Prayer rule. Prayer rule of Seraphim of Sarov

Seraphim of Sarov is an important figure in the host of saints who are revered by the Russian Orthodox Church. His life was spent under the motto “He strives only for God,” as he spent all his days trying to get closer to the Heavenly Father and become a truly ardent Christian. During his lifetime he was wise mentor for many people who turned to him, and after death he continues to help people, acting as their intercessor before the Lord God.

The importance of the command of Seraphim of Sarov

Why do Orthodox Christians need to know about the life of Seraphim of Sarov and, moreover, follow his commands? To do this, you need to know what kind of person the elder was and how his life went.

Originally, Prokhor Isidorovich (the name given at birth as a boy) was from rich family merchants who, despite their position and fortune, cared about their souls and helped the church in every possible way. His father sponsored the construction of the Sergius-Kazan Cathedral in the city of Kursk, so the boy was close to the church from birth.

Saint Seraphim of Sarov

IN childhood Prokhor experienced a miraculous healing - he became seriously ill at the age of 10 and was healed after his mother carried him out into the crowd of people who were making a procession with the icon of the Virgin Mary. After this, the young man began to attend divine services more and more often and decided to connect his life with the Lord. He made several pilgrimages, lived in asceticism all his life, and was a stylite for several years. His life is an example of ardent and selfless dedication to the Creator.

Important! Main characteristics the life of Seraphim of Sarov - his undivided love for the Lord and complete leveling own desires and wants.

He is good example for modern Christians to refuse many earthly blessings that distract from the main thing - spiritual food. The elder spent most of his life as an ascetic, eating only grass and living either in a forest hut without any benefits, or in an ascetic cell in a monastery. The life of a saint is complete asceticism and dedication to God. He spent his days in prayer and is an example of incredible will when, refusing wealth and benefits, a person consciously chooses an ascetic life with the Lord.

Every Christian must understand, using the example of Saint Sarov, that life will end and all wealth and blessings will remain in the past, only the soul is eternal, which must be in unity with the Creator. That is why it is important to spend time daily communicating with Him and regularly praying and doing prayer rule.

Why is a prayer rule necessary?

Staying in prayerful communication can be compared to exercising. Some people do it from time to time, forcing themselves, realizing that it is necessary for the sake of health, while others have found joy in it and can no longer imagine another life.

During the day, a church-going Christian lives an attentive life, checking his actions to see how pleasing they are to God. It is much easier for Orthodox Christians who have their own to strengthen their spiritual life. spiritual mentor, which will guide and strengthen in faith through reading the prayer rule. The holy saints knew about the weakness of the human spirit, so they wrote rules for prayer, both complete and brief, so that a person could be in the presence of God at any time.

Icon of Seraphim of Sarov

An example of a prayer book is Seraphim of Sarov, who learned the joy and importance of communication with the Lord from childhood.

Important! The prayer rule of Seraphim of Sarov for the laity is a set of morning, afternoon and evening appeals to the Creator, helping to live the day in spiritual purity.

Orthodox Church to honor the memory of Saint Seraphim on January 15, the day of the saint’s death, and on August 1, on this day the relics of the saint were found.

Many Orthodox laity took as the basis of their spiritual life the prayer rules compiled by the reverend elder, who throughout his life was known as a humble prayer book.

How to read the prayer rule

The elder taught all his disciples who followed him, the pilgrims who came for blessings, and the followers who had been reading the works of Sarovsky for many years one thing - to spend regular time in communication with God, to pray and read the morning and evening rules.

The saint advised to pray every day, certainly in the morning, starting a new day with a blessing. If the Lord is important and necessary for a Christian, won’t he find time to talk with the Almighty?

Getting up in the morning, having washed and dressed, in front of the red corner, with a lit candle in front of the images, read the prayer morning rule. It consists of:

“Our Father” - read three times;

Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be it Your name yes he will come Your kingdom, Thy will be done as it is in heaven and on earth. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debtors; and do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

“Song of the Mother of God” - read three times;

Virgin Mary, Hail Mary, the Lord is with you; Blessed are You among women and blessed is the fruit of Your womb, For You have given birth to the Savior of our souls.

