Prayer without ceasing ...

[~Anastasia~]

I was hoping to discuss the idea of praying without ceasing.

What it means to you, any experiences anyone would care to share, and so on?




The first thing that comes to mind is the Jesus Prayer.

For myself, I need to develop a new habit. I used to pray it while I was busy with a certain task, but I'm no longer doing that anymore. So I need to find another time to devote to it. I actually wanted to ask a question about the rhythm of it and how that worked out in prayer.

For myself, I seem to have a lot of influence from the "Lord Have Mercy"s from the Liturgy. From the very first time I attended a liturgy in an Orthodox Church, the chanted "Lord have mercy" has stayed with me, and some days it will be many times a day I find them in my mind. I'm not sure if that is the same thing. It actually seems to work better for me, because I don't have to think about them but yet I still "feel" them, if that means anything.

I know it's kind of a shortened form of the Jesus Prayer. The Jesus prayer seems to involve thinking about it quite a bit more though.

But I do engage with the Lord Have Mercy alone ... although I don't understand how.

Any thoughts?

(And yes, I did talk to my priest about this, but this is one subject he seems to give me mostly academic comments on - just regarding monastics)

Thank you!

 

[ArmyMatt]

prayer without ceasing is just that, the Jesus Prayer decends to the heart, and once there, the prayer takes over on its own. the person is in constant communion with God, and they are even in prayer when asleep.

 

[RileyG]

Hi Kylissa,
The verse "prayer without ceasing" has caused me a lot of anxiety, because I don't pray 24/7/365. I don't know if I pray enough or not. Especially when caught up with other activities i.e. homework, studying, work, eating, etc.
I virtually have no peace in my soul. sigh...

Advice? Greatly appreciated.

 

[ArmyMatt]

for one, don't worry about it. it is a gift from God for those who are called. number two, start small and build up. it's baby steps for that kind of ministry. and for three, follow your confessor concerning these things. and for four, know that it might take a while, and that is okay.

 

[RileyG]

Thank You for your advice! (Even though I'm not EO)

 

[Mary of Bethany]

Praying the Jesus Prayer, or repeating Lord have mercy is something I try to do all during the day, as often as I think about it. And it is often almost unknowingly. Sometimes I find that I have been praying it sort of in the back of my head, for a long time. I find that if I start the day with Morning Prayer, and then begin the Jesus Prayer that it tends to stay with me all day like that, off and on. And if I find that it has stopped, I begin again. I'm making no claims to be in deep prayer or anything, jus an attempt to keep the name of Jesus with me. My priest says that even just repeating His name is very powerful. I hope this helps.


Mary

 

[~Anastasia~]

Praying the Jesus Prayer, or repeating Lord have mercy is something I try to do all during the day, as often as I think about it. And it is often almost unknowingly. Sometimes I find that I have been praying it sort of in the back of my head, for a long time. I find that if I start the day with Morning Prayer, and then begin the Jesus Prayer that it tends to stay with me all day like that, off and on. And if I find that it has stopped, I begin again. I'm making no claims to be in deep prayer or anything, jus an attempt to keep the name of Jesus with me. My priest says that even just repeating His name is very powerful. I hope this helps.


Mary

Thank you, Mary. I think that kind of answers what I am wondering.

I do sometimes have the "Lord have mercy" kind of like background music in my mind that goes on. When I go to Church, it tends to happen a lot more often.

I've missed only twice on Sunday this year, and one of those was last Sunday. So it's been 12 days since I've been in a Church service (been there twice since then, just not for the liturgy - sigh). So it's getting quiet for me.

But in general, the more I go, the more it stays with me. And it can stay with me all week, from Sunday to Sunday, sometimes.

It's like something that's playing there, and I can stop and listen to it if I want. It's not just noise ... it's a bit more "real" than that. But it doesn't take my conscious attention. And I also don't interact deeply with it, but it does kind of remind me that I depend on God, because it reminds me that we need His mercy and depend on it.

I guess my question is ... is that prayer without ceasing?

When I consciously say the whole Jesus prayer, I have to concentrate on that. It doesn't stay with me in the same way a simple "Lord have mercy" does.

I do think because it's sung so often in the Liturgy.

I guess I want to know if I should be working more towards it, or if I am on the right track at all?

Thank you so much.

 

[Mary of Bethany]

Yeah, I have the same questions. 😊

I don't even ask my priest about it anymore because I figure I'm not there yet, haha.

Mary

 

[~Anastasia~]

Hi Kylissa,
The verse "prayer without ceasing" has caused me a lot of anxiety, because I don't pray 24/7/365. I don't know if I pray enough or not. Especially when caught up with other activities i.e. homework, studying, work, eating, etc.
I virtually have no peace in my soul. sigh...

Advice? Greatly appreciated.

I'm sorry, Riley, I didn't mean to bring up something that causes you any distress. But I have desired for years to accomplish what it seems to me that we are told to do. So I understand that part.

As far as advice, I'm not sure I'd be one to offer it. But two things have helped me a great deal.

There is a book written by I believe a Catholic monastic - probably a good idea to double-check his affiliation and all that to make sure what he says is aligned with what you're looking for - but it helped me TREMENDOUSLY as a brand-new believer, and was something a lot of very mature Christians whom I respected spoke well of and it helped them too. It's Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God. I think it's actually available for free online, but I got a little paperback copy for maybe a dollar. It really changed the way I practiced my faith and meant a great deal to me. It's mostly about drawing your mind back to God and remaining in His Presence.

The other are the chanted prayers during the Divine Liturgy, but I'm waiting to see if what I'm getting from it is something that can be called "prayer without ceasing".

