Hesychia in Orthodox Spirituality

Hesychia (Greek: Ησυχασμός), which means "stillness" or "quietness," is a contemplative monastic tradition found within various Eastern Christian traditions, such as Eastern Orthodox Churches, Oriental Orthodox Churches, Eastern Catholic Churches, and the Assyrian Church of the East.

It is a method of prayer and spiritual practice that seeks to achieve a state of inner stillness and peace, to experience the presence of God.

Hesychasm is rooted in the early Christian monastic tradition, but it took its definitive form in the 14th century at Mount Athos, a monastic peninsula in Greece. The most famous Hesychast of this period is Saint Gregory Palamas (c. 1296-1359), who defended hesychasm against its critics and wrote extensively on its theory and practice.

Hesychasm is a complex tradition, but its core practice is the Jesus Prayer—Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner, which is a short prayer that is repeated continuously, either silently or aloud. The Jesus Prayer is typically prayed while sitting in a still position and focusing on the breath.

The goal of hesychasm is to purify the heart and mind of distractions and passions so that one can experience the presence of God. This is not an easy process, and it requires discipline and perseverance. However, the hesychasts believe that hesychasm is the surest way to achieve theosis or union with God.

Hesychasm is practiced by both monastic and lay people. Monastics who practice hesychasm typically spend many hours each day in prayer. They often live in isolated cells and have very little contact with the outside world. This allows them to focus on their inner life and on deepening their relationship with God.

Lay people who practice hesychasm may not be able to spend as much time in prayer as monastics, but they can still practice hesychasm in their daily lives. They can pray the Jesus Prayer while walking, working, or even doing chores. They may also want to set aside some time each day to sit in silence and pray.

Here are some of the key benefits of hesychia:

• It purifies the heart and mind of distractions and passions.
• It helps us to focus our attention on God.
• It deepens our prayer life.
• It leads to a greater experience of God's presence.
• It helps us to grow in our spiritual life.

The Holy Bible states, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28).

• St. Isaac the Syrian (613-700 A.D.): "Hesychia is the resting of the mind in God."
• St. John of the Cross (1542-1591 A.D.): "The soul must enter into solitude and silence in order to hear God."

Hesychia has played an important role in Orthodox spirituality for centuries. It remains a popular practice among Orthodox monastics today, but it is also practiced by many lay people. Hesychasm can be a powerful tool for spiritual transformation, and it can help us to grow in our relationship with God.