Hesychasm

[Patrick Walsh]

Hello

I am looking to learn more about the monastic practice of Hesychasm, also known as the Prayer of the Heart, or Unceasing Prayer.

It seems the St. Gregory Palamas' major Defense of this practice is not in print sadly, and I cannot seem to find it online. Perhaps someone knows where I can find it online, or perhaps there is a more modern treatment of this topic.

In Christ
Patrick

[Leandros Papadopoulos]

Dear Patrick Walsh,

There is a great book on this subject: A NIGHT IN THE DESERT OF THE HOLY MOUNTAIN (http://www.pelagia.org/htm/b01.en.a_night_in_the_desert_of_the_holy_mountain. 00.htm), by Metropolitan Hierotheos of Nafpaktos.

You can find some chapters of the book on line at the above link.

Brother Patrick Walsh, if you want to practise the Jesus Prayer you should seek for a spiritual father, with experience on this subject, that would guide you as you practise this blessed prayer.

May God bless us, all.

[M.C. Steenberg]

Dear Patrick, you wrote:


I am looking to learn more about the monastic practice of Hesychasm, also known as the Prayer of the Heart, or Unceasing Prayer.

Technically speaking, hesychasm is not synonymous with the prayer of the heart: hesychasm is a particular method of cultivating interior stillness and quietude that involves the prayer of the heart, and in turn fosters this prayer.

INXC, Matthew

[M.C. Steenberg]

Dear Patrick,

The fundamentals of the kind of ascetical life of prayer known as hesychasm is perhaps best introduced by a source far earlier than St Gregory Palamas. St Hesychios the Priest, aptly named, presents in his On Watchfulness and Holiness the basic concepts of this life and approach to prayer and union. We have an article on his thought (http://www.monachos.net/patristics/hesychios.shtml) on this web site.

INXC, Matthew

[Patrick Walsh]

Unfortunately, most of the information on the internet available on Hesychasm is from the Catholic Church.f Sinai.

For example, the Catholic Encyclopaedia states, "In itself an obscure speculation, with the wildest form of mystic extravagance as a result, [Hesychasm] became the watchword of a political party, and incidentally involved again the everlasting controversy with Rome."

The article continues to go on to say that the text, "On Watchfulness and Holiness," is improperly ascribed to St. Hesychios of Jerulem, and should be ascribed to Hesychios of Sinai instead, a person whom they have not glorified.

The first volume of the Philokalia is not in print anymore.

Patrick

[Father David Moser]

Did the first volume of the philokalia go out of print again. I know the original hardbound printing was nearly impossible to find for a long time - but then there appeared a paperback reprint which eventually encompassed all of the volumes and I thought that was still available.

Archpr. David Moser

[Patrick Walsh]

Father David, Bless

The paperback is out of print. It is still available from the publisher, Faber & Faber, in London, however, and I have a co-worker who goes home to London every Christmas, so he will pick one up for me. But I probably will not see it until February.

I was hoping to read up on it a bit before my trip to Holy Cross Hermitage which will take place in the middle of November so I could begin to ask questions about it.

St. Gregory Palamas's book, "In Defense of Hesychasm," is also out of print.

Patrick

[Mother Evfrosinia]

While Dr. Steenberg is correct about hesychasm and prayer of the heart not necessarily being synonymous, my feeling is that Patrick is looking for advise on prayer. I would highly recommend "The Art of Prayer" for a beginner.

[Eugene]

Dear Patrick

You can find some online books and links on Hesychasm on this page:
http://www.hesychasm.ru/en/library.htm

Good books to start are (if you haven't red those yet):
The Jesus Prayer, by Kallistos Ware
The Power of the Name, by Kallistos Ware
The Way of a Pilgrim: And the Pilgrim Continues His Way

You can also find Triads by St. Gregory here
http://www.fetchbook.info/compare.do?search=0809103281
http://dogbert.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=Gregory+Palamas&y=10&tn=Triads&x=52 (http://dogbert.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=Gregory+Palamas&y=10&tn=Triads&x=52)

Although I find them hard to read, and there is not much on the practical aspects of prayer, it's mostly theological. After basic books Philokalia is probably the best for the practical aspects. Unfortunately the most essential writings on hesychasm are in volume 5 of Philokalia which has not been issued yet (as far as I know).

In Christ
Evgeny

[J. K. Amra]

What age would one have to be to start practicing hesychasm, theosis, and finally reach theoria (I probably got the order wrong), does one have to be a monk and follow a strict ascetic lifestyle? How far along their journey would an average monk have to be to even start to consider these practices?

[Owen Jones]

We are cautioned by the desert fathers not to seek any of these things. The purpose of our lives is to seek to do the will of the Father in all things. For those of us who live in the world, and have to make money, etc., it means obeying the Ten Commandments, attending services on a regular basis, trying not to judge others, being patient and kind toward others, avoiding passionate angry outbursts, etc., to the extent this is possible given our sinful condition and the pressures of the world that exist around us all the time. Then we might be worthy of being called Christians.