St. Dimitri of Rostov, "The Inner Closet of the Heart," from The Art of Prayer: An Orthodox Anthology, ed. Timothy Ware. London: Faber and Faber, 1997, 46.
Wherever a man is, his heart is always with him, and so, having collected his thoughts inside his heart, he can shut himself in and pray to God in secret, whether he be talking or listening, whether among few people or many. Inner prayer, if it comes to a man's spirit when he is with other people, demands no use of lips or of books, no movement of the tongue or sound of the voice: and the same is true even when you are alone. All that is necessary is to raise your mind to God, and descend deep into yourself, and this can be done anywhere.
2 comments:
Help me to remember always that you are here with me in my heart, ready for me to turn towards your loving presence.
This passage tells me that even when I am with others, paying attention to them, I can also hear you, God of All Creation, that I can listen to you and them -- and even to myself, too -- at one and the same time. This is news for me, and I shall try to hear and talk with you all ways.
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