Elder of the Valaam Monastery.

Letter 1

4.8.1939

I have received your venerable letter, and it is evident from it that you have begun to occupy yourself with the inner spiritual life. May the Lord make you wise! Your remark that "nothing is expected from prayer" is correct. When praying, one should keep oneself in greater obscenity, and if warmth and tears appear, do not dream of something lofty about oneself; let them come and go without our compulsion, but do not be dismayed when they are stopped, it is not otherwise.

Prayer is the most difficult podvig, and it is connected with the labor of a difficult struggle until the last breath. Yet the Lord, in His mercy, at times gives consolation to the man of prayer, so that he does not weaken. Determine your prayer rule at home, conform to the times; There will be no arbitrariness in this, but I do not advise you to gain much, so as not to be a slave to the rule and to avoid haste.

By God's mercy, for the time being we live well, in an ordinary monastic life. I ask God's blessing on you.

Letter 2

4.10.1939

It is good that you practice the Jesus Prayer. The Holy Fathers called prayer the queen of virtues, for it will attract other virtues as well. But as high as it is, it requires a lot of work. The Monk Agathon says: "Prayer to the last breath is associated with the labor of a difficult struggle."

You perform 100 both in the morning and in the evening, you have enough of such a quantity, only try to do it with attention; but do not be troubled that your heart is dry, but compel yourself; Just keep your attention, as I told you, in the upper part of your chest. At work and in public, try to stand before God wisely, that is, to have the memory of God that He is here. If psalms and akathists touch you more, read them if you have time.

We do not dare to ask the Lord for the unceasing and heartfelt prayer to which you aspire—such a state is hardly attained by a thousand and one people out of a thousand and one, said St. Isaac of Syria, and one comes to such a spiritual measure by the grace of God for deep humility. Do not strive for the warmth of the heart—it comes without our search and expectation; In prayer there must be our work, and success already depends on grace, do not seek more and do not get excited. In the spiritual life, leaps are inappropriate, but patient gradualness is required. You are still young physically and spiritually. St. Climacus writes: "Open the soul of a beginner and you will see the incorrectness, his desire for unceasing prayer, eternal remembrance of death and perfect anger – such a state is only for the perfect." The sign of prayer is in the warmth of the heart and in the contrition of the heart, and in order to recognize oneself as insignificant and to call out to the Lord: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner," or in other words, you can pray as it is more convenient for you.

You do not want to sin and sin grievously. What to do?

"We are men, bearing the flesh, and tempted by devils. Do not tremble and do not lose heart, when you are shaken in any virtue, get up, straighten up, and go forward again; know that to stand firm in virtue does not depend on us, but on the grace of God. Have humility and do not believe in yourself until you lie down in the grave; Yes, do not condemn others in anything. Whoever condemns someone for anything falls into the same sins himself, and it cannot be otherwise.

If you have to distort your soul for the sake of loneliness in order to be at home, it is not sinful; contrive to make everything for God's sake. May the Lord make you wise.