The Advice of an Elder on Overcoming Depression
"Nowadays
people often feel sadness, despair, lethargy, laziness, apathy, and all things
satanic. They are downcast, discontent
and melancholy. They disregard their
families, spend vast sums on psychoanalysts and take anti-depressants. People explain this as 'insecurity.' Our religion believes that these states derive
from satanic temptation.
Pain is a
psychological power which God implanted in us with a view to doing us good and
leading us to love, joy, and prayer.
Instead of this, the devil succeeds in taking this power from the
battery of our soul and using it for evil.
He transforms it into depression and brings the soul into a state of
lethargy and apathy. He torments us,
takes us captive and makes us psychologically ill.
There is
a secret. Turn the satanic energy into
good energy. This is difficult and
requires some preparation. The requisite
preparation is humility. With humility
you attract the grace of God. You
surrender yourself to the love of God, to worship and to prayer. But even if you do all in the world, you
achieve nothing if you haven't acquired humility. All the evil feelings, insecurity, despair
and disenchantment, which come to take control of the soul, disappear with
humility. The person who lacks humility,
the egotist, doesn't want you to get in the way of his desires, to make any
criticism of him or tell him what to do.
He gets upset, irritated and reacts violently and is overcome by
depression.
This
state is cured by grace. The soul must
turn to God's love. The cure will come
when we start to love God passionately.
Many of our saints transformed depression into joy with their love for
Christ. That is, they took this power of
the soul which the devil wished to crush and gave it to God and they
transformed it into joy and exultation.
Prayer and worship gradually transform depression and turn it into joy,
because the grace of God takes effect.
Here you need to have the strength to attract the grace of God which
will help you to be united with Him. Art
is required. When you give yourself to
God and become one with him, you will forget the evil spirit which drags at you
from behind, and this spirit, when it is disdained, will leave. And the more you devote yourself to the
Spirit of God, the less you will look behind to see the spirit that is dragging
at you. When grace attracts you, you
will be united with God. And when you
unite yourself to God and abandon yourself to Him, everything else disappears
and is forgotten and you are saved. The
great art, the great secret, in order to rid yourself of depression and all
that is negative is to give yourself over to the love of God.
Something
which can help a person who is depressed is work, interest in life. The garden, plants, flowers, trees, the
countryside, a walk in the open air -- all these things tear a person away from
a state of inactivity and awake other interests. They act like medicines. To occupy oneself with the arts, with music
and so on, is very beneficial. The thing
that I place top of the list, however, is interest in the Church, in reading
Holy Scripture and attending services.
As you study the words of God you are cured without being aware of it.
Let me
tell you about a girl who came to me.
She was suffering from dreadful depression. Drugs had no effect. She had given up everything -- her work, her
home, her interests. I told her about
the love of Christ which takes the soul captive because the grace of God fills
the soul and changes it. I explained to
her that the force which takes over the soul and transforms the power of the
soul into depression is demonic. It
throws the soul to the ground, torments it and renders it useless. I advised her to devote herself to things
like music which she had formerly enjoyed.
I emphasized, however, most of all her need to turn to Christ with
love. I told her, moreover, that in our
Church a cure is to be found through love for God and prayer, provided this is
done with all the heart."
A selection from Wounded by Love: The Life
and
the Wisdom of Elder Porphyrios
Source: http://orthodoxhealing.blogspot.com.by/2010/03/elder-porphyrios-overcoming-depression.html
A Look at Monastic Ranks in the Orthodox Church
Although
the Orthodox Church does not have religious orders as the Latin (Roman
Catholic) church does, there are different styles of monastic
life in Orthodoxy, both individually and in community. Generally speaking some monasteries
may be more liturgical oriented, while others may be mores ascetic, while still
other may have a certain mystical tradition, and other be more inclined to
spiritual guidance and openness to the world for the purpose of care and
counseling. These various styles of monasticism, which take both a personal as
well as a corporate form, are not formally predetermined or officially
legislated. They are the result of organic development under the living grace
of God.
