Psychic connections

[Olympiada]

I have not had much time to search through these threads and if this question has been answered, please forgive.

What is the Orthodox understanding about psychic connections? In other words if I have a brother or sister in Christ and I think of them and they call me, what does this mean? Or how can this be explained? I was told that everybody has these psychic connections. Is the word psychic an Orthodox word? I have seen it referred in the writings of Saint Iraneus in reference to the heresy of Gnosticism. Psychic is actually below spiritual. I do not understand this. Can someone please explain?

In Christ
Olympiada

[Kosmas Damianides]

Dearest in Christ Olympiada,

Psychic has to do with the human soul, while Pneumatic has to do with the Spirit. I think that these two often get mixed up by Protestant groups. The Bible clearly makes a distinction between the two.

Premonitions and hightened sensitivity of the soul's senses are all to do with the natural abilities of the human soul. Some pseudo "Spiritual" groups believe that they can uleash their psychic and spiritual energies, such as the hindu budhists and perhaps the Gnostics.

These are not real Spiritual gifts. I suppose we all have these natural gifts to a higher or lesser extent. They are nothing to brag about. Put it this way your not a Saint yet...http://www.monachos.net/mb/clipart/happy.gif

Spiritual gifts on the other hand are much higher because they don't come from our human senses but from God Himself, from God's Pneuma.

Although someone who is Spiritual and closer to the Church will probably have a higher sensitivity to his or her senses, this is because the Spirit of God is in them and their body is working how it was supposed to. However, Spiritual gifts go beyond knowing when someone is about to arrive at your house or is about to call you on the phone.

St Anthony the Great in fact goes so far as to call this type of gift demonic. He said that "the demons reveiled this to me..." when the two pilgrims met the elder in the desert. The Elder foresaw that their mule had died.

Our senses can therefore be used as buttons by the demons to take us away from the right Spiritual path.

The greatest and most blessed Spiritual gift is Love. It is easy to be deceived by our own "psychic abilities" which is why monks will not pray for any such gifts nor even real Spiritual gifts for that matter, but will quite the contrary, ask God to take this temptation from them in case they become puffed up with pride.

This is the safest way. Don't pay too much attention to your psychic gifts as they can definitely lead you astray.

Rather,concentarate more on cultivating your Spiritual gifts, such as love, humility, longsuffering, self-denial in order to help others and to find salvation for your soul and the souls of others. Remember you can save many just by being a good example to others.

In Christ

Kosmas

PS.

You can also be led astray by Spiritual gifts by becoming puffed up with pride... Even Love.

[Olympiada]

Thank you Kosmas. I realized last night in a conversation that I have to renounce my visions. That is all there is to it. I was told to read Evagrius of Pothos in the Philokalia which I am. I appreciate your clarifying this matter. It has been most helpful!

[Father David Moser]

Well put Kosmas. The Optina elders give the same direction regarding "natural" psychic abilities. They say that such things are natural in some people, but that for the sake of one's salvation such abilites are best ignored or even resisted. One's time and attention are better spent on spiritual pursuits and the divine and saving knowledge of Christ (as opposed to the worldly "information" offered by such abilities.

Fr David