Morning prayer of the Optina elders.

Interesting 15.10.2019

Interesting

You can call Optina Hermitage anything you like: a symbol of Orthodoxy, a place of worship, holy land - everything will correspond to reality. Its very location: proximity to Kozelsk, the city of Russian glory, which held a 7-week defense against the troops of the Golden Horde to the last inhabitant, suggests the presence of a special spirit on this land.

The emergence of the desert

Enclosing the edge of the forest, it made this corner an ideal place for the followers of John the Baptist, who also became famous for being the first desert dweller, that is, a hermit. Neither the date nor the history of the emergence of Optina Pustyn is known. But its names (the second - Makaryinskaya) testify in favor of the version of the dashing man Opt, who hunted in the 14th century by robbery. Hiding from his pursuers, he just wanted to sit out in a quiet place, but the grace that descended on him turned his whole robber life upside down. He became the first hermit Macarius. It can be assumed that the prayer of the Optina elders for every day has its roots at this time.

For a long time, Optina Pustyn was subjected to raids, seizures, devastation by the forces of external and internal enemies of Russia. And only in 1796, through the efforts of Metropolitan Platon, Father Avraamy became the abbot of the monastery, during which the revival of the skete began and the appearance of the first elders, people who had reached certain heights of spiritual perfection.

The heyday of the Optina Hermitage

All-Russian fame, like the real flowering of the monastery, began in the 20s of the XIX century, when Archimandrite Moses, a holy man and a wonderful business executive, took the post of abbot. Under him, Father Lev in 1829 officially founded the eldership. The venerable elders settled in a small skete, which was built in 1821. The holy fathers Cleopas and Theodore were the companions of the founder of Optina Hermitage. The prayer book was not yet complicated, and the prayer of the Optina elders for every day was a help to them in their labors. The significance of Optina Hermitage in the spiritual life of Russia is very great. Dostoevsky and Solovyov lived in it for a long time, gaining mental strength, visited her Leo and Alexei Tolstoy. "Father Sergius" was written under the impression of Optina Pustyn.

The cathedral is a unique phenomenon, a special form of holiness that has flourished for 100 years in Optina Hermitage. Something similar takes place only on Athos.

Cathedral of the Optina Elders

The first elders were only 6, who appeared here in 1829, the hieroschemmonk (the title of a monk-schemer with a church rank) Leo brought all-Russian glory to the skete, which did not fade until 1917. In total, there were 14 reverend elders, each of them added to the greatness of the Optina Hermitage. All of them, possessing a special spirit, had the gift of insight, prophecy and wonderworking. Much of what they predicted came true.

The legacy of the elders includes books, advice, letters, prayers. The daily prayer of the Optina Elders is also part of this heritage. Isaac II (there were no elders after him) and a number of his associates, inhabitants of the Optina Hermitage, were shot in 1937. The abbot of the skete, Nectarios, died in 1928 in his cell, having prevented his arrest by one day.

The most difficult years of Orthodoxy in Russia

The fate of hundreds of representatives of the clergy in the 30s of the XX century was tragic. Therefore, the prayer of the last Optina Elders contains only a plea to the Lord for humility, for a calm and worthy acceptance of the challenges of reality, interpreting them as a manifestation of his will, a plea for spiritual strength, no doubts and the ability to overcome fatigue at the end of the day. Without such a prayer (it is now included in all Orthodox prayer books), it was probably difficult to preserve the faith. One specialist called prayer non-denominational and psychotherapeutic. Of course, repeating it all the time, like a spell, one could somehow wake up and fall asleep in the conditions of repressions of 1937. ( It's about about those people who were doomed to this fate, specifically about the clergy).

