History of Meditation In Eastern Orthodoxy

An Overview of The History of Meditation In Eastern Orthodoxy

The tradition of Christian meditation in the Eastern Orthodox faith can be traced back to the early Christian monastics, the Desert Fathers and Mothers, who sought spiritual communion with God through prayer and meditation. Eastern Orthodoxy considers different types of meditation, like goal-oriented thinking and contemplative prayer, that direct one’s thoughts toward God, His Word, and His works.

Hesychasm and Eastern Meditation

Hesychastic Prayer is a traditional Orthodox practice of silent prayer and mindfulness meditation.[1] The purpose is to seek divine stillness through contemplation and uninterrupted prayer and, ultimately, attain direct communion with God by aligning their thoughts with the indwelling presence of Christ.

The Eastern Orthodox tradition of Hesychasm emphasizes a pure, intellectual prayer, or “the Jesus Prayer,” a repetitive recitation. This idea is rooted in Paul’s declaration that

...It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me....

Galatians 2:20, ESV

One of the fathers of this tradition was St. John Climacus. He wrote,[2]

Let the remembrance of Jesus be present with each breath, and then you will know the value of the hēsychia.

This describes a type of meditative prayer with intention and breathwork.

Later, in the 13th century, St. Nicephorus (called the Hesychast) taught his students and novices a similar prayer method. His teachings showed them how to fix their eyes on their stomachs during prayer to focus their attention even more and align their prayers with their breathing.[3]

In the modern context, Hesychast spirituality is still practiced by Eastern Orthodox Christians. It has gained significant traction in Russia via a collection of Hesychast writings called the Philokalia. Philokalia means “love of the good, the beautiful” in the original Greek, and these writings contain historic monastic texts on prayer, meditation, and devotional life compiled from writers dating back to Evagrius Ponticus and the Desert Fathers in the first century and St. Gregory Palamas in the 14th century.[4]

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Inner Watchfulness

A meditative technique known as “watchfulness” or “inner watchfulness” is a common practice in the Orthodox faith with a rich and long history.

St Maximos the Confessor

St. Maximos was a 7th-century monk who wrote several works that focused on the thought life of a believer. He taught that participants should be familiar with their own thoughts and eliminate unwanted, intrusive thoughts. St. Maximos taught that, though harmful thoughts could never be fully eradicated, the mind could still be controlled through spiritual techniques.[5]

He also said,[6]

He who has not transcended himself and has not transcended all that is in any way subject to intellection, and has not come to abide in the silence beyond intellection, cannot be entirely free from change.

St. Maximos teaches us that we cannot enjoy perfect stillness or blissful union with God without setting aside our intellect, which is a core principle of Christian meditation.

St Philotheos of Sinai

St. Philotheos wrote the “Forty Texts of Watchfulness,” a treatise on discipline and self-control, including prayer and meditation. Two of those texts include:[7]

Lectio Divina

Lectio Divina (“divine reading”) is a spiritual practice that involves reading from Scripture, writings of theologians, or the Desert Fathers slowly and attentively—not to learn from the truth it contains but to commune directly with God.[8] The participant may attempt to walk through the reading, imagining they were there in the event being recited. It can be read silently or aloud, but with no attention to the content, rather emptying oneself to let the Word of God fill the heart and mind.

Psalmody

Psalmody is a form of meditation where one reads or chants through the Psalms, but again, no thought should be given to the content. The purpose of Psalmody is to eliminate reasoning and thought to open one’s heart to the Lord and achieve what St. Benedict of Nursia (born in the late 5th century) calls “uniting his mouth with his mind.”[9] Chanting, Psalmody, and singing are a type of Christian meditation that is encouraged in the Eastern Orthodox church, especially in dark times.

The Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom

The Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom is a common liturgical text containing many prayers of the Greek Orthodox church that carries the themes of contemplation, meditation, and enlightenment.

The Prayer of the Holy Gospel

The Holy Communion

Holy Communion is an ancient and sacred ritual in the Eastern Orthodox church as it is among many Christian denominations. This is when bread is broken and wine is shared, as the Lord Jesus Christ Himself demonstrated at the Last Supper. The very word “communion” means “an act or instance of sharing,” “realization of a spiritual union between Christ,” and “intimate fellowship or rapport.”[11] The ritual itself inspires contemplative prayer as believers come before God for the purpose of contrition, closeness, and connection.

Part of the Holy Communion recitation includes this portion, promoting a meditative practice to remember the righteous character of God:[12]

Let our mouths be filled with Your praise, O Lord, that we may sing of Your glory, because You have made us worthy to partake of Your Holy Mysteries. Keep us in Your sanctification, that all day long we may meditate upon Your righteousness. Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia.

Taizé Prayer & Meditation

Taizé refers to a monastic community in Taizé, France, that was founded during World War II. One of their signature practices is repetitive songs, chants, and meditative prayers, sometimes with icons from the Eastern Orthodox tradition. These mediums usually emphasize simple phrases, Psalms, or Scripture in repetition to promote silent meditation and prayer.

In the modern context, the Taizé practices appeal to participants from all Christian denominations (Anglican, Catholic, Protestant, etc.). Services in Taizé are often live-streamed and available online for free. They follow a specific format that includes songs, prayer, and scripture readings. Here is an example of the order of evening prayer service:[13]

• Song
• Psalm
• Bible reading
• Song
• Silence
• Intercessions or litany of praise
• Song
• Blessing
• Songs