Prayer of the Heart

The original Conferences were numbered at ten. Only later were other conferences included in this work to satisfy the needs of the brethren. Part II, Conferences 11 - 17, was written for Saints Honoratus and Eucherius and covered topics not previously mentioned at length in Part I. The former saint desired to establish his cenobium after the traditions of the desert fathers, while the latter desired to travel to Egypt, as Saints John and Germanus had previously done. Part III, Conferences 18-24, was written for the monks Jovinianus, Minervus, Leonitus, and Theodore who had established several cenobium in the Gallic provinces in and around modern day France. St. John Cassian comments that the first ten conferences were "put together haphazardly at the command of the holy Bishops Helladius and Leontius" (Conferences, Part II Preface, 1.2). All this being said St. John intended Abba Isaac's two conferences (IX & X) on prayer to be the fulfillment of a promise given in the Institutes, as well as the culmination of the first eight conferences.

"The aim of every monk and the perfection of his heart direct him to constant and uninterrupted perseverance in prayer; and, as much as human frailty allows, it strives after an unchanging and continual tranquility of mind and perpetual purity" (9.2.1). Establishing the virtues simply and humbly on the Gospel Rock is necessary before pure, interior prayer can be achieved. The beginning of pure prayer is acquiring the virtues and casting off the vices. Thus, a virtuous life and ceaseless prayer in the heart are inseparable.

This perfection of heart consists of removing worldly anxiety, remembrances of fleshly matters, detraction, idle speech, talkativeness, buffoonery, anger, sadness, lust, and avarice. After such distractions and vices are cut off the simplicity and innocence that remains leads to the foundation of humility "which can support a tower that will penetrate the heavens" (9.3.1). Once we begin to repent in humility we begin to truly pray.

Since our memory brings to mind whatever was there before prayer, we must earnestly prepare to pray. "We should make an effort to cast out from the innermost parts of our heart whatever we do not wish to steal upon as we pray, so that in this way we can fulfill the apostolic words, 'Pray without ceasing'" (9.3.4). We should think of ourselves as feathers. If we are weighed down with watery vices, we cannot ascend to the heavens, but if we are free of all burdens, we will lightly and easily ascend to God (9.4.1). Therefore, we must first avoid all visible concerns, drunkenness, and excess in order to achieve purity in prayer. These hindrances to prayer are why the Orthodox Church puts so much emphasis on fasting. For it is a common rule of the elders that "whatever exceeds the minimum of daily food and the unavoidable requirements of the flesh contributes to worldly concern and anxiety" (9.5.4). We who are in the world must be watchful and vigilant with regards to our eating habits, so that we may benefit from a deeper and more focused prayer life.

In addition to cutting off these vices we must also be careful not to fall into the demonic trap of spiritual pride by thinking, "Thank you that I am not like my worldly neighbors for I fast twice a week; I give to the Church, I keep my prayer rule", etc. We need to ignore every demonic thought that puffs us up by "rejecting with unwavering strictness of mind those things which cater to our power and which have the appearance of a kind of goodness" (9.6.3). St. Silouan the Athonite rightly taught, "Where there is pride there cannot be grace, and if we lose grace we also lose both love of God and assurance in prayer. The soul is then tormented by evil thoughts and does not understand that she must humble herself and love her enemies, for there is no other way to please God." Sincere prayers depend on the dispositions of our hearts. If we purify our minds with only good thoughts, whatever we "do will be most pure and sincere prayer" (9.6.5).

Since all of us possess disparate degrees of vices and virtues, there are various kinds of prayer so that "no one's prayers can be uniform" (9.8.2). The only way to truly grasp the breadth of this variety is through great purity of heart and the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. Nevertheless, since we cannot understand every kind of prayer, the Apostle Paul describes four types of prayer: supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings (9.9). A supplication, which deals solely with sins, occurs when "a person who has been struck by compunction begs for pardon for his present or past misdeeds" (9.11). Prayers are offers or vows to God taken from the Greek word ευχη. When we promise to forsake this world for God--which is the very act of prayer--we must do what we pray, or we will be worse off for having prayed at all (9.12.1). Intercessions are fervent prayers for others and for the peace of the entire world (9.13), while thanksgivings are giving thanks to God for his past, present, or future workings (9.14).