Unique prayers of the elders

When addressing the Lord, the Optina elders advised to avoid verbosity, to be concise and specific, so their prayers are understandable and loved by many Orthodox. So, the prayer of the Optina Elder Leo can serve as an example. It is known as the private prayer for suicides. Short and concise, it is addressed to the Lord with a single request - to accept and, if possible, forgive the soul of a suicide, and not to punish the one asking for it. After all, church canons forbade commemorating in the church and burying suicides who died in a duel and during robbery, drowned people in the cemetery. The wise elders understood that intolerable life circumstances can bring a person to suicide. They allowed privately, bypassing the official church, to pray for the reassurance of the soul of a person who laid hands on himself.

like a happiness spell

Two more prayers deserve special attention, one of them is the morning prayer of the Optina Elders. Having become acquainted with them for the first time, it is impossible not to note their dissimilarity with prayers in general. They, both in the morning and in the evening, contain so much expression and passion that, indeed, they can play the role of an affirmation (a short phrase, with repeated repetition of which the necessary image or attitude can be strengthened in the subconscious of a person). Setting for happiness, for joy, for life in harmony with everyone. This prayer resembles, rather, a hymn and a spell at the same time. Repeated declaration of love to the Lord sounds like an unshakable faith in reciprocity. The person doing this prayer sincerely believes that it is difficult not to respond to such a sincere request for help in only bright and good deeds, to a declaration of love for everything and everyone. And the flow of ardent gratitude, the repeated “amen” can lead to a state of joy and a benevolent attitude towards the whole world.

The originality of the prayers of the Optina Elders

The Optina elders are also able to evoke both a sense of surprise and a desire to read it again and again. The effect is enhanced by repeated, repetitive appeals and enthusiasm, underlined by exclamation marks. There is a feeling that these two prayers imply the friendly disposition of the Lord towards the one who prays. Of course, they are appropriate in the mouth of a cheerful, joyful and successful person, convinced that tomorrow will be as wonderful as today. In the evening he reports to God about a happily lived day. Joyfully thanks him for his help, forgives everything and everyone (including himself) for his mistakes, has no doubt that the Lord will do the same.

Good prayers, understandable, close - this is probably the great wisdom of the venerable elders.

Actually, the prayer of the Optina elders for every day is any prayer taken from the prayer book and suitable for a specific case. The role of the daily can be performed by both the morning and evening, as well as the akathist and service to the icon of the Mother of God, called the “Bread Conqueror”.

Offer prayers to God, and He will resolve any situation in your life. The prayer of the Optina Elders will help to keep positive and give strength to carry out all the tasks throughout the day, but, most importantly, will strengthen the confidence that any circumstance will be resolved for the good.

History of appearance

The Optina Elders were residents of the Optina Monastery, which in Kaluga region Russia. These monks served the people with the gift that God gave them, believed in the Savior and deeply studied the Scriptures, brought petitions to God for all those who were suffering. The elders had a prophetic gift. They spoke what God revealed to them regarding future events, and they also knew what had happened in the past.

God gave them the gift of healing, which they ministered to people. Many pilgrims came to the monastery. Prayers worked wonders. Many people received healing for soul and body.

Three monks gained the greatest fame:

Lev Danilovich was a man of unshakable faith and extraordinary courage. His whole life was a service to God and neighbor. In humility and unceasing prayer, he turned to God. Crowds of the dispossessed flocked to him. He had the gift of healing people with oil from a lamp in which the fire was constantly maintained;
Seraphim the Monk is a righteous man who preached the Good News. Believers from all over the country came to him to hear the Word of God;
Makar was a student and colleague of Lev Danilovich. He believed that the main virtue and foundation of the Christian life is humility. It was her that the reverend brought up in people. The monk had a prophetic gift and predicted the future.

Optina elders are servants of God, having unshakable faith, holiness and a pure heart. The prayer of the Optina Elders is pronounced at the very beginning of the day, immediately after waking up.

Prayer is a sacrament, and it should be said with understanding, turning to the Lord, believing that He will repay. True prayer brings joy, for the Lord rewards those who seek Him.

You should pray as soon as you open your eyes and until the mind is clouded and the heart is not burdened with worldly cares.

If the text is difficult to remember, then when referring to the Lord, it is allowed to use your own words. The main thing is that the prayer should be full of faith and confidence in the love of God.

Before you ask the Lord for anything, thank Him for everything He has already given you, and have no doubt that He will turn every situation for your good. He will protect and help to surrender to His holy will and in all thoughts and minds be guided by His feelings.

This prayer will help you gain wisdom from the Lord in resolving all life situations, heal your soul and achieve inner harmony.

