Popițanu Eduard – IonuțGrupa 5, Teologie Pastorală

IMPORTANCE OF THE PRAYER OF THE HEART, IN GENERAL AND JESUS PRAYER, IN

PARTICULAR

-ESSAY-

Taught, “When you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing
in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men … but when you pray, go into
your room, close the door and pray to your father who is unseen.”
The “Jesus Prayer” is the most powerful prayer, which contains the words “Lord Jesus
Christ, have mercy of me.” This core original, traditional formula varied and varies slightly,
depending on the historical period and the teaching school which used it. The most common
additions, but not the only ones, are “Lord Jesus Christ, [son of God], have mercy on me, [the
sinner].” And there are other variations.

In any case, we recommend the shortest form because, especially nowadays, our minds
are very weak—so the shorter, original, form will help the mind keep the prayer more easily.
The golden rule is to not form any kind of thoughts, and to throw away any thoughts and
images which come. We should just be attentive at the words of the prayer and close our
minds inside them.

One should say it as much as possible—more or less unceasingly—preferably with the

help of a prayer rope because it gathers the mind much better. At the beginning, it is better to
say the prayer with your mouth, whispering (if you don’t distract others). Whispering the
prayer helps a lot, especially when someone does manual tasks.

Of course, you must have a normal spiritual life in church—regular confession being
the most important aspect here. Another very important aspect from our spiritual life is
obedience. Being disobedient is a sure way to fill one’s mind with a lot of thoughts and
demonic war which will greatly hinder prayer.

“Noetic prayer” (also called “the prayer of the mind”) and “the prayer of the heart” are
just two special stages of the Jesus prayer. God willing, if a person advances in prayer, then
the prayer starts to “work”—that is to say, work alone, in the person’s “mind.” The person
doesn’t make any effort anymore, but the prayer is said unceasingly by God’s grace, even if
the person is speaking, eating, or even sleeping. When we say that the prayer is said in a
person’s “mind”—that is, the “prayer of the mind” or “noetic prayer,” we say that the prayer
Popițanu Eduard – IonuțGrupa 5, Teologie Pastorală

is said in the rational aspects (parts) of the soul that is in the areas of logic and intellect (νούς),
usually translated as “mind.”

If a person advances more, then God’s grace takes the prayer from the mind into the
“heart”—that is, into the irrational aspects of the soul—the inflammatory aspect and the
appetitive aspect.

Then, the “mind” and the “heart” become united—and the person will overcome the
internal chaotic behavior of his/her aspects, and will then reach a deep, peaceful power: joy
and wisdom conferred by the Grace in the unity of their soul. If we will not do the prayer
well, it will not have the desired results, which is, of course, undesirable. But do not think that
it will have adverse effects—except in cases in which someone does the prayer while having
thoughts of big pride, infatuation, delusion, seeking miracles, lights, angels, etc.

Falling in delusion or having neurotic problems is the classical outcome of a very

self-confident, proud soul. If someone confesses regularly, does not believe and does not give
importance to his thoughts and various ‘pseudo-spiritual experiences (which the evil one
might bring), he is very safe. Do not be afraid to pray the Jesus prayer because of this.

The tradition of the Jesus Prayer goes back to the “prayer of the mind,” recommended
by the ancient monks of the Egyptian desert, particularly ​Evagrius Ponticus​ (died 339). It was
continued as the “prayer of the heart” in ​Byzantine​ ​Hesychasm​, a monastic system that seeks
to achieve divine quietness. Since the 13th century, mental prayer was frequently connected
with psychosomatic methods, such as a ​discipline​ of breathing. In modern times the practice
of the Jesus prayer was popularized by the publication of the ​Philokalia​ (1782), an anthology
of texts by various authors on mental prayer. The Jesus Prayer is commonly recited with the
aid of a ​prayer rope​.