Venerable elder Macarius of Optina. "A warning to those reading spiritual books of the holy fathers and wishing to practice the noetic Jesus prayer".
This “Warning” was compiled about a
century and a half ago by the venerable Optina Elder Macarius (Ivanov).
It is addressed to those who wish to practice the noetic Jesus Prayer,
but who do not have expert mentors and guides.
However, the creation of the elder
Macarius can be equally addressed to all Christians - as advice not to
look for high spiritual gifts and conditions in themselves, but to
humbly walk by the way of the fulfillment of Christ's commandments,
relying on God's will in everything. Citing the testimonies of the great
ascetic fathers, the elder convinces: an untimely desire for a "high",
"contemplative" life is fraught with delusion, and often not only
mental, but also physical death.
At the same time, the venerable
Macarius, who himself had experienced the path of noetic prayer, in no
way seeks to avert contemporary monks and pious laymen from salvation
and the prayer in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ commanded by the
holy fathers. He only asserts: the measure for a novice is an oral
prayer, not accompanied by any “artistic means”, information about which
is contained in patristic works.
A contemporary of the elder Macarius -
Saint Ignatius (Brianchaninov) writes very clearly about this in his
instructions about Jesus prayer: “Novices should keep the most reverent
attention while practicing the Jesus prayer, concentrate the mind on the
words of the prayer. (...) Here is my command to you (the novice): do
not seek the place of the heart. Do not try in vain to explain to
yourself what is meant by the place of the heart; the experience will
explain it satisfactorily (in due time). If God wants to give you this
knowledge, He will give it when the due time comes. Practice exclusively
the prayer of repentance with all diligence; try to perform penance by
the prayer” [1].
The venerable Macarius also explains
what mental order it is necessary to have while practicing the Jesus
prayer, what should be the active life of a Christian, and what kind of
spiritual fruits should be aspired by the one praying in the name of
Christ. We believe that the “Warning” of the Optina elder will be useful
to modern Christians who strive to lead a spiritual life, will help to
avoid various schemes of the enemy of the human race and not become a
victim of delusion or incorrect “opinion” about themselves.
A warning to those reading spiritual books of the holy fathers and wishing to practice the noetic Jesus prayer
There were two reasons for writing this warning.
The first and the main reason was
explained by the translator of the patristic writings from Hellenic to
Slavic, an experienced man of prayer, Moldavian elder Paisius
Velichkovsky in his letter to Elder Theodosius, archimandrite of the St.
Sophronius Hermitage, where he writes:
“I spiritually inform your sanctity that
the publication of patristic books in both Greek and Slavic languages
fills me with joy and fear. Joy - because they will no longer be
completely forgotten, and those who are zealous of their salvation will
be able to acquire them more freely. Fear - because I fear and tremble
that these books can be offered not only to monks, but to lay people -
like any other book available for sale. They (lay people) may become
victims of delusion, when undertaking the practice of prayer on their
own, without the instructions of those skilled and experienced in the
mental prayer. And this delusion may result in an unreasonable
denigration of this holy and immaculate practice, testified by many
great holy fathers. "
(Having presented an example of occurred denigration of prayer, the elder continues):
“I fear and tremble at something that I
have already said before: let not the delusion come over those willfully
practicing the noetic prayer, let it not be followed by denigration,
and let not the denigration cause doubting the truth of the teachings of
our God-bearing fathers.
That is why the God-bearing fathers
believe that this (Jesus) prayer, the beginning and foundation of it are
in true, genuine obedience. Obedience results in humility. And it keeps
the practitioner of the prayer from all sorts of delusion, threatening
those who pass this way on their own accord. And how is it possible
without obedience, guided only by one’s own mind - it will inevitably
lead to delusion, such a terrible and awful thing, that is, this prayer,
without any instruction to force oneself and avoid the various
delusions of enemies against this prayer and those praying with it? It
is by no means possible”[2].
