How prayer affects a person
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Prayer affects not only a person’s soul, but also his physics. Experts have concluded that during prayer our body receives twenty percent less oxygen than in normal conditions. People who regularly practice prayer (continuous reading of prayers) have a more developed and “living” brain than others. At the same time, brain function slows down during in-depth reading of scriptures and becomes almost comatose. Such processes occur regardless of whether a believer of any religion is reading a prayer or a mantra.
“Prayer wakefulness is recognized by researchers as the fourth state of the brain, along with the three main ones - wakefulness, slow and fast sleep, which differ from each other in the patterns of electrical impulses in the cerebral cortex.”
Daily prayer leads to better normalization of the functioning and restoration of the body. Improves the process of synchronization of the brain hemispheres (one half of the brain does not dominate the second), makes a person intellectually healthy and energetic. Helps you cope with stress more effectively, reveals hidden talents and sharpens your intuition.
Yawning during prayer - the evil eye or the body's reaction
Superstitious people believe that yawning during prayer indicates that a person has been possessed by a demon. Researchers refute this version and assure that yawning during prayer is evidence of relaxation of the body. It may also be related to the room itself. If the temple is crowded or stuffy, such a reaction is completely justified. The lack of fresh air can easily make any of us yawn. The time of day when prayer occurs also matters. Early morning or late evening will have an impact on the body.
Churchmen assure that yawning can be caused by dark forces that do not want a person to communicate with God. If you pray in a well-ventilated room, in a cheerful state of mind and in normal physical condition, prayer cannot cause yawning. Her presence should alert you. However, there is no need to lose heart. Daily prayer will bring the desired result and such a misfortune will go away on its own.
What do priests say about crying in church?
Surprisingly, there is no consensus among the priesthood either.
One group, and it is much more numerous than the second, claims that while in the temple, a person can be himself, relax, and show his weaknesses before God. At this moment, the soul of a child of God is revealed in him, completely defenseless before the Creator.
Regardless of what everyday hurricanes rage outside the walls of the temple, at the moment of presence before the Lord there is always calm. Sincere prayer mentally and spiritually transports the person praying to the kingdom of God, the coming of which every Christian dreams.
Orthodox Life
website of the Gorlovka and Slavic diocese
“Eyes are clearer than words - words sometimes only obscure the meaning... And the look - well, will it deceive the one who can read in it?” As they say, the eyes are the mirror of the soul. You can tell a lot by looking: whether a person is cheerful, thoughtful, or sad for some reason. The sayings “sparks from the eyes” and “withering gaze” have long been known. It is enough to take a good look at a person and everything will become clear. And my eyes shed tears. What can a person’s tears in a church tell about, a correspondent of TC “Orbita” asked the rector of the Vvedensky Church in the village of Vodyanoye, Archpriest Maxim Fedoryachenko.
— Father, what does church literature say about tears?
- Tears can have different sources, they do not necessarily indicate one thing. There are tears of repentance, there are tears of joy, there are tears that flow from temptation - for example, when the devil tempts a person, tries in every possible way to remove him from the church, to force him to leave. A man comes to church and realizes that something wrong is starting to happen to him. Often people turn to me and say: “Father, I can’t go to church, because when I get there, tears immediately start flowing, I don’t know what it is, it scares me, and that’s why I quickly leave.” I’m leaving and I’m afraid to go into church.” People don’t understand what the reason is, but here we can say that this is a demonic temptation.
“One TV viewer wrote to us that when she enters the church and stands at the service, she cries. She tries to distract herself with different thoughts, but it doesn’t work for long, and she starts crying again. What's happening to her?