“Symbol of Faith” - read once.

I believe in one God the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the only begotten, who was born of the Father before all ages; Light from Light, true God from true God, born, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, by Him all things were. For our sake, man and our salvation came down from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human. He was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered, and was buried, and rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. And again the coming one will be judged with glory by the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit of the life-giving Lord, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets. Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. I hope for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century. Amen.
  • Throughout the day, while doing work or doing household chores, constantly repeat to yourself “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” This can be done out loud or silently, depending on the environment.
  • Before eating lunch, repeat completely morning prayers. It's best to do this out loud in a quiet place. If this is not possible, you can pray silently.
  • For the rest of the day, after lunch, a person should say out loud or silently the following words: “Most Holy Theotokos, save me a sinner” and continue to do this until going to bed.
  • Before going to bed, repeat the morning prayers in full and overshadow yourself sign of the cross.
Advice! Saint Seraphim recommended doing this regularly, every day, thereby devoting your consciousness completely to God and not forgetting about Him for a minute. If a person’s work does not allow him to constantly repeat prayers, then this can be done in free moments of rest.

The Elder of Sarov said that by praying daily in this way, one can achieve Christian perfection, to the extent possible for a sinful person.

This is because these prayers of the morning rule represent the basis of the Orthodox faith:

  • the first was given by Jesus Christ and the Lord Himself;
  • the second was brought from heaven by Archangel Michael to the Virgin Mary;
  • the third includes all the fundamental tenets of the Orthodox faith.

By saying them every day meaningfully, completely immersing yourself in the meaning, you can grow spiritually, gradually changing and truly achieving tall spirit.

Rule of St. Seraphim of Sarov for the laity

He insisted on the need to pray unceasingly and drew up a prayer rule - consistency short prayers, which are easy to remember and repeat constantly.

A short morning rule

Having risen from sleep, every Christian, standing before the holy icons, let him read:

Lord's Prayer (three times, in honor of the Holy Trinity),

Song to the Mother of God (three times)

- (one time).

Having completed this morning rule, let him go about his business to which he has been assigned or called.

Prayers before lunch

While working at home or while on the road, let him read quietly . If there are people around, then repeat only in your mind: "Lord have mercy", and continue like this until lunchtime.

Just before lunch, let him perform the above morning rule.

Prayers after lunch

After lunch, while doing his job, everyone should read quietly "Most Holy Mother of God, save me, a sinner", which continues until the night.

Whenever you happen to spend time in solitude, you need to read "Lord Jesus Christ, through the Mother of God have mercy on me a sinner".

Prayers before bed

When going to bed, let every Christian read the above morning rule again; after that, let him fall asleep, protecting himself with the sign of the cross.

Father Seraphim said that if a Christian adheres to this small rule, he can “reach the measure Christian perfection, for the indicated three prayers are the foundation of Christianity: the first, as a prayer given by the Lord Himself, is a model of all prayers; the second was brought from heaven by the Archangel in greeting to the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Lord; The symbol briefly contains the saving dogmas of the Christian faith."

For those who, due to various circumstances, cannot follow even this small rule, Venerable Seraphim advised reading it in every position: during classes, while walking, and lying in bed, remembering the words of Scripture: Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.



In our hectic times, when everyone is in a hurry and fussing around, we don’t even have time to really pray. How can we care about morning or evening prayers? In the morning I got up and ran: I need to get the children ready for school or kindergarten, I need to feed my husband breakfast, and some , and to collect ourselves, to put ourselves in order, and this kind of thing every day. But we forget to think about our souls. But here, too, the holy fathers come to our aid. St. Seraphim of Sarov developed a short prayer rule for those laity who, for some reason, is not able to follow a more complete prayer rule. All we need is to get out of bed 10 minutes earlier and pray briefly. And with this we will help our soul overcome anxiety, excitement, gain confidence and God’s protection.

