Prayer is not just asking and giving thanks to God. This is a way to get a little closer to the light forces of the invisible world. Often in a conflict or extreme situation, prayer “to oneself” helps a lot, calming not only you, but also those around you, and miraculously changing the situation. There are special prayers that protect oneself from demons. They are useful in situations where you feel unmotivated fear or obsessive thoughts come. Any sincere prayer is effective. However, you still need to know how to pray properly.
As a rule, from the Orthodox Christian every day morning, evening prayers, prayers before meals and after meals, as well as prayer in the church are required. Those of us who did not go to Sunday school were not taught how to pray properly. Usually it’s not very difficult to pray at first, the curious person is interested in every word in prayer and he is interested in the words of the said prayer. Then comes the time when you have to force yourself to pray, the words are no longer new, and thoughts are easily dispersed. However, if you don’t give up the habit of praying, after a while each word of prayer will become like a note of your favorite song, you will begin to catch yourself saying many prayers to yourself “singing”, especially often if you regularly go to church services. A good alternative to obsessive music that is hard to get out of your head.
First, discuss how to pray at home. You need to get a small book with morning and evening prayers. The beginner can not immediately read the complete collection of prayers for morning and evening - "morning and evening rule." There are several prayers that are read at the beginning of the rule, everyone must read them, and then there are numbered prayers that can be partially read, for example, three per day, ending the prayer with obligatory prayers (they go after the numbered ones). If you are preparing for the sacrament, you need to read all the prayers. On average, reading prayers takes 20-25 minutes if they are read in full. How to read prayers? Thinking about every word, saying prayers out loud or in a whisper. It is necessary to pronounce it, even if only with one's lips. This will allow you to better tune into prayer and memorize prayers faster.
What if the attention is scattered? Some priests advise to devote a certain time to prayer, for example, 15 minutes. If this is a normal day, and not preparation for communion, when you need to read everything, then you need to read carefully and take care of yourself. Once distracted - return to the place that I remember, and so read until the allotted time runs out. This fosters concentration, despite the fact that at first you will not have time to read some prayers.
The fulfillment of the morning and evening rules, as well as the observance of the weekly fast on Wednesday and Friday, is very important. If you have very little time due to external circumstances, read the “Symbol of Faith” once, morning and evening, three times “Our Father”, three times “Virgin Mary, rejoice.” This can only be done if you have really little time and there is a good reason for not having enough time. The fact that the rule was reduced or not implemented, you must admit to confession. Before eating and after eating, praying is also necessary, before eating you can read “Our Father”, and after eating - a special prayer after eating.
How to pray in church? Most importantly, without the need not to attract attention and not to interfere with others to pray. Get on your knees when everyone is getting there, put candles before or after the service, if you are not standing near a candlestick, do not go around the temple without much need. It is customary for women to pray on the left side of the temple, for men - on the right. But this rule is not always respected, especially if few men go to this church. In the line for anointing and communion, it is customary to let men go forward. You can buy a book about the liturgy, which contains the main prayers, this will allow you to focus on what is happening and better understand what is happening, praying “to yourself” with the choir.
Most of us are far from the “geniuses of religiosity” - saints, but God also needs our prayer. These may not be Church Slavonic words, but a sincere call from the heart. God will hear and help, especially in a difficult situation. Just call him in prayer.