384
edits
Changes
m
→Expectation of grace: typo
The very thought about forthcoming grace and receiving Divine gifts, expectation of grace is a clear manifestation of pride. St. Ignatius writes: "If there is an expectation of grace within you – beware, you are in a dangerous state! <...> Prelest exists already in self-conceit, in considering oneself worthy, in the very expectation of grace."<ref>{{Ru icon}} [http://www.hesychasm.ru/library/stbrianch/strannik_b.htm St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov). Wanderer (from Works, Vol. 2).]</ref>
The Gospel says: "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation" (Luke 17:20). According to St. Isaac of Syria<ref>{{Ru icon}} [http://www.hesychasm.ru/library/isaaksr/txt54.htm St. Isaac of Syria. Ascetic words. Word 55.]</ref> and St. [[Macarius of Optina]]<ref>{{Ru icon}} [http://www.optina.ru/lec_mac/42/ Letters of St. Macarius of Optina. Prelest.]</ref>, these words mean that the ones who prematurely desired to acquire grace, acquired pride and fall. And this is not a sign that a man loves God but a mental illness. Saints who aquired acquired grace, thought that they did not have it, and this humility kept them safe from the fall. St. Isaac adds: "How can we strive for high Divine gifts while Apostle Paul glories in tribulations." The same idea is expressed by St. [[Nectarios of Aegina]]: "The ones who seek the Divine gifts and insights while being immersed in the passions are in proud and foolish delusion. First, one need to work on cleansing oneself. Grace is sent as a gift to those who are cleansed from the passions. And they get it quietly, at the moment that they do not notice."<ref>{{Ru icon}} [http://azbyka.ru/otechnik/?Nektarij_Eginskij/put-k-schastju St. Nectarios of Aegina. Path to Happiness.]</ref>
St. Ambrose of Optina provides in one letter an example of such expectation of Divine gifts. A nun thought that she will receive all spiritual gifts at the day of the feast of [[Archangel Michael]]. But on that day, she instead received depression and thoughts of suicide from the demons. St. Ambrose writes that it was a delusion and that living in complete solitude will be dangerous for her because of such demonic attacks.<ref>{{Ru icon}} [http://www.optina.ru/starets/amvrosiy_letters_chart2_24/#245 Letters of St. Ambrose of Optina. Letter 245.]</ref>
St. Ignatius says that the first kind of prelest results from the wrong action of the mind and the second - from the wrong action of the heart.
Saint [[Gregory of Sinai]] also says about several forms of delusion:<refname="greg">St. Gregory of Sinai. On Commandments and Doctrines, Warnings and Promises; On Thoughts, Passions and Virtues, and Also on Stillness and Prayer. Ch. 131. Philokalia, Vol. 4.</ref>
# ''illusory visions and mental images and fantasies'', caused by arrogance and self-conceit: "arrogance is followed by delusion, delusion by blasphemy, blasphemy by fear, fear by terror, and terror by a derangement of the natural state of the mind".
# ''diabolic influence'' - "it has its origin in self-indulgence, which in its turn results from so-called natural desire. Self-indulgence begets licentiousness in all its forms of indescribable impurity." This form includes visions and gift of prophecy that some people have, in fact originating from the demons of licentiousness.
===Prelest and insanity===
According to St. Ignatius Brianchaninov, St. Gregory of Sinai,<ref name="greg">Philokalia, Vol. 4, St. Gregory of Sinai, On Commandments and Doctrines, Warnings and Promises; On Thoughts, Passions and Virtues, and Also on Stillness and Prayer: One Hundred and Thirty-Seven Texts, Ch. 131.</ref> St. Symeon the New Theologian,<ref>[http://www.myriobiblos.gr/texts/english/symeon_threeways.html Saint Symeon the New Theologian, The Three Ways of Attention and Prayer.]</ref> Valaam Elder Schema-Abbot [[John (Alexeev)]]<ref>[http://oprelesti.ru/index.php/what-is-spiritual-delusion/413-how-to-pray Letters of the Valaam Elder Schema-Abbot John (Alexeev), On Prayer]</ref> and other ascetics, the first kind of prelest (prayer with imagination) very often leads to insanity. The second kind (conceit) sometimes does not result in a mental disease, but the person cannot achieve salvation being in a state of one of the seven deadly sins - pride. St. Ignatius writes about it: "This kind of prelest - is terrible: it is equally fatal for the soul as the first one, but is less evident; it rarely ends in madness, suicide, but definitely corrupts both the mind and the heart."<ref name="ign1"/>
===False visions===
==Prelest and Jesus prayer==
Many Orthodox Holy Fathers and modern ascetics wrote about the dangers of wrong practice of the [[Jesus Prayer]] and prayer in general: Saint Symeon the New Theologian, Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov, Saint [[Theophan the Recluse]], Saint Ambrosius of Optina, Saint Macarius of Optina, elder Joseph the Hesychast, Vallam Valaam elder John (Alexeev) and others.<ref name="ioann">{{Ru icon}} [http://www.ioann.ru/?id=424&partid=19 Gleanings from Holy Fathers on the dangers of the prayer of the heart.]</ref>
Professor of the Moscow Theological Academy [[Alexei Osipov|A.I. Osipov]] analyzes<ref name="piligr"/><ref name="apol">[http://www.holytrinitymission.org/books/english/apologetics_osipov_e.htm A.I. Ospiov. Apologetics.]</ref> the teaching on the prayer by St. Ignatius (Brianchaninov) and points out that the prayer should have three properties: attention, reverence, repentance. Also humility should be the basis of the prayer as St. Ignatius says: "Today I read the declaration of St. Sisoes the Great, which I always particularly liked. A [[monk]] said to him: 'I am in constant memory of God'. St. Sisoes responded to him: 'That is not great; it will be great when you consider yourself to be worse than any creature.' St. Sisoes continues: constant memory of God is a very elevated activity!! However, this height is very dangerous, when the ladder to it is not founded on the solid rock of humility".<ref name="apol"/>