Another reason for the warning was a
manuscript of an unknown writer, which explains various prayer actions
and spiritual comforts enjoyed by the Siberian elder Basil. In this
manuscript, the writer made an urge to everyone to practice noetic and
heart prayers, setting the search for high gifts and spiritual comforts
as his main goal in this practice, which can lead to very dangerous
consequences with regard to the delusion of the enemy. Although this
manuscript is still in few hands and is rare, it is impossible to remain
silent about it; it is written convincingly; evidences are taken from
patristic books; and the dangerous side of this subject is ignored, so a
person who is not completely aware of the teachings of the Holy Fathers
can easily be carried away by such conviction, and especially who
didn’t happen to see or hear from others about those who were mentally
damaged through such a thing. To clarify the truth, let us look at the
testimonies of the holy and God-bearing fathers whether the mental Jesus
prayer is accessible to many people and whether it is correct and safe
to seek for spiritual gifts and comforts with this practice.
Taking into consideration all the
teachings of the Holy Fathers, it is clear that those who practice the
Jesus prayer in the right and lawful way are sometimes truly blessed by
the Lord with great spiritual gifts and revelations of the secrets, and
various spiritual comforts, the grace of God providentially acted in the
souls of humble and worthy men of prayer; but very few achieve this.
Saint Isaac the Syrian says: Just as
there is hardly one out of many thousands who has fulfilled the
commandments and everything stipulated by law with a slight flaw and
attained spiritual purity, so there is only one out of thousand (of
those who have practiced the Jesus prayer) who has been able, with great
care, to attain pure prayer, to pass through this limit and accept this
sacrament, because many could not attain pure prayer at all; very
rarely people were granted this; but he who has attained that sacrament,
which is already beyond this prayer, hardly, by the grace of God, is
found from generation to generation [3].
From these words of St. Isaac, it is
clear that “if according to the presented belief, everyone will take up
the practice of the mental prayer with the goal of attaining high gifts
and spiritual comforts, then many will inevitably fall into one of two
extremes: or they will be caught in the delusion of false sensations and
seductive dreams, or will not achieve any success, will be recklessly
embarrassed, because the highest spiritual prayer, according to the word
of St. Isaac the Syrian, is made by one from countless people”[4].
The holy and God-bearing fathers wrote
about the great spiritual gifts, not so that everyone would recklessly
strive to receive them, but so that those without them, hearing about
such high gifts and revelations received by the worthy, would recognize
their profound weakness and great deficiency, and involuntarily come to
humility, which more than all deeds and virtues is needed for the seeker
of salvation.
Saint John of the Ladder writes: “As the
wretched, seeing the royal treasures, even more know their poverty: so
the soul, reading the stories of the great virtues of holy fathers,
becomes more humble in its thoughts” [5].
And in another place this saint says:
“To admire the labours of the saints is good; to emulate them wins
salvation; but to wish suddenly to imitate their life in every point is
unreasonable and impossible” [6].
And St. Isaac the Syrian said: “If you
say that some fathers wrote about what spiritual purity is, what is
health, what is passionlessness, what is vision: then they did not write
so that we could aspire to it ahead of time; for it is written that the
kingdom of God cometh not with observation1) (Luke 17:20). And who
appeared to have such an intention, they acquired pride and fall. And we
will restore order in the region of the heart by works of repentance
and God-pleasing life; but the Lord comes Himself if the place in the
heart is clean and not defiled. What we seek "with observation," I mean
God's high gifts, is rejected by the Church of God; and those who
received it gained pride and fall. And this is not a sign that a person
loves God, but a disease of the soul. And how can we solicit God's high
gifts when the divine Paul boasts of sorrows and considers participation
in the sufferings of Christ as the God's high gift” [7] (that is,
endurance of sorrows and sufferings).
It is also said in another work of St.
Isaac: “Every person who before completing the training in the first
part (that is, active), goes over to this second (that is, mental),
attracted by its sweetness, not to mention his own laziness, faces anger
(of God) for not having mortified “his members which are upon the
earth” (Col. 3:5), that is, he have not healed the weaknesses of
thoughts by patient mortification of the cross, but he dares to dream of
glory of the cross in his mind. (...) Whose mind is defiled by shameful
passions, and who hastens to fill his mind with dreamy thoughts, his
mouth is closed as punishment for not having cleansed the mind by
sorrows and not having overcome carnal lust, but relying on what the ear
heard and what is written in ink, he rushed straight ahead, to take a
path full of darkness, when he himself is blind with his eyes. For those
who have healthy eyesight, are full of light and have gained the guides
of grace, are in danger day and night, while their eyes are full of
tears, and in prayer and weeping they continue their devotion all day,
even night due to the horrors that await them along the way and the
terrible hindrances they encounter and images of truth that turn out to
be mixed with the deceiving ghosts of it. They say: "What is from God
comes by itself, but you will not feel it." This is true, but only if
the place is clean, not defiled. If the apple of your soul’s eye is
unclean, then do not dare to look at the orb of the sun (thought), so as
not to lose this small ray, that is, simple faith, humility, and
heartfelt confession, and small things you can do, and not to be cast
into a single area of spiritual beings, which is outer darkness, that
which is outside of God and is a likeness of hell, as was cast out the
one who was not ashamed to come to marriage in dirty garments” [8].
