Sayings of St. Isaac the Syrian:

"Since activity always precedes contemplation, it is impossible for any man to rise to the realm of the higher, unless he first fulfills by activity what is lower. No man has the right to say about love of neighbor that he progresses in it in his soul, if he neglects that part of it which is fulfilled by the body, in accordance with his strength and the time and place. For only this can prove that perfect love exists in a man. And if we are faithful and true in this, as far as we can be, our soul is given power to stretch upwards to the great realm of high Divine contemplation in simple and quite incomparable apprehensions. Where there is no possibility to express love of neighbor in physical visible actions, then it is enough before God for love of neighbors to be practiced only in the soul."

Early Fathers from the Philokalia

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"We must also know, beloved brethren, that every secret converse, every good care of the intellect directed toward God and every meditation upon spiritual things is delimited by prayer, is called by the name of prayer and under its name is comprehended; whether you speak of various readings, or the cries of a mouth glorifying God, or sorrowing reflection on the Lord, or making bows with the body, or psalmody in verses, or all the other things from which the teaching of genuine prayer ensues. From genuine prayer the love of God is born, for love comes of prayer, and prayer from the practice of seclusion. We have need of seclusion, that we may have the possibility to converse with God by ourselves."


The Ascetical Homilies of St. Isaac the Syrian