Seraphim of Sarov advised to pray as follows: “Having risen from sleep, every Christian, standing in front of the holy icons, let him read the Lord’s Prayer “Our Father” three times, in honor of the Most Holy Trinity, then the hymn to the Mother of God “Rejoice, Virgin Mary” also three times and, finally, Creed once. Having completed this rule, let everyone go about their work to which they have been assigned or called. While working at home or on the road somewhere, let him quietly read: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner,” and if others surround him, then, while doing business, let him say with his mind only: “ Lord have mercy,” and continues until lunch. Just before lunch, let him perform the above morning rule. After lunch, while doing his job, let him read quietly: “Most Holy Theotokos, save me a sinner,” and let him continue this until sleep. When going to bed, let every Christian read the above morning rule again; after that, let him fall asleep, protecting himself with the sign of the cross.” “Adhering to this rule,” says Fr. Seraphim, “it is possible to achieve a measure of Christian perfection, for the three prayers indicated are the foundations of Christianity: the first, as a prayer given by the Lord Himself, is a model of all prayers; the second was brought from heaven by the Archangel in greeting to the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Lord; The symbol briefly contains all the saving dogmas of the Christian faith.” For those who, due to various circumstances, cannot follow this small rule, Rev. Seraphim advised reading it in any position: during classes, while walking, and even in bed, presenting the basis for this as the words of Scripture: “whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Here it is
Brief prayer rule of Seraphim of Sarov
Lord's Prayer (Thrice)

Our Father, Who art in Heaven! Hallowed be Thy name,
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done as it is
heaven and earth. Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our debts, just as we forgive our debts.
com to ours; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us
from the evil one.

Prayer to the Most Holy Trinity (Thrice)

Most Holy Trinity, have mercy on us; Lord, cleanse your sins
our; Master, forgive our iniquities; Saint, visit
and heal our infirmities, for Thy name's sake. Lord, have mercy.

Song of the Most Holy Theotokos (Thrice)
Virgin Mary, Rejoice, Blessed Mary,
The Lord is with You; Blessed are You among women
and Blessed is the Fruit of Your womb, like the Savior
You gave birth to our souls.

Creed
I believe in One God the Father, Almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible.
And in One Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,
The only Begotten, who was born of the Father before all ages;
Light from Light, True God from True God, born
uncreated, Consubstantial with the Father, by whom all things were.
For our sake man and for our salvation came down from Heaven
and became incarnate of the Holy Spirit and became man.
Crucified for us under Pontius Pilate and suffering,
and buried. And rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures.
And ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And again the future will be judged with glory by the living and the dead,
His Kingdom will have no end. And in The Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, Like the Father
and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets.
In One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.
I hope for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century.
Amen.

In detail: the rule of prayer of Seraphim of Sarov - from everyone open sources And different corners world on the site site for our dear readers.

A brief daily prayer rule bequeathed by Seraphim of Sarov to all the laity. Father Seraphim himself called him “correct.” This prayer rule is also called: Seraphim’s Rule.

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Brief prayer rule of Seraphim of Sarov

Many, coming to Fr. Seraphim, complained that they prayed to God little, even leaving the necessary afternoon prayers. Some said that they were doing this out of ignorance, others - out of lack of time. O. Seraphim bequeathed the following prayer rule to such people:

“Having risen from sleep, every Christian, standing before the holy icons, let him read

– the Lord’s Prayer: Our Father – three times, in honor of the Holy Trinity,

- then the hymn to the Mother of God: Virgin Mary, rejoice - also three times,

- and, finally, the Creed: I believe in one God - once.

Having completed this rule, let every Christian go about his business to which he has been assigned or called.

While working at home or on the way somewhere, let him read quietly: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner or a sinner; and if others surround him, then, while doing business, let him say only this with his mind: Lord, have mercy and continue until lunch.

Just before lunch, let him perform the above morning rule.

