Quote:
Originally Posted by awareness
What if I'm not worthy, or it's the wrong season ... and then danger, danger, danger?
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You are worthy. The danger may come if you start building fantasies and imaginings about your achievements before you have attained them. The practice must be done with humility. Arrogance and pride can lead to self-delusion. For example, you may have some visions of light, angels, or Jesus, or pray longer than anyone else and therefore start thinking that you are better than others, while your visions are just illusions and your prayer is a vain repetition. So one needs a spiritual guide or director that may help him not to be fall into temptations.
Quote:
In order not to fall into illusion, while practicing inner prayer, do not permit yourself any concepts, images, or visions. For vivid imaginings, darting to and fro, and flights of fancy do not cease even when the mind stands in the heart and recites prayer: and no one is able to rule over them, except those who have attained perfection by the grace of the Holy Spirit, and who have acquired stability of mind through Jesus Christ.
St Theophan the Recluse
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Some other errors:
http://livingorthodoxfaith.blogspot....us-prayer.html
More about the Jesus prayer:
http://www.orthodoxa.org/GB/orthodox...usprayerGB.htm
http://oca.org/orthodoxy/the-orthodo...e-jesus-prayer
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_Prayer
http://www.svots.edu/content/rossi-jesus-prayer
http://www.orthodoxprayer.org/Jesus%20Prayer.html
http://www.pravmir.com/the-jesus-prayer-3/
http://www.antiochian.org/node/25485
http://orthodoxinfo.com/praxis/ignaty_jesus.aspx