Here St. Isaac clearly showed that those
who seek for spiritual sweet feelings with aspirations in prayer, and
especially seek prematurely to see and contemplate the spiritual, fall
into the delusion of the enemy and into the realm of darkness and
obscurity of mind, God's help abandons them to be derided by demons
because of the proud search beyond measure and worthiness.
After a miserable story of Malpat and
Asin deceived by the devil, Saint Isaac says: “I have not said this here
in vain, but for us to know the derision of demons longing to kill the
saints, and not to aspire prematurely for the heights of mental life
(mental visions - note), otherwise, we will be derided by our cunning
adversary: for even now I see that young men full of passions fearlessly
engage in idle talk and teach about the secrets of dispassion."
Regarding the people who are full of
passions, but dare to examine the relations between corporeal and
incorporeal, and resemble patients who teach about health, one of the
saints says: “Blessed Paul, when he learned about disciples who
neglected the commandments and had not overcome passions, but aspired to
bliss in contemplation of secrets that can be achieved after the
purification, said to them: first put off the old man of passions, and
then desire to put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge of
secrets after the image of the Creator (Col. 3: 9-10), and do not desire
for my vision and the one of the other Apostles, actually accomplished
by grace; because God “hath mercy on whom He will have mercy, and whom
He will He hardeneth” (Rom. 9:18). For whoever opposes His face, or
opposes His will? God sometimes gives for nothing; sometimes deeds and
purification are required, and then He sends the gift; and sometimes
even after deeds and purification, He does not give here, but everything
is kept in order to grant contemplation in its place ”[9].
Saint Gregory of Sinai, a zealous
teacher of the noetic prayer, writes in the chapters on silence: “Demons
usually spread networks of thoughts and destructive dreams near and
close to novices and willful ones and prepare ditches to fall, since
their city is still under the control of barbarians. And there is
nothing to be amazed at if one of them is lost, or has gone out of his
mind, or has accepted and is accepting a delusion. (...)
There is nothing strange in the fact
that novices are mistaken even after many labors. (...) The memory of
God, or the mental prayer, is above all works; but one who shamelessly
and boldly desires to come to God and confess Him purely, and tries to
get Him into himself conveniently will be killed by demons, if he is
allowed to do so. (...) The merciful Lord, seeing how quickly we want to
go high, often does not allow us to fall into temptation, so that
everyone, recognizing his own arrogance, will turn to real action on his
own before receiving disparagement and derision from demons, and
weeping from people. (...) Because it is always for the strong and the
perfect ones to fight with demons alone, and constantly raise the sword
of the Spirit against them, “which is the word of God” (Eph.6:17); the
weak and novices use, like stronghold, flight, with reverence and fear,
refusing the confrontation and not daring to enter into it prematurely,
and thus avoid death (of soul)” [10].
This saint also says that not everyone
should and can be taught how to practice the mental prayer, as it is
written in his 15 chapters.
“Those who do not sing psalms at all
also do well, if they succeed. They do not need to sing psalms, but
should remain in silence, unceasing prayer and contemplation, if they
have reached enlightenment. For they are united with God and should not
distract their mind from Him, and cast it into embarrassment (or into a
crowd of thoughts). (...) It is not possible to teach everybody this
order (that is, the unceasing Jesus prayer). It can be taught to
obedient novices [11], simpletons and illiterates; because obedience is
capable of all virtue for the sake of humility. This science is not
taught to disobedient, whether they are simpletons or scientists, so as
they do not fall into delusion; for the self-righteous cannot escape
self-conceit, which is usually accompanied by delusion, as St. Isaac
says. Some, not thinking of the harm that may be caused, teach anyone to
keep the memory of God (that is, the Jesus prayer) by their own
efforts, so that the mind can get accustomed to this memory and love it,
which is impossible, especially for those who are used to live
according to their own order. For since their minds are unclean because
of negligence and arrogance and are not cleansed with tears, they see
shameful images of thoughts more than prayer, while unclean spirits
nesting in their hearts, disturbed by the terrible name (of God), gnash,
wishing to destroy the offender" [12].
