How the Elders Used to Heal Mental Derangement

St Ignatius (Brianchaninov), ‘Otechnik’ (a collection of sayings from the Holy Fathers)

One Elder told this story: ‘Our fathers used to visit the cells of novices, who had just started the life of recluses, watching if anybody went mentally deranged because of demonic attacks. Should they found somebody affected, they brought him to the church, put the chalice with the holy water and prayed for the brother who got into temptation. After that all the brethren washed their hands in the water and poured this water on the brother that fell into temptation, and the same moment he was clear of the impression made by the temptation.’

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Grace Leaves Because of Conceit

Saint Theophan the Recluse. "What is spiritual life and how to tune into it?"

St. Theophan the Recluse

Be afraid of self-conceit, it is the first enemy. Our diligence before God, even only intentional, already gives rise to the thought of a certain difference from others and even from ourselves – the ones who we were in the past, especially when we manage to do something on this path. As soon as we stand for a while in this condition, it seems to be something marvelous, and we begin to dream of ourselves as perfect persons, doing wonderful things. And this is the enemy who tempts us in order to give rise to conceit. Whoever succumbs and falls into this conceit, is immediately abandoned by the grace, it leaves him alone. Then the enemy seizes him as a helpless prey. 

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There was a Danger for a Woman to Fall into Delusion in Case of Tonsure

From the life of the venerable Ambrose of Optina (compiled by Archimandrite Agapit Belovidov).

St. Ambrose of Optina

“For five years,” said the late elder himself, “I had the intention to go to Kiev to visit my homeland on the way in order to tonsure my old mother to the Lesser Schema secretly, but I didn’t have a chance to go.”

Let us add to this that the elder Ambrose during his entire residence in the monastery because of pain did not go anywhere far from it. He was only once in Belyov (40 miles from Optina) and it was for obedience, as assigned by the elder Makarius.

“My mother”, the late elder continued his story, “was always weak, sick. I remember that in summer she sat on the stove, but she lived longer than the father, despite the fact that he had good health. Father died at 60, and mother at 75. She lived a godly life and went by her own way to salvation. But if I had tonsured her, then she could have become confused and would not have got anywhere (neither with the laymen, nor with the nuns). And I thank God that I was not able to do this. ” 

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No Need for the Humble to Be Afraid of Delusion

Saint Theophan the Recluse. Letters. Issue 4. From the letter 322.

No need to be afraid of delusion. It happens with the proud people only... who begin to think that as the warmth has entered their hearts, this is already the end of perfection. And here is just the beginning, and, perhaps, it is not durable. For both warmth and peace of heart are natural, the fruit of concentration. But you have to work tooth and nail, and wait until the natural is replaced by the grace. Anyway, the best of all is never to consider yourself to have achieved something, but always see yourself as a beggar, naked, blind and worthless.

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Warning against the Delusion

Letters of St. Macarius of Optina. Volume VI. Letter 109.

St. Macarius of Optina

...We find it worth to offer a remark for consideration for you, mother: the honorable A. has come to your convent with a very good disposition and desire to “seek Jesus,” that is, to attain His love. This her expression often reached us. This thing is very good and virtuous, but it needs to have a solid foundation, for love is tempted by the enemy. Due to her ardor and purity of soul, she will soon see comforting and sweet feelings in herself - this will give hope to her in finding Jesus and His love. But this feeling is very dangerous and close to delusion: not yet having a struggle with passions, not knowing own weakness and not yet getting humbled, comforting feelings are not reliable. Although they come, but in order to be careful to get them and not to be under the delusion with them, but to consider herself unworthy of that... Thus, we suggest that you take care to warn her if she has any sweet feelings so that she does not rely on them and does not consider them to be great; they will leave her soon. Otherwise, being under the delusion and having accepted them at the wrong time, she will soon lose them; and when there is already time, he will not receive them, like a careless and stupid farmer who, when he saw growth, would consider it a fruit and pick it: he will never receive the fruit in this case. Many people suffered, going this way, and went astray; instead of humility, having too high opinion of themselves, they attained arrogance... Remind her that the love of God is tempted by the enemy: various passions will arise, and it is necessary to struggle with them, and whoever has humility and wisdom, will have relief in the struggle; but he who has a sense of grandeur about himself, or who reassures himself of comforting feelings, faces a tougher struggle, so that, learning his weakness, he would humble himself. But for them defeat is unbearable and leads to cowardice: and this is a sign of their pride. One must be afraid of the delusion, which is diverse: either, having seduced with imaginary holiness, it will blind one’s spiritual eyes, or, by a flash of joyful and comforting actions, having lost them, it will fall into various passions; and when you lead her in a moderate and constant way, engaging with her attentively, then something good can be developed out of her over time ... and she should reveal all her words, deeds, thoughts and actions to you, for whatsoever doth make manifest is light, and everything hidden is darkness (Eph. 5, 13) 

