'Little Russian Philokalia'

[Loretta]

I've been searching the internet to find the Philokalia for sale. As I understand, it comes in four volumes. I did finally find three of the volumes listed at St. Vladimir's bookstore, but when I called they did not even have volume one, saying that it was out of print.

If anyone has any idea where I can get them, please let me know.

Thanks,
Loretta

[Nicholas Stanosheck]

Christ is Risen!

Here you go Loretta:

Volume 1 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0938635301/yourcatholicmess/)
Volume 2 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/093863531X/yourcatholicmess/)
Volume 3 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0938635344/yourcatholicmess/)
Volume 4 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0938635336/yourcatholicmess/)

I may have the volumes messed up, but these 4 links will take you to purchase all 4 of them.

In Christ,
-Nicholas
Euphrosynos Cafe (http://www.euphrosynoscafe.com/)

[Loretta]

Thank you Nicholas - I don't understand what the difference is between The Philokalia and the Little Russian Philokalia.

Are they both the same? Wherever I saw the Little Russian Philokalia it made reference as a subtitle to someone in Alaska. (Does this make sense?)

Loretta

[Richard Leigh]

Dear Loretta,

It makes sense if it is a reference to St. Herman of Alaska. It may have been published by the St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, which, I think was founded by Father Hieromonk Seraphim Rose.

Richard

[Fr Averky]

Dear in Christ Loretta, Nicholas, and Richard, and All.

First. "The Little Russian Philokalia " is a series of brief lives and monastic sayings of recent Russian Fathers like St. Seraphim of Sarov and St. Theorodore of Synaxar ( a very intersting life ). It is published by the St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, whose founders were the late Father Seraphim Rose and Father Herman.

Secondly, and you will say to yourself, "Here he goes again," I must express the need for a blessing and extreme caution in reading the Philokalia. It is primarily abook for monastics, and advanced ones at that. Just because a book is available on the market, it does not mean that is is good for everyone to read.

At our monastery, we do not allow lay people to read the Philokalia, and in many book stores in Greece and Russia, lay persons are not permitted to buy it?"

The early nineteenth century luminary, St. Ignatius Brichaninov, a well-educated bishop -saint and reformer of monasteries, in his wonderful book "On the Prayer of Jesus," says the following:

"(St.) Paissy Velichkovsky in a letter to the Elder Theodosius says: "The books of the Fathers, especially those which teach true obedience, vigilance of mind and silence, attention and mental prayer ( that is, prayer performed by the mind in the heart) are intended only for the monastic order and not for all Orthodox Christians in general. The God-fearing Fathers, in expounding the teachings on this prayer affirm that its beginning and unshakable foundation is true obedience, from which is born true humility; and humility guards him who who labours in prayer from all the delusions which dog the self-directed. But it is quite impossible for laypeople aqcuire true monastic obedience and perfect denial of the will and reason in everything. So how can laypeople, without obedience, by self-direction which is accompanied by delusion, force themselves to such terrifying work, that is, to prayer, without any kind of guidance? How will they be able to escape the diverse and varied illusions of the enemy most cunningly directed against this prayer and all who practise it?"