Moreover, we should know that the mental
prayer requires quite great attention, deed and labor. For those who
want to do this in their mind, Saint Symeon the New Theologian
prescribes the following: “After (establishing in the heart) perfect
obedience, which, as we said, you should have towards your spiritual
father, and do all your other work with a clear conscience, as you would
do it in the presence of God: for without obedience, it is impossible
to have a clear conscience. You must keep your conscience pure in three
ways: in relation to God, in relation to your spiritual father and in
relation to other people, as well as to the things and objects of the
world (worldly).
In relation to God, you have a duty to
keep your conscience clear, not allowing yourself to do anything that
you know that it does not reassure God and is unpleasant to Him.
In relation to your spiritual father, do
only what he commands you, and do not allow yourself to do anything
more or less, but act according to his intention and his will.
In relation to other people, keep your
conscience clean, not allowing yourself to do anything to them that you
yourself hate and do not want them to do to you.
And in relation to things, you have a
duty to keep your conscience clean, always using them as you should,
namely food, drink, clothes.
And in short, do everything as if you
were before God, and in no matter do not allow yourself to act in such a
way that your conscience accuses and reproves you that you did not do
it well” [13].
Who has the opportunity and the will to
live according to this instruction of St. Symeon the Theologian, he,
undoubtedly, with humility and hope for the help of God, can start
learning the practice of the prayer of the heart, using other counsel
from the holy fathers in this way, that is, combining the prayer with
the memory of death, the memory of his former life and the memory of his
sins in appearance (except carnal, it is not recommended to remember
them), and by all these means he will obtain and keep the contrition of
the spirit and humility, and tears, “for we struggle with proud demons”
[14], says St. Philotheus of Sinai. This practitioner must also bear in
mind the true purpose of the prayer, and not the one presented by the
mentioned writer, that is, the search for spiritual gifts and comforts.
Verily, the righteous ascetics did not seek gifts, but, on the contrary,
some of them prayed to God that the given gifts would be taken away
from them. “If some of them,” says St. Isaac the Syrian, “received
gifts, then they received them out of necessity (for the common good) or
in their simplicity” [15].
Venerable Callistus and Ignatius write:
“Do not look ahead of time for what will be in its time” [16]. And in
another place, these saints, citing testimony from the book of St. Isaac
about the Divine manifestation in us and substantial graceful
enlightenment, warn the inexperienced, saying the following:
“This is Jerusalem and the kingdom of
God hidden within us, according to the word of the Lord (Luke 17:21).
This area is a cloud of God's glory, through which only the pure in
heart will see the face of their Lord. Only he himself shall not seek
the appearance of God in himself, so as not to accept the one who truly
is darkness - and falsely pretends to be light” [17].
What is the true purpose of prayer?
Saint Cassian the Roman, in a letter to Leontin the hegumen, writing
about his conversation with Abba Moses, says that this saint considers
the purity of heart, that is cleansing it of passions, to be the purpose
of the spiritual life.
How is this goal achieved?
By keeping the commandments of God; and
through this, when anyone puts off the old man, that is, passions, he is
granted pure and spiritual prayer, according to what was said by St.
Isaac the Syrian: “The person is granted it (i.e., the spiritual
prayer), when by keeping the commandments of the Lord that oppose sin,
both internally and outwardly escapes sin. Whoever loves these
commandments and uses them at their best, for him it will become
necessary to free oneself from many human affairs, that is, to get rid
of the body and be outside of it, so to speak, not by nature, but by
need. Whoever leads his life following the Lawgiver (that is, after his
example), and is guided by His commandments, it is impossible for the
sin to remain in him. Therefore, the Lord promised in the Gospel to make
the abode with the one who kept the commandments” (John 14:23) [18].
