Lay People and the Prayer of the Heart
To a layman who asked about Noetic Prayer (Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me), Elder Ephraim of Katounakia had this to say:
Set aside half an hour out of the twenty-four to say the Prayer. Whenever you are able; but the evening is best. Say it without using the prayer rope - in supplication, pleading, and with tears. 'Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.' Cultivate this, and you'll see what fruit it brings. From half an hour, it will become an hour. And guard this hour. Whether the phone is ringing, or you have this task you need to do now, or you're sleepy, or some blasphemy is confronting you. Nothing. Turn off the phone. Finish your tasks. Do this half hour and you'll see. You've planted a little tree, and tomorrow or the day after it will bear fruit. St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil both began like this and became luminaries for the whole world. St. Symeon the New Theologian had experiences of the Uncreated Light while still a layman. He was a layman. How many laymen appear as such exteriorly, but deep down are monastics!Elder Ephraim of Katounakia:
From Obedience Is Life: Elder Ephraim of Katounakia, by Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi, p. 196.
To a layman who asked about Noetic Prayer (Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me), Elder Ephraim of Katounakia had this to say:
Set aside half an hour out of the twenty-four to say the Prayer. Whenever you are able; but the evening is best. Say it without using the prayer rope - in supplication, pleading, and with tears. 'Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.' Cultivate this, and you'll see what fruit it brings. From half an hour, it will become an hour. And guard this hour. Whether the phone is ringing, or you have this task you need to do now, or you're sleepy, or some blasphemy is confronting you. Nothing. Turn off the phone. Finish your tasks. Do this half hour and you'll see. You've planted a little tree, and tomorrow or the day after it will bear fruit. St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil both began like this and became luminaries for the whole world. St. Symeon the New Theologian had experiences of the Uncreated Light while still a layman. He was a layman. How many laymen appear as such exteriorly, but deep down are monastics!
Set aside half an hour out of the twenty-four to say the Prayer. Whenever you are able; but the evening is best. Say it without using the prayer rope - in supplication, pleading, and with tears. 'Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.' Cultivate this, and you'll see what fruit it brings. From half an hour, it will become an hour. And guard this hour. Whether the phone is ringing, or you have this task you need to do now, or you're sleepy, or some blasphemy is confronting you. Nothing. Turn off the phone. Finish your tasks. Do this half hour and you'll see. You've planted a little tree, and tomorrow or the day after it will bear fruit. St. John Chrysostom and St. Basil both began like this and became luminaries for the whole world. St. Symeon the New Theologian had experiences of the Uncreated Light while still a layman. He was a layman. How many laymen appear as such exteriorly, but deep down are monastics!
Elder Ephraim of Katounakia:
From Obedience Is Life: Elder Ephraim of Katounakia, by Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi, p. 196.
From Obedience Is Life: Elder Ephraim of Katounakia, by Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi, p. 196.
"Prayer without Ceasing" Is Necessary For All Christians
St. Gregory Palamas
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Let no one think, my brother Christians, that it is the duty only of priests and monks to pray without ceasing, and not of laymen.
No, no; it is the duty of all of us Christians to remain always in prayer.For look what the most holy Patriarch of Constantinople, Philotheus, writes in his life of St. Gregory of Thessalonica. This saint had a beloved friend by the name of Job, a very simple but most virtuous man. Once, while conversing with him, His Eminence said of prayer that every Christian in general should strive to pray always, and to pray without ceasing, as Apostle Paul commands all Christians, "Pray without ceasing" (I Thessalonians 5:17), and as the prophet David says of himself, although he was a king and had to concern himself with his whole kingdom: "I foresaw the Lord always before my face" (Psalms 15:8), that is, in my prayer I always mentally see the Lord before me.