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Venerable Niphon Healed a Monk from Delusion

From the life of St. Niphon of Athos, who lived in the XIV century

Another monk living in a separate cell relied on himself and on his own knowledge, and therefore decided not to disclose his thoughts to a more experienced spiritual father. So he lived in the way as his thought prompted him. As a result, the unfortunate monk fell into delusion and mistook an angel of darkness for an Angel of light. The monk was taught by him to do many improper deeds, fell into pride and thought that he excels all people with his virtues. Once he came to St. Niphon. When asked why he came, he answered:

“To look at you, the one who is famous for his virtue.”

The saint remarked on this:

“How is it that you, so great and magnificent, have condescended to coming to me, insignificant and wretched?

“God gave me benefaction, and the gift that I have is from God.”

“Brother, the gift of God is the humility of mind. The thought from God is to think of yourself that you are the last of all; the thought from God is to achieve great virtues and think that you are the worst of all. And what you imagined about yourself is the delusion from Satan being the one who taught you everything.”

After such words of the saint, the monk seemed to come to his senses and said:

- Father, if my pride comes from the evil one, then, I ask you, drive it away with your prayer and save me from arrogance.

Raising the eyes of his soul to heaven, blessed Niphon said:

- Lord Jesus Christ, who sought and found a lost sheep and counted it as being among other non-lost sheep, who banished the mental wolf who intended to kill it, and showed us the way of salvation. Thou, Lord, deliver from the arrogance of demons this servant of yours, who has fallen into delusion through his simplicity and the treachery of the deceitful devil, let him know Thou, the true God, who suffered the cross and death for the sake of us, so he may glorify Thy holy name forever and ever. Amen.

So the saint prayed, and immediately a veil fell from the brother’s eyes, and he clearly saw what evil he, miserable, fell into. Since then, having gotten rid of satanic arrogance, he began to lead a pious life with prudence and humility.

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An Ordinary Person Cannot Bear True Visions from God

Question to Archpriest Dimitry Smirnov in the Radonezh radio studio. October 29, 2006.

Archpriest Dimitry Smirnov

Question.

The servant of God Sergius asks: In the life of the elder Paisios of Mount Athos there are examples of how the enemy can lead a person into delusion with false visions. The elder, of course, coped with it. But how can we, Orthodox Christians, avoid falling into this delusion? May the Lord save you.

Archpriest Dimitry answers.

There is nothing easier. All visions must be rejected. And that’s all. Because you and I are not elders, we are not of Mount Athos, we are not the men of fervent prayer, we are not saints, we are ordinary sinful people. Therefore, all visions to us - if any - come from the evil. Very simple. And there is no need to philosophize here somehow for a long time. Because a person is blessed with some kind of spiritual vision only in one case - when he can bear it. That’s it. However, an ordinary average person immediately becomes arrogant. Therefore, from God, who knows everything, there can be no such visions that put a person into such terrible conditions.
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From the Lack of Sobriety and Repentance, New Converts Fall into Delusion

Question on Soyuz TV channel on December 8, 2013.

