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ODAY ONE OF THE MAJOR CHALLENGES OF TRYING TO BE A CONTEMPLATIVE WHILE LIVING IN A MODERN CITY IS LEARNING HOW TO CULTIVATE INNER SILENCE OR INNER STILLNESS IN THE MIDST OF THE CLAMOR AND THE HECTIC ACTIVITIES OF A BUSY LIFE 9ET ) HAVE KNOWN FROM CHILDHOOD THAT THE KIND OF RECOLLECTEDNESS WHICH CAN LEAD TO INNER STILLNESS CAN IN FACT BE MAINTAINED IN AN URBAN SETTING ) GREW UP IN (ONG +ONG AND ) USED TO HEAR MY GRAND MOTHER WHO WAS A DEVOUT "UDDHIST RECITING THE "UDDHA S NAME THROUGHOUT THE DAY 4URNING HER PRAYER BEADS IN HER HAND SHE WOULD CHANT h.AN -U % -I 4O &Ov WHICH MEANS h(OMAGE TO THE "UDDHA !MITABHAv 7HEN ) GREETED HER SHE WOULD INTERRUPT HER RECITATION EXCHANGE A FEW WORDS WITH ME AND THEN CONTINUE CHANTING h.AN -U % -I 4O &O v ,ATER ) ATTENDED A #ATHOLIC SCHOOL AND BECAME A #ATHOLIC 7HEN ) l RST LEARNED ABOUT THE *ESUS 0RAYER ) WAS GREATLY STRUCK BY THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THIS PRAYER AND MY GRANDMOTHER S RECITATION OF THE "UDDHA S NAME )N THIS PAPER ) SHALL PRESENT THE *ESUS 0RAYER AS A WAY THAT CAN LEAD US TO INNER STILLNESS AND UNCEASING PRAYER WHETHER WE ARE LIVING IN A CITY OR IN THE COUNTRYSIDE 4HE *ESUS 0RAYERˆALSO KNOWN AS THE 0RAYER OF THE (EARTˆHAD ITS ORIGIN IN THE TRADITION OF THE DESERT MONKS IN FOURTH CENTURY %GYPT ,ATER HAVING PASSED THROUGH -OUNT 3INAI THE *ESUS 0RAYER WAS INTRODUCED TO 'REECE
WHERE IT m OURISHED ON -OUNT !THOS DURING THE -IDDLE !GES &ROM THERE IT SPREAD TO %ASTERN %UROPE AND BECAME AN IMPORTANT ELEMENT OF %ASTERN /R THODOX SPIRITUALITY )N THE MIDDLE OF THE LAST CENTURY IT ENTERED THE 7ESTERN #HURCH AND IS NOW WIDELY KNOWN AND PRACTICED IN THE 7EST AS WELL -ANY #HRISTIANS HAVE LEARNED ABOUT THE *ESUS 0RAYER THROUGH THE NINE TEENTH CENTURY 2USSIAN CLASSIC 7AY OF A 0ILGRIM WHICH HAS BEEN TRANSLATED INTO SOME FORTY LANGUAGES )TS ANONYMOUS AUTHOR TEACHES THE *ESUS 0RAYER BY WAY OF TELLING STORIES ABOUT HIMSELF /NE DAY WHEN HE WAS IN CHURCH SO THE NARRATIVE BEGINS HE HEARD THE SCRIPTURE READING OF 0AUL S INJUNCTION TO THE #HRISTIANS TO hPRAY WITHOUT CEASINGv 4HES )NSPIRED BY THE (OLY 3PIRIT THE PILGRIM FELT THAT 0AUL S WORDS WERE ADDRESSED TO HIM PER >HHJ: D8ID7:G