This will be a brief entry, and is really just a retelling (and slight rewording) of a private message I sent asking advice from another user. I am including it so as to remind myself of a few of the things I have experienced while praying.
“I think I mentioned in one of the threads in which we have posted that I try to make regular use of the Jesus Prayer, and that I often pray it while driving. On one occasion, I prayed it continuously for a few hours while driving to see my daughter in college. Anyway, during this time I felt some strange sensations that were physical, emotional and perhaps spiritual in nature. Specifically, I felt something akin to what the OP in this thread is asking about.
A heavy feeling in my chest.
It was a feeling in my abdomen, and up into my solar plexus region, which continued into my mid chest, that was a kind of tightness, tingling, warm sensation, that was both a bit uncomfortable, and a bit euphoric at the same time. It lasted several minutes, and was impossible to completely ignore. So I am curious what this might mean? I am also curious what might be the Orthodox position on what to do when such things arise during prayer? Not quite sure how to interpret it, I tried to both acknowledge it briefly and pass over it to focus back on the prayer, seeing it as a possible distraction from prayer and deeper encounter with Him, but perhaps I should have acknowledged it more? I am not sure the appropriate response to such things. Have you encountered any such phenomenon, or known anyone who has? I thought it was just some physiological aberration until that other gentleman mentioned a similar thing during prayer in the above mentioned post.
Thanks for any thoughts you might have. Interesting times for me...a time of spiritual growth and new perspectives...think of me in your prayers, if you would.”
I have noticed since then that there are many times that as I pray “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner”, that there seems to be a lot more to the Prayer, contained in the empty space between “Son of God” and “have mercy on me”...unspoken thoughts and content hidden and unseen within that brief pause. Again, I am not sure what to make of that, but find it interesting.
“I think I mentioned in one of the threads in which we have posted that I try to make regular use of the Jesus Prayer, and that I often pray it while driving. On one occasion, I prayed it continuously for a few hours while driving to see my daughter in college. Anyway, during this time I felt some strange sensations that were physical, emotional and perhaps spiritual in nature. Specifically, I felt something akin to what the OP in this thread is asking about.
A heavy feeling in my chest.
It was a feeling in my abdomen, and up into my solar plexus region, which continued into my mid chest, that was a kind of tightness, tingling, warm sensation, that was both a bit uncomfortable, and a bit euphoric at the same time. It lasted several minutes, and was impossible to completely ignore. So I am curious what this might mean? I am also curious what might be the Orthodox position on what to do when such things arise during prayer? Not quite sure how to interpret it, I tried to both acknowledge it briefly and pass over it to focus back on the prayer, seeing it as a possible distraction from prayer and deeper encounter with Him, but perhaps I should have acknowledged it more? I am not sure the appropriate response to such things. Have you encountered any such phenomenon, or known anyone who has? I thought it was just some physiological aberration until that other gentleman mentioned a similar thing during prayer in the above mentioned post.
Thanks for any thoughts you might have. Interesting times for me...a time of spiritual growth and new perspectives...think of me in your prayers, if you would.”
I have noticed since then that there are many times that as I pray “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner”, that there seems to be a lot more to the Prayer, contained in the empty space between “Son of God” and “have mercy on me”...unspoken thoughts and content hidden and unseen within that brief pause. Again, I am not sure what to make of that, but find it interesting.
