When we think about meditation, most of the time we will picture Buddhist monks in Japan, Tibet and Thailand with their eyes closed seated on cushions, surrounded by incense and the sounds of bells . Meditation is inextricably linked to Eastern Religions, mainly Buddhism, Hinduism and Jainism. But in our own Christian tradition, there exists also a long and rich meditative tradition. A case in point is Hesychasm, a mystical tradition of contemplative prayer from the Eastern Orthodox Church, deeply rooted in early Christian monasticism that emphasizes inner stillness and the repetitive invocation of the Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner." This practice aims to bring the practitioner into a direct, experiential union with God akin to the via unitiva of the Catholic mystics of the West. Hesychasm derives from the Greek word "hesychia," meaning stillness, rest, or silence. The tradition traces its origin...