“You first need to figure out what a temple is in general.” The temple is a different place. It is not like the house in which we live, or the institutions where we go. And it is natural that when a person enters a temple, he experiences sensations that are incomparable with others that he is used to experiencing in his life. When we enter a church and see holy icons around us - images of people who lived their lives holy, fought against sin - then naturally, even if we don’t realize it, inside we begin to feel that our life is not ideal. She's not what she should be. And then tears may appear, which tell us that we understand that we are far from ideal. We most likely don’t even strive for it; our lives are filled with ordinary everyday affairs and vanity. We spend most of our lives on this, and when we come to church, we feel the amount of sins that lie on our soul, the inconsistency of our life with the life that we need to live in order to prepare for eternal life. The man begins to cry, realizing this. This cannot but upset him, it cannot but lead him to a state in which tears can flow. Not only women cry in the temple - men cry too, although it is less common for them to cry for any reason. This shows that we still understand what our life should be, but in reality it does not correspond to this at all.
Tears are not necessarily just water that flows from our eyes. Tears in spiritual literature are not always a physical phenomenon. Tears can also be in the spiritual sense - tears of repentance. This is when there is contrition in your soul, when there is sorrow in your soul, when you understand that something needs to be done. When you realize your sins, then tears of repentance are not liquid, but internal contrition, internal crying - even, I would say, a cry to God about the failure of our spiritual life.
—What is the difference between repentant crying and hysteria?
- Hysteria is a nervous state when a person has brought himself to this point. For example, with our sinful life, because sin takes its toll on the soul, and every time we do something wrong, offend or offend someone, or maybe there are some troubles in the family through our fault, it all adds up . If a person does not go to church, does not confess his sins, that is, does not throw them out of his soul, does not cleanse it, all this falls on us as a heavy burden and then begins to torment us and leads us to all sorts of mental disorders, including hysteria . This is the state of a sinful soul that cannot find a way out for those emotions, for the burden that collects in it. So such breakdowns, nerves, tears, crying, screaming occur. But this has nothing to do with repentance or spiritual life. When a person realizes his sins, then he begins to cry for another reason. Usually there is no hysteria, these are mostly calm, quiet tears.
— Is it possible to cry during home prayer?
“It’s unlikely that we will be able to control this process.” If we feel like crying, then we cry. When a person prays, if he cries, then no one can forbid him, no one can say that this is bad or good - it is, it is a given. But we are talking about tears not in the sense of crying as such, but in the sense of a repentant state of soul. The repentant state of the soul and the good deeds resulting from it, which we do to atone for our bad deeds, can cleanse the soul.
— One of my friends, when she reads her morning and evening prayers, begins to cry. I asked the question, could such tears come from the evil one?
“No one here will understand this except herself.” Everyone can determine for themselves by studying their state of mind, by their impulses, desires, and actions. To do this, you need to carefully monitor yourself for at least a few days, at least even one day. Then we will understand that this is just a temptation, the devil wants to distract us from prayer, or vice versa, a person cries and prays.
Sometimes, indeed, crying begins, which cannot be stopped and it is impossible to do anything else at this moment. The prayer stops and some kind of uncontrollable crying begins. Here there may be some kind of nervous condition, or a demonic temptation, the influence of an invisible world hostile to us. The reasons may be different, only the person himself can, by listening to himself, understand from what source his tears come.
— How to deal with a person if he stands in a temple and cries? Should you come to console him or leave him alone, alone with God?
- You know, in this matter not everything is so simple. On the one hand, if we approach a person, he may think that he is somehow different from everyone else, unusual. This will scare him away from the temple. Of course, if a person comes to church, this begins to happen to him, and he, frightened, leaves the church and no longer wants to return there, then it may be right if we tell him how to treat this, but this must be done delicately . If a person cries quietly, but he stands in the temple, does not leave, and prays, then you should not disturb him, let the person communicate with God, this is something happening in his soul. If we hear from our acquaintances, friends or relatives that something like this happened in church, then we can explain it to them, talk to them about it, refer them to a priest or explain it ourselves so that they are not afraid.
Man lives in the world and sins. Therefore, it is natural that the enemy of the human race has access to our soul. The Lord said: “Whoever is overcome by someone is his slave” (2 Pet 2:19). Therefore, when we do good, we become slaves and children of God, and when we do evil, accordingly, we submit to the devil, and he has access to us. When we come to church, after the sins that we have committed during the day, week, month, the devil begins to pull our strings. He doesn’t want us to go to church and benefit from it, he will try in every way to get us out of there. Tears or some unusual physical, moral, spiritual state can also be caused by the influence of otherworldly hostile forces.