After dinner, while doing his job, let every Christian also read quietly: Most Holy Theotokos, save me a sinner, and let him continue this until sleep.

When he happens to spend time in solitude, let him read: Lord Jesus Christ, through the Mother of God have mercy on me, a sinner or a sinner.

When going to bed, let every Christian read again the above-mentioned morning rule, i.e. three times Our Father, three times the Mother of God and once the Creed. After that, let him fall asleep, protecting himself with the sign of the cross.”

“By adhering to this rule,” said Father Seraphim, “one can achieve a measure of Christian perfection, for the above three prayers are the foundation of Christianity: the first, as a prayer given by the Lord Himself, is a model of all prayers; the second was brought from heaven by the Archangel in greeting to the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Lord; The symbol briefly contains the saving dogmas of the Christian faith.”

For those who, for various reasons, are unable to follow this small rule, St. Seraphim advised reading it in every position: during classes, while walking, and even in bed, presenting the basis for this as the words of Holy Scripture: Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord , will be saved.

Prayers for the rule

Lord's Prayer: Our Father

Our Father, who art in heaven!
Hallowed be Thy name,
may your kingdom come,
Thy will be done
as in heaven and on earth.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our debts,
just as we also leave our debtors;
and do not lead us into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.
Amen.

Prayer: Virgin Mary, rejoice

Rejoice, Virgin Mary,
Blessed Mary, the Lord is with you:
Blessed are You among women,
and blessed is the fruit of Your womb,
For you gave birth to the Savior of our souls.

Prayer: Creed

I believe in one God, the Father, Almighty,
Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible.
And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God,
The Only Begotten, who was born of the Father before all ages;
Light from Light, true God from true God,
begotten, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, to Whom all things were.
For our sake man and for our sake of salvation came down from heaven
and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human.
She was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried.
And he rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures.
And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father.
And again the coming one will be judged with glory by the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end.
And in the Holy Spirit, the Life-Giving Lord, Who proceeds from the Father,
Let us worship and glorify those who spoke with the Father and the Son.
Into one Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.
I confess one baptism for the remission of sins.
I hope for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century. Amen.

To all laity who cannot perform the full reading of the evening prayer, Father Seraphim bequeathed the following prayer rule:

“When going to sleep, let every Christian again read three times the Our Father, three times the Mother of God, and once the Creed. After that, let him fall asleep, protecting himself with the sign of the cross.”

All evening prayers contract:

Prayer to the Lord (Our Father)

Our Father who art in Heaven!

Hallowed be Thy name;

Thy kingdom come;

Thy will be done both in heaven and on earth.

Give us this day our daily bread;

and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors;

Seraphim of Sarov (in the world Prokhor Isidorovich Moshnin)

Born in 1754 in Kursk, in the family of a wealthy eminent merchant Isidor Moshnin and his wife Agathia. Lost my father early. At the age of 7, he fell from the bell tower of the Sergius-Kazan Cathedral under construction, but remained unharmed. A local holy fool predicted that the boy would be “a strong representative before the Holy Trinity and an ardent prayer book for the whole world.” IN at a young age Prokhor fell seriously ill. During his illness, he saw the Mother of God in a dream, promising to heal him. The dream turned out to be true: during Procession of the Cross an icon of the Sign was carried past his house Holy Mother of God, and the mother brought Prokhor out to venerate the icon, after which he recovered.

In 1776, he made a pilgrimage to Kyiv to the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, where Elder Dosifei blessed and showed him the place where he was to accept obedience and take monastic vows - the Sarov Hermitage. In 1778 he became a novice under Elder Joseph at the Sarov Monastery in the Tambov province. In the monastery he performed the duties of a sexton, did carpentry, baked prosphora and bread for the brethren. In 1786 he became a monk and was ordained a hierodeacon; in 1793 he was ordained a hieromonk.

In 1794, having a penchant for solitude, he began to live in the forest in a cell five kilometers from the monastery. As part of ascetic deeds and exercises, he wore the same clothes in winter and summer, got his own food in the forest, slept little, fasted strictly, re-read holy books, and prayed for a long time every day. Near the cell, Seraphim planted a vegetable garden and built a beekeeper.

