Sayings of the Holy Fathers:
"Self-accusation before God is something that is very necessary for us; and humility of heart is extremely advantageous in our lives, above all at the time of prayer. For prayer requires great attention and needs a proper awareness, otherwise it will turn out to be unacceptable and rejected, and `it will be turned back empty' to our bosom."
St. Symeon the New Theologian
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"Seat yourself before the Lord continually, keeping the memory of Him in your heart, lest having lingered outside His memory, you are unable to speak boldly when you enter in before Him, because boldness with God comes from constant conversing with Him and from much prayer.
Our connection and continuance with men is through the body; but our connection and continuance with God is through the soul's recollection [Syriac:meditation] and the vigilance and sacred offering of frequent prayer. From long continuance in His recollection, a man is transported at times to astonishment and wonder. For, "The heart of them that seek the Lord shall rejoice."
St. Isaac the Syrian
"The Ascetical Homilies"
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"Rising in the morning stand as firmly as possible before God in your heart, as you offer your morning prayers and then go to the work apportioned to you by God, without withdrawing from Him in your feelings and consciousness....When there is no inner activity occupying a person, one must develop a habit of a continual repetition of a short prayer. This will eventually repeat itself and will bring one to constant remembrance of God, thus rejecting other thoughts of no profit. However, habit of the tongue is one thing, establishment in the heart is another."
St.Theophan the Recluse
St. Symeon the New Theologian
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"Seat yourself before the Lord continually, keeping the memory of Him in your heart, lest having lingered outside His memory, you are unable to speak boldly when you enter in before Him, because boldness with God comes from constant conversing with Him and from much prayer.
Our connection and continuance with men is through the body; but our connection and continuance with God is through the soul's recollection [Syriac:meditation] and the vigilance and sacred offering of frequent prayer. From long continuance in His recollection, a man is transported at times to astonishment and wonder. For, "The heart of them that seek the Lord shall rejoice."
St. Isaac the Syrian
"The Ascetical Homilies"
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"Rising in the morning stand as firmly as possible before God in your heart, as you offer your morning prayers and then go to the work apportioned to you by God, without withdrawing from Him in your feelings and consciousness....When there is no inner activity occupying a person, one must develop a habit of a continual repetition of a short prayer. This will eventually repeat itself and will bring one to constant remembrance of God, thus rejecting other thoughts of no profit. However, habit of the tongue is one thing, establishment in the heart is another."
St.Theophan the Recluse
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