Elder John Guides about Jesus Prayer

Letters of Valaam elder John (Alexeev). Letter 164.

Schema-hegumen John (Alexeev)

New Valamo

23.4.1956

Honorable Inok Fr…

You write to me that you are eager to start the labour of unceasing Jesus prayer, but some are telling you that Jesus prayer will bring you into spiritual deception. Oh, there are new blasphemers against the Jesus prayer: they do not understand what they are saying. One gets into spiritual deception not because of this prayer, but because of pride, self-confidence and willfulness. It would be good to speak about this prayer in person, for it is impossible to write everything. However, I will try to write in short words, in the way I can.

The spiritual life is the highest of all sciences; it can be called ‘spiritual philosophy’. Of course, not many can understand this philosophy. Most people understand spiritual life as external labour only. But, this external labour is needed as a means to reach the spiritual inner life. Unfortunately, some stay with the letter, which kills the spirit, and do not have a slightest idea about inner spiritual life.

The Third Kind of Prayer Requires Seclusion with Setting aside the Cares

Letters of Valaam elder schema-hegumen John (Alexeev). Letter 233.

Schema-hegumen John (Alexeev)

9.9.1956

Christ is in our midst.

Most God-loving Elena,

I received your letter and will answer it briefly. I can hardly read your illegible handwriting, it is impossible to decipher it at once.

You are writing, ‘I got into the maelstrom of daily routine and cannot set myself up for the prayer’. It is good to speak in person about prayer, but I am going to write briefly with my own words. The prayer has three names, i.e. oral, noetic and noetic-cordial. The oral prayer is spoken by the tongue aloud, when you are alone; and in silence, when you are in the company of the others. The noetic prayer is said by the mind only. The noetic-cordial prayer is the unity of the mind and the heart; do not strive to it, it is unsuitable to your lifestyle. This kind of prayer needs seclusion, it cannot exist without seclusion and the seclusion also cannot exist without the prayer. It is the seclusion in the full sense of the word that I am talking about, the seclusion with setting aside the cares[1] of this swift-passing temporary life. You have an active life, and, as you have said to me, your attentiveness is in your chest, so be satisfied with that. Do not strive to the high stages, everything is good in its time and in its place. If you enclose you mind in the words of the prayer, then, according to St. John of the Ladder, it is the second stage of the prayer (Step 28, chapter 19).

About Jesus Prayer and Heavenly Guest

Valaam Elder Schema-Hegumen John (Alexeev)

Schema-hegumen John (Alexeev)

4.1956

New Valamo

Letter 158

Honorable in Christ…

I received your letter and you wrote to me that you are getting the habit of Jesus Prayer. I was very scared once, as there was warmth in my heart but not from the blood, a very special one, I cannot explain. This warmth went along all my body and tears steamed; all people became so good, I would prostrate in front of any of them. After that, I became weak, could not stand on my feet and lay down on my bed. I was getting up and walking although but the tears and the warmth in my heart lasted all day. Do not be scared and do not have high thoughts about your condition, do not tell the others about it, for they will not understand, thinking that you are in spiritual deception. St Ignatius Briachaninov called your condition ‘Heavenly guest’. Try to have attentiveness in yourself, for the attentiveness is the soul of the prayer. Do not condemn anyone, do not have neither enmity nor wiliness, nor vainglory, and, which is most important, nor arrogance; otherwise, this heavenly guest will not visit you.

You are also writing me that ‘sometimes the prayer is ceasing’. It cannot be otherwise. Only God is unchangeable and the Angels glorify Him always. St. Makarios the Great said according to his spiritual experience that ‘the change can happen to anyone like it happens in the air’. St. Mark also witnesses this in his writings. St. Isaac the Syrian says in his Word 46 and in the other places in details and at large.

It is no coincidence that the Holy Fathers said that everyone might have variable states; they said that out of their own spiritual experience. Do not fall into despondency[1] but continue to work hard on your prayer, because without prayer your life will be filled with much sighing. Our Lord, too, gave us an example to always pray and not give up  (Lk.18:2)

Should something else happen, write to me.

Elder of Valamo monastery

[1] Archimandrite Lazarus Moore: ‘More exactly, ‘accidie’. It means ‘languor’, ‘torpor’, ‘tedium’, ‘spiritual gloom’, ‘low spirits’, ‘indifference to the work of salvation’, ‘distaste for spiritual things’, ‘spiritual sloth’. (a footnote to the chapter ‘On despondency’ The Ladder of Divine Ascent St. John Climacus Translated by Archimandrite Lazarus Moore, Harper & Brothers, 1959)

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Do not Keep the Attention in your Head During Prayer

Letters of Valaam Elder Hegumen John (Alexeev). Letter 303.

19.2.1950

Most God-loving M.N.!

Schema-hegumen John (Alexeev)

Christ is in our midst.

Sorry for my silence, for although I do not write to you, I always keep you and H. in my prayers. May God help you to lead your life in peace and agreement, as the Holy Apostle said: “Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” [1] Both patience and humility are needed to live together in peace: and, as we do not have these virtues, we think that other people are to blame, not ourselves. But we should at least take care not to bear grudges against people, otherwise the prayer will not succeed.

You have mentioned Philokalia, volume 5, page 370. It seems that it is clearly explained, one must only read with attention; in other words, one can say: enclose your mind in the words of the prayer, and, if your thoughts become distracted, do not slow down, but continue praying, trying to ward the thoughts off. You know already from your own experience not to keep the attention in your head. To your knowledge, the Holy Fathers did not write by mind but by feeling; what they had experienced, the same things they wrote down in their books, and, therefore, it is only by experience that we can understand their writings. As the rope of our life is too short, we cannot get this living spiritual water directly from the deep well from which they drew. One has to use their books in this way: put into the treasury of your heart the things that you understand, omit the things we do not understand.