Gregory the Theologian also teaches all Christians to say God’s name in prayer more often than to breathe.So, my Christian brethren, I too implore you, together also with St. Chrysostom, for the sake of saving your souls, do not neglect the practice of this prayer. Imitate those I have mentioned and follow in their footsteps as far as you can.It Only Appears to Be Diffficult at First
At first it may appear very difficult to you, but be assured, as it were from Almighty God, that this very name of our Lord Jesus Christ, constantly invoked by you, will help you to overcome all difficulties, and in the course of time you will become used to this practice and will taste how sweet is the name of the Lord. Then you will learn by experience that this practice is not impossible and not difficult, but both possible and easy. This is why St. Paul, who knew better than we the great good which such prayer would bring, commanded us to pray without ceasing. He would not have imposed this obligation upon us if it were extremely difficult and impossible, for he knew beforehand that in such case, having no possibility of fulfilling it, we would inevitably prove to be disobedient and would transgress his commandment, thus incurring blame and condemnation. The Apostle could have had no such intention.Moreover, bear in mind the method of prayer – how it is possible to pray without ceasing, namely by praying in the mind. And this we can always do if we so wish. For when we sit down to work with our hands, when we walk, when we eat, when we drink we can always pray mentally and practice this mental prayer – the true prayer pleasing to God. Let us work with the body and pray with the soul. Let our outer man perform his bodily tasks, and let the inner man be entirely dedicated to the service of God, never abandoning this spiritual practice of mental prayer, as Jesus, God and Man, commanded us, saying: "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret" (Matthew 6:6).
The closet of the soul is the body; our doors are the five bodily senses. The soul enters its closet when the mind does not wander hither and thither, roaming among things and affairs of the world, but stays within, in our heart. Our senses become closed and remain closed when we do not let them be attached to external sensory things, and in this way our mind remains free from every worldly attachment, and by secret mental prayer unites with God its Father. "And thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly," adds the Lord. God who knows all secret things sees mental prayer and rewards it openly with great gifts. For that prayer is true and perfect which fills the soul with Divine grace and spiritual gifts. As chrism perfumes the jar the more strongly the tighter it is closed, so prayer, the more fast it is imprisoned in the heart, abounds the more in Divine grace.Blessed are those who acquire the habit of this heavenly practice, for by it they overcome every temptation of the evil demons, as David overcame the proud Goliath. It extinguishes the unruly lusts of the flesh, as the three men extinguished the flames of the furnace. This practice of inner prayer tames passions as Daniel tamed the wild beasts. By it the dew of the Holy Spirit is brought down upon the heart, as Elijah brought down rain on Mount Carmel. This mental prayer reaches to the very throne of God and is preserved in golden vials, sending forth their odors before the Lord, as John the Divine saw in the Revelation, "Four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odors, which are the prayers of the saints" (Revelation 5:8).This mental prayer is the light which illumines man’s soul and inflames his heart with the fire of love of God. It is the chain linking God with man and man with God. Oh the incomparable blessing of mental prayer! It allows a man constantly to converse with God. Oh truly wonderful and more than wonderful – to be with one’s body among men while in one’s mind conversing with God. Angels have no physical voice, but mentally never cease to sing glory to God. This is their sole occupation and all their life is dedicated to this.So, brother, when you enter your closet and close your door, that is, when your mind is not darting hither and thither but enters within your heart, and your senses are confined and barred against things of this world, and when you pray thus always, you too are then like the holy angels, and your Father, Who sees your prayer in secret, which you bring Him in the hidden depths of your heart, will reward you openly by great spiritual gifts.But what other and greater rewards can you wish from this when, as I said, you are mentally always before the face of God and are constantly conversing with Him – conversing with God, without Whom no man can ever be blessed either here or in another life?Finally, my brother, whoever you may be, when you take up this book and, having read it, wish to test in practice the profit which mental prayer brings to the soul, I beg you, when you begin to pray thus, pray God with one invocation, "Lord have mercy," for the soul of him who has worked on compiling this book and of him who helped to give it to the public. For they have great need of your prayer to receive God’s mercy for their soul, as you for yours. May it be so! May it be so!St Gregory Palamas, from "Early Fathers From the Philokalia," translated from the Russian text, "Dobrotolubiye," by E. Kadloubovsky and G.E.H. Palmer, eighth edition, (London: Faber and Faber, Ltd., 1981), pp. 412 - 415
At first it may appear very difficult to you, but be assured, as it were from Almighty God, that this very name of our Lord Jesus Christ, constantly invoked by you, will help you to overcome all difficulties, and in the course of time you will become used to this practice and will taste how sweet is the name of the Lord. Then you will learn by experience that this practice is not impossible and not difficult, but both possible and easy. This is why St. Paul, who knew better than we the great good which such prayer would bring, commanded us to pray without ceasing. He would not have imposed this obligation upon us if it were extremely difficult and impossible, for he knew beforehand that in such case, having no possibility of fulfilling it, we would inevitably prove to be disobedient and would transgress his commandment, thus incurring blame and condemnation. The Apostle could have had no such intention.