The main thing is that reading a prayer is done not in order to “put a tick”, but in order to turn to the Lord with all your soul and with all your being, believing in Him and loving Him.

Video "Prayer of the Optina elders for every day"

You can listen to the video full text prayers.

At the start of the day

Lord, give me peace of mind to meet everything that the coming day brings me. Let me completely surrender to Your holy will. For every hour of this day, instruct and support me in everything. Whatever news I receive during the day, teach me to accept it with a calm soul and firm conviction that everything is Thy holy will. In all my words and deeds guide my thoughts and feelings. In all unforeseen cases, do not let me forget that everything is sent down by You. Teach me to act directly and reasonably with each member of my family, without embarrassing or upsetting anyone. Lord, give me the strength to endure the fatigue of the coming day and all the events during the day. Guide my will and teach me to pray, believe, hope, endure, forgive and love. Amen.

Other prayers

About the beginning of every business

O God, seek my help, Lord, seek my help. Govern, Lord, everything that I do, I read and write, everything that I think, speak and understand, to the glory of Your Holy Name, that it accepts from You at the beginning and in You all my work will end. Grant me, O God, that by word, deed, or thought I will anger Thee, my Creator, but all my deeds, advice and thoughts may be to the glory of Thy Most Holy Name. O God, seek my help, Lord, seek my help.

About family

In the hand of great mercy, oh my God, I entrust: my soul and painful body, the husband given to me by You, and all the beloved children. You be our Helper and Patron in our whole life, in our exodus and death, in joy and sorrow, in happiness and misfortune, in sickness and health, in life and death, in everything may Your holy will be with us, as in heaven and on earth. Amen.

For enemies

Those who hate and offend us, Your servants (names) Forgive me, Lord, Lover of mankind: they do not know what they are doing, and warm their hearts for love for us unworthy.

With carnal warfare

Oh, Mother of the Lord of my Creator, You are the root of virginity and the unfading color of purity. Oh Mother of God! Help me, a weak carnal passion and a painful being, for Yours alone and with You Your Son and God imam intercession. Amen.

In the presence of thoughts

Lord Jesus Christ, banish from me all unsimilar thoughts! Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am weak ... Thou art my God, support my mind, so that unclean thoughts do not overcome it, but in You, my Creator, (he) delights, how great is the Name Yours loving Tya.

When mourning

Glory to Thee, my God, for the sorrow sent to me, worthy of my deeds, I now accept. Remember me when you come into your kingdom, and may all your will be one, good and perfect.

From antichrist

Deliver me, O Lord, from the seduction of the godly, evil-witted Antichrist, who is near, and hide me from his nets in the secret wilderness of Your salvation. Give me, Lord, the strength and courage of a firm confession of Your Holy Name, may I not retreat fear for the sake of the devil, may I not deny You, my Savior and Redeemer, from Your holy Church. But give me, Lord, day and night, weeping and tears for my sins and spare me, Lord, at the hour of Your Terrible Judgment. Amen.

From antichrist

Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who is coming to judge the living and the dead, have mercy on us sinners, forgive the sins of our whole life, and with them weigh the fates hiding us from the face of the Antichrist in the hidden wilderness of Your salvation. Amen.

About the unbaptized, those who died without repentance and suicides

Seek, O Lord, the lost soul of Thy servant (name): if it is possible to eat, have mercy. Your destinies are unsearchable. Do not put me in sin with this prayer of mine, but may Thy holy will be done.

On the picturesque bank of the Zhizdra River, in the arms of a majestic forest, Optina Pustyn is harmoniously located - perfect place for a contemplative life steeped in clergy.

The desert experienced both exuberant prosperity and the darkness of decline. But despite ordeal, Optina Hermitage survived, and the glory of her life-giving song pierced the hearts of the Russian people.

The desert is known thanks to the elders who once lived in the monastery. They were deservedly considered seers, healers, sages.

Dear mentors left a real treasury filled with invaluable wealth of patience, wisdom, peace, peace and spirituality.

People with a wounded soul need to seek salvation and consolation in the instructions and advice of revered sages.

