As I write this, the world is reeling in the face of COVID-19. Here in the UK, on Monday the PM began the process of lock down, stressing the need for social distancing. Yesterday the Archbishops of Canterbury and York announced the closure of church services and gatherings. Today we heard that schools and nurseries will be closing from Friday. Over these days I have been receiving all kinds of messages from family, friends and those I work with and serve as a minister. There are messages of love, support and solidarity, and also ones of confusion, anger and fear. The inside of my own head is not much different!

For some years now I have been practising the Prayer of the Heart, sometimes also known as the Jesus Prayer, and since last Autumn our small ‘Wild Monastics’ community has been meeting fortnightly to explore this way of contemplation together. This is a meditative practice that dates back to at least the early centuries of Christianity, when it was practiced by the Desert Mothers and Fathers, and it has continued to be used ever since in many churches of different denominations, especially within Eastern Orthodoxy. It may well be based on even more ancient spiritual practices to contemplate the Divine name in Jewish mystical traditions.

Our Wild Monastics group contains people of any or no particular faith and we have all found some way of working with this prayer and drawing inspiration and healing from it. Now it seems, there could not be a better time to be supporting each other in returning to the Monastery of the Heart, as one way of responding to the suffering and fear that are arising at this time, and of building inner resilience for the future. I recently shared the basics of this spiritual practice with a dear friend who has been unwell and in self isolation, and her experience of finding it helpful has encouraged me to share this way of prayer, as I experience it, as a resource for others here. Click here for a short YouTube video, suitable for those of any faith or none and click here for a specifically Christian version. Or see the brief written description below. These are simple and personal offerings, made without any claims to special knowledge, authority or expertise, but just as a committed student who has found this practice transformative…

Bring your awareness into your body, gently focussing on the sensation of your breath and especially in the heart area.

As you breathe in, sound (in a quiet whisper or silently within) a sacred name or word that helps you feel loved and safe & feel it resonate & warm your heart.

As you breathe out, you can add a request or intention… so I might pray, for example, ‘ Mary…’ (as I breathe in) ‘Bless and heal us…’ (As I breathe out) The traditional words are ‘Christ…. have mercy’ but I regularly change it up a bit! There’s something about the combination of breath, heart and sacred name that is very calming & healing. Using words is particularly helpful if you find your mind it very busy or you are very distracted.

I also like to use prayer beads or a prayer rope as I breathe, as it gives one something to hold and acts as another physical anchor… so I feel the bead or knot as I breathe in and then move to the next one as I breathe out. Sometimes just sensing the breathing and beads is enough to calm the mind and adding words can feel too complex. If you don’t have a prayer rope or beads, you can simply use your fingers as follows: loosely curl in your fingers and thumbs on both hands and with each out breath, uncurl one digit at a time. When you have uncurled all ten, just loosely curl them up and begin again.

Don’t worry about how many times you get distracted by disturbing thoughts, feelings or sensations. Simply acknowledge them, let them go as you breathe out and then keep patiently and kindly returning again to the Monastery of the Heart.

Why not join us daily in the Monastery of the Heart, where we are gathering for 5 minutes (or more) of this meditation morning, noon and night each day to breathe deeply into the sacred core at the heart of being and from this divine source breathe peace and kindness out into our families, communities & wider world.

Images are of the Staverton Madonna by Marco and of The Way of the Pilgrim, translated by Helen Bacovcin, which is the best introduction I have found to the Prayer of the Heart.