The text version was prepared by the editors of the Gorlovka diocese website
What to do if someone is crying nearby
When you see a crying person near you, it is difficult to remain indifferent. How to react correctly:
- If he doesn't seem very worried, don't interfere. If a person is being too loud, you can politely ask them to be a little quieter.
- If there is excessive crying, you can quietly ask if the person needs help, offer to sit down, drink water, or use a tissue.
- If you see that the crying person has little control over himself, support him and try to make him sit down; if possible, call the temple servants for help.
- When a crying person shows signs of acute health problems, you can and should give him first aid and call the doctors.
In general, you should treat the tears of others in church with understanding and sympathy, and, if necessary, help the crying person.
Why do you cry when you read a prayer?
This can occur both from penetration by prayer words, and because subconsciously a person may either not accept the words of prayer, or they may somehow offend him and remind him of sin.
In some cases, this happens if you resist prayer or read prayer words under duress.
This can happen if a person overdoes the prayer rule and tries to pray beyond his strength. God does not need such feats, so stop praying beyond measure.
Saints about crying and tears during prayer
According to the Monk Isaac the Syrian, one of the Fathers of the Church, the spiritual transformation of a person begins with tears of repentance.
In his appeal to God, Saint Augustine sees the tears of his mother, who, being married to a pagan, constantly cried in prayer of petition for her husband and children. Saint Monica begged her family in tears.
Augustine assures in his book “Confessions” that tears cover the person praying at the moment of realizing the price of the Blood paid for the salvation and triumph of God.
According to Metropolitan Athanasius of Limassol, only in tears can one learn the essence of prayer life.
What do tears mean during prayer?
The priests assure - tears of repentance, good tears. Prayer and tears are inseparable, because at this time the soul is washed and becomes purer.
Many believers doubt whether it is appropriate to cry during prayer. The answer is clear - of course. Tears of repentance are not an expression of evil or resentment. They are like long-awaited rain, which not only nourishes all living things, gives them life, but also washes everything from dirt and filth. The more we cry, the better. It is very valuable to cry during prayer. This is how clergy interpret tears while reading prayers.
Scientists believe that tears during prayer help a person cope with stress faster and more effectively. Thanks to this mental reaction, a believer forgives offenses faster than others, calms a rebellious mind and makes it possible to “let go” of events.
Subject:
- church
Good or bad
Believers often attach a negative connotation to this natural need of the body, noting that while reading the “Our Father” in church, many parishioners begin to yawn synchronously. At the same time, they forget that at the liturgy this prayer is read quite a long period of time after the start of the service.
During worship in the church, a large number of candles are burned, as a result of which oxygen burns. Also, the room may simply be stuffy. Taken together, all these factors can provoke a natural desire to yawn.
Some believers ask the holy fathers whether it is possible to read the Gospel if sleep does not come. They claim that someone allegedly gave them such advice, wanting to save them from insomnia. Priests say that such an attitude towards reading spiritual books can become a psychological reason for yawning. They warn: “Do not become a hostage to wrong advice, as such reading will not benefit your soul.”
Treatment
The method of therapy depends on the cause that caused the pain, increased lacrimation, redness:
- antiviral drugs in the form of tablets or eye ointments;
- local antibacterial therapy using drops or ointments;
- removal of a foreign body from its location in the mucous membrane;
- complex therapy for burn conditions, which begins with treatment of the damaged surface and ends with antibacterial drugs to prevent infection;
- antihistamines to eliminate the increased influence of the immune system on the occurrence of an allergic reaction;
- the use of multivitamins that enhance metabolism and regeneration inside the eyes is used prophylactically to prevent the development of certain ophthalmological diseases.
If the condition is caused by excessive eye fatigue, it is necessary to limit the time spent in front of the computer, phone, TV, tablet. Use moisturizing drops that prevent dry eyes and microtrauma on the cornea. You need to sleep and rest more. You can also use eye exercises to relieve fatigue.
