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During the day, various situations happen to each person, as a result of which we feel that not only fatigue accumulates, but also some negative, ridiculous thoughts. During the day, we may commit small sins and be affected by various people. All these long problems accumulate in our subconscious as a result of which they are reflected in our dreams. If the day was very difficult and stressful, therefore, dreams will be intermittent, and we will wake up the next day with some heaviness and a feeling as if we did not get enough sleep. In order to prevent this from happening, it is necessary to offer a prayer addressed to the Almighty at night.
Priests in temples, monasteries and churches claim that the following types of prayer can be offered at night: • for the coming sleep; • from insomnia; • to protect against nightmares; • for peaceful dreams.
That is why, on the eve of the evening, be sure to decide for yourself what kind of prayer you need and what kind of prayer you really want to say before going to bed.
Prayer for insomnia as spiritual medicine
Insomnia deprives many people of peace. Sleep disorders can be caused by nervous tension. To treat this condition, doctors most often recommend two options. This may be drug treatment, that is, taking special sleeping pills. It is also often advised to change the environment and type of activity, relax, unwind. However, there is also a spiritual medicine. This is prayer as such and prayer for insomnia.
Insomnia
According to Orthodox psychotherapist Dmitry Aleksandrovich Avdeev
“Dream is a sensitive moral barometer. It changes (worsens, improves) depending on our spiritual state.”
The main condition for “obtaining results” will be a correct understanding of Orthodox prayer. A prayer for insomnia is not a spell for sleep, not a fail-safe sleeping pill without consequences for the body. This is a request for help addressed to the Creator, the Mother of God, and the saints. Moreover, the Lord himself provides sleep for rest.
“Most often, people first seek sympathy and help from other people. And only when they don’t get what they expected, they turn to God. But suffering can be avoided only when we resort to Divine help, for only it is true. It is not enough to believe in God, you must trust Him. We receive God's help through trusting Him. The believer, devoting himself entirely to the Lord even to the point of death, feels the saving right hand of God upon himself” (Reverend Paisius the Svyatogorets, 1924-1994).
How to read correctly for an adult
It is advisable to memorize the prayer for insomnia and say it in a whisper while lying in bed when you cannot fall asleep. True, according to church rules, believers are required to pray before going to bed. Before going to bed, Christians should read the Lord's Prayer, prayers to the Mother of God, Guardian Angel, saints, Psalm 90.
If a person suffers from a sleep disorder, he needs to recite several texts of a short evening prayer rule and be sure to make a request to a saint who helps with insomnia. Prayers are read out loud or silently. The main thing is to think about God while reading prayer texts and forget about your problems.
In case of a serious illness that causes insomnia, it is better to consult a doctor and be sure to go to confession in church. Without repentance for sins it is impossible to receive healing. God is merciful, he forgives sinners and gives them another chance.
How prayer works
In order not to lose mental “balance,” the Holy Fathers call for constant prayer.
“Unceasing prayer is not an accidental prescription, but an integral feature of the Christian spirit” (St. Theophan the Recluse, 1815-1894).
Saint Philaret of Moscow (1783-1867) compared the beneficial effect of prayer on a person to the effect of a magnet:
“The prayer of faith is a spiritual magnet that attracts gracious and miraculous power.”
Just as a magnet is capable of attracting objects made of metal, divine grace is attracted to the believer. During prayer, a Christian draws God's attention to himself. Holy Righteous John of Kronstadt (1829-1908) spoke about the beneficial effect of prayer on the human soul:
“The burning glass then ignites wood or paper when we point it at the object in such a way that the rays of the sun, concentrated at the focus of the glass, are all concentrated on one point of the ignited object, with their entirety acting on it, and thus, as if the whole sun in a reduced form it is placed on the object. So in prayer, then our soul warms up, enlivens and ignites with the intelligent Sun - God, when with our mind, like a burning glass, we point this mental Sun at the heart, as a spiritual point in our being, and when It acts on the heart with all By His simplicity and His power.”
