If we speak about the practical aspects of the Jesus prayer: usually one is seated and one says the prayer silently, in the place of the heart. This prayer may be linked with breathing. When one breathes in, one says: ‘Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God’. Then when one breathes out, one says: ‘Have mercy upon me’. One concentrates all one’s attention on the name of Christ and on the words ‘Have mercy upon me’. One accepts no other thought into one’s mind. At first, this practice, apparently so simple, is actually difficult; instead of feeling peaceful, one is struggling. However, little by little, one gets used to keeping one’s attention on the uppermost part of the heart. One accustoms oneself to prayer progressively.
When we begin to pronounce the name of Christ, a multitude of ‘thoughts’ invades us. As soon as the prayer is over, the attack vanishes. We come out with our mind free, whereas during our prayer, ‘thoughts’ assail us. Prayer uncovers the passions which are in us. Usually, these attacks reveal the content of our being. At the time of prayer, we struggle against all these images, passions and preoccupations, so as to pronounce the name of Christ with a pure mind.
If we feel a certain antipathy towards someone, it is best not to dwell mentally either on the image of this person, or on the cause of our hatred, but to pray leaving all this aside. By this interior activity, we can overcome our antipathy, and refuse an image which is born of our passions.
If ‘thoughts’ attack us and hinder us from praying purely, we must be patient and cry out: ‘Have mercy upon me!’ By this active resistance we will, little by little, transform our fallen nature, which makes us children of the first Adam. We struggle, and this combat should be really deep, and bear a universal character. No, we are not merely individuals attacked by thoughts. With patience let us cry out: ‘Have mercy upon me, have mercy upon me!’ That is the way to resist evil thoughts, to prevent them from possessing us.
Do not be too easily discouraged. Instead, repeat the Jesus prayer, until it penetrates the depths of your consciousness. ‘Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon us.’ When we say this prayer, we establish a personal relationship with Christ, which escapes logical understanding. Little by little, the life of Christ penetrates our being.
Certain people pray only with their thought, by the mind. In fact, there cannot be prayer without the participation of the heart. In prayer, the heart and the mind are indissolubly linked.
~Adapted from Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov), Words of Life, translated from the French by Sister Magdalen (Stavropegic Monastery of Saint John the Baptist, Essex)
