Question: What's the rule of thumb concerning personal prayer rules?
And I think it's important to get guidance from your priest or spiritual father about the rule of prayer that he recommends. Everyone has a different life and is at a different place. The most important thing is to pray. And not to fret about not following each part of the 'rule'. The more you follow it, the better. But sometimes the more needed thing is just natural expression to God... and that is where the structured prayers should lead you... their role is to help you commune with Him in your own words or in wordless worship/contemplation. This is a paraphrase of what Metropolitan Anthony Bloom says in his books on prayer: "Living Prayer" and "Beginning to Pray. " I cannot recommend them more highly.
