Orthodox Christian Monasticism - Hesychasm

of God, the most inner and truthful ego, the inner altar in which one enters in the state of kenosis and sacrifice and in which takes place the union with Christ. The heart gives the unity of the human person. Therefore the 'Prayer of the Heart' creates a state of existence of unity and integrity of the person.

About the way that the prayer should be said

From the Fathers, some say all the phrase: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, others the half: Jesus, Son of God, have mercy on me, that is easier for the inability of the mind, because she cannot say in an intimate way, alone from itself: Lord Jesus, in purity and perfectly, only by the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:3). Otherwise will do that bubbling and as a child not being able to say it articulate. He should not change often the words of the prayer from neglect, but with delay, without interruption.

Other Fathers teach to make the prayer with the mouth, others with the mind. I say with both. That sometimes the mind weaken to say, becoming lazy, and other times the mouth. This is why we have to pray with the mouth and mind. But we have to say calmly and without noise, that the voice may not disturb the feeling and the attention of the mind and to disturb it. That until the mind, becoming accustomed with the work, will advance in it and will take strength from the Spirit, to pray completely and with strength. Then it is no more necessary to say with the mouth, that it cannot be anymore. Then it is possible to make all the work only with the mind." ( Saint Gregory the Sinaite, About Prayer).

The word hesychastai current in Orient form the Vth century characterised the monks that lived isolated or in small groups in comparison with the great monastic communities. They were also called hesychast monks that were leading a life of solitude or contemplative even in the midst of a coenobitic monastery. The word hesychia designates the state of calm, peace, rest, of silence, resulted from the ceasing of exterior causes of disturbance (noise, affairs, wars) as from the absence of the inner agitation of the soul, that has found the hierarchical equilibrium of his faculties. In monastic vocabulary, hesychia is the peace of union of the soul with God, the 'science of sciences' and the 'art of arts.' Is before all an inner hesychia understood as a 'departure form the world,'

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