In
addition to the various spiritual styles of monastic life, three formal types
of organization may be mentioned. The first is that of coenobitic communion. In
the coenobitic monastery everything is shared: living quarters, food, work,
prayer, common efforts, cares, struggles, and achievements. The leader and
spiritual father of the coenobium is the Abbot (Egoumenos). The exhortation to
the Abbot in the Charter of St. Athanasius the Athonite is typical: "Take
care that the brethren have everything in common. No one must own as much as a
needle. Your body and soul shall be your own, and nothing else. Everything must
be shared equally with love between all your spiritual children, brethren and
fathers." The second form is called idiorhythmic in which the monks or
nuns pray together liturgically, but work and eat individually or in small
groups. In this type of monasticim the persons may even psalmodize and do the
offices separately, coming together only for the Eucharistic Liturgy, and even
then, perhaps, only on certain occasions. Finally, there is the eremitic type
of monasticism where the individual monks or nuns are actually hermits, also
called anchorites or recluses. They live in total individual seclusion and
never join in the liturgical prayer of the community, except again perhaps on
the most solemn occasions. In the rarest of cases it may even happen that the
holy Eucharist is brought to the monk or nun who remains perpetually alone.
The
Monastic Ranks
The
Orthodox monastic tradition has four classic ranks that apply equally to men
and women. The first step is that of novice (Greek:δόκιμος), which in church
terminology is called the rank of obedience. At this first stage the candidate
for monastic profession simply lives in the monastery under the direction of a
spiritual father or mother. There is no formal ceremony for the clothing of a
novice, he or she simply receives permission to wear the clothing of a novice.
In the Eastern monastic tradition, novices, may or may not dress in the black
inner cassock (Greek: Anterion [Αντερίον], Esorason [Εσώρασον], Slavonic:
Podriasnik) and wear the soft monastic hat (Greek: Skoufos, Slavonic:Skufia),
depending on the tradition of the local community, and in accordance to the
Abbot's directives. In some communities, the novice also wears the leather
belt. Monks are given a prayer rope and instructed in the use of the Jesus
Prayer.
If a
novice chooses to leave during the period of the novitiate, no penalty is
incurred. He may also be asked to leave at any time if his behavior does not
conform to the monastic life, or if the superior discerns that he is not called
to monasticism. When the Abbot or Abbess(Egoumenos or Egoumenissa) deems the
novice is ready, he is asked if he wishes to join the monastery. Some, out of
humility, will choose to remain novices all their lives. Every stage of the
monastic life must be entered into voluntarily.
Rasophore (Greek: ρασοφόρος,
rasophoros; Slavonic: ryasofor), lit. "Robe-bearer"-- If the novice
continues on to become a monk, he is clothed in the first degree of monasticism
at a service at which he receives the tonsure. Although there are no formal
vows made at this point, the candidate is normally required to affirm his
commitment to persevere in the monastic life. The Abbot (Egoumenos) will then
perform the tonsure, cutting a small amount of hair from four spots on the
head, forming a cross. He is then given the outer robe with wide sleeves, from
which the name Rassophoros is derived. He is also given a kamilavkion, a
cylindrical brimless hat, which is covered with a veil called an
epanokamelavkion. (These are separate items in the Greek tradition; in the
Russian tradition the two are stitched together and collectively called a
klobuk.) If he has not previously received it, a leather belt is fastened
around his waist. His habit is usually black, signifying that he is now dead to
the world and he receives a new name.
Although
the Rassophoros does not make formal vows, he is still morally obligated to
continue in the monastic estate for the rest of his life. Some will remain
Rossophoroi permanently without going on to the higher degrees.
Stavrophore (Greek: σταυροφόρος,
stavrophoros; Slavonic: krestonosets), lit. "Cross-bearer"--- The
next level for Eastern Orthodox monastics takes place some years after when the
Abbot (Egoumenos) feels the monk has reached an appropriate level of discipline,
dedication and humility. This degree is also known as the Little Schema, and is
thought of as a "betrothal" to the Great Schema. At this stage, the
monk makes formal vows of stability of place, chastity, obedience and poverty.
Then he is tonsured and clothed in the habit, which in addition to that worn by
the Rassophoroi, include the paramandyas (Greek: παραμανδύας; Slavonic:
paraman), a piece of square cloth worn on the back, embroidered with the
instruments of the Passion, and connected by ties to a wooden cross worn over
the heart. The paramandyas represents the yoke of Christ. Because of this
addition he is now called Stavrophoros, or Cross-bearer. He is also given a
wooden hand cross (or "profession cross"), which he should keep in
his icon corner, and a beeswax candle, symbolic of monastic vigilance the
sacrificing of himself for God. He will be buried holding the cross, and the
candle will be burned at his funeral. In the Slavonic practice, the Stavrophore
also wears the monastic mantle, which symbolizes 40 days of the Lord's fasting
on the Mountain of Temptation. The rasson worn by the Stavrophore is more ample
than that worn by the Rassophore.