This indicates that every believer must approach prayer carefully and responsibly. That is, you need to constantly be in grace-filled communion with God. Do not forget about the best medicine - Confession and Communion.
Prayer for the coming sleep
There is a short prayer book that contains various words and an appeal to the Almighty, so that God will forgive every sin committed during the day and help you fall asleep in a blissful sleep.
It is important to note that Orthodox Christian monks claim that a prayer book of this origin should be offered not only in the evening before bed, but also from the first dawn, every day. Therefore, it is important to treat this act with complete seriousness and responsibility; in no case should you neglect such a prayer service.
It is recommended to say a prayer at night initially for 5 days in a row, and then take a short 10-day break and offer only short prayers. They must be lifted up correctly, adhering to all the conditions, that is, every word you utter must be unhurried, meaningful and deliberate. If some words from the prayer contradict your request, you need to replace it with something else, so you will not distort your own heart.
Orthodox Christian ministers of the church argue that if you really do not understand long prayer books, then it is better to memorize a short prayer for the night, but it must be said thoughtfully and meaningfully. Only in this case, the Almighty and his saints will hear and will definitely come to your aid and become your protectors at night.
Communion is the medicine of Immortality
True Christians can be called people who are in grace-filled union with God. For ancient Christians, the very idea that one could be called a Christian and not receive communion seemed absurd.
“In the Holy Eucharist, believers are given the sacred “medicine of immortality,” as the Hieromartyr Ignatius the God-Bearer said, “an antidote so as not to die.” God made man a material being. This is why He uses material things like bread and wine to impart new life into us. Each time, approach the Eucharist as if you are doing it for the first time, and at the same time as if this is your last communion before death” (Reverend Porfiry Kavsokolivit, 1906-1991).
During the Sacrament of the Eucharist, the believer is given the true Body and Blood of Jesus Christ under the guise of bread and wine. Therefore, it is very important to prepare “worthily” for this Great Sacrament. Preparation is carried out by fasting, intense prayer and repentance (confession). Anyone preparing for Holy Communion should, if possible, make peace with everyone. At this time, you need to try to protect yourself from feelings of anger and irritation, and refrain from judgment and all sorts of evil thoughts and conversations. You need to spend time, as much as possible, in solitude, reading the Gospel and books of spiritual content.
“Thanks to communion, we are cleansed from all spiritual impurity and receive readiness and zeal for good: the honest blood of Christ not only delivers us from corruption, but also from all impurity hidden inside, and does not leave us to cool in negligence, but makes us hotter in spirit" (St. Cyril of Alexandria, 376-444).
To have healthy sleep
In order to fall asleep on time and ensure deep, normal sleep, you should follow a number of rules:
- Eat less at dinner, the food should not be heavy;
- Do not drink coffee, alcohol, or smoke in the evening;
- The position of the body in sleep should be oriented along the axis of the Earth, you should sleep with your head to the north, legs to the south; Although there are other recommendations in this matter that differ from medical ones. Quite recently on A. Usanina’s website I read a different orientation, just the opposite from south to north;
- The pillow should be low, comfortable, clothing should be light and allow air to pass through well; Your bed should also be comfortable.
- Don’t watch TV shows, horror films, psychological thrillers until late;
- You need to go to bed at the same time, before 11 pm. This is the optimal time for falling asleep well.
- Evening walks provide oxygen to the blood and guarantee normal sleep;
- Daytime exercise, sports, and physical work are a guarantee of good sleep;
- A warm or even slightly hot shower or bath with sea salt and soothing additives is a good way to combat insomnia;
- A lot of psychological trainings from counting imaginary stars and rams in the sky to lulling yourself to sleep; Pictures of nature with a falling waterfall, slightly rippling sea give a good effect; imagine the sound of water, waves and sleep is guaranteed.
- Before going to bed, drink a glass or half a glass of warm milk with a teaspoon of honey. After this, add 40 drops of valerian to a piece of sugar, add salt and eat it.
- An infusion of motherwort, valerian, and mint helps well.
- Another recipe for a good sleep: Pour boiling milk over 1 tbsp. a spoonful of crushed poppy seeds. Let it brew for about 1 hour and drink warm before bed.