We read in the book of Seven Opuscula
(Works) by Macarius of Egypt: “And if someone, not having the prayer,
compels himself only to pray to receive the grace-filled prayer, but
does not compel himself to humility, love, and fulfillment of other
Lord’s commandments, then sometimes, on his request, the grace-filled
prayer is given to him, even partly in repose and joy, but he has the
same temper as before. For he has no meekness, because he has not
searched for it with labours, and has not prepared himself to be meek;
he does not have humility, because he has not asked and has not forced
himself to this; he does not have love for everyone, because he has not
cared about it, and has not searched for this hard in his prayers. For
everyone who is forcing and compelling himself, even against the desire
of his heart, to prayer, must also compel himself to love, and meekness,
and to all patience, and generosity, as written, with joy; (...) and in
the same way, one must force oneself to be humiliated, to consider
oneself as the worst and lowest of all” [19].
In the same book and in that work it is
also said that such is always close to a fall: “If someone compels
himself to prayer until he receives gifts from God, but does not force
and compel himself to other virtues, that is, to humility, to love, to
meekness, to the same extent, sometimes God's grace comes to him through
his praying and asking; because God is generous and merciful, and to
those who ask Him he gives what is requested. But, without having
prepared and accustomed himself to the above virtues, either he loses
grace, or he accepts and falls, or does not succeed due to arrogance;
because he does not give himself to the commandments of the Lord with a
good will. The abode or repose of the Spirit is humility, love, meekness
and other commandments of the Lord” [20].
And again this saint says: “If humility
and love, simplicity and goodness are not closely connected with the
prayer in us, then the prayer itself, it is better to say, this mask of
prayer, can do us very little good” [21].
The aforementioned author, convincing to
practice the mental prayer, takes into consideration the mental
organization and lifestyle of selected ascetics only who have already
cleansed themselves of passions, but he says nothing of how the
spiritual struggle with passions is conducted through prayer in the
beginning. The foreword to the book of St. Nilus of Sora said: "Put on
one side the commandments of Christ, on the other - the unceasing
prayer: "... forgive us our debts." And take an immutable rule: do not
violate a single commandment. That is: not to indulge in lust, not to be
angry, not to condemn, not to slander, not to lie, not to engage in
idle talk, love enemies, do good to those who hate you, pray for those
who do evil; also - to refrain from voluptuousness, greed, fornication,
despondency, vanity and contempt, and just all the sins and thoughts of
evil. And with that, start learning the mental prayer, paying careful
attention to how many times each day, regardless of the accepted rule,
you break the commandments, what sins, passions and evil thoughts attack
you” [22].
This extract, firstly, shows how the
mental prayer should be associated with the keeping of the commandments
of God, about which the mentioned writer does not affirmatively say
anywhere, but only narrates little at the end of his epistle. Secondly,
it shows that the man of prayer does not immediately enjoy the desired
fruits, although the mentioned persuader promises quick success in this.
It can be seen from the teachings of the Holy Fathers that it takes not
only much labour, but also time to learn the practice of the mental
prayer. St. John Chrysostom writes: “This is not a matter of one or two
days, but many years and a long time, and endeavor, and considerable
work is necessary before the enemy is cast out and Christ is settled”
[23].
