[analyst_green]

Orthodoxy preserves this through the tradition of hesychasm & the Philokalia which you may want to look into if you're not familiar. However I've been advised that these types of meditative prayer practices should only be pursued with the blessing and guidance of an Orthodox spiritual elder as there is danger of prelest or delusion when taken on independently (and from our perspective some of the Catholic mystics certainly fall into this category).

The Jesus prayer is the one aspect of this that is accessible to all Christians. It's great to say it throughout the day as it keeps the mind from wandering and promotes stillness as the Eastern religions also try to do. It's still good to talk to a priest about any prayer rule though, some would say especially concerning the Jesus prayer.

The key I've learned is just to focus on the words and their meaning. Jesus means Savior, and the Christ is the anointed one. You are simply asking our Lord and Savior, sent by the Father, to heal your sinful soul through His great love and thus save us. You don't visualize anything, don't change your breathing, and especially don't seek altered states without an experienced elder.

 

[Lawrence87]

The Jesus prayer is the one aspect of this that is accessible to all Christians. It's great to say it throughout the day as it keeps the mind from wandering and promotes stillness as the Eastern religions also try to do. It's still good to talk to a priest about any prayer rule though, some would say especially concerning the Jesus prayer.

The key I've learned is just to focus on the words and their meaning. Jesus means Savior, and the Christ is the anointed one. You are simply asking our Lord and Savior, sent by the Father, to heal your sinful soul through His great love and thus save us. You don't visualize anything, don't change your breathing, and especially don't seek altered states without an experienced elder.

I was discussing with a priest how "mercy" is not quite an adequate translation of eleison. Mercy has connotations of "please don't punnish me!" But actually its more like "heal me, annoint me with oil to heal my wounds"

With this understanding I think the Jesus Prayer becomes a lot more universal. You're not just asking that the Lord overlook your sins (although there definitely can be this element to it in certain situations) but that He give you what you need, heal your injuries and save you.

 

[analyst_green]

I was discussing with a priest how "mercy" is not quite an adequate translation of eleison. Mercy has connotations of "please don't punnish me!" But actually its more like "heal me, annoint me with oil to heal my wounds"

With this understanding I think the Jesus Prayer becomes a lot more universal. You're not just asking that the Lord overlook your sins (although there definitely can be this element to it in certain situations) but that He give you what you need, heal your injuries and save you.

Indeed, mercy can also mean "love" here. Western Christianity became very legalistic so I believe the Latin and Germanic languages like English lack the perfect translation. The French translation of mercy is "pitié", which is maybe a bit better but also missed the mark. Only the Orthodox refer to God as a "physician" of souls and bodies.

In the Slavonic "Господи, помилуй", the imperative "помилуй" also carries connotations of compassion and a softening of the heart. Through prayer, God's love intertwines with our desire and need for Him, drawing us closer to Him.

 

[Brebelle3]

My wife was baptized Catholic and took the name Rosalia after Saint Rosalia of Palermo. She's a catechumen now and will soon be baptized into the Orthodox church.

Because of the split, would she still be able to keep that name since I don't see any reference to her in the Orthodox church?

 

[Lawrence87]

My wife was baptized Catholic and took the name Rosalia after Saint Rosalia of Palermo. She's a catechumen now and will soon be baptized into the Orthodox church.

Because of the split, would she still be able to keep that name since I don't see any reference to her in the Orthodox church?

Unlikely I'm afraid as she appears to be an Italian saint after the schism.

Some people however do get obscure baptismal names and just get referred to in most contexts by their name given at birth.

 

[Unending Powerhouse Match]

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