The prayers of the elders are also successful in modern world. One of the most popular is the prayer of the Optina Elders at the beginning of the day. She is considered the embodiment of spiritual beauty. She is capable of:

Harmoniously connect the soul with the body;
Put your thoughts in order;
Charge with vivacity and energy;
Direct on the right path;
Get rid of fear, insecurity;
appease, soothe;
Protect from failures;
Heal ailments;
Attune to pious deeds.

The morning prayers of Optina Pustyn are permeated with miraculous light and virgin purity.

Option 1:

“Lord, give me peace of mind to meet everything that this day will give me. Lord, let me completely surrender to Your Holy will. Lord, for every hour of this day guide and support me in everything. Lord, reveal to me Your will for me and those around me. Lord, whatever news I receive during the day, let me accept it with a calm soul and a firm conviction that everything is Thy Holy Will. Lord, Great, Merciful, in all my deeds and words guide my thoughts and feelings, in all unforeseen circumstances, do not let me forget that everything is sent down by You.
Lord, let me act wisely with each of my neighbors, without upsetting or embarrassing anyone. Lord, give me the strength to endure the weariness of this day and all the events during it. Lead my will and teach me to pray and love everyone without hypocrisy. Amen"

Option 2:

“Lord, give me peace of mind to meet everything that the coming day brings me. Let me completely surrender to Your holy will. For every hour of this day, instruct and support me in everything. Whatever news I receive during the day, teach me to accept it with a calm soul and firm conviction that everything is Thy holy will. In all my words and deeds guide my thoughts and feelings. In all unforeseen cases, do not let me forget that everything is sent down by You. Teach me to act directly and reasonably with each member of my family, without embarrassing or upsetting anyone. Lord, give me the strength to endure the fatigue of the coming day and all the events during the day. Guide my will and teach me to pray, believe, hope, endure, forgive and love. Amen"

How to read a prayer correctly?

The prayer of the last Optina elders at the beginning of the day personifies the wisdom and insight of the seers. Miraculous words, like a sip of clean cold water in the desert, have healing power.

You should not pronounce miraculous words aloud and in front of strangers, and also repeat without delving into their deep meaning. You need to read the prayer sincerely, sincerely, believing in the power of the Lord.

The elders advised to pronounce the morning text at sunrise. It is believed that all living things, created by the hand of the Lord, are cleansed and enriched with strength and intelligence at the dawn of the morning. After all, it is not in vain that there is a saying “Who gets up early, God gives him”. The sages said that one who sleeps for a long time misses the time when the Lord grants all kinds of blessings and cleanses the soul from sins.

It is necessary to say the morning prayer of the Optina Elders in complete solitude in a whisper, listening to the beating of the heart, fixing your eyes on the morning dawn.

The prayer is simple, so remembering it is easy enough. To begin with, you can read it using a prayer book, and it is also advisable to rewrite the healing words on a piece of paper so that they always stay with the person, accompanying him everywhere. You can also download an audio recording of a prayer and turn it on in the morning, enjoying the centuries-old words of the sages, and without being distracted from business. It is necessary to listen to the words carefully, passing them through the soul and heart.

You can listen to the audio recording while taking a walk, while in transport, waiting for your turn. It is enough to transfer it to your phone, tablet or player. Thus, you will always be under the reliable protection of the Lord.

Morning prayer - a "spell" for happiness

leaving the house;
Starting an important business;
Going on a long journey;
During the period of illness and negative emotions.

When failures burst into life like a destructive tornado, turn to the Lord for help with the prayer of the Optina Elders. He will hear the petition and soon changes will occur in life:

Improvement in both mental and physical well-being;
Irritability, anger, despondency, sadness will disappear;
Peace, tranquility and peace will come;
Good luck will come to all areas of life.

The effectiveness of miraculous words has been proven for centuries.

The prayer of the Optina Elders will protect from difficult situations, demonic cunning, devilish temptations, guide you on the true path, show the way to spiritual purification, insight and wisdom of great seers.

Many people have felt the grace bestowed by the sages.

