A practitioner of hesychasm; an Eastern Orthodox monk or mystic who pursues spiritual enlightenment through silent prayer and contemplation.
From Greek 'hesychastes,' meaning 'one who practices quietude.' The term emerged from Byzantine monastic communities, particularly those on Mount Athos, and describes monks dedicated to the hesychast method of prayer.
Hesychasts practiced an extremely specific prayer technique—repeating 'Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me' thousands of times while controlling their breath—which Buddhist and Hindu yogis also practiced independently, suggesting humans naturally discover similar meditation methods across continents.
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