While this mainly is speaking of the Jesus Prayer, about which I have already cautioned, it starts out with reference to the "books of the Fathers," of which assuredly the Philokalia is to be included, for St. Paissy Velichkovsky assembled the Philokalia, after searching for it on Mt. Athos, and is responsible for its translation into Russian. If one reads an accurate life of the saint, he will find that he was a bit concerned, lest spiritually lacking people might aqcuire and read this highly spiritual book. It is hard to understand at first, but if you think about it, and look at your life in the world - as a provider, as a parent, as one filled wih daily decisions, who cannot live a life of the total committment of obedience to a spiritual father, strict fasting, purity, and so forth - it make sense that reading with understanding a book written for well- tried monastics and then to trying to apply its spiritual principles to your life would be most difficult. As I have mentioned, I have been in this life for many years, and only now can I read these book and understand what the author is even talking about. I mentioned a few months ago that I had picked up my copy of "Unseen Warfare" for the first in many years and started looking throught it. Having experienced so much in my monastic life over all these years, it was so wonderful to read it again, with a clear knowledge and understanding of its contents. Yet, I am not so arrogant as to say that I understand everything fully, but at last, I have an inkling... On the other side of the coin, I could not readily understand a book on child -rearing or common difficulties in marriage - as a priest, I have a good idea of knowledge basic human relations, but I cannot often counsel people with deep marital problems, - I do not know enough about it. So too, the average layperson taking up the Philokalia does not not underestand what he is reading - perhaps "intellectually," but not from his heart, his soul, or from experience. And reading it several time, if one has not reached the proper spiritual level, will be of no further use. The danger is always subtle, for a person can easily fall into traps of the mind which he does not realize until he has a crisis of faith.

In the Western world, and particularly in America, where we have the "freedom" to read or pray as we wish, and think as we wish, we all too often overlook the ancient wisdom of the Fathers of the Church, who breathed the pure air of sancity. We might say, "But , is it not true that the Pilgrim gets an old copy of the Philokalia and treasures it? Yes, it is true, but most experts will tell you that most likely the author of "Pilgrim" was most likely a monk, and therefore his spiritual understanding, as shown consistantly throughout the entire narrative gives him away. This was no ordinary layperson, but he is a character who serves as a wonderful example and as an inspiration for all Orthodox Chrisitans - he suffers, great losses, he is a homeless wanderer, he is seeking Truth and the key to "Praying ceaselessly." His journey through Russia is symbolic of his spiritual journey, carrying his cross and facing many temptations, seeing the Hand of God, and having Mysteries revealed to him. He can be seen as a Russian "Everyman," an example how one person lives his life simply, humbly, and with great faith in the face of many adversities. And it is from that simple faith that he comes to attain the Prayer of the Heart - not through intellectual pursuit, or by high theology, or by being a professional student. The Holy Spirit enters his heart, and the Prayer enters his soul

So dear Loretta and others, let us not start off with higher science - let us rather be like little children, and with faith, love, and the fear of God, look to Him with pure heart and humble eyes, and He will let us know, will give us deep spiritual knowledge. We can read a thousand books, and in the end, know nothing, and even worse, lose our souls, because like the Foolish Virgins, we gathered no works, and our faith will have been weak. The Bridegroom will come, and we will be shut out.

Forgive me, I have no authority to tell anyone of you what to do or not to do- you may do as you wish. All I can do is to humbly beg you to take care for your souls, for they are precious to me, but moreso to God - do nothing to endanger them - please.

With the greatest love,

Father Averky

[Loretta]

Dearest Father Averky,

For myself, I understand your deep concerns regarding spiritual texts.

Please be assured that I am not self-directing my spiritual journey, but only acting on the advice of my spiritual director. I certainly would not presume to be confident in my own judgement to know where to put my foot next on the path to God.

I thank God for your insightful remarks.
Loretta

[Fr Averky]

Beloved in the Lord
Loretta,

I thank you most sincerely for your kind understanding of my genuine concern.

I pray that you will gain the spiritual insights that you are seeking. In my youth, I more than once put my feet on paths that could have led to my total destruction if it would not have been for God's mercy. When I express my concern for others, it is because I have had to learn the hard way by "going it alone" all too often.


God bless you!

Father Averky

[John Wilson]

Christos Anesti! Christ is Risen!

I remember being told that Monk Paisios of Mt. Athos took over a year to read one book (I don't remember which) because he did not continue reading furthur into the book until he had finished putting into practice what he had just read.

John.

[Beryl Wells Hamilton]

Dear all,

Christ is risen!!

The wisdom of the Fathers and Father Averky is true. I read parts of it with longing, but put it away, and seldom open it. I can't even get past the first sentence... :>(

I'm not speaking from thirty or more years of experience, so don't have the wisdom like Fr. Averky does. I only know how susceptible I am to slipping, and that's where his wisdom rings true with me.

