"St. Theophan the Recluse"

St. Theophan the Recluse 

Here is a rule for reading: 

Before reading you should empty your soul of everything. 
Arouse the desire to know about what is being read. 
Turn prayerfully to God. 
Follow what you are reading with attention and place everything in your open heart. 
If something did not reach the heart, stay with it until it reaches. 
You should of course read quite slowly. 
Stop reading when the soul no longer wants to nourish itself with reading. That means it is full. If the soul finds one passage utterly stunning, stop there and read no more. 
The best time for reading the Word of God is in the morning. Lives of saints after the mid-day meal, and Holy Fathers before going to sleep. Thus you can take up a little bit each day. 

The Path to Salvation