{"id":4422,"date":"2026-06-08T08:25:17","date_gmt":"2026-06-08T13:25:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gchristopherscruggs.com\/?p=4422"},"modified":"2026-06-08T08:25:17","modified_gmt":"2026-06-08T13:25:17","slug":"learning-to-pray-from-the-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gchristopherscruggs.com\/?p=4422","title":{"rendered":"Learning to Pray from the Heart:"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Recently, I\u2019ve renewed my interest in what’s known in the Orthodox Church as \u201cThe Jesus Prayer.\u201d It\u2019s interesting to see how, in some ways, the Jesus Prayer resembles what some Western mystics call Centering Prayer, which uses a word, phrase, or image to guide and focus the mind of the person praying.[1]<\/a> I have written about Centering Prayer in the past because, many years ago, I was introduced to this kind of prayer and, for a long time, was a practitioner through a group that met monthly at a local Episcopal Church near the one I served. I found that Centering Prayer was a way of opening my mind to listen receptively for and to God and to receive a kind of calm openness to God, especially in trying circumstances and when making difficult decisions.<\/p>\n

The Jesus Prayer<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Jesus Prayer is much older than the Centering Prayer Movement. References to the prayer appear in the writings of the Church Fathers, and it has been practiced throughout the ages. In Orthodoxy, the Jesus Prayer is usually a variation of \u201cLord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner\u201d (Luke 18:38). Some people use a shorter version that simply goes, \u201cLord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.\u201d Others, including me, use a slightly longer version that goes, \u201cLord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.\u201d I find that adding the phrase \u201cliving God\u201d helps me focus on the fact that God is personally alive and present in my life. The precise wording is up to the practitioner and his or her spiritual guide.<\/p>\n

Most people who begin practicing the Jesus Prayer do so with very little or limited instruction. In my case, I read a little book called The Way of the Pilgrim<\/em>, and from that book I began to practice on my own.[2]<\/a> Later, I read part of what is known as the Philokalia<\/em>, a selection of the wisdom of the great fathers of Orthodox mystical prayer.[3]<\/a> (I\u2019m not sure this is the best way for most people. The Philokalia <\/em>can be complicated, and some translations are archaic. I think a modern introduction, like Frederica Mathewes Green\u2019s The Jesus Prayer: The Ancient Desert Prayer that Tunes the Heart to God,<\/em> is both more readable and more understandable.)[4]<\/a> Only after some time was I able to talk to an Orthodox priest who himself practiced the prayer.<\/p>\n

Some practitioners suggest gently synchronizing the prayer with your breathing. When practicing the Jesus Prayer, you might find it helpful to associate the first part (\u201cLord Jesus Christ, Son of God\u201d) with your inhale and the second part (\u201chave mercy on me, a sinner\u201d) with your exhale. As you breathe in and out, the prayer can gradually feel more natural and even seamless, until the words fade and your breath itself becomes the prayer. This is why the prayer is often called the \u201cPrayer of the Heart.\u201d The idea is to learn to \u201cpray without ceasing,\u201d as Paul says in his letter to the Thessalonians: \u201cRejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you\u201d (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>A second aid in praying the prayer is the use of a prayer rope. A prayer rope is a loop made of woven knots, often in the shape of a cross, with thirty-three (the years of Christ\u2019s earthly life), fifty, or even up to 100 knots. It is used to keep track of repetitions of the Jesus Prayer and often helps keep one\u2019s mind from drifting (at least this is true for me).<\/p>\n

Building a Relationship with Christ<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Jesus Prayer connects with the entire point of Orthodoxy discipleship,  which is developing a deep transforming relationship with Christ. The Orthodox have a doctrine they call \u201ctheosis.\u201d It is similar to what Protestants call \u201cSanctification,\u201d but there is a difference. The idea of theosis<\/em> is that the believer will not merely become like Christ or be somewhat conformed to Christ\u2019s character in our actions, but will, in fact, become deified to the extent a human being can by inviting God in Christ into their life.<\/p>\n