Abba Isaac also relates these four types of prayer to our stage of life. Supplications belong to beginners who are still harassed by vices. Prayers are experienced by elevated minds who have forsaken vices and gained virtues. Intercessions are made by vow fulfillers who pray for others out of true love, while thanksgivings are made by those care free Christians who inexpressibly pray detached from this world (9.15.1). Although Abba Isaac assigns these types to specific rungs on the ladder of perfection, pure and intense prayer can occur in all stages at any moment. Furthermore, our Lord's prayer demonstrates how all four prayers can be integrated into a single, perfect prayer. 

Sometimes the mind advances to a true disposition of purity so that it conceives all these prayers at once pouring out wordless prayers, which "the Spirit makes to God as it intervenes with unutterable groans...great things that...cannot pass through the mouth but are unable even to be remembered by the mind" (9.15.2). This prayer is a result of grace in the Holy Spirit and true compunction of heart, which leads Abba Isaac to further reflect on the Lord's words, "For the one who realizes that more has been forgiven him begins to love more." (This saying, so full of St. John's teachings, is written on one of his icons.) St. Anthony always said at the end of prayer, "That is not a perfect prayer wherein the monk understands himself or what he is praying" (9.31). Since perfect prayer is achieved in the grace of the Holy Spirit rather than through our own efforts, it is not wise to force things such as tears. Although such forcing is done with a good will, the attempt drags the mind into human concerns weakening it "in the face of sterile and forced tears" (9.30.2).

Another type of prayer mentioned is almsgiving. As Sirach teaches, "Shut up an alms in the heart of the poor person, and it will pray for you in time of tribulation." Giving alms out of love and purity of heart is a saving prayer in itself.

After preparations when we approach God in prayer, "there should be no doubt that by continuing in them we shall obtain everything we have asked for and that is agreeable to God" (9.34.4). Thus, our confidence has nothing to do with our ability to be heard by God, but rather with the quantity of our prayers. As we struggle to constantly pray and abide in Christ, it will not be in vain. For we can have absolute confidence "of being heard only with regard to the things that are in conformity not with our convenience and comfort but with the Lord's will" (9.34.9). God hears our prayers which proceed from true hearts, because "a person will deserve to be heard and to receive to the extent that he believes that he can be seen by God and that God can act on his behalf" (9.32).

In confidence we must go into our room and pray to our Father with the door shut. When we pray "in our room", we completely withdraw from worldly cares and thoughts disclosing all in secret. We likewise pray with "the door shut" when we remain silent, so that we do not distract others or disclose our secret petitions to demons (9.35).

Above all else prayer should be frequent and brief offered from a contrite and humble heart. In this way the enemy will be unable to put anything harmful into our hearts ensuring that our prayers are full of grace.

"And so we will pray as often as we can; we will consecrate our whole life to prayer, even if it be subject to distractions to begin with. Frequent practice of it will teach us attentiveness. Quantity will certainly lead on to quality." - The Way of a Pilgrim

"Do not spare yourself from heartfelt prayer even when you have spent the whole day in hard work. Do not indulge in laziness when you pray; tell God everything that is in your heart. If you allow yourself time to pray with diligence, you will not fall asleep before you have wept over your sins. Believe that, if for the sake of bodily rest you pray hurriedly, you will lose the tranquility of both body and soul. By what labor, sweat and tears is our closeness to God achieved!" - St. John of Kronstadt

"I advise you to convince yourself and force yourself to prayer and every good action, even if you do not feel the desire for it. God seeing such labor and application will give you goodwill and zeal. Such good will and a certain attraction to prayer is often a result of habit. Get into this habit and it will draw you to prayer and good actions." - St. Tikhon of Zadonsk

  
"Do not be over-sophisticated in the words you use when praying, because the simple and unadorned lisping of children has often won the heart of their Heavenly Father." - St. John Climacus