Anyway, whether we read the Philokalia or not, for all Orthodox Christians, there is an even better way. There is nothing to stop us from finding out about these Saints' lives, so that we come to know them. We Orthodox Christians, whether we are lay people or monks, have a far greater gift even than reading the Philokalia! We can actually become personal friends with the Saints in heaven who wrote it! We have the great privilege of venerating them! What greater joy is there than "meeting" a Saint for the first time? We can beseech them to pray for us! We can ask them to help us climb the ladder, or what I've been discovering lately, is that we can ask them to simply help us to have the grace to stay on the bottom rung for as long as it takes for us to learn to reach the second without slipping off.

It seems like in our zeal, we can get so caught up in trying to reach the goal, that the reaching for it supercedes the goal itself. We are like inexperienced marathon runners just starting out. If we try to sprint before we are properly trained, we can get into a lot of trouble down the road. We can even get so wrapped up in the "getting there," that we take our eyes off the goal. I think there is a kind of "counterfeit holiness" that looks like the real thing at first, but it is really of our own making, and not holy at all. If we try to use spiritual tools too early, we run the risk of thinking we are "arriving" when in fact we are going the opposite direction. I'm not speaking to anyone else more than I am to myself.

St. Paul says it best. He counts all of his ascetic efforts, persecutions and zeal, all the things he gained through knowledge of the Law as loss; as "rubbish," in the light of gaining Christ:

"... that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you" (Phil. 3:12-15).

For me, it is enough for the moment to know that the Fathers who wrote the Philokalia are praying for us, and that I can pray to them -isn't that why they were given so much grace? Not for their own sakes, but for the worlds', that through their "double portion" of grace, their prayers might effect salvation for the world?

Just a few simple thoughts. I needed this today. Thank you...

Beryl

[cale]

I have volume two of the Philokalia and I read it a lot. It has a lot of Saint Maximus the confessors writings in it. I love what he has written. I find that reading it really helps me. Just the act of reading it rids me of any anxiety or doubts. I know alot of people think its bad for lay people to read, and I have had some bad experiences myself. I also love to read "the art of prayer". I didnt know how to pray until I really read this book and others by St Theophan the recluse. I always hesitated to read these books because of what people said about them. It is true that you can become deluded and such by reading them without direction, I know because I have done his to myself and suffered for it.

I always knew there was a danger in these readings, but If there is no-one to guide you, then you really do need to read the fathers. I started with St Theophan the recluse's "spiritual life and how to be attuned to it" along with some lives of saints and a chapter or two of the Gospel each day. This is a good start.

Then I read "the path to salvation". This is, or can be, heavy reading, but for me, it was at the right time for where I was at. I did have some trouble with trying to be an ascetic and sleeping on the floor but this only lasted a short time, brcause I applied St Theophans advice to fall down before God constantly and beg for deliverence from delusion. It can be very hard to know when you are self-deluded. It is like mental illness, the main problem is denial. The main thing is to learn to pray. The art of prayer is an excellent book for this. I also recommend St John of Kronsadt's "spiritual Counsels". This book really saved me when I first got it. It is simple and lays out essential precepts for prayer and the rememberence of God.

When I began to read the Philokalia, I became downcast because I was scared to proceed on the path I was on without a guide. Then I read In the Philokalia that those without guides will be guided by God through events. I put my trust in God and soon learned the truth of this.

The main thing for those without Guides is to base your life totally around prayer with a bright and undoubting faith and trust in God. Prayer is the most important thing in the world. If you pray and mean it, and try to remember God is always there, he will never let you down. Reading is very good, St Isaac counts reading also as prayer, but prayer, heartfelt and frequent, will keep anyone out of trouble as long as they are sincere.

I have also found the works of Metropolitan of Naphthaktos Hierotheos Vlachos to be extremely helpfull, indeed, his books have been very very good to read and re-read. He explains so much that people need to know.

