LEARN TO SAY THE SAME THING: Nice note from SCC on repeating traditional prayers:

Perhaps you’d like to take a look at “The Way of a Pilgrim” if you haven’t done so already. It’s a book about a wandering monk/hermit in 17th or 18th century Russia who’s trying to understand the Jesus Prayer (“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have Mercy on me a sinner”). It’s a very interesting examination of repetitive/traditional prayer and its effects on the soul. If you ever do read it, I’d like to hear your thoughts, just to see how the Eastern and Western mind may differ on the subject.

The book is something of an abbreviated version, conceptually, of the “Philokalia,” a collection of sayings by the Fathers on prayer of the heart (arguably the book behind the Bible in terms of spritual benefit).