After the
ceremony, the newly-tonsured Stavrophore will remain in vigil in the church for
five days, refraining from all work, except spiritual reading. Currently, this
vigil is often reduced to three days. The Egoumenos (Abbot) increases the
Stavrophore monk's prayer rule, allows a more strict personal ascetic practice,
and gives the monk more responsibility.
Great
Schema
Great Schema (Greek:
μεγαλόσχημος, megaloschemos; Slavonic: Schima)--Monks whose Egoumenoi (Abbots)
feel they have reached a high level of spiritual excellence reach the final
stage, called the Great Schema. The tonsure of a Schemamonk or Schemanun
follows the same format as the Stavrophore, and he makes the same vows and is
tonsured in the same manner. But in addition to all the garments worn by the
Stavrophore, he is given the analavos (Slavonic: analav) which is the article
of monastic vesture emblematic of the Great Schema. For this reason, the
analavos itself is sometimes itself called the "Great Schema." It
drapes over the shoulders and hangs down in front and in back, with the front
portion somewhat longer, and is embroidered with the instruments of the Passion
and the Trisagion (i.e., the Cross of Calvary, spear, reed, sponge, skull and
Adam's cross-bones and Peter's cock.) The Greek form does not have a hood, the
Slavonic form has a hood and lappets on the shoulders, so that the garment
forms a large cross covering the monk's shoulders, chest, and back. Another
piece added is the Polystavrion (Πολυσταύριον, "Many Crosses"), which
consists of a cord with a number of small crosses plaited into it. The
polystavrion forms a yoke around the monk and serves to hold the analavos in
place, and reminds the monastic that he is bound to Christ and that his arms
are no longer fit for worldly activities, but that he must labor only for the
Kingdom of Heaven. Among the Greeks, the mantle is added at this stage. The
paramandyas of the Megaloschemos is larger than that of the Stavrophoros, and
if he wears the klobuk, it is of a distinctive thimble shape, called a
koukoulion, the veil of which is usually embroidered with crosses.
The
Schemamonk also shall remain some days in vigil in the church. On the eighth
day after Tonsure, there is a special service for the "Removal of the
Koukoulion".
In some
monastic traditions the Great Schema is never given or is only given to monks
and nuns on their death bed, while in others, e.g., the cenobitic monastaries
on Mount Athos, it is common to tonsure a monastic into the Great Schema only 3
years after commencing the monastic life.
In Russia
and some other traditions, when a bearer of some monastic title acquires the
Great Schema, his title incorporates the word "schema". For example,
a hieromonk of Great Schema is called hieroschemamonk, archimandrite becomes
schema-archimandrite, hegumen - schema-hegumen, etc.
[The Orthodox attitude towards monasticism is
best summed up in the collect of the Prodigal Son with which the ceremony of
profession opens: (The monk here is a penitent,)
Make haste to open Thy Fatherly arms Unto me
who have wasted my life like the prodigal Despise not a heart now grown poor O
Savior, Who hast before Thine eyes The boundless riches of Thy mercies. For
unto Thee, O Lord, in compunction do I cry: O Father, I have sinned against
heaven and before Thee.
[and the verse which is chanted during the
clothing: (The monk
here is the betrothed of God.)
My soul shall rejoice in the Lord; for He
hath Put on me the garment of salvation, and with the Tunic of gladness hath he
clothed me. He hath put Upon me a crown as upon a bridegroom, and as a Bride
hath he adorned me with an ornament.
In the
Orthodox Tradition there is no prescribed length of time that a person must
remain in one or another of the monastic ranks. This is so because of the
radically personal character of the vocation. Thus, some persons may progress
rapidly to profession, while others may take years, and still others may never
be formally professed while still remaining within the monastic community. The
decision in these matters is made individually in each case by the spiritual
director and the head of the community.
All
Christians are obligated to keep the Lord's commandments, but this requires
effort. Fallen human nature, enslaved by its passions is reluctant to fulfill
this obligation. It seeks pleasure and avoids the pain involved in fighting the
passions and selfishness. The monastic life is so arranged as to facilitate
this work. On the other hand the worldly life, particularly in our secular
society, makes it harder to be an ascetic. The problem for the Christian in the
world is that he is called upon to reach the same goal under adverse
conditions.