I dont want to write anything here that will encourage anyone out there to direct themselves. If you have a Spiritual Father, you are blessed by God and to reject that blessing is a great sin. I am largely self-directed, but I have some friends who help me out and I am still learning the VERY HARD WAY HOW WRETCHED THE SELF DIRECTED ARE. Beleive me, I am the most lost of us all.

One day I would like to be a monk on Mount Athos and start all over again with a proper guide, but for now, my thirst for the Kingdom forces me to continue struggling on my own, becasue to stand still is to fall.

Please Pray for me alot, and Lord have mercy on me, I am just relating my experiences with reading the Fathers, not trying to tell anyone how to live or to go off and do thier own thing.

If this post is no good, please delete it.

Father Averky should judge this post and he will tell you if I am out of order. Forgive me Father.

[Fr Averky]

Dear in Christ Cale,

Thank you for your beautiful words - there is nothing I could add. You have set out in a proper manner, for you gave yourself a good back ground in the writings of St. Theophan the Recluse, especailly the book you mentioned. It is, in fact, a favourite among monks is Russian monasteries. Archbishop Averky of blessed memory says that by reading "what is the Spiritual Life and How to Attain It,"also by St. Theophan the Recluse is what inspired him to the monastic life. The other books you mention are equally important, and as Beryl suggested, it is a good idea to read the lives of the Fathers, for by knowing about them, you can understand them a little better. When I first started to study Orthodoxy, I asked my God father what I should read to prepare myself for Baptism. Along with catechetical readings and the Holy Scriptures, he urged mto to read and know lives of the saints, for in all their different characters, they are such good examples of the Christian life for us.

We poor Christians of the Last Times have it rather hard, bcause there are no great elders like a cdentury ago. Now, we have to rely upon the writings of the Fathers to guide us. I am not contradicting myself when I say this, because my concern is for the Philokalia. However, I can say to you personally Cale, by all means proceed, for you have been preparing yourself by readin adjuct writings of the Fathers, which gives you more familiarity. I still proffer words of caution, but I feel most sincerely that you are doing just fine.

God bless you, and please pray for me. Dear Brothers and Sisters, what Cale has done is a good example for all of us - start humbly, and slowly progress, and God will grant many blessings.

In Christ,

Father Averky

[cale]

Thankyou Father very much, your reassurance has really brought peace to my soul.

There can never be enough words of caution, a cautious heart is a contrite one. The Fathers were free of illusions when they set out thier teachings and testimonies on the life in the Spirit, we are utterly bound by illusion, and to various degrees, enslaved and blinded by the fantasies and fears induced by the evil one.

It is impossible to find God by yourself. That is the testimony of the Holy Fathers. God reveals to a person what he wills, when he wills, how he wills it. Our efforts are all directed to becoming a worthy receptacle of His Grace, and this is essentialy not much more than the losing of our lives and the aquisition of His.

Some people say the books of the Philokalia and other Fathers are to "heavy". What could be heavier than Loving your neighbour as yourself? Losing your life to find it? Loving and praying for your enemies?

Im not sure what Im saying, just that God is everything and I am all infirmity.

Thankyou again Father, twice today the Lord has spoken to me through his Holy priests and I feel that he is truly present in the grace of priesthood if only we listen to the words of our Fathers, ancient and modern, early times or last times, death is destroyed and the world is overcome.

Glory to God for ALL THINGS!

[Fr Averky]

Dear Cale,

"To a monk who asked him hoiw to pray, St. Barsonouphias the Great re[lied: "We should excercise ourselves in psalmody to some extent, and pray vocally to some extent. We also need time to examine and observe our thoughts. He who at dinner has many different foods eats much and with pleasure, whereas he who uses the same food every day eats it without pleasure and sometimes perhaps even feels repelled by it. So it is in our state. In psalmody and prayer, do not bind yourself, but do as much as the Lord gives you. Do not abandon reading and interior prayer either. Some of one and some of the other - and so you will spend the day pleasing God. Our perfect Fathers did not have a fixed rule, but during the course of the whole day they carried out their rule. They excercised themselves in psalmody to some extent, to some extent they prayed orally, to some extent examined their thoughts, and they even gave a little time and thought to food. But they did all of this with the fear of God."

