Premium
Front Matter
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Introduction
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1. An introductory reminder of the promise made to correspond about the spiritual life. The benefit expected from this
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2. On the reason for silence. The necessary openness and simplicity in correspondence. The vanity of worldly life
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3. The emptiness and one-sidedness of worldly life
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4. Worldly life deprives one of freedom and holds those devoted to it in heavy slavery. Hypocrisy and egoism as constant qualities of worldly life
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5. The three sides of human life. The first side: bodily life, its organs and needs; normal and excessive care for the body
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6. The second side of human life: soulish life and its three chief functions. The first function: the thinking side and its forms. Knowledge and science. The normal operations of reason and the empty wandering of thoughts
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7. The desiring side of soulish life. Its functions. The proper and disorderly state of the desiring faculty
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8. The side of feeling—the heart. The great significance of the heart in human life. The influence of passions on the heart
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9. The third side of human life: spiritual life. The chief manifestations of spiritual life: fear of God, conscience, and thirst for God. The dignity of man
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10. The universality of faith in the existence of God as a manifestation of spiritual life
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11. The action of the spirit upon the human soul and the phenomena that arise from it in the thinking, active, and feeling realms
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12. Conclusions from what has been said about the three sides of human life. The possibility of passing from one state to another and of one side of life predominating. The predominance of soulishness and fleshly-mindedness as a sinful state. The rule of
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13. Man’s true happiness is life according to the spirit. The subtlest covering of the soul, serving as mediator between it and the body and as a means of communion between souls and with the world of saints and Angels. The bright and dark state of the so
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14. The sheath of the soul becomes bright or dark according to its inner disposition. Examples. A darkened soul is seen by demons
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15. How the saints hear our prayers. An addition concerning prayer
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16. The true goal of life. A way of life corresponding to that goal
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17. Deposits in the heavenly treasury. A life pleasing to God. The progressive women’s dreams of the universal good of humanity and their falsity
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18. The significance of spiritual needs among the other aspects of human life. The one thing needful. The dominion of the spirit as the natural harmony of all needs, capable of giving peace and rest. The absence of this peace in humanity. Universal vanity
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19. Original sin as the source of inner turmoil and disorder. The possibility of healing the state of man damaged by sin
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20. Continuation. Explanation of the disorder introduced into human nature by the sin of the foreparents. Communion with God served as the source of the spirit’s dominion over soul and body. Through the violation of the commandment, man separated himself
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21. The necessity of reunion with God for salvation. Man himself does not have the strength to accomplish this. The Spirit of God accomplishes it in us for the sake of the redemption brought by the Son of God
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22. Continuation on the redemptive restoration of fallen man. The participation of the whole Holy Trinity in our salvation. The order in which good feelings are awakened in the person being saved by the Spirit of God. The person’s own participation in thi
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23. The signs of true spiritual zeal, as distinct from psychic zeal
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24. New Year’s wishes. The necessity of renewal and self-purification. Spiritual zeal accomplishes this in us
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25. Thoughts on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord. The hidden action of grace received by us in the Mystery of Baptism
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26. Continuation on the hidden action of the grace of Baptism in a person. Explanatory comparisons of grace to leaven in dough and fire in iron. Coming of age, a person must secure God’s grace within himself by free choice. The danger of stopping halfway.
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27. Continuation on zeal and the resolve to live according to grace. Inner concentration around a center. The illumination of the soul’s covering. Various degrees of this illumination
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28. Explanation, by parables and examples, of free resolve to live according to grace
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29. The resolve to live according to grace must not be limited to desire alone, but must be accompanied by readiness for labor and struggle, by the striving to attain the desired goal without fail. Having resolved, one must immediately begin the work and
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30. An outline of the inner state illumined by grace in the words of Macarius the Great. Ways to arouse and strengthen resolve for a good life
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31. How to sustain the striving toward a good life once it has begun. Spiritual reading and reflection. Writing down good thoughts. How to avoid wandering thoughts during reading and prayer. Constant remembrance of God and death. Self-reproach
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32. One who has resolved to set out on the path of the good life must prepare for Communion. Instruction on proper preparation. Conduct of one preparing for Communion in church
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33. Continuation on preparation for Communion. Conduct of one preparing at home
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34. Continuation on preparation for Communion. Preparation for confession. Examination of life
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35. Continuation. Examination of the dispositions of the heart. Determining the principal character, or spirit, of one’s life
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36. Complete preparation for the mysteries of repentance and communion. Feelings necessary for one who repents. A useful reminder about blessed Theodora and her passage through the toll-houses
