He meets a hermit who tells him to recite the Jesus Prayer 1,000 times a day. The hermit keeps increasing the number of recitations a day until it reaches 12,000. Finally the pilgrim is able to recite the prayer habitually and continually in his heart. Even though the Pilgrim story may not be true the attainment of continual prayer is possible. I have met a woman who has this kind of habitual prayer.
Many people begin by praying it in rhythmn with their breathing.
The breathing then becomes like a reminder calling the mind back to the prayer. When this prayer becomes somewhat automatic the next step is to move the prayer from the head to the heart. One does this by trying to focus the prayer on their heart. But one must not get the impression that this type of prayer is totally the result of human effort. God's grace helps those who perseveringly desire this continual prayer.