- Lavender oil helps you relax and fall asleep quickly if you apply it to your temples.
- For believers: read a prayer for a good sleep.
Prayer for the coming sleep
Another very simple one, but great for helping with difficulty falling asleep:
They read it three times and crossed themselves three times.
If you have insomnia, do not rush to take sleeping pills; at first you will notice the effect of improving sleep. But over time, addiction will begin and you will no longer be able to fall asleep without the drug. And the initial dose will not be enough for you. Subsequently, you will have to treat your dependence on sleeping pills. In this case, it is worth taking homeopathic medications or, as already mentioned, melatonin.
Prayer for insomnia: who to contact
To whom should prayer be addressed in order to fall asleep quickly at night? In Russian Orthodoxy, a tradition has developed when deprived of sleep to pray to the saints, who became famous for their miracles in curing insomnia. Such saints are the seven youths of Ephesus and the Monk Irinarch of Rostov.
Saints can intercede with the All-Merciful Creator. By fulfilling the commandments of love for God and neighbors, they pleased the Creator with their lives. The Lord hears their prayers if what they ask does not harm the person.
“Any saint can help us in any matter. If only we pray with attention, reverence and contrition. If only we asked for a good cause, thought about “the only thing needed” and sought the Kingdom of Heaven” (priest Sergius Begiyan).
And Saint John of Kronstadt said that
“The Lord accepts the intercessions of the saints for sinful people when the sins of these latter do not exceed the measure of God’s forbearance.”
Benefit
Saying evening prayers will help to enlist the support of higher powers, clear thoughts and consciousness of negativity, eliminate worries, anxieties and stress, protect against troubles and dangers, bring peace to the life of the person praying, and attract positive events.
And the calm state that usually comes after reading sacred texts will have the most favorable effect on sleep, protect against nightmares and insomnia, and give a person the opportunity to relax and gain strength for the coming day.
Miracle of the Ephesian Youths
In the 3rd century, in the city of Ephesus (modern Turkey), Maximilian and six of his friends were in the military service of the Roman emperor Decius (249-251). They all professed the Christian faith. When the emperor issued a decree to make sacrifices to the pagan gods, the young men refused. They decided to hide in a cave on Mount Ohlon (there is an assumption that this is Mount Keshish-Dag in Turkey). The emperor ordered to block the entrance to the cave, thereby burying them alive. Offering a prayer to God, the youths fell into a wonderful sleep.
Their lives tell that in the 5th century heretics came to Ephesus who rejected the doctrine of the general resurrection of the dead on the Day of the Last Judgment. At the same time, the owner of the land on which Mount Ohlon was located decided to use the cave for driving livestock. He ordered workers to dismantle the stonework covering the entrance to the cave. So seven youths, according to God’s Providence, awaken from sleep.
Unaware that 200 years had already passed, one of the young men went into the city to buy food. While trying to pay with an ancient coin, he was detained, believing that he had found a treasure. During the interrogation everything became clear. The priest, with a large crowd of people, came to the cave. There, among the stones, a casket was found with a note in which it was written that the youths of the emperor Decius were walled up alive here. The miraculous awakening of the youths strengthened the faith of local residents in the future resurrection of the dead. After the conversation between the seven Ephesian youths and the emperor, the young men fell asleep again in the cave, but this time in eternal sleep.
For a long time, the cave where their bodies were left was a place of worship for many Christians. Since the 12th century, these places have been abandoned by residents. Where the relics of the saints, to whom prayer is often addressed for insomnia, are now located remains unknown. During excavations in the cave in 1920-1930, only terracotta lamps with Christian symbols were found.
Life of the Venerable Irinarch of Rostov
The Monk Irinarch of Rostov (1548 -1616) was born into a peasant family in the village of Kondakovo (now Rostov region). In his worldly life he was engaged in trade. But wanting to devote himself to the Lord, at the age of 30 he went to the Borisoglebsky Monastery (Yaroslavl region). He was known for leading a very strict lifestyle: he prayed for a long time, slept 2-3 hours a day and only on bare ground.