In other words, the prayer “Lord Jesus, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner,” is designed to transform us from sinners into the image of God revealed in Christ. This is part of a process in which our darkened human nature is restored to God’s original intent in creating the human race. Theosis <\/em>involves a progression in the Christian life.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. The Carnal State<\/u>. We begin in a situation where we simply act according to our instincts and are driven by the passions of the flesh. In this situation, we are incapable of truly good judgment because we\u2019re under the control of what Paul refers to as the powers and principalities of our fallen world. We are captured by the darkness.<\/li>\n
  2. The Beginner\u2019s State<\/u>. In a second phase of our spiritual life, we have accepted Christ and developed a relationship with God, but we are only capable of halting, beginner\u2019s progress toward moral and spiritual maturity.<\/li>\n
  3. The Intermediate State<\/u>. In the third stage, which I think is where most people strive to be, we have good sense and good judgment and are able to judge rightly the moral and spiritual consequences of most situations. However, in this stage, we are still, in some sense, pragmatically interested in the faith that works for us. We are still, in some ways, captured by our own human nature.<\/li>\n
  4. The Transcendental State<\/u>. In the final stage, which the orthodox believe few attain, we obtain a kind of transcendental enlightenment in which a person acts according to the perfect judgment that only those who have escaped the control of their passions can attain.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    In the first state, we have not even begun to seek Christ and the spiritual life. We act carnally and unnaturally and have very poor judgment. In the second stage, we are able, to some degree, to overcome our passions and desires, but we are still beginners in the spiritual life. In the third stage, we have good sense and judgment and, as far as we are capable, can act in our own best interests and the best interests of others. In the final stage, we have stable spiritual judgment about the things of this world and of God\u2014but we are capable of seeing things from what might be called \u201ca God\u2019s-eye point of view.\u201d<\/p>\n

    In a beautiful passage, two authors of the Philokalia<\/em> give the following description of the four stages:<\/p>\n

    The first is like a traveler in the deepest night and impenetrable darkness. Wandering in unrelieved blackness that envelops him on all sides, he neither sees himself nor judges himself; he does not even understand where he is going or where he puts his foot. As the Savior says: \u201cHe that walketh in darkness does not know where he is going\u201d (John 12:35).<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The second is like a man walking on a clear night lit by the stars. In their feeble glimmer, he walks slowly, often stumbling over the stones of injudiciousness and constantly falling down. This man sees himself and judges himself a little, but as in deep shadow, as is written: ‘Awake you that sleep, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light’ (Ephesians 5:14).<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The third is like a man walking on a calm night when the moon is full. Guided by the moon’s light, he walks more surely and moves forward. He sees himself as in a mirror and judges himself as well as his fellow-travelers, as it is said: ‘Ye do well that ye take heed’ (to the word of prophecy), ‘as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts’ (2 Peter 1: 19).<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The fourth is like a man who walks at clear noontide, in bright sunshine. Such a man sees himself clearly, as in the light of the sun, and judges with full truth both himself and many others.[5]<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

    This is a good place to introduce another term associated with the Jesus Prayer, Hesychia.<\/em> The term refers to stillness, rest, or quiet. The goal of the Jesus Prayer and, indeed, of Orthodox spiritual disciplines is a state of quiet before God. Through the constant repetition of the Jesus Prayer, the practitioner can be brought to a state of deep inner quiet in which union with God is achieved. The Jesus Prayer is as old as the Desert Fathers, who practiced it in their desert retreats. The technique was used and refined on Mount Athos by the monks who lived and worshiped there. In the fourteenth century, a monk named St. Gregory Palamas defended it when its practice became controversial. His views were ultimately adopted by the church.<\/p>\n

    The Biblical Basis<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Evangelical believers and others sometimes ask whether the practice of the Jesus Prayer is \u201cbiblical.\u201d If one reads the Philokalia<\/em>, one finds numerous references to the Old and New Testaments on nearly every page and certainly by every author. In the New Testament, we often see Jesus going off alone to pray in the wilderness. In Matthew<\/u>, a woman comes to Jesus and cries out for healing, \u201cHave mercy on me, O Lord, son of David\u201d (Matthew 15:22). In Luke<\/u>, we see the prayer offered by someone asking Jesus for healing, \u201cGod, be merciful to me, a sinner!\u2019 (Luke 18:13). In the letters of Paul, he urges us to \u201cpray without ceasing\u201d (1 Thessalonians 5:17). In the Way of the Pilgrim<\/em>, it is this verse about \u201cpraying without ceasing\u201d that begins the anonymous writer\u2019s account of the pilgrim\u2019s journey into the prayer, and it is often cited as the foundational basis for the practice.<\/p>\n

