Your ‘Hearts up!’ coaches
You’re not doing this alone.
You have coaches - ancient Christian Practice trainers - who’ve been guiding souls for centuries on the practice of lifting hearts to God.
Gym members meet them at Coffee with Coaches live three Wednesdays a month at 3:30pm Eastern (we skip the first Wednesday and the fifth, if there is one).
Two Trainers with ‘Hearts up!’ connections
1. St. Cyprian of Carthage
Third century Bishop of Carthage (North Africa). Led Christians through devastating plague, persecution, and martyrdom. A wealthy convert who sold everything for the poor, and rose quickly to bishop. He wrote extensively on prayer, unity of the church, and facing trials.
Cyprian’s teaching on the Sursum Corda:
For this reason also the priest, by way of preface before his prayer, prepares the minds of the brethren by saying, ‘Lift up your hearts,’ that so upon the people’s response, ‘We lift them up unto the Lord,’ he may be reminded that he himself ought to think of nothing but the Lord.
Let the breast be closed against the adversary, and be open to God alone; nor let it suffer God’s enemy to approach to it at the time of prayer. For frequently he steals upon us, and penetrates within, and by crafty deceit calls away our prayers from God, that we may have one thing in our heart and another in our voice.
On the Lord’s Prayer, Chapter 31
2. St. Cyril of Jerusalem
A fourth century bishop, theologian, and Doctor of the Church known for his Catechetical Lectures, which detailed baptismal and Lenten practices. As Bishop of Jerusalem (c. 350–386), he was a major figure in defending the Christian faith against heresy, resulting in multiple exiles. He is revered by Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican traditions
Cyril’s teaching on the Sursum Corda:
In his fifth mystagogical instruction, provides a detailed analysis of the dialogue within the context of the “most awesome hour” of the Eucharist. Cyril’s approach is characterized by a high degree of liturgical realism and a sense of sacred dread (which for him, in his time, would be like awe for us).
Cyril explains that “at that most awesome hour we must indeed raise our hearts high to God, not keep them intent on the earth and on earthly matters“.
Common Struggles & Solutions
What if it feels awkward or forced?
That’s normal. You’re learning a new language. Your soul is stretching.
Remember:
Billions of Christians have said this for 2,000 years. You’re joining them.
Physical exercise feels awkward at first too. Keep practicing.
The Early Church understood: this is training, not natural instinct.
What if I don’t feel anything when I say it?
Good News: You Don’t Have To
This isn’t about feeling. It’s about orientation. It’s about where you’re pointing yourself.
St. Cyprian would say: The enemy wants you to think it’s not working because you don’t ‘feel’ anything. That’s the distraction.
How does this connect to Eucharist if I don’t go to church regularly?
You are still part of the church as the community prepares to come to the table.
Even if you never participate - or never go to church! - you’re participating in the basic, required orientation towards God for those who do. You’re still part of the community.
When/if you do gather for Eucharist, you’ll recognize:
‘This is exactly what I’ve been practicing every day.’
Many church-goers say: ‘We lift our hearts to the Lord’ at every Eucharist without realizing they are participating in one of the earliest communal prayers of the Christian faith.
You’re widening the circle of the liturgy (worship, praise, devotion) from the Eucharist out into the world.
The Complete ‘Hearts up!’ Practice
Ready for the next Practice?
Find all the Practices HERE.
Coffee with Coaches archive HERE.
The Trexo story HERE.
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