The ascetical dimensions of prayer

St. Ignaty Brianchaninov

"Prayer is the daughter of the fulfillment of the Gospel commandments, and is at the same time the mother of all the virtues...Prayer produces virtues from the union of the human spirit with the Spirit of the Lord." The Arena, pg. 66

"On account of the signal importance of prayer, preparation should preceede its practice...The first preparation consists in rejecting resentment and condemnation of our neighbour...Further preparation consists in the rejection of cares...also a realization of one's sinfulness and the resultant contrition and humility of spirit." The Arena, pgs.67-68

'If we wish to stand before our King and God and converse with Him we must not rush into this without preparation, lest, seeing us from afar without weapons and suitable clothing for those who stand before the King, He should order His servants and slaves to seize us and banish us from His presence and tear up our petitions and throw them in our face. When you are going to stand before the Lord, let the garment of your soul be woven throughout with the thread that has become oblivious of wrongs. Otherwise, prayer will bring you no benefit.' (The Ladder to Paradise, Step 28.3, 4; ed. Archimandrite Lazarus, pp. 250, 251.)

'Rise up from love of the world and love of pleasure, lay aside cares, strip your mind, renounce your body; because prayer is nothing other than estrangement from the world, visible and invisible. For what have I in heaven? Nothing. And what have I desired on earth besides Thee? Nothing, but to cling continually to Thee in prayer without distraction.' (ibid., 28.25; pp. 253, 254.)