Chapter 19
On Acquiring the Jesus Prayer
19.2.1 May the mercy of God be with you!
19.3.1 You wish to acquire the Jesus Prayer according to the pattern set out in that book. (A manuscript from Mount Athos: “The Seeker of Unceasing Prayer”.) There is also a printed book.) Good! God will bless you!
19.4.1 You must complete the prayer rule right away.[1] Begin with a smaller measure. For example: for two or three days, a thousand times; then for two or three days, two thousand times; Then for a week or more, three thousand... You can stay at three thousand for a bit longer. After that, add a thousand at a time, if time permits and your other services allow.
19.5.1 The Wanderer (this is the intercessor—the seeker of unceasing prayer mentioned in that manuscript) was occupied with nothing else and didn’t attend services (he reached from six to twelve thousand Jesus Prayers in a day).
19.6.1 It’s better to say the prayer standing, as one performs one’s rule. If your legs get tired, you can kneel... You can also arrange it so that you complete the appointed number of prayers sometimes standing, sometimes kneeling.
19.7.1 Say the prayer: sometimes the whole thing, sometimes the first half, sometimes the second. “Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!” “Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner!” “Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner!”
19.8.1 But don’t change it too quickly. Rather, set a number—say, a hundred for each prayer, or some other amount—but no fewer than ten.[2]
19.9.1 Keep your attention in your chest, a little below the hollow beneath your throat. That’s because your heart is constricted. But it won’t be that way. Then the warmth will arise in your heart without constriction. Speak the words of prayer slowly, as if chanting. Make prostrations as you see fit. If the work goes better without them, it’s better not to make prostrations, or to make them only rarely.
19.10.1 When you perform this prayer, which is directed to the Lord Saviour, you must not let slip from your attention that He is one of the Most Holy Trinity, inseparable from the Father and the Holy Spirit. That is why, as you speak those words, you should bring to mind the good pleasure of the Father and the grace of the Spirit. You can do this with a prayer rope...[3]
19.11.1 Don’t confine yourself to words alone, but refresh your contemplation of God as omnipresent, all-sustaining, and caring for all things, and so on. It’s best to do this practice at night.
19.12.1 The fruit of prayer is the gathering of attention in the heart and warmth. This is a natural action. Anyone can attain this. And anyone should say this prayer—not only monks, but laypeople too.
19.13.1 This is not some lofty work, but a simple one. And the Jesus Prayer (by itself alone) is not some miraculous thing, but, like any other short prayer, is vocal and, consequently, external. But it can become noetic and of the heart... all by a natural path. What comes from grace must be awaited, and you can’t seize it by any such method.
19.14.1 What they wrote to you, that you must first purify the passions – that applies to the lofty contemplative prayer; but this is a simple prayer... one that can, however, lead to lofty prayer.
19.15.1 For this practice to go well, you must set everything aside each time you come to it, so that your heart is free from absolutely everything, so that no face, no task, no thing sticks in your attention. You must drive everything out for this time. After you’ve finished this rule, don’t abandon the prayer altogether at any time; as soon as you’re free, go straight to it.
19.16.1 During the divine service you must attend to the service... standing with your attention in the same place where the Jesus Prayer is said. And when they read or sing something unintelligibly, then say this little prayer.
19.17.1 The external techniques (described in the fifth volume of the Philokalia): sitting on a stool, bowing your head, restricting your breathing—you can leave these aside. Direct all your effort to concentrating your attention in the place mentioned.
19.18.1 The fear of God must always be present. Just as even those closest to a king are not so bold before him, how much more should we sinners be before the Lord. If you’re overly familiar with God, that’s bad... completely out of line. You must pray for fear, and God will give it.
19.19.1 May the Lord bless you!
19.20.1 Be saved!
19.21.1 Your intercessor, Bishop Theophan.