Peaceful Tears
When communicating with church-going Christians who lead a righteous lifestyle and read prayer rules, you can often hear that they often cry during divine services or home prayers, while experiencing a special feeling of reverence for the Creator.
Every priest will confirm that holy crying, giving peace and tranquility in the heart, is a grace given by God through the touch of the Holy Spirit.
Only a person receptive to Scripture can be filled with a special joy that causes tears, for the Word does not only enter into conclusions, it touches the Christian soul, given by God. Only sincere believers in the Almighty people react with tears to the singing of a church choir or the reading of a sermon, while opening their souls to be touched by the Holy Spirit.
Is it bad to cry in church?
Some Christians, who literally begin to cry every time they visit a church, going to extremes, consider themselves complete sinners or people who have been cursed, damaged, or the evil eye has been cast over them.
In these cases, one must have a special feeling, because the touch of the Holy Spirit and cleansing always leaves a bright mark on the soul, filling it with joy and special peace.
If you feel anxiety, self-pity, or fear, you should seek help from a counselor or the priest of the temple so that he can help you figure out what is causing the crying in the temple.
It is much worse if a person who comes to church does not experience reverence and fear of God, he came for show, for many people do this, for now it is fashionable to be Orthodox with a large cross on his chest. It often turns out that there is a cross on your neck, but there is no faith in your soul. Such people do not cry during worship or the angelic singing of a church choir. They know how to do everything right, but at the same time they feel their complete spiritual emptiness.
It is better to cry in church like a repentant sinner than to remain a self-righteous Christian.
Why are my tears flowing all the time in church? Has anyone noticed this?
This is very good and comes from tenderness, because in the church there is purity, and the soul feels it, it reaches out to the bright, pure, immaculate, the soul, as it were, wakes up, comes to life for God and forgets about the worldly and understands how good it is here.
Tears are the dew of the soul. Tears in the Temple are a sign of intense energetic cleansing. Tears themselves are more good than bad - you are cleansed and healed. But if they also “hum”, your legs become heavy, it shoots, it smokes heavily, it bends, and the candle you lit for your health goes out. These are all combined bad signs. This means that you need to get additional help. Contact either the priest, or look for a Light Master who will help you.
This usually means that you are a very sensitive person. The very atmosphere in the temple has a very strong effect on spiritual impulses. In church we feel like small, defenseless children. It’s as if, after a long wandering around the world, I came home to my parents. And everything that accumulated energetically during the “wandering” pours out. In the Church, even the train of thoughts changes. I remember how, when I was very young, I wandered into our temple with a friend. There was a mass going on and they seemed to be singing psalms. Something came over me. It was as if I was numb. It was as if my soul rose under the dome and I saw everyone at once who was in the Church. I woke up to my friend shaking my shoulders. And tears automatically flowed down my face. He later asked me what happened to me. But I myself didn’t understand. I have never experienced such a feeling again.
How often do people cry in church?
As a rule, tears in the eyes of parishioners can most often be seen during funerals, sadness, or with joy during a wedding or baptism. In these cases, everything is clear, thus giving vent to overwhelming emotions. But how can we explain the desire to cry during the Liturgy, prayer or confession?
A person can cry in church when he feels repentance for his unseemly actions, thoughts, words
Christians who experience such emotions for the first time are concerned with the question of whether it is good or bad; tears roll down their cheeks at the will of God or Satan. The reasons that cause crying, and sometimes sobbing in church, are individual for each person.
Someone suddenly realized the magnitude of the grace given, while another compared the world outside the temple walls with a state of peace during communication with God, some experienced grief, and others received an answer to prayer. In this case, a person cannot control his emotions; everything in the temple is in the power of the Creator.
Advice! You should not concentrate on the desire to cry, tears are flowing, cry, for it is not a shame to bare your soul and heart before the Almighty Creator.
Crying within church walls has never been a bad sign, this is a manifestation of:
purification; repentance; grace; joy; peace; gratitude.
