Seeking specific excerpts from the Philokalia

[Claudio]

Dear friends.

I´m studying the Ouspensky´s book titled "Consciouness" and He cites "Writings from Philokalia", more specifically the paragraphs 34-36 from page 338. Could any of You, please, reply me with these paragraphs ? It would help me a lot.

Thanks in advance.
Cláudio.

[Claudio]

Hi!

I forgot to mention the complete reference from the book: "Writings from the Philokalia: On Prayer of the Heart" by by E. Kadloubovsky and G.E.H. Palmer.

Best regards,
Cláudio.

[Antonios]

34. First comes impact (προσβολή - contact, action, when a thing thrown hits the thing at which it is thrown); then comes coupling (συνδυασμός - joining together; attention is fettered to the object so that there exist only the soul and the object which has impinged upon it and occupied it); next comes merging together (the object, which has impinged upon the soul and occupied the attention , has provoked desire - and the soul has connected to it - has merged with it); then comes captivity (the object has captivated the soul which desired it and is leading it to action like a fettered slave); finally comes passion (πάθος - sickness of the soul) inculcated in the soul by frequent repetition (repeated gratification of the same desire) and by habit (of actions, by which it is gratified) which has thus become a quality of the soul (a feature of character). This is the field for gaining victory in the warfare which takes place within us! Thus also it is defined by the holy fathers.

35. And they say that impact is a bare thought , or the image of some thing, just born in the heart and presenting itself to the mind. Coupling is the conversing, whether passionately or passionlessly, with (the object or image) which has presented itself. Merging together is the inclination of the soul with enjoyment towards the object seen by the eye of the mind. Captivity is the forcible and involuntary leading of the heart (into captivity), its retention there and its merging as it were into one life (συνουσία) with the object which has enslaved it; this merging results in the disappearance of our good state (loss of peace). They say that passion generally inculcates itself into the soul through long passionate attachment (to some object). Of all these (actions or states) the first is sinless, the second - not altogether; the third - according to the state of him who is striving (maybe according to the degree of his efforts and resistance); and warfare is the cause either of crowns (if a man stands firm) or torment (if he falls).

36. Captivity is different when at prayer and when not at prayer. Passion is undoubtedly subject either to an equivalent (counterbalancing) repentance, or to future torment. He who resists the first, that is, impact, or remains passionless towards it, at once cuts off everything shameful. Such is the war waged by evil demons against both monks and non-monks, in which, as we have said, there are victories and defeats. Crowns await the victors and torment those who fall without repenting. So let us struggle against them mentally,in order to refrain from putting into practice their evil counsels by visible sinful deeds. Let us strive to attain the kingdom of heaven within us by cutting off all sin from the heart. By this excellent doing we shall preserve purity of heart and constant contrition before God.

[Claudio]

Dear Antonios,
Thanks a lot!
Best regards,
Cláudio.

[Michael Stickles]

Antonios - does the book say which of the "Writings from the Philokalia" that comes from? I don't have Writings from the Philokalia but I do have three volumes of the Philokalia itself, and would like to read more of that if we have the right one.

In Christ,
Michael

[Father David Moser]

Antonios - does the book say which of the "Writings from the Philokalia" that comes from? I don't have Writings from the Philokalia but I do have three volumes of the Philokalia itself, and would like to read more of that if we have the right one.

In Christ,
Michael

There are 4 volumes of the philokalia in print in english. In addition to those 4 volumes there are two more additional volumes "Writings from the Philokalia on the Prayer of the Heart" and "Early Fathers from the Philokalia". Both of these volumes contain parts of the Philokalia that are not included in Vols I-IV. The content of the "Writings" are those which are mentioned in the book "The Way of a Pilgrim" (in the order that is recommended in that book). the "Early Fathers" includes Anthony the Great, Mark the Ascetic, Evagrius, Nil of Sinai, Dorotheus, Isaac of Syria, Maximos the Confessor, and Blessed Theodore along with appendices including Gregory Palamas. It is rumored that there is a volume 5 in the works but I have not seen it. There is also a companion volume called "The Art of Prayer" which is almost entirely the work of Theophan the Recluse.

Fr David Moser