How to Pray the Jesus Prayer

Elder Porphyrios gives us some instruction on prayer using the Jesus Prayer.


He says,

Prayer should be interior, prayed with the mind and not with the lips, so as not to cause distraction witht he mind wandering here and there.  Let us bring Christ into our mind in an unforced manner by repeating very gently, 'Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.'  don't think anything except the words, 'Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.' Nothing else. Nothing at all. Calmly, with open eyes, so that you are not in danger of succumbing to fantasies and delusions, and with care and devotion, turn towards Christ.  Repeat the prayer in an unforced manner and not continually, but when there is the disposition and an atmosphere of compunction which is a gift of divine grace. Without grace you fall into a state of self-hynotism and you can end up seeing lights and delusions and become mentally deranged.

Prayer should not be seen as a chore or an obligation but rather an act of love.  There is no need for techniques such as a stool, bowing the head or closing the eyes.  True prayer is not dependent on anything external.


Reference: Wounded By Love, pp 121-122