Source: http://saintandrewgoc.org/home/2012/5/2/types-of-monasticism-in-the-orthodox-church.html
3 Answers from Father Andrew: How Do I Deal with Hypocrites?
Archpriest Andrew Lemeshonok, the spiritual father of St. Elisabeth Convent, answers various questions of the parishioners.
Is it viable to struggle with the sin
"little by little" or I should take a more radical approach?
Every
good gift and every perfect gift is from above (James 1: 17). It seems to me
that you're on the right track. If you have to fill a bucket with a spoon, do
it tirelessly. Praise the Lord that you can see your limitations. More often
than not, an individual draws a full bucket and then it turns out that he
cannot carry it. Naturally, there will be a point in time when you have to act
bravely. It will not be a question of your personal choice or calculating your
resources. It will be the question of whether you trust God or not.
Currently,
you are in the process of becoming a Christian, and first you need to spend
some time in the elementary school. You can't simply jump from the first grade
into the twelfth grade. People make many mistakes when they try to act like
Holy Fathers and love the haters and the offenders. Of course, it is the right
thing to do in principle; this is what Jesus Christ has taught us, but this is
not what you can do. If you don't respond to evil with evil, if you are able to
curb your feelings, it will already be a great triumph. He who treads softly
goes far. May God help you to continue your journey and to grow spiritually,
becoming more mature. God will always be near.
How do I deal with hypocrites, and what do I
do if I use swear-words, even though I'm a Christian?
The whole
world lieth in wickedness (1 John 5:19). We cannot escape sorrows in this
world. Swearing is unacceptable, of course. Of the abundance of the heart your
mouth speaketh (cf. Luke 6:45). That's why you ought to be attentive and exert
self-control. If you swear unintentionally, punish yourself by making several
dozen prostrations, for example. It helps.
As far as
dealing with insincere people is concerned... Yes, there are insincere people
around, and you can spot them. First of all, we shouldn't judge them. Our own
perception may fail us. If your heart tells you that they are hypocritical (and
your heart may be right sometimes), you should limit pointless interactions
with such people, especially since your soul is discomfited by their dishonesty.
Certainly, we should charge ourselves with doing what we can to accept such
people as they are. Until we have not yet reached the measure of the love of
Christ... with the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou
wilt shew thyself froward (cf. Ps. 18: 26, 27).
We are
very volatile by nature. Someone may be praising you today and looking at you
favourably. On the spur of the moment, something happens, and that person
changes his opinion, turns against you and starts criticising you. You
shouldn't rely on their unfaltering truth and honesty. You should be aware of
the fact that all men are liars (Ps. 116:11), including me. That's why you have
to pay more attention to your own personality, to your own innermost. Only
those who are trained not to be too enthusiastic and emotional about anything;
only those who know that each person has his positive and negative traits; only
those who do their best to understand and accept others, will enjoy stable
relationships and be able to bear each other's burdens, to forgive, and to
serve our neighbour.
There is a prayer to Hieromartyr Cyprian
asking for his help in the battle against the evil spirits. How should I treat
it?
Hieromartyr
Cyprian is a great saint. The example of his conversion to God, his ministry,
and his martyrdom reveal his noble spirit. The prayer you are referring to is a
good prayer, it is blessed by the Church, but it is not suitable for everyone.
When there is a war going on inside one's heart, and a weak-spirited person
attempts to fight and drive away the devil using this prayer; when the said
person is exposed to the evil powers, that impressionable person may go astray,
led by his feelings. It may appear to that person that he fights and drives the
enemy away but sometimes it is merely an illusion. I'd rather ask God for help
using Jesus Prayer, Hail Mary, Akathists to the Mother of God, St Nicholas the
Wonderworker, and St Spyridon of Trimythous. We needn't fight the enemy. He is
already defeated by the power of the Cross. He does not have any power or
strength. And yet he wants us to be thinking about him all the time. He wants
us to be scared and to be looking for him everywhere. We should rather be
looking for God, our Guardian Angels, and the saints whose lives inspire us to
lead a new God-fearing life. This life is beautiful. That is why I'd rather
think of the good and pure things and subjects and pay less attention to the
dark side.
January 31, 2018
St.
Elisabeth Convent
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)
About Our Blog
Welcome to the official blog of the Catalogue of St.Elisabeth Convent! The blog includes recent ministry updates of the convent, sermons, icons, personal stories and everything related to Orthodox Christianity. Join our Catalog of Good Deeds and become part of the ministry of St.Elisabeth Convent! #CatalogOfGoodDeeds
Most Popular Posts
Partners