Here we are in the time of the Lent, congratulations on the Holy Quadragesima, may Lord help you to live it in Christian piety and to reach the Bright Resurrection of Christ.

Lord in His mercy may help you in your works, may Lord keep you.

Wishing you all that is good, your partner in prayer,

Most sinful Schema-Hegumen John

[1] Gal 6:2

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Circular Prayer within the Heart has no Danger of Delusion

Elder Joseph the Hesychast. "Monastic wisdom". Letter 36.

(complete letter)

Elder Joseph the Hesychast (1897 - 1959)

May the God and Lord of all Who dwells in the heavens, Who gives us breath and life and everything, and constantly cares for our salvation, send forth into your holy souls the comforting Spirit; may He enlighten your nous as He enlightened the Disciples of our Savior; may He shine the light of His divine radiance upon your entire spiritual and noetic being; may your whole heart burn with divine eros as did Cleopas’s, and may it leap for joy learning of the conception of the new Adam, and the utter destruction of the old Adam along with all his passions. Then, in this manner, tears will continuously flow every moment like a fountain streaming forth sweetness. Amen.

Today, my little child, I received your letter and saw what you wrote, and I shall answer your questions. The method of noetic prayer is as your holy eldress tells you. Circular* prayer within the heart has no danger of delusion ever. The other method or methods are dangerous, because a fantasy can easily approach them, and then delusion enters the nous.

O how dreadful is the delusion of the nous! And how imperceptible! Let me write a little about it for your information. I was very daring with these things and examined every kind of prayer. I tried out everything, because when grace approaches a person, his nous—that “shameless bird” as Abba Isaac calls it—seeks to penetrate everywhere, to try out everything. It begins with the creation of Adam and ends up plunging into depths and soaring to such heights that if God did not set any boundaries, it would not return.

On Danger of Delusion in Relation to Prayer

On the Prayer of Jesus. From the ascetic essays of Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov.

The Danger of Delusion

St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov)

I offer fathers and brothers my poor advice, begging them not to reject my poor advice. Do not force yourself prematurely to the discovery within yourself of the action of the Prayer of the Heart. Prudent caution is most necessary, especially in our time when it is almost impossible to find a satisfactory guide in these matters, when the ascetic must himself force his way gropingly by the direction of the writings of the Holy Fathers to the treasury of spiritual knowledge, and also must gropingly select for himself what is suited to his needs. While living according to the commandments of the Gospel, attentively practice the Prayer of Jesus according to the method of St. John Climacus, combining prayer with weeping, having as the beginning and end of prayer repentance. In its own time, known to God, the action of the Prayer of the Heart will be revealed of itself. Such action, revealed by the touch of the finger of God, is more excellent than that which is acquired by vigorously forcing oneself by means of material aids. It is more excellent in many respects. It is far more extensive and voluminous, far more abundant. It is quite safe from delusion and other dangers. He who receives in this way sees in what he receives only the mercy of God, a gift of God, while he who attains by the vigorous use of material aids, though seeing the gift of God, cannot fail to see his own effort and labor, he cannot fail to see his own mechanical aid which he has used, he cannot fail to ascribe to it special importance. This in the subtle way of the spirit is a considerable defect, a considerable obstacle, a considerable hindrance to the development of spiritual proficiency. For the development of spiritual proficiency there is no end, no limit. An insignificant, unnoticed hope or trust in something outside God can stop the advance of progress and proficiency, in which faith in God is leader, guide, legs and wings. “Christ for the believer is all,” said St. Mark. (Mark the Ascetic, “On the Spiritual Law” 4, Philokalia 1, p. 110)

About the Temptations During the Jesus Prayer

Letters of St. Ambrose of Optina. Letter 373.

Saint Ambrose of Optina

The enemy confuses you with various perplexities. The Holy Fathers advise not to be afraid, when calling the name of God, especially since you started this work not on your own, but with the blessing. And do not assign special significance to things you do not understand, not rejecting and not accepting them, as the venerable Mark the Ascetic advised to spiritual babes, such as the fact that you saw Christ crucified inside the heart, and the Savior sitting in prison in red clothes, and some strange light. Leave this, and everything similar to this to the will of God, telling yourself: "Only God knows what is good and salutary." Read all places about delusion in the Philokalia and beware of the indicated signs of delusion. Leave the rest to the will of God. You write that when you pray, you look at the heart. The Holy Fathers advise, during prayer, to look inside the heart, and not from above, and not from the side, and especially if the attention of the mind descends below the heart, then lusts of the flesh arise. You write that on the feast of St. John the Evangelist you was exhausted, left the church and went to the cell and, lying on your bed, saw a running enemy, in all its disgrace. Henceforth, if you are exhausted in the church, sit or lie down, but do not leave. In general, know as you yourself read in the books of the Holy Fathers that the enemy does not rebel against anything as much as against the prayer of Jesus. Therefore, as you have begun to keep the Jesus prayer, then do not leave it, but continue, trusting in the mercy and help of God. The Lord and the Queen of Heaven are strong to save us from the evils and troubles inflicted by spiritual enemies.

You also write that some of your sisters refer to the Athos elders. But you do not know them, and they do not know you. Therefore, such a referral cannot be convenient. In addition, in your letter it was said that you had three days of strong excitement of the flesh... Probably, you judged someone, or you were subjected to it for humility and trial.

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