Is it possible to pray while sitting: position during prayer, gestures, behavior of the person praying and compliance with prayer rules

It is necessary to pray with a straight back, standing, turning your face to the images. But in a person’s life there are different situations and physical conditions. It is not always possible to stand calmly, without pain in the back or legs, for all the time allotted for the morning rule. Is it possible to read morning and evening prayers while sitting and to whom? For whom is the exception made first?

The tradition of morning and evening prayers is found only in Christian churches belonging to Russian churches. The novices at the monasteries worked hard all day for 12-14 hours. They prayed before going to work and in the evening before meals. Gradually, the image of first a Christian believer, then an ideal family, emerged.

What is prayer?

This is direct communication with God. Conversation with Him. This is a conversation between a child and his Father. But we won’t explain ourselves in lofty words, but will talk about it more simply.

When we pray, we meet God. We meet the Mother of God and the saints, to whom we fall in prayer. We ask them for something, and after some time we realize that our request has been fulfilled. And thanks to this, comes the awareness of the participation of saints in our lives, as well as the participation of God. He is always there, always ready to help and patiently waiting for us to turn to him.

There is another type of prayer. This prayer is a dialogue. When a person is having a conversation, it is important for him not only to speak out, but also to hear the opinion of the interlocutor. The moment we offer prayers to God, we need to be prepared for Him to reveal Himself to us. Sometimes not the way we imagine Him. Therefore, you cannot invent an image of God for yourself, or somehow imagine him. We see God in icons, we see the Mother of God, saints. It's enough.

Is it possible to read prayers while sitting? Imagine that a man came to his father. I came after work, I really want to talk to him, but my legs hurt and I’m so tired that I just don’t have the strength to stand. Will the father, seeing this, not talk to his child? Or will he make him stand as a sign of respect for his parent? Of course not. Quite the contrary: seeing how tired the son is, he will suggest that he sit down, drink a cup of tea and talk.

So, will God, seeing a person’s zeal, not accept sincere prayer just because the person praying is sitting?

How to read the psalter correctly at home

In order to carry out such a ritual with dignity, with due respect for the ancient tradition, it is necessary to follow a number of simple rules developed over centuries by Orthodox culture. So, in this case, you can attract like-minded people to read not alone, but by common agreement. You can, for example, decide among yourself and read the psalter for 24 hours. Each of the readers will read one text, but will mention everyone in it. To do this, a list is drawn up in advance on a separate piece of paper. While reading, you need to rely on it, then no one will be forgotten.

The next day another prayer is read. Those who missed it must fill in the gap. After all, he is responsible not only for himself, but also for others. As a result, the collection should be read four dozen times, more if possible. It is better to plan reading before Lent - this is ideal. Is it possible to do this alone, without the support of others? It is possible, but a beginner is unlikely to cope with such a difficult task. It often happens that there is simply not enough strength to bring everything to the end.

Reading a book of prayers alone

Sometimes it is impossible to gather a group to read the psalter. Then you can try your hand alone. To work independently, you will need a lot of patience; you will have to go through a difficult path, but a very noble one. A little preparation will be required, namely: stock up on church candles that will constantly shine while reading. If prayers are read while driving, somewhere on the road, then candles are excluded.

Reading texts from the psalter should be clear and out loud. The words must be clearly audible; they cannot be spoken mentally. As a last resort, they switch to a whisper. One cannot be careless with pronunciation and stress placement. Everything must be pronounced correctly so that the meaning of the prayer remains true. Reading, as already mentioned, can be done while sitting. The text itself does not require any strong emotions or loud accents. It should sound slowly, even monotonously, slightly intoned. No theatrics are allowed. If the meaning of a phrase is unclear, there is no need to interrupt in order to understand it.

Each successive stage of reading will strengthen the connection with God. Gradually, the meaning of everything that was initially unclear in the text will begin to be revealed. It only takes time to fully understand the holy prayer with your heart.