The closet of the soul is the body; our doors are the five bodily senses. The soul enters its closet when the mind does not wander hither and thither, roaming among things and affairs of the world, but stays within, in our heart. Our senses become closed and remain closed when we do not let them be attached to external sensory things, and in this way our mind remains free from every worldly attachment, and by secret mental prayer unites with God its Father. "And thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly," adds the Lord. God who knows all secret things sees mental prayer and rewards it openly with great gifts. For that prayer is true and perfect which fills the soul with Divine grace and spiritual gifts. As chrism perfumes the jar the more strongly the tighter it is closed, so prayer, the more fast it is imprisoned in the heart, abounds the more in Divine grace.
Can Prayer Help relieve Headaches.
While there is no research on the use of the Jesus Prayer and relief from headaches there is some research from those who meditate. Meditation has been shown to help offset the symptoms of chronic pain, including headaches. One study showed that 72 percent of patients with chronic pain who underwent meditation training, reported significant reductions in their level of pain. In another study, patients who practiced meditation experienced fewer migraine headaches, enhanced their pain tolerance, and reported a greater sense of well-being.
The Jesus Prayer is quite different than meditation as it is an prayer in communication with God. But there are many similarities to the regular practice of this prayer that are similar to meditation. The Jesus prayer should be much more effective than meditation as it does call on God for His mercy.
The regular practice of the Jesus prayer requires at least 15 minutes per day where you can set aside all daily cares and quietly in your mind repeat the prayer, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have mercy on me." One will find that this is not an easy task as our minds are very active and we will observe many distracting thoughts while we try to pray in this way. Gradually as we keep up a daily practice we will gain in our ability to concentrate on the words of the prayer. As we gain in this way, our mind becomes quiet, our body relaxes, and our heart opens to God. This opening then allow His grace to flow through us bringing any healing power as God wills for us.
With the practice, when we feel a headache coming on, we can stop for a few minutes and repeat this prayer until the pain subsides. We don't have to wait for the actual headache to intervene with a prayer. Here are some symptoms that are known to be precursors to and headache: Fatigue, mood changes, food cravings, loss of appetite, yawning, increased urination, and muscle stiffness. We can observe our own situation and learn to recognize these warning signs. There are also some common triggers that can be avoided. They are: Caffeine, chocolate, aged cheese, red wine, hormonal changes, stress, and too much or to little sleep.
To learn more about the practice of the Jesus Prayer in your daily life, you can go the the OrthodoxPrayer.org website and enter the section labeled Jesus Prayer.
The power in this prayer comes from the name, "Jesus". Its practice requires humility realizing that we cannot control everything in this world, including our aches and pains. Its practice is both a worship of God and a discipline with similarities to many meditation techniques. It is not an easy practice and takes patience and endurance. Research has shown that it actually causes a change in neurological networks of our brain. One must first have faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
While there is no research on the use of the Jesus Prayer and relief from headaches there is some research from those who meditate.
Meditation has been shown to help offset the symptoms of chronic pain, including headaches. One study showed that 72 percent of patients with chronic pain who underwent meditation training, reported significant reductions in their level of pain. In another study, patients who practiced meditation experienced fewer migraine headaches, enhanced their pain tolerance, and reported a greater sense of well-being.The Jesus Prayer is quite different than meditation as it is an prayer in communication with God. But there are many similarities to the regular practice of this prayer that are similar to meditation. The Jesus prayer should be much more effective than meditation as it does call on God for His mercy.
