Prayer of the Heart
In
the World Religion course I teach, one of the alternate journaling
assignments I give students is a chance to explore the Prayer of the
Heart, or "Jesus Prayer." I introduce it with a guided meditation which
is on SoundCloud (LINK). One student gave a very innocent, sincere, and yet
profound response which I think is worth sharing:
"I didn’t really plan to try the Prayer of the Heart more or less just try to give experiences about my divine path as a Christian. It kind of just happened one night when I couldn’t sleep while recently on vacation. Everything felt off. I wasn’t sad exactly, but I felt this heavy thing in my chest I couldn’t explain. Like I was tired in a way that rest doesn’t fix. I was scrolling on my phone just to avoid thinking, but nothing helped. I felt stuck in my head.
"Then, out of nowhere, I remembered this short prayer I had the assignment on: 'Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
"I don’t even know why I remembered it. I wasn’t trying to be super spiritual or anything. I was just out of options. So I whispered it once. Then again. And again. Not like a chant, not trying to get something magical out of it. Just saying it. Almost like breathing.
"After a while, I noticed my thoughts weren’t screaming anymore. I wasn’t trying to figure everything out or fix my life in that moment. I was just… there. Still. And weirdly, that felt okay. Not fixed, not better. Just okay enough to rest. I now more than ever believe all religions are possibly linked and we can access these greater beings through meditation and prayer.
"Now, when I get overwhelmed or can’t find the words to pray, I go back to that little line. It feels like handing over the weight I carry, even if just for a minute. I don’t know if it does anything in the big picture. But in that moment, it quiets the noise. And sometimes, that’s everything." ~Padden H.
Icon: modern version of 12th C. Our Lady of Vladimir
"I didn’t really plan to try the Prayer of the Heart more or less just try to give experiences about my divine path as a Christian. It kind of just happened one night when I couldn’t sleep while recently on vacation. Everything felt off. I wasn’t sad exactly, but I felt this heavy thing in my chest I couldn’t explain. Like I was tired in a way that rest doesn’t fix. I was scrolling on my phone just to avoid thinking, but nothing helped. I felt stuck in my head.
"Then, out of nowhere, I remembered this short prayer I had the assignment on: 'Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'
"I don’t even know why I remembered it. I wasn’t trying to be super spiritual or anything. I was just out of options. So I whispered it once. Then again. And again. Not like a chant, not trying to get something magical out of it. Just saying it. Almost like breathing.
"After a while, I noticed my thoughts weren’t screaming anymore. I wasn’t trying to figure everything out or fix my life in that moment. I was just… there. Still. And weirdly, that felt okay. Not fixed, not better. Just okay enough to rest. I now more than ever believe all religions are possibly linked and we can access these greater beings through meditation and prayer.
"Now, when I get overwhelmed or can’t find the words to pray, I go back to that little line. It feels like handing over the weight I carry, even if just for a minute. I don’t know if it does anything in the big picture. But in that moment, it quiets the noise. And sometimes, that’s everything." ~Padden H.
Icon: modern version of 12th C. Our Lady of Vladimir
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