On the Prayer of Jesus
St. Ignatius Brianchaninov
Summary
A practical and theological guide to the Jesus Prayer ('Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me'), drawing on centuries of hesychast tradition to instruct modern practitioners.
Who Should Read This
Anyone beginning or deepening the practice of the Jesus Prayer, those interested in hesychasm without academic prerequisites.
Key Excerpts
"The Jesus Prayer unites the mind with the heart, and by uniting them with one another it unites them with God."
— Part I
"Pray with attention. Attention is the soul of prayer. Without attention, prayer is dead."
— Part I
Editorial Commentary
Bishop Ignatius wrote for 19th-century Russian laypeople and monastics, making the ancient hesychast teaching on the Jesus Prayer accessible and practical. He warns against spiritual delusion (prelest) and emphasizes humility and obedience to a spiritual father. An essential companion to The Way of a Pilgrim and The Philokalia — more grounded and cautious than either.