sure he can help you figure out what you should "pick out" and what you should leave aside for now. 

[CopticDeacon]

St. Pachomius' prayer rule is awesome. takes 10-20 minutes depending on how many times you recite the Jesus Prayer. Start with a low number and reading scripture either before or after.
This is the prayer rule of St. Pachomius: http://www.saintjonah.org/services/stpachomius.htm

[icecreamsandwich]

Hi all,

since I am new to Orthodox spirituality, I would very much like to know where I should stand with my daily prayer rule. Basically, I use the standard prayer rule as issued in prayerbook of the Russian Orthodox Church and my parish priest has confirmed that the prayers listed there should conform to 'a minimum standard' of our daily spiritual life, in other words, daily morning and evening prayers contained in the prayerbook should be regarded as the essential core. However, I'm struggling with a personal issue - I get back from work really late and the medication I have to take due to certain health issues makes me fatigued and dizzy, so by the time I get home I can hardly concentrate on the prayers. My question is whether it's okay to skip some of the prayers (without discarding them in any way 'unnecessary') leaving only 'the basics', i.e. The Trisagion Prayers, Prayer for the End of the Day, daily confession of sins etc. One other thought comes into mind as well - is it man to letter or letter to man? The latter expression seems to shed some light on my issue but I don't want to be too arbitrary in 'picking out' what may seem 'appropriate' in the prayerbook and what may not.

Welcome! As has been said above this is really a pastoral thing, so asking your priest would be the best bet. That said, it's often said that it's better to have a short rule that you actually keep, than a long rule that you struggle to follow and only keep like, parts of the week. Another really short and simple rule I like is that of St. Seraphim of Sarov:

http://www.stjohndc.org/Russian/fathers/FathersE/e_Prayer_Sarov.htm

Again, though, your priest will have the best asnwer for you and his advice would be best to follow.

[Mystes]

I feel somewhat uneasy about 'adapting' prayer rules of others or even following prayer rules prescribed by certain monks or saints. My concern is that I trust the Church tradition reflected in the prayer rules outlined in prayer-books, it feels like improper to adjust them in any way, as if being afraid the prayers would lose their 'effectiveness' if they're supplanted, omitted or otherwise rearranged. I perfectly understand that prayer-books and prayer rules ar not magic formulae, after all, Christian prayer was the sort of practice that pushed away the pagan imperial recitations of prayers intended for the gods of the Roman state, but I still can't get rid of the feeling that making changes in the rule can be defective to spiritual life. Do any of you follow my meaning?

[Mor Ephrem]

I feel somewhat uneasy about 'adapting' prayer rules of others or even following prayer rules prescribed by certain monks or saints. My concern is that I trust the Church tradition reflected in the prayer rules outlined in prayer-books, it feels like improper to adjust them in any way, as if being afraid the prayers would lose their 'effectiveness' if they're supplanted, omitted or otherwise rearranged. I perfectly understand that prayer-books and prayer rules ar not magic formulae, after all, Christian prayer was the sort of practice that pushed away the pagan imperial recitations of prayers intended for the gods of the Roman state, but I still can't get rid of the feeling that making changes in the rule can be defective to spiritual life. Do any of you follow my meaning?

I think I do, I feel that way at times myself.

You should talk to your priest.  The "rule" in a standard layman's prayer book is not the standard, it is a standard.  There are many variations through history and even among various traditions today, even though some things always remain the same.  If he tells you how to adapt it for your particular needs, just follow that adaptation as your rule, stick with it, and be at peace. 

[WPM]

I feel somewhat uneasy about 'adapting' prayer rules of others or even following prayer rules prescribed by certain monks or saints. My concern is that I trust the Church tradition reflected in the prayer rules outlined in prayer-books, it feels like improper to adjust them in any way, as if being afraid the prayers would lose their 'effectiveness' if they're supplanted, omitted or otherwise rearranged. I perfectly understand that prayer-books and prayer rules ar not magic formulae, after all, Christian prayer was the sort of practice that pushed away the pagan imperial recitations of prayers intended for the gods of the Roman state, but I still can't get rid of the feeling that making changes in the rule can be defective to spiritual life. Do any of you follow my meaning?

I think I do, I feel that way at times myself.

You should talk to your priest.  The "rule" in a standard layman's prayer book is not the standard, it is a standard.  There are many variations through history and even among various traditions today, even though some things always remain the same.  If he tells you how to adapt it for your particular needs, just follow that adaptation as your rule, stick with it, and be at peace. 

