In considering the liturgical element to Eastern spirituality and piety, we cannot avoid facing the very difficult question of a possible influence of the mystery cults on Hellenistic Christianity. That Christianity sometimes borrowed from the vocabulary and rites of the mystery cults does not seem impossible. The Greek Church, which is a part of our heritage, was truly influenced by the culture in which it developed. Just as Judaism had a strong influence on the Gospels – the Good News of Christianity – so we must admit that some mysteric aspects of Hellenism had their impact on the spirituality and piety of our Church.
Eastern Christian spirituality has been greatly influenced by the mysticism of men who embraced the monastic life. There is truly a contemplative element to Eastern Christian spirituality.
One of the greatest influences on our Eastern Christian spirituality has been the tradition of the hesychasts (hesychia, meaning quiet). It goes back to a great mystic St. Symeon the New Theologian and his disciple Nicetas Stethatos. Mount Athos afterwards became the center of Hesychasm (Mt Athos is a mountain of monasteries in northern Greece where only men can go and live). During the 14th century, Hesychasm was identified with St. Gregory Palamas.
Four main points seem to be characteristic of the hesychast method: (1) the striving towards a state of total rest or quiet, which excludes reading, psalmody and other forms of prayer; (2) the repetition of the Jesus Prayer which is the most important private prayers of the Eastern Church; (3) practices designed to help concentration; and (4) the feeling of an inner warmth and physical perception of the divine light.
When you think about these four elements of hesychaism you immediately think about Zen Buddhism or Yoga or one of the other eastern, non-Christian forms of spirituality. They are a part, however, of our Christian heritage. All true forms of spirituality tend to suggest ways to quiet one’s thinking.