The works of venerable Hesychius and
Nikephoros the monk present many details like how to begin the learning
of the mental prayer; but those who have not yet experienced it should
mainly adhere to the instructions of the venerable Callistus and
Ignatius, because they gradually set out a guide to practice the mental
prayer with many preparations before it. Firstly, these saints say that
the beginning of all work according to God’s will is to live according
to the commandments of the Savior and that those who want to live
according to God’s will should strive to fulfill all the commandments of
God, especially to keep peace with their neighbors and have love for
everyone. They further write that, first of all, one must choose a
spiritual guide and have perfect obedience to him and cut off one’s own
will before him. Having presented the signs of true obedience, they also
explain that this practitioner, besides the Orthodox faith, should be
full of good deeds, avoid rumor and confusion, despondency and care, be
silent and speechless, and thank God for everything; to know one’s
weakness, and to endure temptation with virtue, with hope in God and
expectation of spiritual benefit from Him; during the changes that take
place, do not despair, but with faith and patience expect a change for
the better, and especially plunge into the depths of humility, sincerely
considering yourself to be the most sinful and indecent than all
people, because humility covers many of our weaknesses and propitiates
God for us more than other virtues. Besides, these venerable fathers
advise to be careful about spiritual comforts. They also wrote a chapter
on Divine and false consolation, which exposed the appearance of how a
cunning enemy maliciously and subtly tries to seduce with false comforts
not only inexperienced, but also skillful ascetics, cast them into some
subtlest sleep so that they cannot distinguish between false
consolations and true ones. The main sign of the delusion lies in the
fact that a person accepts false sensations of joy or comfort from the
enemy as given by the grace, or accepts false advice as true. Why, in
order to avoid harm, these saints advise, in this case, to ask advice
from the man who can teach not only from the Divine Scripture, but also
from the Divine enlightenment he experienced himself. If there is no
such man, then it is better not to accept consolation, but to resort to
God with humility from a pure heart, considering oneself to be unworthy
of such dignity and vision.
Although Paul the Apostle, among other
fruits, also mentions joy (Gal. 5:22), one must be very careful not to
get carried away by a false sense of joy, as Saint John Climacus writes
about this: “Drive away with the hand of humility every transitory joy,
as being unworthy of it, lest by readily admitting it you receive a wolf
instead of a shepherd” [24]. True and imperishable joy, as can be seen
from the very list of the spiritual fruits by the Apostle, belongs to a
great spiritual measure. Like the gifts of the Holy Spirit begin from
the lesser, that is, from the fear of God, and ascend gradually; in the
same way, the spiritual fruits begin not with higher, but with lower,
that is, temperance in everything and meekness, which will be followed
by living faith, gentleness to one's neighbor; then the goodness spoken
of by the Prophet Habakkuk and St. Isaac the Syrian: “The eye of good
does not see evil” [25]. Further, longsuffering in sorrows and
temptations, internal and external, and the peace from thoughts and all
passion. If someone combines his prayer with these virtues, which are
called fruits by the Apostle, and attains spiritual joy in due time, he
can enjoy it worthily and righteously, being filled with humility and
love, which, according to the Apostle, “never ceases” (1 Cor. 13: 8).
By the way, let's talk about delusion in
general; St. Gregory of Sinai writes: “But if you keep silence hoping
to be with God, never accept it, if you see something sensual or
spiritual, inside or outside, even if it was the image of Christ, or an
Angel, or a saint, or if the light would dream or appear in the mind.
The mind, in itself, has the natural power to dream and can easily build
illusive images of what it longs for, for those who do not heed this
dangerous thing, and thus do harm to themselves. (...) Then take heed
that you won’t believe anything or be carried away by that, even if it
was something good, before asking the experienced ones and completing
investigation of the case, so as not to suffer harm; but be always
unsatisfied with that, keeping your mind from colors and images. Often,
what was sent by God as a test to grant the crown turned to harm for
many. Our Lord wants to test our arbitrary will, where it goes. But
having seen something with mind or senses and accepting something
without asking experienced ones, he is easily seduced - although it is
from God, - or has to be seduced, as he is quick to accept thoughts. God
does not resent the one, who carefully takes heed of himself if, out of
fear of seduction, he does not accept what is from Him, without
questioning and due testing, but more often praises him as wise. Because
it is considerable work to comprehend the truth clearly and be pure
from what is contrary to grace; since it is the devil’s habit,
especially for the novices, to present his delusion under the guise of
truth, passing his evil off as the spiritual” [26]. And the work of
Symeon the New Theologian said: “On this path, those who see the light
with their bodily eyes, smell incense with their nose, hear voices with
their ears, and the like are deluded. Some of them rave about and go
from place to place like a madman. Others were seduced by accepting the
devil, who appeared to them in the form of an angel of light, but they
did not detect it, and remained incorrigible to the end, not wishing to
hear advice from any brother. Some of them took their own lives, being
moved by the devil; others rushed into the abyss; others strangled
themselves. And who can retell the various forms of delusion, with which
the devil seduces them, when they are innumerable?” [27].
