What conclusions should you draw from the situation and your mistakes, and how to recognize whether it is a mistake or not? Sometimes we get so upset that we say or do something that we sincerely regret later (who hasn't this happened to?). This is most often just physiology, which is quite possible to cope with; there is no need for panic or despair. If you’ve done something wrong, you’ll fix it, it’s just that such behavior is a clear sign that our amygdala, a radar that alerts the brain to danger, namely, the part of the brain responsible for safety, has intercepted central administration at prefrontal cortex*. This is a common reaction of the brain to an external command - “hit and run.” The neural secret of resilience is how quickly we bounce back. normal condition. This is what causes stress.
To diagnose stress, start by asking yourself the following questions: “Do I have a vague feeling of anxiety, discomfort? Have I stopped feeling that life is wonderful? It is with this wording, and not just - " ...it’s okay, it’ll do just that!”. If you find signs of stress in yourself, then there is no need to worry. Training and practice help bring our brain into harmony.
As University of Wisconsin neuroscientist Richard Davidson has discovered, the circuitry that returns us to a state of full performance and concentration after an attack of the amygdala is located in the left part of the prefrontal region. He also found that when we are upset, our opposite, right side of the prefrontal region increases activity. Each of us is characterized by a different ratio of right- and left-sided activity, which is decisive factor in everyday mood swings. If it outweighs Right side, we get more upset if the left one, we recover faster from stress and various troubles.
There are two ways to become more resilient. The first one is internal dialogue, the second is mental exercise.
If you have suffered a major setback, follow wise advice psychologist Martin Seligman from the article "The war is won strong-willed» . Consciously intervene in your own thoughts and fight against “defeatist sentiments.” Challenge pessimism and replace it with optimistic drive. Ask yourself questions - "What will happen if... such and such happens" and imagine, mentally play out the options for the development of the situation. For each answer, ask this question again and go to the end until the answer is satisfactory. Just don’t play with yourself, don’t dream, but answer this question honestly - "What will happen if?"
But, fortunately, major failures do not happen so often in life. But what can you do to easily recover from minor troubles (which occur most often), irritating moments and problems that have become a common routine for leaders at all levels? The answer will again be persistence, but of a different nature. You need to educate your brain. Namely, learn to concentrate and train attention.
Read the article “Attention Training Exercise” here >>
*
Prefrontalbark(PC) - the most developed partheadbrain.
This area is located in the anterior third of the hemispheres, just behind the frontal
bone.
It happens: you come to work in the morning, and the general immediately calls you and greets you with the words “We will have to part with you!” The first reaction is shock. The second is anger. The third is fear. And only later does the thought come to mind: “Why did all this happen right now and to me? I am a loser!..".
A rare case when this algorithm fails. One can only envy people who can respond to a statement by the general director without a shadow of embarrassment, “I’ve dreamed about this for so long!” Most of us experience any of them more or less painfully. And this, as psychologists say, is completely normal. It is not normal when a person does not notice his failures at all - it means that he simply is not aware of what is happening to him. Or he got so used to these failures that he stopped seeing them - this is the other extreme. Both are grounds for intervention, if not by a psychiatrist, then by a psychologist.
What should those who see their failures and seriously worry about them do? There is only one answer: you need to learn to experience them wisely! Sitting and shedding tears over a suddenly ended career or a failed project is useless. What is useful?
Rule one. Don't be ashamed of failure
The reasons why we, as a rule, have a hard time experiencing our failures, most often need to be looked for in our childhood. Small child I’m not used to grieving for a long time if something doesn’t work out for him. In extreme cases, he will cry for a short time - and will immediately find something else to do. Or he will repeat the action that led to a negative result again and again until he achieves success - or is convinced of its futility.
The experience begins when the child perceives failure - usually as a result of parental evaluation. “Well, you didn’t succeed! I told you so!..” - this phrase becomes familiar. And with it, shame also becomes habitual. I failed - what will my parents say about me! Classmates! Colleagues! Wife!..
Don't be ashamed of your failure! Start to perceive it as you perceived it in early childhood: just like unexpected negative result. There is nothing to be ashamed of: failures happen to everyone. Shame is the first cause of fear. Fear - main reason repetition of failure. Are you sure you want to repeat them?
Rule two. Talk about failure
This rule is also based on our childhood experience– only this time it’s positive. What does a child need if he has failed? So that mom or dad would listen to him, feel sorry for him and say that everything will be fine!
An adult needs this no less. Well, perhaps in other forms, but the essence does not change. If you fail, don’t try to go through it alone. You need a listener, you need someone to whom you can tell everything. The more and more detailed, the better. And don’t be ashamed of your desire to receive sympathy - it’s really needed now! It is better for men to forget about their “male complexes” for a while: at this moment it is more important to help yourself than to break yourself.
If it’s difficult to reach out to friends or family, you can look for a listener among people you don’t know well or at all. strangers. Even to the point of talking about your problem on some forum. There are even special communities designed specifically for such situations. You just have to remember: talking about failure turns it from a personal problem into something you don't have to deal with alone. And from this angle, any failure somehow shrinks and turns pale.