    The Jesus Prayer and Faith<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/a>Protestants and others often ask whether the practice of the Jesus Prayer and other spiritual disciplines is a substitute for faith? The answer is a clear \u201cNo.\u201d Throughout the ages, practicing any spiritual discipline, including the Jesus Prayer, is not a substitute for faith. It is a response to faith. This is why the authors of the Philokalia <\/em>make the distinction between the common person who has no interest in spiritual things and the stages of a disciple’s development who takes the call to become like Christ seriously. St. Maximus puts it this way:<\/p>\n

    The cause of the bestowal of one or another Divine gift lies in the measure of every man’s faith. For as much as we believe, so we have the power of zeal to act according to our belief. Therefore, a man acting according to faith reveals by his actions the measure of his faith and receives grace in proportion to his faith. And a man who does not act according to faith reveals the measure of his unbelief in proportion to his idleness and, owing to his lack of faith, is deprived of grace.<\/strong>[6]<\/a><\/p>\n

    Each person receives a spiritual gift, including the gift of praying without ceasing, because through faith that individual is given the spiritual ability to receive it from God, along with the gift and the mercy it brings. Those without faith do not receive spiritual gifts, and no amount of practice can replace God\u2019s own action. Therefore, faith is necessary. Practitioners of the Jesus prayer respond in acts of faith to the faith they have in Christ. The prayer is a kind of work of faith.<\/p>\n

    There are dangers in practicing the Jesus Prayer, as with any spiritual gift or practice. There is always the danger of misuse, pride, and using the prayer in ways contrary to God’s love and wisdom. For this reason, almost every book on the Jesus Prayer recommends having a spiritual director or priest to whom one is accountable in the practice of the prayer and to whom one reports one’s experiences. Accountability is always the best way to avoid misuse of any gift.<\/p>\n

    Copyright 2026, G. Christopher Scruggs, All Rights Reserved <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

     1<\/sup> The work of Thomas Keating and his associates to reintroduce contemplative prayer into the West is well known. For a good introduction to Centering Prayer, see Cynthia Bourgeault, Centering Prayer and Inner Wakening <\/em>(Cambridge, MA: Crowley Publications, 2004).<\/p>\n

    [2]<\/a> Anonymous. (1991). The Way of a Pilgrim; and, The Pilgrim Continues his Way<\/em> (R. M. French, Trans.). Harper San Francisco. (Original work published ca. 1800s). There are many fine translations and editions available.<\/p>\n

    [3]<\/a> See, Writings from the Philokalia on the Prayer of the Heart <\/em>translated by E. Kadloubovsky and G. E. Palmer (London, ENG: Faber and Faber), 215-216. Once again, I recommend a modern translation. I am using this shorter, Russian abbreviation rather than the multivolume set often referred to today and by scholars.<\/p>\n

    [4]<\/a> Frederica Mathewes Green, The Jesus Prayer: The Ancient Desert Prayer that Tunes the Heart to God (Brewster Mass: Paraclete Press, 2009-2010).<\/em><\/p>\n

    [5]<\/a> This and the entire section is from the Monks Callistus and Ignatius, \u201cDirection to Hesychasts\u201d in Writings from the Philokalia on the Prayer of the Heart <\/em>translated by E. Kadloubovsky and G. E. Palmer (London, ENG: Fabier and Faber), 215-216. I have reformatted and modernized the language just a bit for clarity.<\/p>\n

    [6]<\/a> Id,<\/u> 211.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Recently, I\u2019ve renewed my interest in what’s known in the Orthodox Church as \u201cThe Jesus Prayer.\u201d It\u2019s interesting to see how, in some ways, the Jesus Prayer resembles what some Western mystics call Centering Prayer, which uses a word, phrase, or image to guide and focus the mind of the person praying.[1] I have written about … Continue reading Learning to Pray from the Heart:<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"Learning to Pray from the Heart:","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4422","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4CzBH-19k","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gchristopherscruggs.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4422","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gchristopherscruggs.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gchristopherscruggs.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gchristopherscruggs.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gchristopherscruggs.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4422"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/gchristopherscruggs.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4422\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4429,"href":"https:\/\/gchristopherscruggs.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4422\/revisions\/4429"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gchristopherscruggs.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4422"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gchristopherscruggs.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4422"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gchristopherscruggs.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4422"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}