This delusion especially affects those
who, without cleansing themselves of passions, raise their minds to
heaven and imagine the heavenly goods and the ranks of Angels, etc., as
it is written by Symeon the New Theologian in the same chapter above:
“When someone standing in prayer and raising his hands to heaven and his
eyes, and his mind, holds divine thoughts in his mind, imagines the
blessings of heaven, the ranks of the angels and the abode of the
saints, and briefly all that is heard in the Divine Scriptures, collects
it in his mind, and discusses it then - during the prayer, looking at
heaven, and thus moves his soul to longing for love of God, and
sometimes even has tears and weeps. At the same time, little by little
(one who prays like that) begins to boast in his heart, without
realizing it; it seems to him that what he does is from the grace of God
to comfort him, and he prays to God to make him always abide in such a
work. And this is a sign of delusion: for good is no longer good when it
does not happen in a good way and in the way it should happen” [28].
What does it mean when it does not
happen in a good way and as it should be? Saint Symeon in his response
gives a testimony from the book of the Saint Climacus, which likens
images of attention and prayer to the ladder of the four degrees, and
says: "Some tame passions and humble themselves; others sing, that is,
pray orally; others practice the mental prayer; others ascend to
contemplation... Those, - continues St. Symeon, - who undertake to
ascend these steps, do not begin from the upper, to descend to the
lower, and from the lower go to the upper, - they step on the first,
then on the second, then on the third and finally on the fourth. And,
firstly, you need to work on your mind and tame passions, and secondly,
practice singing of psalms, that is, pray orally, because when passions
are weakened, then prayer naturally gives pleasure and sweetness even to
the tongue and is considered to be pleasing to God, thirdly, pray in
your mind, and fourthly, ascend to contemplation. He who goes through
all this in order, each step in its own time, can, after his heart is
cleansed of passions, completely go into singing of psalms, and struggle
with thoughts, and look up at heaven with sensual eyes or behold it
with the spiritual eyes of the soul, and to pray purely truly, as
appropriate” [29].
All these testimonies from the teachings
of the holy and God-bearing fathers were written out for the benefit of
my neighbors and to warn the inexperienced and weak ones, so that they
would not rashly and insolently strive beyond their measure to practice
the mental prayer, and then would not fall into the delusion of the
enemy to receive derision from demons, and weeping from people, as
stated above. But it has by no means been written in order to deter and
prevent anyone from this practice, who wants to do it according to the
teaching of the holy fathers. We rejoice in those who can reasonably and
worthily unite with the Lord through this blessed work; those who have
not achieved this and who are in need of completing this work, we advise
to read themselves the patristic books with due attention, that they
may know the truth and the delusion, and the schemes of the enemy, and
will keep themselves from undertakings beyond their measure.
It is proper and useful for many to
remember the word of St. Isaac the Syrian, who advises to use the way of
prayer in accordance with the way of his life and, accordingly, the
mental organization, saying: “Your prayer must be consistent with your
life” [30]. And in another place: “It is difficult to teach something
high to novices and infants by their age (spiritual)” [31]. Even the
apostle also commanded first to pray with the oral prayer, as it is
written in the epistle to the Hebrews: “By him therefore let us offer
the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our
lips giving thanks to his name” (Heb.13:15).
Also, the venerable Peter of Damascus
teaches first to go through an active prayer, explaining that the mental
one is granted by the grace of God afterwards, not by the will of the
man, but by the will of God, when his heart and mind are considered to
be able to accommodate it, as it is said in his second book: “giving the
prayer to the one who prays” (Kings 2, 9), that is: God gives the
mental prayer to those who pray orally well, and to those who carefully
stay in it — without images, from the pure fear of God. And again, for
those who do this well, God gives the knowledge of creations and from
it, the mind ascends to Theology and the good action of the future, God
grants to one who will “be still” (Ps. 45:11) and learns this by word
and deed, and not only by hearing” [32].
[1] Seeker of unceasing prayer. The
instruction of St. Ignatius on the Jesus prayer for beginners (Искатель
непрестанной молитвы. Наставление Св. Игнатия о молитве Иисусовой для
новоначальных). - The publication of the Brotherhood “Burning bush”
(«Неопалимая купина») with the participation of the “Temple” («Храм»)
publishing house - M, 1991.
