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Imagery in the Jesus prayer

pistavros

posted on Apr 30, 2008 - 10:41 AM

khristos Aneste

I came across an article in Mighty arrows magazine bu SUS diocese, and it was talking about teh Jesus prayer and it said to visualise Jesus infront of you. But in the way of the Pilgrim and other articles on the net it says not to use any imagery or visualisation at all.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

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Irini nem Aghaby

MS

"Prayer, fasting, vigils, and all other Christian practices, however good they may be in themselves, certainly do not consititue the aim of our Christian life; they are but indispensible means of attaining that aim. For the true aim of the Christian life is the acquisition of the Holy Spirit of God. As for fasts, vigils, prayer and almsgiving, and other good works done in the name of Christ, they are only means of acquiring the Holy Spirit of God. Note well that it is only good works done in the name of Christ that bring us the fruits of the Spirit" -ST SERAPHIM OF SAROV

Joined: Oct 29, 2004 | Posts: 77
Location: Melbourne, Australia

asinner

posted on Apr 30, 2008 - 11:38 AM

Well, for me, the Jesus prayer is very powerfull so whatever way it is prayed, it will not take away from the blessings one recieves from praying this prayer. Also, it is not a sin to imagin Jesus in front of you. On the contrary, the difference between us and the saints was that Jesus was ALWAYS in front of them. Wether they were praying the Jesus prayer or not. Maybe the imagry the book was talking about was the imagery of evil thoughts or maybe it was talking about what we would simply call , "eptying your mind." When we empty our mind do we throw Jeus or the imagry of Jesus out. Of course not. When you talk to someone, do you colse your eyes and look away. No. When you talk to jesus you may certainly look at him and pray to him. But again, it all depends on your way of prayer and the way that you attain the most from the prayer.
In Christ
Asinner

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asinner

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Imagery in the Jesus prayer

pistavros

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