Archpriest Dimitry Smirnov answers, the host is Archpriest Alexander Berezovsky.

Archpriest Dimitry Smirnov and Archpriest Alexander Berezovsky

Question: In the writings of the holy fathers and in your sermons, sobriety is often mentioned as an extremely desirable condition for success in the Christian life. Define this term as applied to modern laity, if possible, with examples.

Archpriest Dimitry answers:

Sobriety is a derivative of discernment. Besides, sobriety can be considered as a certain step. Discernment is a very high virtue, which many Holy Fathers put even higher than love, because everyone can achieve love, while discernment can not be achieved by everyone. But the first stage of reasoning is sobriety, and every Christian must somehow succeed in this. Because, unfortunately, very often, especially in the beginning of the Christian life, a person falls into some kind of euphoria. It is simply explained. Because, firstly, a person discovers a new world, and this always happens. He experiences a certain fascination - quite legitimate - since he plunges into the two-thousand-year-old tradition. He begins to meaningfully read the Holy Scriptures, because for a person far from tradition, this is generally a closed book. Thirdly, he immediately encounters new, one might say, objects: a church, a priest, vestments, a choir, and icons. And to research everything, dozens of books are needed. He begins to plunge into it, and, of course, he becomes overwhelmed. Many people, when facing churchliness like that, even stop reading secular books - everything seems tasteless. And one more aspect. This is a contact with the church world, and yet there is also the grace-filled life. And the grace of God affects not only our spirit, but also the soul and body. Man is also transformed externally - he is radiant, dozens of miracles happen every day in his life, and he almost flies. And he still does not know how to fly. And much of what he perceives as the direct action of the grace of God is not really this - it is a spiritual perception of his real contact with the grace-filled life. That is, indirectly. Therefore, there is always a danger to take one thing for another. 

How to Get Rid of Delusion?

Question from a viewer of the Soyuz TV channel.

“Received a call from Voronezh: “Your Grace, how to get rid of delusion? Is it possible to get rid of it? And what is needed to be done for this? ”

Archbishop Vikenty (Morar')

The questions are answered by Vikenty, the Archbishop of Yekaterinburg and Verkhoturye.

“It is better not to fall into delusion than to get rid of it. Of course, getting rid of delusion is very difficult. This is a serious spiritual illness. And we know that some ascetics in monasteries, who fell into a state of delusion were engaged in prayer and abstinence, strict fasting. They fell into delusion, and to get themselves out of this state, they needed a very big work of prayer of the whole monastery, of all the monastery dwellers, so that the Lord would help to get out of the delusion. Therefore, the holy fathers warn us that we should be attentive to ourselves, so as not to get into this serious spiritual illness. What is delusion? This is flattery, a deception of the highest degree - when we are deceived by our consciousness or demonic obsessions that we are on the right path, that we are going the right way of life and leading the right spiritual life. Therefore, we need to always be self-critical, always acknowledge and see our mistakes. There are words of some holy fathers that we should see, notice our sins, like sand on the seashore. Now, when we recognize ourselves as sinners and see our sins, we constantly notice - this is a sign that we are on the right path, not deluded. And when we do not notice this, but only praise ourselves that we are great ascetics, do the right things and do everything right, that’s pride. And pride is the cause of all our spiritual illnesses; and the most terrible disease is deceit, a grand deceit, which brings us to the spiritual death. Therefore, one must be very careful in one’s spiritual life so as not to fall into enemy nets.”

April 2009

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Icon of the Mother of God "Addition of Mind"

About icon "Addition of mind".

The icon "Addition of Mind" appears to be quite unusual among Orthodox icons of the Mother of God. The peculiarity of this rare iconography is that the Virgin Mary and Christ are depicted diapered with a liturgical vestment - phelonion. The iconography of "Addition of Mind" is complex and somewhat unusual. As unusual is the history of this icon.