The regular practice of the Jesus prayer requires at least 15 minutes per day where you can set aside all daily cares and quietly in your mind repeat the prayer, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, Have mercy on me." One will find that this is not an easy task as our minds are very active and we will observe many distracting thoughts while we try to pray in this way. Gradually as we keep up a daily practice we will gain in our ability to concentrate on the words of the prayer. As we gain in this way, our mind becomes quiet, our body relaxes, and our heart opens to God. This opening then allow His grace to flow through us bringing any healing power as God wills for us.
With the practice, when we feel a headache coming on, we can stop for a few minutes and repeat this prayer until the pain subsides. We don't have to wait for the actual headache to intervene with a prayer. Here are some symptoms that are known to be precursors to and headache: Fatigue, mood changes, food cravings, loss of appetite, yawning, increased urination, and muscle stiffness. We can observe our own situation and learn to recognize these warning signs. There are also some common triggers that can be avoided. They are: Caffeine, chocolate, aged cheese, red wine, hormonal changes, stress, and too much or to little sleep.
To learn more about the practice of the Jesus Prayer in your daily life, you can go the the OrthodoxPrayer.org website and enter the section labeled Jesus Prayer.
The power in this prayer comes from the name, "Jesus". Its practice requires humility realizing that we cannot control everything in this world, including our aches and pains. Its practice is both a worship of God and a discipline with similarities to many meditation techniques. It is not an easy practice and takes patience and endurance. Research has shown that it actually causes a change in neurological networks of our brain. One must first have faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
Can seven words—Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me—change lives?
It may seem a lot of effort over just seven words: Finding 110 Eastern Orthodox Christians, giving them a battery of tests ranging from psychology to theology to behavioral medicine, and then repeating the tests 30 days later. But the seven words—"Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me" (a.k.a. the Jesus Prayer)—are among the most enduring in history. What Boston University psychologist George Stavros, Ph.D., wanted to find out was whether repeating the Jesus Prayer for ten minutes each day over the 30 days would affect these people's relationship with God, their relationships with others, their faith maturity, and their "self-cohesion" (levels of depression, anxiety, hostility, and interpersonal sensitivity). In short, Stavros was asking whether the Jesus Prayer can play a special role in a person's "journey to the heart."The answer—at least on all the scales that showed any significant effect compared to the control group—turned out to be a resounding yes. Repeating the contemplative prayer deepened the commitment of these Christians to a relationship with a transcendent reality. Not only that, it reduced depression, anxiety, hostility, and feelings of inferiority to others. So powerful were the psychological effects of the prayer that Stavros urges his colleagues to keep it in mind as a healing intervention for clients. He recommends that the prayer be used along with communal practices so that one's relationship with God and others is "subtly and continuously tutored." In other words, going inside to find God does not mean going it alone.From Spirituality & Health—The Soul/Body Connection. Publication date unknown. Posted 8/21/2005. THE OMNIPOTENT PRAYER Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me ...
By Elder Joseph, the quieter and Spilaiotou (1897-1959)
Always try to make sure that the prayer of Jesus Christ is included in your daily cycle, your work, your every breath and your every sense. Oh, then how will your heart rejoice! How delighted you will be because your mind will rise towards the heavens. Wherefore do not forget to always say: Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.
When you chant you will understand the chants; you will have the desire and you will likely have the voice and humility to give back, accordingly, the words of God. Therefore do not do injustice to your soul anymore, but say inwardly the prayer, Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me...
When you work, do not let all your thoughts and strength be absorbed in your work, but say the prayer in a whisper. Then your works will be correct, error-free, your thoughts will be clean, and your work performance will be greater. Go ahead, then, say the prayer of Jesus Christ, so your works will be blessed, Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.
The Holy Spirit protects the soul that prays. It enters the depths of the soul, has control over the inner world of the soul and it directs it towards God's Holy Will. Only then the soul has the power to say, along with the Prophet: Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! (Ps. 103, 1). Go ahead and pray: Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, so you will have the protection of the Holy Spirit.