How to read the psalter for the dead

Usually Christians pray for the repose of their deceased before burial. Then after one kathisma. This is the privilege of relatives. You have to stand there, reading continuously, for a number of days before the funeral. When the funeral service begins, stop. To maintain the continuity of the process, all relatives gather and read the texts in turn. If someone could not come, he can read about the deceased at home.

After the coffin with the body is buried, they continue to read for 40 days. It is known that in Orthodoxy this is the period allotted to the soul to say goodbye to what remains on earth. Afterwards, a meeting with the Lord and another world awaits her. After reading the psalter for the deceased, we help the deceased leave the world clean in order to go to heaven.

When do we pray?

Most often, when something happens in life and help is urgently needed. Then the person begins to pray and ask God for this help. He simply has no other hope. Help comes, the satisfied person rejoices, forgets to thank him and moves away from God until the next emergency situation. Is it correct? Hardly.

Ideally, we should live our lives prayerfully. Live with it the same way we live with air. People do not forget to breathe, because without oxygen we will simply die in a few minutes. Without prayer, the soul dies; this is its “oxygen.”

Given our busy schedule and living conditions, it is extremely difficult to constantly be in prayer. The hustle and bustle at work, the hustle and bustle in everyday life, the people around you - it’s all too much. And it's too noisy around us. However, we wake up in the morning. And what do we think about first? About what you have to do today. We get up, wash, get dressed, have breakfast and off we go - towards the new bustle. But you need to adjust your morning a little. Get up and thank God for another day given to you. Ask for His intercession during the day. Of course, the best option is to read your morning prayers. But no one has yet canceled gratitude from the heart.

Contents of the prayer rule

The prayer rule includes morning prayers, as well as those read before bed. Words can always be found in prayer books. There are 3 main prayer rules:

Complete. Intended for priests and church ministers.
A short. For all Orthodox Christians.
Short Seraphim of Sarov.

The prayer rule is recommended to be read by the whole family, but it can also be read individually. General reading is advisable on holidays, memorable dates, and on the eve of special events.

Prayer throughout the day

Is this possible given our workload? Why not, everything is possible. Is it possible to pray while sitting, for example, in a car? Certainly. You can go to work and mentally pray to God.

A man sat down to eat - before the meal he needed to pray mentally, read the “Our Father.” No one will hear this, but what is the benefit for the one praying! He ate, thanked the Lord for the meal, and went back to work.

Prayer in the temple

Is it possible for an Orthodox person to pray while sitting? Especially in the temple, where everyone is standing? Due to weakness - it is possible. There is such a wonderful phrase from Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow: “It is better to think about God while sitting than to think about your feet while standing.”

Some illnesses make it difficult for a person to stand. And with other weaknesses it is not always easy. Therefore, you should not be embarrassed by sitting on a bench in a temple. There are certain places in the service where you must stand when proclaiming them. This is the Cherubic Hymn, the reading of the Gospel, the prayers “I Believe” and “Our Father,” and the removal of the Chalice. In other cases, if you feel that you cannot stand the service, sit down.

The canons can be read while sitting and instead of the prayer rule

The canon is a service of 9 pesos, each with four troparions (short prayers).

The first two troparions are read with an appeal to the one to whom the canon is addressed, for example: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.”

In the video below, Priest Alexy Darashevich answers the question of how to combine prayer rules, akathists and canons during home prayer.

The priest explains that you should not demand that you read everything. Changing prayers is even useful. He also says that you can read the canons while sitting.

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What should sick people do?

What if a person is so sick that he cannot get up on his own? Or bedridden? Or is it due to very old age? He can’t even pick up a prayer book. How then to pray? And in general, is it possible to pray lying down or sitting?

In this case, you can ask one of the household members to submit a prayer book. Keep it close to the bed so that the patient can reach it independently. More precisely, reach out and take it. As for reading the Gospel, family members may well take a couple of minutes and read an excerpt from it at the request of the patient.

