How did I start using a prayer rope?
Amos Smith knew I often prayed the Jesus Prayer. Amos sent me a prayer rope. It was shipped from Greece. It is pictured below. Let me share more information about a prayer rope by answering the below three questions.
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What is the Jesus Prayer?
The Jesus Prayer, also called the Prayer of the Heart, the Prayer of a Single Thought, or simply The Prayer, is a short, simple prayer that has been widely used, taught and discussed throughout the history of Eastern Christianity.
The exact words of the prayer have varied, from a simple form such as “Lord, have mercy” to an extended form:
“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner.”
I say. “Jesus, son of God have mercy on me or a persons name. Or a situation.”
What is a prayer rope?
In the Orthodox tradition the Jesus prayer is said or prayed repeatedly, often with the aid of a prayer rope.
Historically it typically had 100 knots, although prayer ropes with 300, 50, or 33 knots or, less commonly, 250 or 12 can also be found in use today. There is typically a knotted cross at one end, and a few beads at certain intervals between the knots. The purpose is to help us concentrate, not necessarily to count.
Its invention is attributed to St. Pachomius in the fourth century. He was a a desert father in Egypt.
How do I use the prayer rope?
I use it after centering prayer. I use it whenever I want to. I often carry it in my pocket or leave it in my car.
I hold it between my index finger and thumb of my right hand. I say, “Jesus, Son of God have mercy on _____ . In the blank I will say me, a person’s name or a situation. After each Jesus Prayer, I move to the next bead. I will repeat this prayer until I no longer have a name or situation in mind.
It is nice to pray and at the same time perform some type of action. This helps me focus on God. The purpose is not to finish the knots. The purpose is to pray. I like the combination of prayer and physical action.
I believe when I say this prayer, Jesus is present, guides me, walks with me or is with the other person or situation. Jesus is always present. Even when we forget or don’t feel like he is, Jesus is with us.
Go Further:
Prayer-Bracelet: Authentic Orthodox prayer ropes and bracelets are handmade by monks in the Orthodox monastaries reciting a prayer for every knot they tie. Peruse their prayer ropes and bracelets that are all handmade, provided by several orthodox churches around the globe.
The Jesus Prayer by Kallistos Ware
The Jesus Prayer: The Ancient Desert Prayer that Tunes the Heart to God by
The Jesus Prayer: A Cry for Mercy, a Path of Renewal by
Check out my conversation post on prayer ropes with Justin Coutts at In Search of a New Eden.
Please enjoy this 1 minute video on the Jesus Prayer.
The Wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers by Christine Valters Paintner: The Wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers with Christine Valters Paintner” is an Online Retreat that enables you to explore and engage with the insights of the desert mothers and fathers of fourth and fifth century Egypt. These men and women of God went to the desert to live out a simple but challenging spirituality that still resonates strongly for us today.
Centering Prayer Course: A Training Course for Opening to the Presence of God – Centering Prayer is a silent prayer practice that can move you toward a profound relationship with the Spirit of God within. It is a way of praying that opens the door to the Divine Indwelling—the ground of our being. With Centering Prayer, Father Thomas Keating and his colleagues Gail Fitzpatrick-Hopler and Father Carl Arico present the first online course in this method for deepening your intimacy with God and ultimately consenting to the presence and action of the Divine in all aspects of your life.
How might your life change if you were steeped more deeply in the wisdom of the Christian Mystics? Drawing on the best available writing on the topic of Christian Mysticism both ancient and modern, Contemplative Light is offering a special course on the Christian Mystics Sacred Lives: An Introduction To The Christian Mystics.
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