Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Philokalia
The Philokalia is a collection of texts written between the fourth and the fifteenth centuries by
spiritual masters of the Orthodox Christian tradition. It was compiled in the eighteenth century by
two Greek monks, St Nikodimos of the Holy Mountain of Athos (1749-1809) and St Makarios of
Corinth (1731-1805), and was first published at Venice in 1782.
Evagrius Ponticus
If you
long for pure prayer, keep guard over your incensive power; and if you desire self-restraint, control your belly,
and do not take your fill even of bread and water. Be vigilant in prayer and avoid all rancor. Let the teachings of
the Holy Spirit be always with you; and use the virtues as your hands to knock at the doors of Scripture. Then
dispassion of heart will arise within you, and during prayer you will see your intellect shine like a star.
Evagrius Ponticus
idea of bread persists in a hungry man because of his hunger, and the idea of water in a thirsty man because of his
thirst, so ideas of material things and of the shameful thoughts that follow a surfeit of food and drink persist in us
because of the passions. The same is true about thoughts of self-esteem and other ideas
A monk should always act as if he was going to die tomorrow; yet he should treat his body as if it was going to
live for many years. The first cuts off the inclination to listlessness, and makes the monk more diligent; the
second keeps his body sound and his self control well balanced.
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