Editing Jesus Prayer (section)

===Distinctiveness from analogues in other religions===
The practice of contemplative or meditative chanting is known in several religions including [[Buddhism]], [[Hinduism]], and [[Islam]] (e.g. [[japa]], [[zikr]]). The form of internal contemplation involving profound inner transformations affecting all the levels of the self is common to the traditions that posit the ontological value of personhood.<ref>Olga Louchakova, ''Ontopoiesis and Union in the Jesus Prayer: Contributions to Psychotherapy and Learning'', in ''Logos of Phenomenology and Phenomenology of Logos. Book Four&nbsp;– The Logos of Scientific Interrogation. Participating in Nature-Life-Sharing in Life'', [[Springer Science+Business Media|Springer Ed.]], 2006, p. 292, {{ISBN|1-4020-3736-8}}. [[Google Scholar]]: [https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=exqlzPD9KGMC].</ref>

Although some aspects of the Jesus Prayer may resemble some aspects of other traditions, its Christian character is central rather than mere "local color". The aim of the Christian practicing it is not limited to attaining humility, love, or purification of sinful thoughts, but rather it is becoming holy and seeking union with God (''theosis''), which subsumes all the aforementioned virtues. Thus, for the Eastern Orthodox:<ref name="panagiotis-ro">{{in lang|ro}} Hristofor Panaghiotis, ''Rugăciunea lui Iisus. Unirea minţii cu inima şi a omului cu Dumnezeu'' (''Jesus prayer. Uniting the mind with the heart and man with God by Panagiotis K. Christou''), translation from [[Greek language|Greek]], second edition, Panaghia Ed., Rarău Monastery, [[Vatra Dornei]], pp. 6, 12–15, 130, {{ISBN|978-973-88218-6-6}}.</ref>

:* The Jesus Prayer is, first of all, a prayer addressed to God. It is not a means of self-deifying or self-deliverance, but a counterexample to [[Fall of Man|Adam's pride]], repairing the breach it produced between man and God.
:* The aim is not to be dissolved or absorbed into nothingness or into God, or reach another state of mind, but to (re)unite{{efn|''Unite'' if referring to one person; ''reunite'' if talking at an anthropological level.}} with God (which by itself is a process) while remaining a distinct person.
:* It is an invocation of Jesus' name, because [[Christian anthropology]] and [[soteriology]] are strongly linked to [[Christology]] in [[Orthodox monasticism]].
:* In a modern context the continuing repetition is regarded by some as a form of [[meditation]], the prayer functioning as a kind of [[mantra]]. However, Orthodox users of the Jesus Prayer emphasize the ''invocation'' of the name of Jesus Christ that Hesychios describes in ''Pros Theodoulon'' which would be [[contemplation]] on the Triune God rather than simply emptying the mind.{{Citation needed|date=March 2008}}
:* Acknowledging "a sinner" is to lead firstly to a state of humbleness and repentance, recognizing one's own sinfulness.
:* Practicing the Jesus Prayer is strongly linked to mastering passions of both soul and body, e.g. by [[Eastern Orthodoxy#Fasting|fasting]]. For the Eastern Orthodox it is not the body that is wicked, but "the bodily way of thinking"; therefore [[salvation]] also regards the body.
:* Unlike "[[seed syllables]]" in particular traditions of chanting [[mantra]]s, the Jesus Prayer may be translated into whatever language the pray-er customarily uses. The emphasis is on the meaning, not on the mere utterance of certain sounds.
:* There is no emphasis on the psychosomatic techniques, which are merely seen as helpers for uniting the mind with the heart, not as prerequisites.

A magistral way of meeting God for the Orthodox,<ref name="kallistos-ware">{{in lang|ro}} ''Puterea Numelui sau despre Rugăciunea lui Iisus'' (''The Power of the Name. The Jesus Prayer in Orthodox Spirituality'') in [[Kallistos Ware]], ''Rugăciune şi tăcere în spiritualitatea ortodoxă'' (''Prayer and silence in the Orthodox spirituality''), translation from [[English language|English]], Christiana Ed., [[Bucharest]], 2003, pp. 23, 26, {{ISBN|973-8125-42-1}}.</ref> the Jesus Prayer does not harbor any secrets in itself, nor does its practice reveal any esoteric truths.<ref>{{in lang|ro}} Fr. Ioan de la Rarău, ''Rugăciunea lui Iisus. Întrebări şi răspunsuri'' (''Jesus Prayer. Questions and answers''), Panaghia Ed., Rarău Monastery, [[Vatra Dornei]], p. 97. {{ISBN|978-973-88218-6-6}}.</ref> Instead, as a [[hesychasm|hesychastic]] practice, it demands setting the mind apart from rational activities and ignoring the physical senses for the experiential knowledge of God. It stands along with the regular expected actions of the believer (prayer, almsgiving, repentance, fasting etc.) as the response of the Orthodox Tradition to [[Paul the Apostle]]'s challenge to "pray without ceasing" ({{bibleverse|1|Thess|5:17}}).<ref name="goarch-jp" /><ref name="panagiotis-ro" />