A number of facts from the life of St. Seraphim is quite remarkable. Once, for three and a half years, an ascetic ate ​​only grass. Later, Seraphim spent a thousand days and a thousand nights in the feat of pillar-building on a stone boulder. Some of those who came to him for spiritual advice saw huge bear, which the monk fed with bread from his hands (according to Father Seraphim himself, this bear constantly came to him, but it is known that the Elder also fed other animals).

Of the more dramatic events, the case of the robbers is known. According to the life, some robbers, having learned that rich visitors often came to Seraphim, decided to rob his cell. Finding him in the forest during daily prayer, they beat him and broke his head with the butt of an ax, and the saint did not resist, despite the fact that he was young and strong man. The robbers found nothing for themselves in his cell and left. The monk miraculously returned to life, but after this incident he remained severely hunched over forever. Later these people were caught and identified, but Father Seraphim forgave them; at his request they were left without punishment.

In 1807, the monk took upon himself the monastic feat of silence, trying not to meet or communicate with anyone. In 1810 he returned to the monastery.
In the monastery he took upon himself the most difficult new feat of seclusion. The monk secluded himself for 17 years, not going anywhere and gradually loosening the severity of his seclusion. For the first 5 years, no one saw him, and even his brother, who brought him meager food, did not see how the elder took it. Then the holy elder opened his cell door, and anyone could come to him, but he did not answer the questions of those who needed him, taking a vow of silence before God and silently continuing his spiritual work. There was nothing in the cell except the icon of the Mother of God, in front of which a lamp glowed, and a stump of a tree stump that served as his chair. An unpainted oak coffin stood in the entryway, and the elder prayed near it, constantly preparing for the transition from temporary life to eternal life.

After 10 years of silent seclusion, according to the Divine Will, the Monk Seraphim again opened his lips to serve the world - his love, sent from God with the grace-filled gifts of teaching, insight, miracles and healings, his spiritual guidance, prayer, consolation and advice. The doors of his cell became open to everyone - from early liturgy to eight o’clock in the evening.

1823 - the first case of miraculous healing by Father Seraphim of the seriously ill landowner Mikhail Vasilyevich Manturov.

While living in the monastery, he received many visitors from monastics and lay people, having, as it is said in his life, the gift of insight and healing from illnesses. He was also visited by noble people, including Tsar Alexander I. He addressed everyone who came to him with the words “My joy!”, and at any time of the year he greeted him with the words “Christ is risen!” He was the founder and permanent patron of the Diveevo Convent.

On September 5, 1831, a miraculous healing of a Simbirsk landowner and benefactor took place by the Sarov Wonderworker Diveevsky Monastery Nikolai Aleksandrovich Motovilov, who subsequently recorded a conversation with Father Seraphim “On the Purpose of Christian Life,” which became the Elder’s spiritual testament.

In 1831, the saint was granted a vision of the Mother of God (for the twelfth time in his life) surrounded by John the Baptist, John the Theologian and 12 virgins. He died in 1833 in the Sarov Monastery in his cell during kneeling prayer.

Currently, the shrine with the relics of St. Seraphim, the wonderworker of Sarov and all Rus', rests in the Trinity Cathedral of the Holy Trinity Seraphim-Diveevo Convent.

One of the most revered Russian saints.

Seraphim of Sarov, the seer, with amazing accuracy predicted the future fate of Russia: “There will be a great long war and a terrible revolution in Russia, exceeding any human imagination, for the bloodshed will be terrible: the riots of Razinsky, Pugachevsky, French Revolution- nothing compared to what will happen to Russia. There will be the death of many people loyal to the fatherland, the plunder of wealth good people, rivers of Russian blood will be shed... There will be such sorrow as has not happened since the beginning of the world! The angels will not have time to receive souls... I prayed to the Lord to avert this terrible misfortune, but the Lord did not hear the poor Seraphim.” “When will the most scary time? - one of his admirers once asked the monk. “A little later than a hundred years after my death,” answered Elder Seraphim of Sarov.”