At the start of the day

Option 1

Lord, give me peace of mind to meet everything that this day will give me. Lord, let me completely surrender to Your Holy will. Lord, for every hour of this day guide and support me in everything. Lord, reveal to me Your will for me and those around me. Lord, whatever news I receive during the day, let me accept it with a calm soul and a firm conviction that everything is Thy Holy Will. Lord, Great, Merciful, in all my deeds and words guide my thoughts and feelings, in all unforeseen circumstances, do not let me forget that everything is sent down by You. Lord, let me act wisely with each of my neighbors, without upsetting or embarrassing anyone. Lord, give me the strength to endure the weariness of this day and all the events during it. Lead my will and teach me to pray and love everyone without hypocrisy. Amen.

Option 2

Prayers of St. Anthony of Optina

About the beginning of every business

For enemies

Those who hate and offend us, Thy servants (names), forgive, Lord, Lover of mankind: they do not know what they are doing, and warm their hearts for love for us unworthy.

Prayer of St. Macarius of Optina

With carnal warfare

Prayer of Saint Joseph of Optina

In the presence of thoughts

Lord Jesus Christ, banish from me all unsimilar thoughts! Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am weak ... You are my God, support my mind, so that unclean thoughts do not overcome it, but in You, my Creator, (he) delights, how great is Your Name to those who love You.

Prayer of the Monk Nikon of Optina Confessor

When mourning

Glory to Thee, my God, for the sorrow sent to me, worthy of my deeds, I now accept. Remember me when you come into your kingdom, and may all your will be one, good and perfect.

Prayer of St. Anatoly of Optina (Potapov)

From antichrist

Prayer of the Monk Nektarios of Optina

From antichrist

Prayer of the Monk Leo of Optina

About the unbaptized, those who died without repentance and suicides

Seek, O Lord, the lost soul of Thy servant (name): if it is possible to eat, have mercy. Your destinies are unsearchable. Do not put me in sin with this prayer of mine, but may Thy holy will be done.

Dear Anonymous, breathing righteous anger, the Prayer of the Optina Elders is an amazing prayer, written in a simple and understandable language, NOT INCLUDED in any prayer rule- this is NOT a CANONICAL TEXT, this is a voice coming from the heart.
And everyone is free to pronounce it the way he feels. Therefore, having used instead of the will of Your Holy - the Will of Light, I did not erect "blasphemy against the Holy Spirit" in any way - I washed away the prayers not in exact accordance with the set of words written, but in a sense of sincere faith that you put into these words.

Saint Macarius said:
“... Prayer is the concentration of the best part of oneself and offering it for union with Higher powers. Prayer, to be real, true, must be a cry of the heart...
...Prayer is an involuntary cry of the soul to YOUR God...
... Real prayer is the voice of the soul, ready for communion with God "...

Further...
The Optina elders advised during prayer to leave the worldly vanity, idle talk, since this violates the prayer mood, grace is driven away.
Before prayer, you should wait until thoughts and feelings calm down - that's why it is so necessary to "relax and throw out the negative."
Body, soul and mind are tuned in to communion with God. What is this if not morning meditation? PERSONALLY I think so.

Saint Nikon wrote:
“Especially during prayer, leave ALL THOUGHTS ABOUT WORLDLY. After prayer, home or church, in order to maintain a prayerful tender mood, silence is necessary. Sometimes even a simple, insignificant word can break and frighten away tenderness from our soul.
Silence prepares the soul for prayer. Silence, how it has a beneficial effect on the soul!

The strength of the morning prayer of the Optina elders is in its wisdom. It gives a person a state of peace, peace, organizes thoughts and feelings, prepares for any surprises of a new day, teaches you to always remember God, calls for his patronage.
And this is purely my business, how to present the material in a personal diary. Moreover, I do not take on the burden of “teaching”, but simply offer this wonderful spiritual wisdom to the attention of my readers.

Incidentally, the Venerable Elder Ambrose wrote:
“Would you like to read various akathists out of diligence? You can read, but in order not to imagine something about yourself and not to condemn others. And when there is exaltation and condemnation of others, then do not read.
And another advice from the Monk Joseph:
“If you see the error of your neighbor, which you would like to correct, if it violates your peace of mind and irritates you, then you also sin and, therefore, you will not correct the error with error - it is corrected with meekness.”
Saint Nikon said:
“Always remember the law of spiritual life: if you are embarrassed by any shortcoming of another person and condemn him, later on you will suffer the same fate, and you will suffer from the same shortcoming.”