When the Holy Spirit protects your soul, you feel fulfilled and humble. You are not affected by injustice, irony or praise. You live in a spiritual atmosphere, which the virus of sin cannot penetrate. Only the Holy Spirit can judge our souls, no else has that right. The Holy Spirit gives us new eyes and new reasoning. Say the prayer frequently so you can live comfortably in any environment; Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.
By Elder Joseph, the quieter and Spilaiotou (1897-1959)
Always try to make sure that the prayer of Jesus Christ is included in your daily cycle, your work, your every breath and your every sense. Oh, then how will your heart rejoice! How delighted you will be because your mind will rise towards the heavens. Wherefore do not forget to always say: Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.
When you chant you will understand the chants; you will have the desire and you will likely have the voice and humility to give back, accordingly, the words of God. Therefore do not do injustice to your soul anymore, but say inwardly the prayer, Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me...
When you work, do not let all your thoughts and strength be absorbed in your work, but say the prayer in a whisper. Then your works will be correct, error-free, your thoughts will be clean, and your work performance will be greater. Go ahead, then, say the prayer of Jesus Christ, so your works will be blessed, Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.
The Holy Spirit protects the soul that prays. It enters the depths of the soul, has control over the inner world of the soul and it directs it towards God's Holy Will. Only then the soul has the power to say, along with the Prophet: Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! (Ps. 103, 1). Go ahead and pray: Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, so you will have the protection of the Holy Spirit.
When the Holy Spirit protects your soul, you feel fulfilled and humble. You are not affected by injustice, irony or praise. You live in a spiritual atmosphere, which the virus of sin cannot penetrate. Only the Holy Spirit can judge our souls, no else has that right. The Holy Spirit gives us new eyes and new reasoning. Say the prayer frequently so you can live comfortably in any environment; Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.
Jesus Prayer with Attention is the Key
The true path to union with God is one that involves the continual remembrance and God and always acting on the guidance of our conscience. It is only in this way that we can do as we pray in the Lord's Prayer, "Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven." One of the most fundamental practices to make this a reality in ones life is prayer. Saint Theophan says prayer is "a spiritual barometer for self-observation." In prayer we find out how "high or low our spirit has gone." A sound prayer life involves regular morning and evening prayers. This is supplemented with the ongoing repetition in our minds of the Jesus Prayer so that we attain continual remembrance of God through unceasing prayer.
Saint Theophan offers us some advice about prayer.
He says,
From my personal experience, the practice of the Jesus Prayer in conjunction with controlling the thoughts is the essence of a fundamental spiritual practice that will lead you continually closer to God. Everything will follow with ease once you have engaged in a regular practice of the Jesus Prayer. Once the mind has been conditioned to remember the prayer in all situation, then God will be in your presence and there is time for you to listen to your conscience and to act with wisdom instead of passion.
More on the Jesus Prayer
Reference: The Spiritual Life, pp 198-200
Saint Theophan offers us some advice about prayer.
He says,
The essence of prayer is the raising of the heart and mind to God...You must train yourself in remembrance of God, and the means for doing this... is short prayer, in which you continually repeat the thought, "Lord have mercy!" "Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner!"In addition we need to train ourselves to focus on pray and not to let our minds wander. Saint Theophan address this as follows:
Make this your rule: always be with the Lord in mind and heart; never allow the thoughts to wander, but when they do, call them back again and force them to stay at home in the house of the heart and speak with the most sweet Lord. Once you have made this rule, you must force yourself to carry it out faithfully.My own spiritual father gave me this simple advice when I discussed this common problem with him, "Just decide to reject them! When you do, they will stop." Prayer involves giving your full attention to God alone.
From my personal experience, the practice of the Jesus Prayer in conjunction with controlling the thoughts is the essence of a fundamental spiritual practice that will lead you continually closer to God. Everything will follow with ease once you have engaged in a regular practice of the Jesus Prayer. Once the mind has been conditioned to remember the prayer in all situation, then God will be in your presence and there is time for you to listen to your conscience and to act with wisdom instead of passion.