Instructions of the Holy Elder Seraphim

Passions are destroyed by suffering and sorrow, either voluntary or sent by Providence.

My joy, I pray you, acquire a peaceful spirit, and then thousands of souls will be saved around you.

One should not unnecessarily open one’s heart to another. When you happen to be among people in the world, you should not talk about spiritual things, especially when there is no desire to listen to them.

The true goal of our Christian life is to acquire the Holy Spirit.

God is a fire that warms and ignites hearts and bellies. So, if we feel coldness in our hearts, which is from the devil, for the devil is cold, then we will call on the Lord, and He will come and warm our hearts with perfect love not only for Him, but also for our neighbor. And from the face of warmth the coldness of a good-hater will be driven away.

God shows us His love for mankind not only when we do good, but also when we offend and anger Him. How patiently He bears our iniquities! And when he punishes, how compassionately he punishes!

To the extent that a person perfects himself before God, to the extent that he follows Him; in the true age, God reveals His face to him. For the righteous, to the extent that they enter into contemplation of Him, see the image as in a mirror, and there they see the manifestation of truth.

If you do not know God, then it is impossible for love for Him to be aroused in you; and you cannot love God unless you see Him. The vision of God comes from the knowledge of Him: for the contemplation of Him does not precede the knowledge of Him.

One should not talk about the works of God after the belly is full, for in a full belly there is no vision of the mysteries of God.

Faith without works is dead (James 2:26); and the works of faith are: love, peace, long-suffering, mercy, humility, bearing the cross and living in the spirit. Only such faith is imputed to the truth. True faith cannot be without works: whoever truly believes certainly has works.

If a person has no concern at all for himself for the sake of love for God and acts of virtue, knowing that God cares for him, such hope is true and wise. But if a person himself cares about his affairs and turns to God in prayer only when inevitable troubles already befall him, and in own strength he does not see any means of averting them and begins to hope for God’s help - such a hope is vain and false. True hope seeks the one Kingdom of God and is confident that everything earthly, necessary for temporary life, will undoubtedly be given. The heart cannot have peace until it gains this hope. She will pacify him and fill him with joy. The venerable and most holy lips spoke about this hope: come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28), that is, trust in Me and be comforted from labor and fear.

He who has acquired perfect love for God exists in this life as if he did not exist. For he considers himself a stranger to the visible, waiting patiently for the invisible. He completely changed into love for God and forgot all other love.
He who loves himself cannot love God. And whoever does not love himself for the sake of loving God, loves God.
Truly loving God considers himself a wanderer and a stranger to this land; for with his soul and mind, in his striving for God, he contemplates Him alone.
A soul filled with the love of God, during its departure from the body, will not fear the prince of the air, but will fly with the Angels, as if from a foreign country to its homeland.
Reading the word of God must be done in solitude so that the whole mind of the reader is deepened in the truths of Holy Scripture and receives from this warmth, which in solitude produces tears; from these, a person is completely warmed and filled with spiritual gifts, delighting the mind and heart more than any word.

Nothing promotes acquisition inner world like silence and, as much as possible, constant conversation with oneself and rare conversations with others.

We must vigilantly guard our hearts from obscene thoughts and impressions, according to the words of the Pritochnik: with all guarding, guard your heart from these things that come from the belly (Proverbs 4:23).
From vigilant guarding of the heart, purity is born in it, for which the vision of the Lord is available, according to the assurance of the eternal Truth: Blessed are those who are pure in heart, for they will see God (Matthew 5:8).
What is best has flowed into the heart, we should not pour it out unnecessarily; for then only what is collected can be safe from visible and invisible enemies, when it is kept, like a treasure, in the interior of the heart.
The heart only boils then, being kindled by the Divine fire, when there is living water in it; when it all pours out, it gets cold, and the person freezes.
When a person tries to have a humble heart and an undisturbed, but peaceful thought, then all the machinations of the enemy are ineffective, for where there is peace of thoughts, there the Lord God Himself rests - His place is in the world (Ps. 75:3).

