28 extends beyond it. By shifting our focus from ourselves to God, we come to recognise that God is truly with us. This awareness itself becomes a form of prayer, as informed by Psalm 16:8 “I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.” For Evagrius Ponticus prayer is ‘an ascent of the spirit to God’, while Abba Isaiah sees prayer as “never to release one’s heart from the memory of God”. Saint Basil of Caesarea similarly taught that we should guard our hearts to keep ‘the thought of God’ alive within us, free from distractions or trivial imaginings, so that holy thoughts become a seal on our souls, growing stronger with continuous recollection. John Cassian also urged that we be clear about where we direct our thoughts: “We ought to know where we should fix our mind’s attention and to what goal should always recall our soul’s gaze. And when our mind has been able to seize it, it should rejoice, and when it is distracted from it should mourn and sigh…and it should judge as fornication even a moment’s separation from the contemplation of Christ.” This continuous awareness of God’s presence is especially vital in today’s chaotic and fragile world. Being mindful of God brings a transformative depth to our spirituality and keeps us rooted in God’s presence, no matter where we are, or what we are enduring. Rebuilding Relationship with God Hesychia nurtures a deeply personal and profound relationship with God. Awareness of God’s presence is important, but to truly shape one’s spirituality, it must be accompanied by a genuine love and desire for God. George A. Maloney observes that the desert monks were powerfully moved by this love for God, which drove them into the desert in search of deeper communion. Ultimately, it is God who takes the initiative, loving us first (1 John 4:19). As we respond to this love, we grow in understanding and begin to return this love back to God. For Abba Isaac, “every love, every desire, every effort, every undertaking, every thought, everything that we live, that we speak, that we breath, will be God.” When we are fully aligned with God, everything in our lives becomes a reflection of God. This profound unity transforms not only how we live but also how we experience the world, drawing us into a complete, intimate relationship with God, where every aspect becomes infused with God’s loving presence, making us more aware of God’s love and guiding light in all things. We are drawn into a silent surrender where words and images fall away, and we meet God in stillness. Simple forms of prayer sustain and deepen this connection. Abba Isaac used the phrase,
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