I would say that this would be an excellent guide line for all those who want to know how to have a good prayer of life-a balance of oral prayer, spiritual reading, thinking and reflection, reading of the psalms and the Holy Gospels, and mental, or the Jesus Prayer.

It is not spoken often enough that it is spiritually very beneficial to read at least one Kathisma of the Psalms every day. The Psalms are such a personal and heart-felt way of speaking to God, and really helps the soul. One should try to read the daily Epistle and Gospel readings, for this too is wonderful food for the soul. I find that my spiritual reading is most beneficieal to me in the evening after Evening Prayers. Many people have told me in confession that all too often they are too tired to say their night prayers after a very full day. I always suggest to them that they say their prayers before sleep right after the evening meal, as we do here in the monastery. This will set an entirely different pace for the evening, for one will be far more careful as to what he watches on TV, having asked God's forgiveness for the day"s sins. Also, a person is not so tired, and then can peacefully settle down to spend at least a half hour to forty five minutes in soul-saving spiritual reading. I can tell you from years of experience, that if you can get into this good habit, you will sleep more peacefully, and will spend your days with less stress.

Father Averky

[cale]

Father, thankyou, that was a very good post and really good for me to read right now. I will copy that and keep it.

I am blessed that I work in a mindless, monotonous factory job and so my mind is free to pray while I work, as long as I can keep my attention on the prayer for more than a few seconds. When I get home I feel quite refreshed even though my work is physical and constant.

In the book, "the ascetic of love" the nun Macaria talks about being tired from work. She says a Christian should never be tired because God is rest.

Father, I emailed you, but Im not sure if it sent correctly.

Ad astera.

[Charalambos Andrew Geo]

forgive me if any offence is taken but my expression is poor
is it possible that some one can be "brain washed" in the orthodox church , is this not the case and is it really self delusion, how does one guard against such things? isn't it possible while living with others, Sometimes i feel i want to hear and sing and do certain things but being in a family i can't help it but things are seen and i may do things and talk too much and i am not sure if i push them away, on sky digital 890 the bible is talked, sometimes dramatised but its a radio broadcast, i love to hear it because (maybe its me being lazy) but i can lie down in the room and instead of watching something harmful or not as beneficial even though possibly good, i can hear something good for my soul, so why should i watch anything else, I have a spiritual father and intend to ask him but i can't always see him as i live about an hour and am more or less dependant on other travellers and my circumstances may prevent me, pray that i see him soon, I am worried that certain things said to me by people who are close to me if they are true than i am missing the point of love and pushing others away cause i may be obsessed, i dont know if this is a correct way to say it. as you can see i myself am a little confused so if you could help me out and pray for me i would appreciate it

[Richard Leigh]

Dear Charalambos,

One cannot be brainwashed in the Orthodox church. If brainwashing is occurring, it is not Orthodox, but delusion

One may be in a condition in which one's conscience is overly sensitive. One should let every "attack" of conscience prompt one to turn immedieatly to the Lord for mercy.

Also, it is well to approach any reading or hearing of Scripture with a prayer to the Holy Spirit to clear the understanding, bring focus of heart and mind and power and grace to live according to the words given.

With regard to distractions, it is best not to change one's focus to whatever distracts, but simply to "send it on by" without paying attention, returning focus to the Lord.

Confusion and anxiety are the delusion. Do not let them frighten, simply return to your position before the Lord.

Print and take this to your Spiritual Father, and do with it whatever he tells you.

Until then we will pray for your safety.

Please let us know when you have seen him.

Sincerely yours,

Richard