Praxis resource? Where can I find this?

[Mariama]

I'm looking for a book or some other type of resource where it spells out exactly when it's proper to bless one's self, when it's appropriate to kneel or stand, and when one is supposed to do prostrations (and how to do them).  I suppose this would be termed under praxis, yes?

I have found bits here and there online, but I would really like a resource where it's all in one place. 

[LBK]

I doubt if there's any such thing. And if there were, it would likely be "accurate" for a particular jurisdiction or local church, not all of them. There is much that is common to all, and much that isn't.

[J.M.C]

A parish priest or spiritual confessor is the best place for all these things. I know it's a bit glib to say this, but in the case of praxis it really is true, particularly with regards to prayer rules and the like. Things like not saying the prayer "O Heavenly King..." between Easter and Pentecost, and adding the prayer of St Ephraim the Syrian (including bows and prostrations) during Lent, despite being common praxis to most of the, were told me first by my parish priest and not learned through reading. I think its a better way of learning, where it is possible.

Unless you mean within the Liturgy of course; but even there it is more a case of doing what others do.

[Mariama]

I suppose I meant more within the Liturgy, but it wouldn't hurt to know when certain prayers are allowable/shouldn't be said.

[Michał Kalina]

Watch the others at your Church. There is no other way. No books will help you.

[Mariama]

What if others at my church are following all different practices?  We have a mix of Russian and Ukrainian immigrants, older Greek Catholic influenced parishioners and converts from various backgrounds.  Who do I follow?

[Mariama]

Sorry I didn't put this before, but thank you for the responses. 

[Michał Kalina]

What if others at my church are following all different practices?  We have a mix of Russian and Ukrainian immigrants, older Greek Catholic influenced parishioners and converts from various backgrounds.  Who do I follow?

Choose on side and don't care much about it.

[J.M.C]

Yes, Mariama, don't worry too much about it. When I first attended church, I would simply cross myself when the person next to him crossed himself; I would also cross myself when he went to scratch his nose with his right hand 

As time goes on, you will hear and understand the words of the Liturgy and realize why this time might be appropriate to cross oneself, and why this time it is good to make a bow and so on. I also attend a mixed parish, where not everyone does exactly the same during the service. You follow who you think it is good to follow - someone you know - and don't worry too much why someone else might be doing it differently. Also, again, as time goes on and you become more familiar with the content of the Liturgy, you may well find the decisions about when to cross oneself and bow or prostrate become much, much easier. You will then be doing these acts of piety from the heart, not merely out of obedience, which is the only way to truly pray in any case.

[Mariama]

But no!  No!  I must do things the RIGHT way!  :::flailing arms in air and falling to the floor like my 4 year old:::  

Seriously though, this kept me up last night, and thankfully, I have a gracious husband who doesn't mind missing bits of sleep to indulge my most important thoughts ( )that always seem to crop up in the wee hours.

What bugged me most?  That I *thought* we weren't supposed to kneel during The Lord's Prayer on Saturdays and Sundays, so I stood, and DH and my daughter followed me yesterday. (Kneel on weekdays only, I thought.)  Most of the church knelt except for the people all the way in the front and my family, toward the back.  

I don't have problems with when to bless myself, it's more of when to kneel or stand, or do a full prostration.  I have no idea when to do those, and only a few women in my parish do them.  Plus honestly, I'm fat, so I just can't follow along with them when they do those -- I need more time to prepare!

Have to run to get the family ready for church.

[Agabus]

The answer to this is that it is not only going to vary from jurisdiction-to-jurisdiction, but from parish-to-parish as well.

The best approach is to take a the attitude of "When in Rome..." (New Rome? Third Rome?) The more you attend the more familiar you will get with it, and eventually it will become autopilot.

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