Most mornings I read a short section from The Art of Prayer: An Orthodox Anthology. Many of selections are by Theophan the Recluse (1815-94), who lived an enclosed life for twenty-eight years in the provincial monastery at Vyshen, Russia. He had plenty of time to write and to pray, and that is what he did--teaching us to open our hearts by repeating the Jesus Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ have mercy upon us.
The more I read his writings and try to follow them, the more I am aware that this opening of the heart is the way to God. Here are a few excerpts:
Attention to what goes on in the heart and to what comes forth from it is the chief work of a well-ordered Christian life.
It is well known that the whole purpose of those who are zealous in the spiritual life, is to place themselves in a right relationship with God: and this right relationship is realized and made manifest in prayer.
You must descend from your head into your heart. At present your thoughts of God are in your head. And God Himself is, as it were, outside you and so your prayer and other spiritual exercises remain exterior. While you are still in your head, thoughts will not easily be subdued but will always be whirling about, like snow in winter or clouds of mosquitoes in the summer.
Unceasing prayer overcomes evil through hope in God, it leads a man into a holy simplicity, weaning his mind from its habit of diversity in thought, and from devising plans about himself and his neighbors, keeping him always in scantiness and humility of thoughts.
By unceasing prayer curiosity, mistrustfulness and suspicion are destroyed, and because of this other people begin to seem good in our eyes.
The more I read his writings and try to follow them, the more I am aware that this opening of the heart is the way to God. Here are a few excerpts:
Attention to what goes on in the heart and to what comes forth from it is the chief work of a well-ordered Christian life.
It is well known that the whole purpose of those who are zealous in the spiritual life, is to place themselves in a right relationship with God: and this right relationship is realized and made manifest in prayer.
You must descend from your head into your heart. At present your thoughts of God are in your head. And God Himself is, as it were, outside you and so your prayer and other spiritual exercises remain exterior. While you are still in your head, thoughts will not easily be subdued but will always be whirling about, like snow in winter or clouds of mosquitoes in the summer.
Unceasing prayer overcomes evil through hope in God, it leads a man into a holy simplicity, weaning his mind from its habit of diversity in thought, and from devising plans about himself and his neighbors, keeping him always in scantiness and humility of thoughts.
By unceasing prayer curiosity, mistrustfulness and suspicion are destroyed, and because of this other people begin to seem good in our eyes.
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