There is not always the strength and ability to stand. The work is associated with hard physical labor, and by the evening a person is so tired that his legs are buzzing. Due to advancing age, age-related diseases are discovered. A pregnant woman whose lower back is pulled and her legs swell. There are many reasons, and a person feels the need for prayer.
What now, not to pray at all? Of course not. Be sure to pray while sitting. And this can be done, despite the indignation of the grandmothers from the church.
What is prayer?
This is direct communication with God. Conversation with Him. This is the conversation of a child with his Father. But let's not explain ourselves in lofty words, but let's talk about it in a simpler way.
When we pray, we meet with God. We meet with the Mother of God and with the saints, to whom we pray prayerfully. We ask them for something, and after a while we understand that our requestfulfilled. And thanks to this comes the realization of the participation of the 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 kind of prayer. This prayer is a dialogue. When a person is talking, it is important for him not only to speak out, but also to hear the opinion of the interlocutor. At the moment when we offer prayers to God, we need to be prepared for the fact that He opens up to us. Sometimes not the way we imagine Him. Therefore, one cannot invent an image of God for oneself, somehow represent it. We see God on the icons, we see the Mother of God, saints. That's enough.
Is it possible to read prayers while sitting? Imagine that a man comes to his father. He came after work, he really wants to talk to him, but his legs hurt and are so tired that there is simply no strength to stand. Wouldn't a father, seeing this, talk to his child? Or make him stand in deference to the parent? Of course not. Rather, on the contrary: seeing how tired the son is, she will offer him to sit down, drink a cup of tea and talk.
So does God, seeing the zeal of a person, not accept sincere prayer just because the one who prays is sitting?
When do we pray?
Most often, when something happens in life and urgently need help. Then the person begins to pray and ask God for this help. He simply has no other hope. Help comes, a contented person rejoices, forgets to thank and departs from God until the next emergency. Is it correct? Hardly.
Ideally we shouldlive with prayer. Live with it just like 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".
With our workload and living conditions, it is extremely difficult to constantly be in prayer. The hustle and bustle at work, the hustle and bustle of 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 to do today. We get up, wash ourselves, get dressed, have breakfast and forward - towards a new fuss. And you need to adjust your morning a little. Get up and thank God for another day. Ask for His intercession during the day. Of course, the best option is to read the morning prayers. But no one has yet canceled gratitude from the heart.
Prayer during the day
Is this possible with our workload? Why not, everything is possible. Is it possible to pray while sitting, for example, in a car? Of course. You can go to work and mentally pray to God.
A man sat down to eat - before the meal you need to pray mentally, read "Our Father". No one will hear this, and what good is it for the one who prays! 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? In weakness - it is possible. There is such a wonderful phrase of Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow: “It is better to sit and think about God thanstanding - about legs.
With some diseases, it is difficult for a person to stand. And with other infirmities, it is not always easy. Therefore, do not be embarrassed by the fact that they sat down on a bench in the temple. There are certain places in worship, at the proclamation of which you need to get up. This is the Cherubic Hymn, the reading of the Gospel, the prayers "I believe" and "Our Father", the removal of the Chalice. In other cases, if you feel that you cannot stand the service, sit down.
Home prayer
Is it possible to sit in front of the icons to pray at home? There is nothing wrong with this if a person does this due to illness or other good reasons. If it’s just out of laziness, it’s better not to be lazy and get up, pray while standing.
In the event that the worshiper is very tired, it is quite acceptable to sit on a chair or on a sofa near the icons, pick up a prayer book and pray from the heart.
How to be sick people?
What if a person is so ill that he cannot stand up on his own? Or bedridden? Or is it due to old age? He can't even pick up a prayer book. How then to pray? And in general, is it possible to pray lying or sitting?
In this case, you can ask someone from the household to submit a prayer book. Keep it in close proximity to the bed, so that the patient can independently reach it. Or rather, reach out and take it. As for the reading of the Gospel, the family may well set aside a couple of minutes and read, at the request of the patient, an excerpt from it.
In addition, recumbenta person is able to pray mentally. To address God in your own words, there is nothing reprehensible in this. In a prayer that comes from the depths of the heart, from the bottom of the soul, can there be anything offensive to God? Even if it is read in an "unspecified" position. The Lord sees the heart of the one who prays, 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 not just possible, but necessary. "The he althy do not call a doctor to themselves, but the sick really need a doctor." And not only in the literal sense of these words.
Can prayer be objectionable?
Difficult question. She may not be heard, rather. Why? It all depends on the quality of the 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 the point, what kind of prayer is this? A person does not understand what and why he read. And God does not need a pattern, He needs sincerity.
Who can pray sitting at home? And God, and the Mother of God, and the saints. Let the prayer be performed in a sitting position, but proceeding from the heart. This is better than standing in front of the icons just reading the rule without understanding anything in it and without trying to do it.
Children's prayer
Can a child pray while sitting? Children's prayer is considered the most sincere. Because children are innocent, naive and trust God. No wonder 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 readlong and incomprehensible prayers for him. Let the baby read before going to bed, for example, "Our Father" and talk to God in his own words. This is much more useful than reading the rule with a cold heart, because my mother said so, that is, according to the principle "it is necessary for adults." And it’s not for adults, it’s for the child himself.
Prayers of Thanksgiving
We often ask, not thanks. The latter must not be forgotten. It would be unpleasant for us to fulfill someone's request, and not to hear a thank you in response. Why should God give us something, knowing our ingratitude?
Is it possible to pray while sitting, read an akathist or offer thanksgiving prayers? You're tired? You feel sick? Sore feet? Then sit back and don't worry about it. You sat down, picked up an akathist or a prayer book, and read calmly, slowly, thoughtfully. Great benefit for the one who prays. And God is glad to see such sincere gratitude.
When there is no strength to pray
It happens that there is no strength to pray. No way. Not standing, not sitting, not lying down. There is no prayer, the person does not want to do it.
How to be then? Force yourself to rise, stand in front of the icons, pick up a prayer book and read at least one prayer. Through strength. Because we do not always want to pray, no matter how surprising it may sound. Is it possible not to want to communicate with God? It's wild, strange, incomprehensible, but such states do happen. And when they appear, you must force yourself to pray.
But it will not be from the heart, I guess? And here is everythingdepends on the one who prays. 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 not praying at all or reading the rule with your lips alone, when 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 somehow, because it’s supposed to be.
Important addition
What do you need to know when starting to pray? Just an answer to the question, is it possible to pray sitting or lying down? No. The main thing to remember is that you need to pray thoughtfully. Try to understand every word of the prayer. And the latter must come from the heart. That's why you need to not only read the rules, but also pray in your own words.
Conclusion
From the article we learned whether it is possible to pray while sitting. In the case of a serious illness, senile infirmity, pregnancy or very severe fatigue, this is not forbidden. Children are allowed to pray while sitting.
As for bedridden patients, in their case it is quite appropriate to offer prayers to God in the usual position.
It is not the position that is important, although it plays an important role. The most important thing is the heart and soul of a person, sincere, burning and striving for God.