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37. The awakened resolve to be corrected must be clearly defined as the striving to act in everything according to the will of God. The peace and joy of the servants of God. A warning against an incomplete resolve to live according to God. The one who is
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38. The necessary resolve of one preparing through fasting to dedicate oneself to God is considered as the conscious renewal of the vows given for us at baptism
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39. The correction of life consists not in rearranging external orders, but in the spirit, with readiness to struggle against obstacles. The various ways in which the enemy tries to turn aside those entering the path of true life
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40. Fear of future cooling. Various causes of cooling toward the spiritual life. How to conduct oneself when coolness appears
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41. Final counsels before confession and Communion
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42. Congratulations and good wishes to one who has repented and communed in the Holy Mysteries of Christ. One who has entered the path of true life needs unceasing remembrance of God
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43. One who, after repentance and Communion, has entered the path of true life must establish peace within himself. Rules for driving away inner disorder: unceasing remembrance of God, resolve in everything—great and small—to act according to conscience,
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44. Precautions for one who has entered the true path. The play of life in spring. Why many who have fasted are not completely corrected
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45. The chief occupation of one who has entered the true path: prayer. Instruction on undistracted prayer
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46. General rules for one standing on the path of true life
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47. A prayer rule for one standing on the path of life pleasing to God. Learning psalms by heart. Replacing long prayers with brief ones. Prayer ropes
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48. How to attain proper undistracted prayer. Preparation for the right performance of prayer
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49. Worldly Affairs. How to Relate to Worldly Affairs So That They Do Not Distract, but Are Joined with the Service of God
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50. Continuation. By What Means One Can Awaken in Oneself the Unceasing Remembrance of God with Love
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51. How to Turn Worldly Affairs and Things to Spiritual Benefit
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52. The Remembrance of God Must Be Brought to a Feeling of Warmth or Burning Love for God
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53. The Passions as an Obstacle to the Spirit’s Being Kindled with Love for God. They Must Be Driven Out
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54. On the Struggle with the Passions
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55. Continuation on the Struggle with the Passions
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56. Even the Smallest Movements of the Passions Must Be Driven Out. Permissible Anger
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57. Different Degrees in the Development of Passion: Passionate Thoughts, Feelings, Desires, and Actions. The Struggle with Them
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58. The Meaning of Prayer in the Struggle with Passionate Thoughts. Examples
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59. An Excerpt from Saint Hesychius on the Struggle with the Passions
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60. What to Do If, Even During the Struggle with the Passions, Passionate Thoughts and Desires Break Through in Us. The Purification of the Heart
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61. Guarding the Hearing and the Sight. How to Destroy Bad Impressions from What Is Seen and Heard
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62. After Guidance in the Mental Struggle with the Passions, Instruction Is Offered on the Active Struggle with Them. The Most Convenient External Form of Life for the Struggle with the Passions. Conclusion of the Conversation on the Struggle with the Pas
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63. Household Cares. Singing and Music
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64. Solitude. How to Avoid Boredom. Reading and the Study of Sciences
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65. Extract from Saint Poemen on a Life Pleasing to God, the Conquest of the Passions, and the Planting of Virtues
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66. A Journey to the Trinity Lavra of Saint Sergius. Instruction for Pilgrims
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67. Consolation for a Pilgrim. Instruction on Careful Confession. Short Prayers and Unceasing Attention to God
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68. Rumor and Human Speech. The Need for a Good Adviser. Constant Danger from the Enemy
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69. Melancholy and Fears. Innocent Diversions. Separation from Bad People. The English “Apostle” of the Spirit-Bearers’ Sect. His Falsehood
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70. On Reading Spiritual and Secular Books
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71. Coldness Toward Prayer. Careless and Hasty Prayer. How to Avoid This. Reading Prayers from Memory
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72. A Vow of Renunciation of the World. How to Conduct Oneself after Pronouncing the Vow and before Fulfilling It
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73. Continuation. A Vow of Celibacy Once Given Must Be Kept Firmly. The Loftiness of Virginity
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74. Instruction for Those Eager for Monastic Life. Various Forms of the Ascetic Life of Celibacy. Patient Waiting and Domestic Preparation for Monastic Life
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75. The Enemy’s Tricks in Turning One Away from a Life of Renunciation of the World. How to Repel Them
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76. Temptations from Unbelievers. Refutation of Their Vainly Wise Reasonings
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77. Temptations from Domestic Troubles. Submission to Parents as Preparation for Monastic Obedience
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78. Temptation from Injustice and False Accusations by Outsiders. Enduring Them. A Warning to Those Who Wish to Leave Their Parents’ Home for Freedom
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79. Final Alarms and Anxieties. Surrendering One’s Fate into God’s Hands with Prayer and Courage Against the Enemy Who Brings Temptations
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80. Peace After the Storm of Temptations Raised by the Enemy. Preparations for Going Home. Final Counsel
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Back Matter
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