More on the Jesus Prayer
Reference: The Spiritual Life, pp 198-200
Secret to a Spiritual Life Amidst Busyness
To transform such a life of busyness, the secret is "unceasing remembrance of God." This is our most important spiritual task, to learn how to remember God at all times no matter how busy we are. By fortifying ourselves with such remembrance, God never leaves our mind. with God in our mind at all times He is always with us and is everywhere. This is the only way to transform our lives into one that is forever spiritual. All our activities become made up of actions dedicated to the will of God. We become more able to choose those activities which are truly important and to give up those that are not so important. We even learn, though God's grace, how to make increasing time for daily prayer, regular worship and participation in the sacraments.
Saint Theophan instructs us as follows:
Nothing special is required for this, just the intention of accepting it and exerting yourself, and remembering that the Lord is in you and close by you, and looks in you and inside of you just as intently as if someone were looking right at you. So that you do not do something, just remember that the Lord is close by and watching. Work at making this a habit and you will get used to it, and as soon as it is a habit, or is almost a habit, you will see the read gaming action that comes from it in the soul. Just do not forget that remembrance of God is not like remembrance of other things, that it must be combined with the fear of God and reverence of Him.
To make it easier to acquire the habit of remembrance of God, there is a special method for fervent Christians; that is, the unceasing repetition of a short prayer... most common is “Lord, have mercy!” “Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner!” If you have never heard this, then listen, and if you have never done it, then begin doing it from this moment on. Whether you are walking, sitting, working, eating, going to bed, repeat over and over the words, “Lord, have mercy!” “Lord, Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner!” From long practice of this, the words will fasten themselves to the tongue so that they will repeat themselves. This has a very settling effect on the soaring and wandering of the thoughts. Again, do not forget to combine this prayer with reverence.
More on the Jesus Prayer
Reference: The Spiritual Life, pp 187–188
Adding Spiritual Value To Our Work
It is through prayer that we sanctify our work as well as ourselves. Therefore, it is important to teach our employees to be renewed spiritually and to work prayerfully. When work is sanctified, it gains a spiritual value above the material value of the service or product. When workers are cursing while they work their work is also cursed and its value is diminished.
Elder Paisios says,
In our days, people prefer to purchase their icons and other items from monasteries. They do so because they know that monks and nuns say the Jesus prayer while working, and every thing they do is blessed. When people visit a monastery and eat food coked without oil they find it tasty and say, “I haven’t eaten such a tasty dish even in the best restaurant. How can it be so tasty when it is cooked without oil?
When the cook of a restaurant curses while he is cooking and never goes to church, how can the food be blessed? On the contrary, the monk is praying while cooking and his hart is filled with positive thoughts; he thinks that he is preparing food for earthly angels to eat. Moreover, when monks sit at the table to eat, they say a prayer to bless the food. How is it possible then for the food not to taste good?
Therefore when someone comes to your business to start work, first see that he is spiritually revived and then show him the work, so your business will have God’s blessing and be prosperous.
With this advice, try to create a spiritual attitude in your workplace and observe the difference it makes on yourself, your employees and your customers.
Source: Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain, p 82
When to Pray the Jesus Prayer
The aim of prayer is to do as Saint Paul instructs us, “To pray unceasingly” (1 Thessalonians 5:17). This simple prayer can easily be said anywhere. Often we think of prayer as something we do in the morning and then in the evening or in church. But this is not right. We must think of prayer as something that we do continuously.
Elder Paisios says,
We should always say the Jesus prayer wherever we are; not just in the morning or at night. When we walk, we should not waste our free time, but instead take advantage of it and repeat the prayer. When we are working in a busy place and it is difficult for us to concentrate on praying, we can quietly chant without disturbing others.
There are many moments during the day when we are idle. How often do you find yourself waiting in line for something. This is the ideal time to pray, saying “Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me.” Then as you begin to do this during these idle times you will gradually find yourself repeating the prayer at other times throughout the day. To help etch the prayer in our minds, it is also helpful to repeat it numerous times as part of our morning and evening prayers as well. With God’s help, eventually it will become continuous without any effort. What you need to begin is the intention to pray unceasingly as Paul instructs.
Source: Elder Paisios of the Holy Mountain, p 81
