Prayer of the Heart

[Philoteus]

What exactly is Prayer of the Heart according to the Church Fathers?
Some new calendarists told me it is strickly for monks or cloistered
persons and not for laypersons living in the world.

[jckstraw72]

if you're referring to the Jesus Prayer its for everyone methinks, best done under the advice of a spiritual father.

[Christophoros]

From "A Guide to Orthodox Life," by Fr. David and Presbytera Juliana Cownie:

The Jesus Prayer is at the heart of all monastic
endeavor. But this Prayer is not reserved solely for monastics
and should be used by all pious Orthodox Christians. The
Jesus Prayer is the simple prayer of the publican: “Lord Jesus
Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Much has
been written of it and of its use, often on a very lofty level. We
will not discuss these lofty dimensions of the Jesus Prayer, but,
rather, strongly recommend that anybody living in twentieth–
century Western society generally avoid such goals as “prayer of
the heart” and seek a more practical benefit from this “prayer of
prayers.” A superficial view of Christian life, such as that which
seeks instant enlightenment through this or that formula, can
lead one down the thorny path of delusion and spiritual death.
Having put forth a warning about its misuse, we must stress
that there are very positive uses for the Jesus Prayer for any person
at any moment. If circumstances occur which keep you from
saying your regular Morning or Evening Prayers, then you can
recite the Jesus Prayer on a prayer rope. A prayer rope is a cord
of intricate knots made from yarn in the form of numerous
Crosses, usually braided by monastics, which can be obtained
from an Orthodox supply company. Though they resemble the
Western rosary, prayer ropes should not be confused with this
Latin devotional device and are not used in the same way as the
rosary. To say a prayer rope, according to the simplest method,
you merely recite the Jesus Prayer once for each knot on the
rope, until you have used all of the knots on the rope. As the Jesus
Prayer is recited, one settles into a regular rhythm. This
rhythm will vary with each individual. To say a prayer rope takes
a minimal amount of time and allows us a way to worship God
even when our time is constrained.

The Jesus Prayer can be used at any time of the day. When
we find ourselves in an idle moment, we can recite it quietly to
ourselves or even in our head. If we are faced with a temptation
of any kind, we should recite the Jesus Prayer quietly, until the
temptation recedes. When we have a close call driving in traffic,
we should recite the Prayer in thanksgiving. When we awaken
from a bad dream, we should cross ourselves and recite the Jesus
Prayer, until we slip back into sleep. This Prayer should be our
constant companion and solace. Our ultimate goal should be to
have this Prayer on our lips instantly, in any situation.

There was once a terrible collision of two jumbo jets on the
runway in Tenerife, one of the Canary Islands, in the mid–’70s.
About twenty–five people survived out of almost six hundred.
One of these survivors described the hellish scene of a plane full
of hundreds of people who were burning to death, and his most
vivid memory was that of hearing almost all of these people
cursing God in their agony. What would come to our minds if
we were thrust into such a situation? Are those the sentiments
that we would like to present to the Eternal Judge? A constant
practice of the Jesus Prayer can teach us to glorify and thank
God in all circumstances—even in times of tremendous agony
and pain. And it can prepare us to go before the Eternal Judge,
not condemned by our curses, but justified by our praises. It is,
in effect, a training tool for prayer.

Prayer is also an attitude, as much as it is words. If the Jesus
Prayer leads us to true prayer, it leads us to something which is
profoundly bound up with the very goal and purpose of human
existence. Metropolitan Cyprian gives a wonderful description
of what this ultimate goal in our prayer life should be. He depicts
for us the fruit of the Jesus Prayer:

The Faithful commonly offer this convenient excuse when we
give them the brotherly counsel that they should cultivate ceaseless
prayer: ‘How is it possible to pray unceasingly amidst the world
and its distractions?’

Indeed, could it be that the injunction of St. Paul to ‘pray
without ceasing,’ an instruction certainly not addressed only to
monks and ascetics, but to newly–enlightened Christians living in
idolatrous surroundings, is unattainable? Most assuredly not. Let
us, then, delve into this vital matter.

A basic error on the part of the Faithful, with regard to
prayer, is that they think of prayer as being restricted to words
alone. Our prayer, in fact, is an expression of our spiritual disposition,
and it becomes constant and more ardent when accompanied
by good works. The entire life of a renewed Christian is a prayer.
His existence is an offering of glorification to our Lord and God. It is
a material manifestation of yet another Apostolic command: ‘Whether
ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of
God.’

Thus it is that St. Basil the Great tells us to pray whenever we
sit at a table. When you eat bread, thank Him Who gave it to you.
When you drink wine, remember Him Who provided you with
this gift, that your heart might be gladdened. Is your hunger satis-
fied? Do not forget the Benefactor. When you dress, thank Him

Who gave you clothes, increasing your love for God, Who bestows
upon us garments for both winter and summer. Is the day finished?
Thank our Lord, Who gave us the sun, that we might do
the works of the day, and Who gave us fire to serve the needs of
the night. And again in the evening, raise up your eyes to the
Heavens and the beauty of the stars, glorifying the Master Fashioner,
Who made all with wisdom.

In this manner, without our perceiving it, our hearts are
drawn close to God: we live in an atmosphere of Grace, we
breathe God, we pray unceasingly. And certainly it is to this that
prayer aspires—not only, then, to the formal repetition of designated
prayers at an appointed hour. Prayer and glorification on the
road, at work, at meetings, on outings, everywhere and always: this
is unceasing prayer.

The beginning of ceaseless prayer is, without doubt, difficult.
But we have divine allies. These are the Holy Angels. As the Holy
Fathers say, ‘the Holy Angels urge us on to prayer, accompanying
us and delighting in their prayers for us.’ Let us not be negligent,
contriving ‘excuses for sins,’ but let us press ourselves, that we
might become living Christians, people of prayer, and dwelling
places of the Holy Spirit.