[2] The letter of the venerable elder
Paisius was cited by us in the modern Russian translation: the original
language might not be equally understood by everybody. (This letter was
printed in the book of the life and writings of elder Paisius in the
first edition of 1847, on pages 265, 266, 267. – Note of the venerable
elder Macarius.)
[3] Abba Isaac the Syrian “Ascetic Words”, Word 16. - “The Rule of Faith” («Правило веры») Publishing House M., 1993.
[4] Ibid., Word 21.
[5] Venerable John, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, 26, ch. 211. SPb. 1995.
[6] Ibid., Word 4, ch. 42.
[7] Abba Isaac the Syrian “Ascetic Words”, Word 55. - “The Rule of Faith” («Правило веры») Publishing House М., 1993.
[8] Abba Isaac the Syrian “Ascetic Words”, Word 2. - “The Rule of Faith” («Правило веры») Publishing House М., 1993.
[9] Abba Isaac the Syrian “Ascetic Words”, Word 55. - “The Rule of Faith” («Правило веры») Publishing House М., 1993.
[10] “Philokalia”, v. 5. Chapters of St.
Gregory of Sinai. “Instruction for Those Who Keep Silence” ch. 7. -
Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius. Sergiyev Posad, 1993.
[11] Who are called so not according to
the custom, but who are in obedience to their spiritual father, cutting
off of their will. – Note of the venerable elder Macarius.
[12] “Philokalia”, v. 5. The chapters of
St. Gregory of Sinai. “On Prayer and Silence”, ch. 8. - Trinity Lavra
of St. Sergius. Sergiyev Posad, 1993.
[13] Ven. Symeon the New Theologian. “Works”, vol. 2, word 68. - Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius. Sergiyev Posad, 1993.
[14] “Philokalia”, v. 3. The chapters of
St. Philotheus of Sinai, “On Sobriety”, ch. 13. Trinity Lavra of St.
Sergius. Sergiyev Posad, 1993.
[15] Abba Isaac the Syrian “Ascetic Words”, Word 36. - “The Rule of Faith” («Правило веры») Publishing House М., 1993.
[16] “Philokalia”, v. 5. chapters of
Callistus the Patriarch and his associate Ignatius of Xanthopoulos, ch.
59. - Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius. Sergiyev Posad, 1993.
[17] Ibid., Ch. 60.
[18] Abba Isaac the Syrian “Ascetic Words”, Word 21. - “The Rule of Faith” («Правило веры») Publishing House М., 1993.
[19] Ven. Macarius of Egypt. “The Seven
Opuscula (Words)”, Word 13. - “Spiritual Conversations” («Духовные
беседы») - Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius. Sergiyev Posad, 1994.
[20] Ibid., Ch. 14.
[21] Ven. Macarius of Egypt. “The Seven
Opuscula (Words)”, Word 3, ch. 5. - “Spiritual Conversations” («Духовные
беседы») - Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius. Sergiyev Posad, 1994.
[22] These words of the venerable Nilus of Sora are given here in translation into modern Russian.
[23] These words are from "The Word to the Monks" of St. John Chrysostom are also given here in translation into modern Russian.
[24] The Ladder of Divine Ascent, Word 7, ch. 57. - St. Petersburg. 1995.
[25] Abba Isaac the Syrian “Ascetic Words”, Word 21. - “The Rule of Faith” («Правило веры») Publishing House М., 1993.
[26] “Philokalia”, v. 5. Chapters of St.
Gregory of Sinai. “Instruction for Those Who Keep Silence”, ch. 7. -
Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius. Sergiyev Posad, 1993.
[27] Ven. Symeon the New Theologian. “Works”, vol. 2, word 68. - Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius. Sergiyev Posad, 1993.
[28] Ven. Symeon the New Theologian. “Works”, vol. 2, word 68. - Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius. Sergiyev Posad, 1993.
[29] Ven. Symeon the New Theologian. “Works”, vol. 2, word 68. - Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius. Sergiyev Posad, 1993.
[30] Abba Isaac the Syrian “Ascetic Words”, Word 5. - “The Rule of Faith” («Правило веры») Publishing House М., 1993.
[31] Ibid., Word 74.
[32] Peter of Damascus. “Works”, Word 24. - M., 1993.
1) Option: “... with expectation”.
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