Repentance for sin, by the way, consists in not doing it again.
Just as there is a cure for every illness, so there is repentance for every sin.
Therefore, undoubtedly, approach repentance, and it will intercede for you before God.
In church it is useful to stand in prayer with your eyes closed in inner attention; open your eyes only when you become discouraged, or sleep weighs you down and tempts you to doze off; then one should turn one’s eyes to the image and to the candle burning in front of it.

When the mind and heart are united in prayer and the thoughts of the soul are not scattered, then the heart is warmed with spiritual warmth, in which the light of Christ shines, filling the world with peace and joy inner man.
Whoever has tears of tenderness flowing, his heart is illuminated by the rays of the Sun of Truth - Christ God.

In order to accept and see the light of Christ in the heart, it is necessary, as much as possible, to distract oneself from visible objects. Having cleansed the soul with repentance and good deeds and with faith in the Crucified One, having closed the bodily eyes, one must immerse the mind inside the heart and cry out invoking the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; and then, according to the zeal and ardor of the spirit towards the Beloved, a person finds pleasure in the invoked name, which arouses the desire to seek higher enlightenment.

Prayer rule of the Holy Elder Seraphim

The Monk Seraphim of Sarov considered prayer to be as necessary for life as air. He asked and demanded from his spiritual children that they pray unceasingly, and commanded them a prayer rule, which remained under the name “Rules of Father Seraphim.”

Rising from sleep, every Christian, having protected himself with the sign of the cross, let him read the saving prayer that our Lord and God Jesus Christ Himself taught to His disciples:
Our Father, who art in heaven! Hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, as it is in heaven and on earth. 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 evil. (Thrice)

In honor of the Mother of God:
Virgin Mary, Rejoice, O Blessed Mary, the Lord is with You; Blessed are You among women and blessed is the fruit of Your womb, for You have given birth to the Savior of our souls. (Thrice)

Then - the Creed:
I believe in one God, the Father, Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth, visible to all and invisible to all. And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Only Begotten Son of God, who was born of the Father before all ages; Light from Light, true God from true God, born, uncreated, consubstantial with the Father, to Whom all things were. For our sake, man and our salvation came down from heaven and became incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became human. She was crucified for us under Pontius Pilate, and suffered and was buried. And he rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures. And ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of the Father. And again the coming one will be judged with glory by the living and the dead, His Kingdom will have no end. And in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Life-Giving One, who proceeds from the Father, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke the prophets. Into One Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. I confess one baptism for the remission of sins. I hope for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the next century. Amen.

Having completed this rule, let every Christian go about his business to which he has been assigned or called. While at work, at home or on the road, let him quietly read the Jesus Prayer:
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner (or sinner); and if other people surround him, then, while doing business, let him say with his mind only: Lord, have mercy! And this continues until lunch.
Before lunch, let him perform the above morning rule.
After lunch, while doing your job, also read quietly: Most Holy Theotokos, save me, a sinner (or a sinner); and continue this until sleep.
As you approach sleep, read the above morning rule, and then go to sleep, protecting yourself with the sign of the cross.

At the same time, St. the elder spoke, pointing to the experience of the saint. father, that if a Christian adheres to this small rule, as a saving anchor among the waves of worldly vanity, fulfilling it with humility, then he can achieve a high measure of spirituality, for these prayers are the foundation of Christianity: the first is like the word of the Lord Himself and set by Him as a model of all prayers, the second was brought from heaven by the Archangel as a greeting to the Blessed Virgin, Mother of the Lord. The latter contains all the dogmas of faith.
Let him who has time read the Gospel, the Apostle, other prayers, akathists, and canons. If it is impossible for someone to follow this rule - a servant, a forced person - then the wise old man advised to follow this rule while lying down, and while walking, and in action, remembering the words of Scripture: “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”