{"id":4572,"date":"2011-12-27T11:00:42","date_gmt":"2011-12-27T17:00:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/tonyjones\/?p=4572"},"modified":"2015-03-13T16:54:47","modified_gmt":"2015-03-13T21:54:47","slug":"my-minor-classic-on-spiritual-disciplines-for-99%c2%a2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/tonyjones\/2011\/12\/27\/my-minor-classic-on-spiritual-disciplines-for-99%c2%a2\/","title":{"rendered":"My “Minor Classic” on Spiritual Disciplines (for 99\u00a2!)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Of the books I\u2019ve written, two seem to have the most staying power. \u00a0One is Postmodern Youth Ministry<\/a><\/em>, my first book, which has managed to stay on many syllabi for the last decade.<\/p>\n

The other is The Sacred Way: Spiritual Practices for Everyday Life<\/a><\/em>. \u00a0I get more appreciative comments on this book than any I\u2019ve written. It\u2019s sold at Renovar\u00e9 events. And it seems to have some staying power. \u00a0While it doesn\u2019t sell like a Richard Foster or Dallas Willard book, it is persistent.<\/p>\n

Now, with the cooperation of Zondervan, you can pick up The Sacred Way<\/a><\/em> for 99\u00a2 for this week only<\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

See below for the Table of Contents and an excerpt, if you want to get a feel for it.<\/p>\n

The Sacred Way<\/a><\/em> Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Quest for God
\n2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 What is Spirituality<\/em> and How Do You Practice<\/em> It?<\/p>\n

Part II: Via Contemplativa<\/em>: Contemplative Approaches to Spirituality
\n3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Silence and Solitude
\n4.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sacred Reading
\n5.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Jesus Prayer
\n6.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Centering Prayer
\n7.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Meditation
\n8.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Ignatian Examen
\n9.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Icons
\n10.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Spiritual Direction
\n11. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Daily Office<\/p>\n

Part III: Via Activa<\/em>: Bodily Approaches to Spirituality
\n12.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Labyrinth
\n13.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Stations of the Cross
\n14.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Pilgrimage
\n15.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Fasting
\n16.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Sign of the Cross and Other Bodily Prayers
\n17.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Sabbath
\n18. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Service<\/p>\n

Epilogue: Developing a Rule of Life
\nNotes
\nResources
\n1.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Book Resources
\n2.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Web Resources
\n3.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A Short List of Christian Spiritual Classics<\/p>\n

Excerpt from Chapter Five, \u201cThe Jesus Prayer\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

Practice<\/strong><\/p>\n

There is some variation in the actual form of the Prayer. The simple formulation, \u201cChrist, have mercy on me,\u201d echoes the ancient cry of the church, \u201cKurie eleison, Christe eleison, Kurie eleison<\/em> (\u2018Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy\u2019).\u201d The fuller text of the Prayer combines the Scripture passages quoted above: \u201cLord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the final self-referential tag, \u201ca sinner,\u201d seems like a harsh conclusion, it is, of course, the truth. Many modern recitations of the Prayer omit this ending, but I always use it in my own practice. It stings me and awakens me to my own weakness. It also makes the Prayer a loop, for as I conclude by considering my own sinfulness, I\u2019m compelled to once again call upon God\u2019s mercy for my life. In this way, when practiced rhythmically, the Prayer has no beginning and no end.<\/p>\n

The Philokalia<\/em> is full of hundreds of pages of advice about practicing the Jesus Prayer. Among them are the instructions left by 14th<\/sup>-century monks Callistus and Ignatius, who were said to have left behind \u201cfull and perfect knowledge of the Jesus Prayer.\u201d They recommend that a person be, firstly, \u201cearnest and undistracted,\u201d and in a place of absolute silence\u2014silence being the most important thing to guard, and it may be the most difficult for us to find in a modern world. For me this often means getting up early in the morning before the family rises\u2014I find the world to be quietest at about 4 a.m.<\/p>\n

Callistus and Ignatius also recommend a \u201cdimly lit room.\u201d While the Prayer can later be practiced outside in nature, in a public place, or even while driving, at first it\u2019s necessary to sequester oneself from all visual distractions as well. This way whether the eyes are open or shut, concentration can be focused solely on the Prayer.<\/p>\n

Now that the external setting is taken care of, the most important aspect of preparation for the Prayer can take place. With great concentration, one can cause \u201cthe mind to descend into the heart with the breath.\u201d At first, this was a concept as foreign to me as it may be to you. However, with some practice, this method becomes a means of guarding the mind from diversions. In fact, many of the Fathers recommend that one bows the head and fixes the eyes on the place of the heart in order to facilitate this concentration.<\/p>\n

The \u201cplace of the heart\u201d is, obviously, the focus of the Prayer of the Heart. It\u2019s difficult for us to imagine the heart without thinking of pumps, paddles, hospitals, and bypasses. But remember,<\/p>\n

In ancient times, before the interior of the body was charted, emotions were ascribed to sites throughout the torso: heart, kidneys, bowels, and womb. The spiritual heart is not the same as that general region of feeling or compassion. Nor is it merely the fleshy pump that beats in our chests. This heart is the spiritual center of a person\u2019s entire being.<\/p>\n

So, seated comfortably in a dimly lit room with the head bowed, attend to your breathing, and then begin the prayer in rhythm with your breathing. Breathe in: \u201cLord Jesus Christ, Son of God\u201d; breathe out: \u201chave mercy on me, a sinner.\u201d Guarding the mind against all distractions, the pray-er focuses during every repetition on the meaning of the words, praying them from the heart and in the heart.<\/p>\n

Since clocks were not a reality when the Prayer was first practiced, instead of designating an amount of time to pray, a number of repetitions was determined ahead of time. The pilgrim started at 3,000 repetitions per day\u2014if the normal person takes between twelve and fifteen breaths per minute, this takes between three and four hours. When the pilgrim got to 12,000 repetitions, it was taking him between eleven and fourteen hours. That\u2019s probably out of reach for you and me, but 100 or 500 prayers is a valuable and achievable practice.<\/p>\n

In order to keep track of my repetitions, I use a prayer rope (called a chockti <\/em>in Slavonic and a komvoschinon<\/em> in Greek). Most are made in monasteries on Mt. Athos in Greece with 100 knots, each knot tied with nine crosses (though they also come with 33, 50, and 1,000 knots). After every 25 knots is a bead, at which the Lord\u2019s Prayer can be recited, and at the end I say the Apostles\u2019 Creed. Prayer ropes can be purchased online (see the Resources section at the end of this book) and at many Orthodox churches.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Of the books I\u2019ve written, two seem to have the most staying power. \u00a0One is Postmodern Youth Ministry, my first book, which has managed to stay on many syllabi for the last decade. The other is The Sacred Way: Spiritual Practices for Everyday Life. \u00a0I get more appreciative comments on this book than any I\u2019ve […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4573,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,28,34],"tags":[709,812,849],"class_list":["post-4572","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-books","category-prayer","category-spirituality","tag-dallas-willard","tag-richard-foster","tag-the-sacred-way"],"yoast_head":"\nMy "Minor Classic" on Spiritual Disciplines (for 99\u00a2!)<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Of the books I've written, two seem to have the most staying power. \u00a0One is Postmodern Youth Ministry, my first book, which has managed to stay on many\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" 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