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On Flooding out Discernment |
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Written by Fr. Matt Mirabile
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Monday, 25 May 2009 21:43 |
"(tranquility gives) the soul the opportunity to look at the impressions previously stamped on the mind, and to struggle against each one and eliminate it (if it be bad). So long as we go on receiving new impressions our intelligence is occupied with them and so it is not possible to erase the earlier ones.
In consequence our struggle to eradicate the passions is inevitably harder, since these passions have become strong through being allowed to increase gradually: and now like a river in full flood they drown the soul's discernment with one fantasy after another."
St. Nelios the Ascetic
Phiokalia Vol1 pg 232
What does this mean? Here we find another key in the psychotherapy of the fathers. We learn that impressions gather in the mind. Impressions refers both to thoughts and images, imaginations - and these give rise to emotions. These impressions stimulate our emotions and in turn release chemicals into the body. These impressions are like gasoline in an engine and can send it out of control of the throttle is not controlled. Most of us are very much unaware of the raw data experienced in a day. these impressions sneak up on us. Hurtful ones like anger, taking up offenses, lust, despair, envy increase gradually until they become a flood that overwhelms the soul. Likewise when we invest passion in things that may or may not be stirs the imagination. similarly we are flooded with one fantasy after another based upon desire and passion. These cloud our ability to discern what is truly from God and what is not. it is for this reason that we must learn to be dispassionate, to have apatheia (a pathos - without passion). This does not mean that we become emotionless. It means that we invest emotion where it is good to do so based on reality, not on fantasy. And none of this is possible without contemplation. So contemplation is essential for a healthy human soul because it settles the mind to be present to the real. it slows the impressions so that those impressions that are worthy are invested with passion. When this is so we experience true tranquility and spiritual enjoyment. |
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Last Updated on Friday, 31 July 2009 20:36 |
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