God bless you, dear brother.

 

[~Anastasia~]

prayer without ceasing is just that, the Jesus Prayer decends to the heart, and once there, the prayer takes over on its own. the person is in constant communion with God, and they are even in prayer when asleep.

Thanks, Matt. And this one makes me wonder if I am on the right track or not. I don't see it continuing when I sleep, certainly.

I'm not sure if what I have been doing otherwise is along those lines or not. Perhaps it's not something one person can even tell another.

 

[~Anastasia~]

Yeah, I have the same questions. 😊

I don't even ask my priest about it anymore because I figure I'm not there yet, haha.

Mary

LOL!

Well, this one seems to be hard for me to find out about. My priest doesn't seem to interact with that particular question. And I'm not criticizing him - no one can be an expert in everything, and that's the only thing he hasn't answered for me.

I have some monastic friends on my FB account, and I tried to ask them first a few months ago, but it was mixed with another question about something regarding the Jesus Prayer, and I got in trouble.

Let's just say I didn't ask them again after that.

 

[isshinwhat]

Hi Kylissa,
The verse "prayer without ceasing" has caused me a lot of anxiety, because I don't pray 24/7/365. I don't know if I pray enough or not. Especially when caught up with other activities i.e. homework, studying, work, eating, etc.
I virtually have no peace in my soul. sigh...

Advice? Greatly appreciated.

St. Evagrios the Solitary teaches in the Philokalia:

87. If you have not yet received the gift of prayer or psalmody, persevere patiently and you will receive it.

88. 'And He spake a parable to them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to lose heart.' So do not lose heart and despair because you have not yet received the gift of prayer. You will receive it later.

 

[ArmyMatt]

Thanks, Matt. And this one makes me wonder if I am on the right track or not. I don't see it continuing when I sleep, certainly.

I'm not sure if what I have been doing otherwise is along those lines or not. Perhaps it's not something one person can even tell another.

well, I am pretty sure you would know. even though your body is asleep, your soul is awake and in prayer, and that is how you would know. beyond my paygrade

 

[~Anastasia~]

well, I am pretty sure you would know. even though your body is asleep, your soul is awake and in prayer, and that is how you would know. beyond my paygrade

Hmmm. Not there yet. I knew I wasn't at that point. Not even close.

I guess I'm trying to understand what the soul being in prayer looks like, and whether my waking time of "Lord have mercy" that goes on much of the time as kind of a background is that kind of "prayer".

It's ok. I think it is something, and it is good. I will pursue, and whatever it turns into I will wait for.

I guess this is a good point to remind myself I'm not even chrismated yet.

Thank you so much for the reply.


(LOL I always like your "beyond my paygrade" comment)

 

[ArmyMatt]

I guess I'm trying to understand what the soul being in prayer looks like, and whether my waking time of "Lord have mercy" that goes on much of the time as kind of a background is that kind of "prayer".

It's ok. I think it is something, and it is good. I will pursue, and whatever it turns into I will wait for.

I guess this is a good point to remind myself I'm not even chrismated yet.

Thank you so much for the reply.

haha, no problem. when/if it comes it will, and the chrismation will definitely help

 

[isshinwhat]

Hmmm. Not there yet. I knew I wasn't at that point. Not even close.

I guess I'm trying to understand what the soul being in prayer looks like, and whether my waking time of "Lord have mercy" that goes on much of the time as kind of a background is that kind of "prayer".

It's ok. I think it is something, and it is good. I will pursue, and whatever it turns into I will wait for.

I guess this is a good point to remind myself I'm not even chrismated yet.

Thank you so much for the reply.


(LOL I always like your "beyond my paygrade" comment)

A friend recently gave me a copy of The Way of a Pilgrim, and in it the Pilgrim talks a lot about his search for unceasing prayer. I've enjoyed the 35-40 pages I have read immensely.

 

[~Anastasia~]

A friend recently gave me a copy of The Way of a Pilgrim, and in it the Pilgrim talks a lot about his search for unceasing prayer. I've enjoyed the 35-40 pages I have read immensely.

Thank you.

That one is at the very top of my list along with 2 or 3 others. This thread is a good reminder - I think I am able to order them now.

I'm not sure if I made a note about translations though - I remember some people telling me that one was better than another.

Thanks much for the reply. I think I really want to read that one asap.

 

[Yeshua HaDerekh]

It is as if your conscious prayer and thoughts to God become automatic in the subconscious, even in sleep. They take on a life of their own. Constant communion with God.

 

[~Anastasia~]

It is as if your conscious prayer and thoughts to God become automatic in the subconscious, even in sleep. They take on a life of their own. Constant communion with God.

Thank you for that explanation.

I think I begin to understand. Actually it reminds me of something else, not merely the repetition of "Lord have mercy"s.

Emphasis on "begin" ... at least I hope I am understanding. Thank you.

 

[~Anastasia~]

And I was getting ready to order The Way of the Pilgrim - finally! It's been some months since I ordered books, and I had that one in my order, but the cost went slightly over, so I took it off. So it's been at the top of my list for a while.

I was finally able to order it today, and when I went to look for information on translations so I could get advice on which one to order (hoping the 1 cent copy was as good as the $10 one lol) and I found this!

The way of the pilgrim - Eastern Orthodox texts preserved - It's the full text (I think) of both The Way of the Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues His Way - along with several other good books I had on my list - some I didn't have pdfs for.

I wanted to share in case anyone is interested. Free is always good. It's not the greatest formatting (at least not on my browser) and I can't highlight (which I find I really want to do!). But free is good!