In addition, a bedridden person is able to pray mentally. There is nothing reprehensible about turning to God in your own words. In a prayer that comes from the depths of the heart, from the whole soul, how can there be anything offensive to God? Even if it is read in an “unidentified” position. The Lord sees the heart of the one who prays and knows his thoughts. And accepts the prayer of the sick or infirm.

Is it possible to pray at home, sitting or lying down? Yes. And it’s not just possible, but necessary. “Those who are healthy don’t call for a doctor, but those who are sick really need a doctor.” And not only in the literal sense of these words.

Sequence of Spiritual Worship

Before starting the prayer, they retire and light a lamp. They stand in front of the holy image. It is advisable to learn the main texts by heart. The five main ones are listed below:

"Our Father";
"King of Heaven";
“Virgin Mother of God, rejoice”;
“It is worthy to eat”;
"Symbol of faith".

They perform prostrations and bows to the ground and make the sign of the cross. You should not be afraid if prayer is difficult; often this is proof of true effectiveness.

Preparation rules

You should prepare for prayer, for which there are certain rules:

They come to God washed, combed, and dressed in fresh clothes.
Women should wear a headscarf and a long skirt.
They approach the holy image with reverence.
If there is no icon, it is allowed to be located near the windows on the east side.
Light a lamp or candle.
Kneel or straight, the position should be natural.
During prayer, they try to concentrate on a conversation with God or a saint.

Reading Features

The main thing is faith, on the basis of it any prayer is possible. Repentance for sins from the heart is one of the components. It is important to ask forgiveness from your loved ones, forgive yourself and let go of grievances. In this case, there is a high probability of being heard by God.

The words of the prayer are said slowly, preferably out loud or in a whisper. Focus on the spoken words and speak from the heart. If necessary, repent of sins. Each line is passed through the soul, they comprehend what is said. Before pronouncing words, perform 3 prostrations and 3 signs of the cross.

You can start with the “Our Father”, and then read the “Prayer Book” or use your own words.

How to end prayers

At the end, they offer praise and gratitude to God. Be sure to cross yourself three times with the sign of the cross. After prayer, you can study, go to work, and do household chores. It is better not to quarrel with anyone and not to offend others.

Can prayer be objectionable?

Complex issue. She may not be heard, rather. Why? Everything depends on the quality of prayer. If a person routinely read the prayer rule in 15 minutes, without thinking about the words and their meaning, closed the prayer book - and that’s it, what kind of prayer is this? It is not clear to a person what and why he read. But God doesn’t need a template, He needs sincerity.

Who can you pray to while sitting at home? And to God, and the Mother of God, and the saints. Let the prayer be performed in a sitting position, but from the heart. This is better than standing in front of the icons and simply reading the rule without understanding anything in it and without trying to do it.

You can read the Gospel while sitting, if it is not prayer, but educational reading

When asked whether it is possible to read the Gospel while sitting, Archpriest Alexander Bilokur answers:

“If reading the Holy Scriptures is part of your prayer rule,
for example reading the daily Apostle and Gospel,
then this must be done standing.
But if you read the Bible for edification several chapters in a row,
then, naturally, you can sit during this reading.”

Alexander Bilokura

archpriest

Children's prayer

Is it possible for a child to pray while sitting? Children's prayer is considered the most sincere. Because children are innocent, naive and trust God. It’s not for nothing that the Lord himself said: be like children.

There are concessions for children. Including in the prayer rule. The most important thing is not to force the child to read long and incomprehensible prayers. Let your baby read, for example, “Our Father” before going to bed and talk to God in his own words. This is much more useful than reading out the rules with a cold heart, because mom said so, that is, according to the principle “adults need to.” And it’s not for adults, it’s for the child himself.

