Your Part Is To Pray ...
Soul instruction on continuous prayer.
Listen (my soul), consider the method of self-denial advocated by Hesychios from the Sinai tradition. Insert the Jesus Prayer into your program of self-denial according to that tradition which has its roots in Evagrius' self-denying intuitive logic on the soul. Hesychios does not center his method on a feeling of deep regret (godly sorrow) and tears, but does allow for a place for this experience in the practice of sober watchfulness.[1].
Use the Jesus Prayer as an essential part of your self-denying program. The practice of it will create a intuitive logistical structure within. The said structure will determine your attitude toward the thoughts and images that come before your mind-of-the-heart when you settle into sober watchful meditative quietness. Properly position the Jesus Prayer (name of Jesus) within your new inward intuitive logistical structure (the kingdom of heaven is within you). Combine the inward self-denial with outward bodily self-denial. A complimentary program of outward bodily self-denial will help establish the more difficult inward dispassion and bring your body into subjection for an overall purification. In return inward purification will make outward discipline possible, for they are complementary and aid one another.[2].
Seriously consider (my soul) the true Christian self-denying tradition from the perspective of 'the love of spiritual beauty' (philokalia). Use the Jesus Prayer as the heart of a self-denial based on an intuitive word on the soul. Treat the upward movement of thoughts and images into your area of awareness as the temptations that they are and reject them swiftly and consistently.
As the years roll by free your essential inner entity, your mind of the heart from temptation (within the realm of possibility). Weigh the prescribed systems used by the saints of old and implement the essential elements of the most basic element of each. Pay especial attention to the method of the denial of tempting thought and images, for that is the center of true Christian self-denial and will prevent a world of unnecessary hurt in your future.
Your part is to pray without ceasing (1 Thes. 5:17). God's part is to bring about the results of that obedience as He sees fit. The ways for Him to expand your awareness and ecstasy in unlimited realms of reality (or not, according to His purposes for you) are also limitless.
Your education of experience is repetition of the Jesus Prayer continually (learn to pray by praying), but as you soon discover - it is not similar to a mantra or eastern religion sort of thing. It is a calculated action against unwanted appearances of images and concepts on the drawing board of your mind. Such inward action leads to a purification of your emotions and conscience. From there you are able to enter into the contemplative knowing of created things and the uncreated energies (grace) of God.[3].
Applied from the following text and author - timiosprodromos3.blogspot.com
Words inside of brackets { } are added for personal clarity.
[1]. "Hence, looking at the particular method of mental ascesis {self-denial} of St Hesychios, member of the School of Sinai, we see that the Jesus Prayer is inserted into the tradition of Orthodox {true Christian} mental ascesis {self-denial}, based on Evagrius’ ascetical {self-denying} psychology {intuitive logic on the soul}, that we have discussed above. Moreover, we have seen that although today there is a school of the use of the Jesus Prayer which emphasizes compunction {a feeling of deep regret} and tears and pursues them, the method taught by St Hesychios does not emphasize compunction and tears at all, except as possible fruits of his method of sobriety {sober watchfulness}."
[2]. "The Jesus Prayer is used as part of this program of mental ascesis {self-denial} ... For it creates a certain psychological structure {logistical structure of the soul} that determines the attitude of the Orthodox {right reason, correct seeing, true Christian} ascetic {self-deny-er} to the images and thoughts that arise spontaneously in his mind {mind of the heart} when he is in a state of quietness (‘in meditation’ , and positions the use of the Jesus Prayer within that psychological structure {logistical structure of the soul}. This program of mental ascesis {self-denial} is combined with a bodily ascesis {self-denial} which supports it but which is secondary to it in importance."
[3]. "In the Orthodox {true Christian} ascetical {self-denying} tradition of the Philokalia {the love of spiritual beauty}, the Jesus Prayer is inserted into a program of mental ascesis {self-denial} based on an ascetical {self-denying} psychology {an intuitive word on the soul} that treats the images and thoughts that arise spontaneously in the mind as temptations to be rejected. The systematic rejection of these tempting images and thoughts is expected to lead over a period of years to a freedom of the mind from such tempting images and thoughts. It is this program of the rejection of tempting images and thoughts that is at the heart of the Orthodox {true Christian} program of mental ascesis {self-denial}, not the repetition of the Jesus Prayer perhaps as a mantra. It is the systematic rejection of tempting images and thoughts which is expected to lead to a purification of the ascetic’s {self-deny-ers} emotions so that he can enter into contemplation {contemplative knowing of created things and the uncreated energies of God}."
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Author: bimonics
Location: Rocklin California USA
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Age: 58
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hello, my name is grant. my user name is bimonics which is short for bible mnemonics. i am blessed with a wonderful loving wife; a gifted, mature, christian lady. between us we have 8 children and at present 27 grandchildren, and 2 great grandchildren. i was born in 1952, to...
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i was lost when jesus found me. i am still lost without his company, and without all that he does. i was a lead guitarist in a rock band, until i gave up my old life and picked up the bible. i am still a guitarist for the rock that...
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