The search for God in the hesychast tradition

This article presents the hesychast tradition of Orthodox spirituality through a pedagogical meditation offered by Hegumen Symeon. The author begins by defining the Greek term *hesychia* — peace, silence, tranquility of the heart — before tracing its evangelical and monastic origins, from the first hermits of the fourth century to the figures of Saint Basil, Saint Theodore the Studite, and Saint Seraphim of Sarov. The central idea is that hesychasm is not a spiritual technique but an interior disposition grounded in the desire for God, cultivated through the prayer of the heart and the virtues of humility and surrender. The theological contribution of the article lies in the distinction between method and attitude, and in the affirmation that the hesychast tradition, though rooted in monasticism, is accessible to every Christian, monk or layperson, seeking an encounter with God.