To pray, you need to create for yourself the proper “climate”. Then the Lord himself will teach us how to pray. An Elder used to say that in order to have light in your house, you need to install in your house the right hardware, switches, etc. Therefore, there are certain prerequisites to praying. These are:
1) some preparatory prayers,
2) to ask the Lord to have tears,
3) burning incenses,
4) lighting of a candle,
5) silence,
6) no worrying,
7) some prior study (i.e. lives of Saints),
8) removal of yourself from everybody and everything,
9) burning oil lamp,
10) desire to be happy,
11) complete dependence from God, and
12) complete let go of yourself for God.
St. Porphyrios
St. Porphyrios