One winter, the monk donated his boots to a poor wanderer. Saint Irinarchus did not wear boots until the end of his days and walked only in shabby clothes. The monk had to leave his native monastery and settle in the Rostov Monastery of St. Lazarus. When, at the insistence of the abbot, the Monk Irinarch returned to the Boris and Gleb Monastery, he stopped leaving his cell, indulging in unceasing prayer to the Lord. The Monk Irinarch wore chains (iron shackles and chains to pacify his flesh). The total weight of his rope was 106 kilograms. Believers came to the elder asking for prayers. Many received healing from their illnesses, including insomnia.
Prayer for insomnia: a “successful” example
In the early 2000s, Moscow resident Marina got a new responsible job. Her constant experiences in a new place affected her health: she lost sleep at night. When an employee at work asked why she looked drowned, Marina admitted that she had trouble sleeping at night. She advised me to pray daily to St. Irinarch of Rostov. Prayer for insomnia helped Marina. After some time, she stopped being nervous at work and healthy sleep returned to her.
Causes of insomnia
It will be useful to determine the causes of insomnia. There may be several of them:
- Depression;
- Stress and anxiety;
- Overwork;
- Binge eating;
- Excessive coffee consumption;
- External stimuli: extraneous noises, bright light from the window;
- Uncomfortable bed or sudden change of environment;
- Chronic diseases;
- Abuse of alcohol, drugs or smoking.
Reading prayers for sleep to adults brings the necessary peace and tranquility, which often becomes a solution to the problem. Internal experiences very often affect our health; stress and constant anxiety cause loss of appetite and sleep, which is why the skin becomes gray, the sparkle in the eyes disappears, and hair becomes discolored and falls out. Nervous exhaustion is no less dangerous than any other disease, and it must be combated.
Prayer to the Holy Seven Youths of Ephesus
Oh, most wonderful holy seventh generation, praise to the city of Ephesus and the hope of the whole universe! Look from the heights of heavenly glory at us, who honor your memory with love, and especially at the Christian infants, entrusted to your intercession by their parents. Bring down upon her the blessing of Christ God, saying: leave the children to come to Me. Heal those who are sick in them, comfort those who mourn; Keep their hearts pure, fill them with meekness, and in the soil of their hearts plant and strengthen the seed of the confession of God, so that they may grow from strength to strength. And all of us, your holy icon of the upcoming servants of God (name), and those who pray warmly to you, vouchsafe to enhance the Kingdom of Heaven and glorify with silent voices of joy there the magnificent name of the Most Holy Trinity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.
Insomnia spell for a baby
Oh, sacred is the Orthodox spirit, God, inspirer and patron of the human race. Your children kneel, hoping for the mercy that you show infinitely. Just as a faithful shepherd protects his flock, so I, the servant of God (name), protect my dear son. May your name be glorified, Lord, we fall down and pray to you, we keep your memory in both joy and sorrow. Yes, protect my child, God’s servant (child’s name), Almighty God, from intrigues and ordeals. Yes, guide him on the true path, full of redemption and meekness, enlighten his mind with the calm of peace.
Let him go to the kingdom of dreams, Almighty, being in your kingdom of heaven. May you reward us according to our deeds and according to the purity of our hearts, our Creator and Lord. I humbly bow to the holy image and fall down for help: deliver my child from the evils that find him, so that for the sake of holy theological prayers the evil mud of the machinations of sin will not embrace him, in the holy light, glory to you, Lord. There will be an eternal Tri-Power Kingdom in the firmament of heaven, I and your human race bow to the glory of the Father, the Son, and the One Holy Spirit. Amen!
Prayer to St. Irinarch of Rostov
Oh, Reverend Father Irinarsha! Behold, we earnestly pray to you: be our ever-present intercessor, ask for us, the servants of God (names), from Christ God peace, silence, prosperity, health and salvation, and protection from all enemies, visible and invisible, and cover us with your intercession from the presence of any troubles and sorrows, especially from the temptations of the dark enemy, may we all glorify the all-holy name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
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