While it is ok to converse and talk with a legitimate priest ... I would rather do the guesswork myself and contribute to answering my own questions. If that's ok

[Mor Ephrem]

I feel somewhat uneasy about 'adapting' prayer rules of others or even following prayer rules prescribed by certain monks or saints. My concern is that I trust the Church tradition reflected in the prayer rules outlined in prayer-books, it feels like improper to adjust them in any way, as if being afraid the prayers would lose their 'effectiveness' if they're supplanted, omitted or otherwise rearranged. I perfectly understand that prayer-books and prayer rules ar not magic formulae, after all, Christian prayer was the sort of practice that pushed away the pagan imperial recitations of prayers intended for the gods of the Roman state, but I still can't get rid of the feeling that making changes in the rule can be defective to spiritual life. Do any of you follow my meaning?

I think I do, I feel that way at times myself.

You should talk to your priest.  The "rule" in a standard layman's prayer book is not the standard, it is a standard.  There are many variations through history and even among various traditions today, even though some things always remain the same.  If he tells you how to adapt it for your particular needs, just follow that adaptation as your rule, stick with it, and be at peace. 

While it is ok to converse and talk with a legitimate priest ... I would rather do the guesswork myself and contribute to answering my own questions. If that's ok

Whatever floats your boat, WPM!

[littlepilgrim64]

I feel somewhat uneasy about 'adapting' prayer rules of others or even following prayer rules prescribed by certain monks or saints. My concern is that I trust the Church tradition reflected in the prayer rules outlined in prayer-books, it feels like improper to adjust them in any way, as if being afraid the prayers would lose their 'effectiveness' if they're supplanted, omitted or otherwise rearranged. I perfectly understand that prayer-books and prayer rules ar not magic formulae, after all, Christian prayer was the sort of practice that pushed away the pagan imperial recitations of prayers intended for the gods of the Roman state, but I still can't get rid of the feeling that making changes in the rule can be defective to spiritual life. Do any of you follow my meaning?

I think I do, I feel that way at times myself.

You should talk to your priest.  The "rule" in a standard layman's prayer book is not the standard, it is a standard.  There are many variations through history and even among various traditions today, even though some things always remain the same.  If he tells you how to adapt it for your particular needs, just follow that adaptation as your rule, stick with it, and be at peace. 

As a newbie, I appreciate the variety there is available between a prayer book, the Psalter, daily Bible reading (I think there is a schedule outlined in the Orthodox Study Bible), going by the daily cycle of the church by referring to websites like:  http://www.goarch.org/chapel/, etc.  I would like to incorporate daily readings from the Psalter but when I refer to reading schedules as outlined at this website, for example:  http://churchmotherofgod.org/prayers-of-the-church/daily-readings-from-the-psalter.html (done on just a random web search), I look at it and turn my head to the side and go "What?"  Thankful that my priest is there to give me direction as to what is best for me at the stage I'm at now and can guide me further as I mature, with God's help.

[Mystes]

My parish priest is leaving on a two week vacation from Monday - just my luck!

[Mystes]

So what about the morning and evening prayers outlined in the Orthodox Study Bible? Are there any of you who follow them? If so, how do you find them 'fit' to your spiritual liking?

[Mystes]

Right, managed to speak with my parish priest today. Basically, he confirmed what he had told me previously, i.e. that our prayer-book contains the established norm of prayer for an Orthodox Christian, however, not in a manner that should be adhered to literally but selectively, striving to attain this standard rather than doing the whole thing at once. So, in a way, he allows for selection but still concludes that the wholeness of given prayers should be reached, as if perfected. He also added that evening prayers could be somewhat shorter choosing those more to one's spiritual liking, and perhaps adding some readings from Scripture. Another parish member advised me that no matter how much our attention dissipates or our mind wonders, keeping to the prayer rule at all times trains the mind regardless of losing concentration. Another thing worth mentioning is that our parish has our very own prayer-book in Lithuanian as we are probably the only Lithuanian-speaking parish of Orthodox believers in the whole of my country. Our prayer-book is modelled on that of the Russian Orthodox Church monastics (if I'm not mistaken), it was carefully translated and revised, so I'm kind of eager to keep 'in tune' with my fellow natives and parish members. I've even taken up singing in our church choir 

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