Amulet in the workplace

The use of various kinds of pagan amulets, promising protection from the evil eye and damage, is unacceptable for an Orthodox person and dangerous, since this is serving demons. To protect against enemies visible and invisible, in addition to prayer in the workplace, if possible, place an icon of the Lord, the Mother of God or a beloved saint. Icons are often found in waiting rooms, shops, and hospitals.

You can consecrate a work space or an entire building. It must be remembered that in a consecrated room you should under no circumstances swear. In order for a person to receive God's help, he himself must live according to the truth of God, according to His commandments.

Ceremony of consecration of the work premises

Prayers of Thanksgiving

We often ask without thanking. The latter must not be forgotten. It would be unpleasant for us to fulfill someone's request and not hear thank you in return. Why should God give us something, knowing our ingratitude?

Is it possible to pray while sitting, read a thanksgiving akathist, or offer prayers of thanks? Are you tired? You feel sick? Sore feet? Then sit and don't worry about it. Sit down, take an akathist or prayer book in your hands, and read calmly, slowly, thoughtfully. Great benefit for the person praying. And God is glad to see such sincere gratitude.

Reading the Psalter

Every Orthodox Christian must read the Psalter according to kathisma or at least “according to glory” per day. This book can be used as a missal. Some prayer books even have a section indicating which psalms are read in which life circumstances.

Keep in mind that you should not ask for luck, since this word is the name of one of the demons.

Important!

Saint Paisius the Svyatogorets outlined the use of psalms on various occasions by St. Arseny of Cappadocia. In job-related needs, read the following:

38 – so that those abandoned and despondent find work and no longer grieve;
46 – about reconciliation between the employee and the owner (employer), when the employee was offended by the owner, and so that he could find a new job;
48 - read by people whose work is associated with various kinds of dangers, for example, working in a mine, at a construction site, etc.;
57 – so that good, favorable circumstances arise for workers with good intentions, so that the Lord protects them from evil people and demons;
60 – read by those who find it difficult to work due to fear or laziness;
74 – so that the evil owner (employer, director, boss) pacifies and does not torment his employees and loved ones;
129 - asking for courage and hope for people starting new work in which they are not skilled, so that they do not experience great difficulties in it.

Every Orthodox Christian must read the Psalter

When you don't have the strength to pray

It happens that you don’t have the strength to pray. No way. Neither standing, nor sitting, nor lying down. Prayer doesn’t work, the person doesn’t want to do it.

What to do then? Force yourself to get up, stand in front of the icons, pick up a prayer book and read at least one prayer. Through force. Because we don’t always want to pray, no matter how surprising it may sound. How can you not want to communicate with God? It’s wild, strange, incomprehensible, but such states do exist. And when they appear, you need to force yourself to pray.

But it probably won’t be from the heart? And here everything depends on the person praying. You can read every word with utmost attention, even if it is just one prayer. Such a prayerful attitude will be much more useful than if you do not pray at all or read the rule with just your lips, when your thoughts are hovering somewhere far, far away.

How long does the morning and evening rule take? 20 minutes, no more. This is because a person quickly reads it, and that’s it. So it’s better to spend these 20 minutes reading two prayers, but with sense and concentration, than to scold them somehow, because that’s how it’s supposed to be.

You can read the psalms while sitting, it is recommended to do it out loud

Psalms are a form of religious poetry. The book of Psalms contains a huge collection of psalms. It is better to read the Psalter out loud, but very quietly. This is what St. Seraphim of Sarov advised.

Moreover, if the akathist is read while standing, then the psalms are read while sitting. The word “kathisma” (section of the Psalter) is translated as something that is read while sitting.

You are supposed to stand up during the opening and closing prayers, as well as during the “Glories.”

To read correctly, you need to pay attention to the accents. It is also useful to first familiarize yourself with the interpretation of the psalms.

It is also useful to listen to how the text of the Psalter sounds when performed by priests. When read by knowledgeable people, it is a good example to follow.