Rule three. Understand failure
In addition to providing moral relief, talking about failure will allow you to understand why it happened to you. After all, by sharing your problems, you willy-nilly begin to select words and formulations, which means you will begin to analyze what happened. This will be the fulfillment of the third rule. To make failure easier to cope with, it really needs to be understood. After all, understanding what exactly happened leads to understanding why it happened. And knowing the reasons for failure, you can, if not avoid it in the future, then at least prepare for a possible repetition.
Why is it so important to understand the origins of your failure? First of all, because every failure has two types of reasons: objective and subjective. Without analysis, we will not be able to figure out what was more in our failure - our mistakes or external circumstances. As a rule, we indiscriminately blame either ourselves or the villainous fate for everything - and we are wrong in both the first and the second. Is it worth blaming everything on yourself and branding yourself a loser? Is it worth blaming life for everything and cursing it for not loving us? The answer to both questions is no!
Rule four. Accept failure
So, you calmed down, shared your problems with a friend or stranger and tried to figure out why this all happened to you. What's next? The most important thing at this stage is to understand that any success, like any failure, falls to our lot because we deserve it.
Not in the sense of “failure is a punishment for what I did or didn’t do,” no! And in the sense that any failure is a consequence of the chain of our actions and decisions. Some of them were correct, some were wrong, but these were our actions and decisions, and not someone else’s!
But it will be strange to punish yourself for being... And if we accept ourselves, then we must accept our failures. In the end, every failure will certainly, sooner or later, be compensated by success. And this luck will also be, figuratively speaking, our doing.
Rule five. Overestimate failure
Let's return to the beginning of our conversation. So, this morning your boss called you and told you that you were fired. Catastrophe? More likely no than yes! After all, you can, for example, take the money received upon dismissal and go on an extraordinary vacation! Or at least go to a restaurant in the evening and throw a small banquet to celebrate your release from the work routine. But it is much more important if you can look at failure as a “hint” from fate. Perhaps the story of your dismissal tells you that you are not doing your job? Or maybe, right now, when you start looking for a job, you will receive the offer of your dreams, which would not have been discussed until you raised your head from your desk.
In a word, any failure is, first of all, a reason to stop, to step aside, so to speak. Everyday life. And from there, look at yourself a little from the outside and think in which direction to move after this stop. Agree: it is much easier to understand this by accepting your failure, analyzing its causes and understanding that in any case you will not cope with problems alone.
According to legend, Vladimir Vysotsky decided to become an artist after he spilled coffee on the drawings he had been poring over all night as a freshman. No one knows how famous engineer Vysotsky would have become if life had turned out differently. But the country would most likely lose the actor Vysotsky. And it would seem such an offensive failure - coffee-stained drawings!..
Temptations - external and internal sorrows, troubles, persecution, etc. – we definitely associate with unpleasant, difficult situations and conditions. We most often strive to avoid temptations, considering them unnecessary obstacles to our lives. The elders talk about the inevitability and usefulness of temptations for every person, their important role in our salvation. In fact, temptations in their teaching are a tool in the hands of God, through which the Lord makes souls more perfect and suitable for salvation.
8.1. AN INEVITABLE AND BITTER MEDICINE"
If the strengthening of pride in our souls makes us unfit for salvation due to our falling away from God and His holy commandments, then temptations are a force that can sober us up from the intoxication of passion and motivate us to correction. Rev. Macarius puts it this way:
At the beginning of the calling to spiritual life, the Lord visits with His grace and various consolations, but afterward takes them away and plunges us into the fire of various temptations and sorrows, so that our self-loving and glory-loving dispensation is completely incinerated by the fire of temptation, and we would have no hope in ourselves and in our deeds, but on the mercy and love of God. Humility is a great blessing! .
At first spiritual path When a person first begins to go to church, pray, take communion, read the Gospel, etc., he experiences spiritual uplift and joy in his soul. This is the effect of grace given to a new Christian to strengthen his faith and testify to its truth. But then temptations come, because the disastrous state of the soul of a beginner, struggling and captivated by passions, constantly inclined to sin, requires healing.
Facing various temptations, a person learns to understand what is happening in his life. Gradually, he begins to see the source of his troubles - “our prideful and glory-loving dispensation,” i.e. pride. Under the strong pressure of temptation, a person overcomes a proud disposition and achieves humility.
Temptations are inevitable in Christian life and are divided into two types - external and internal. Rev. Barsanuphius explains:
…Every soul striving for a new life, life in Christ, experiences persecution from outside the world and experiences great struggle with internal enemies. These temptations are inevitable according to the word of the Savior: “I was persecuted and you will be persecuted”(). But the Lord immediately consoles: “They kept my word, and they will keep yours” ().
You need to treat these temptations differently: with internal enemy fight hard, defeating him with the help of God’s grace, and forgive external enemies. There is no need to be afraid of this struggle. The Lord strengthens us in it and gives us such unspeakable joys that compared to one minute of them all earthly joys are nothing. .
Internal temptations can be understood as the enemy’s aggressive promotion of sinful motives (thoughts) through the stages of their transformation into passions to capture a person. Since in this aggression is pursued final goal our destruction, we must persistently fight the enemy and his excuses. For us, internal temptations are a signal for struggle, unpleasant and difficult, but necessary for salvation. The elder speaks of the need to defeat the enemy with the help of God’s grace, since we do not have enough of our own strength for such a victory.
External temptations are sorrows, oppression, insults, annoyances, etc., brought to us by other people or the circumstances of our life. We must forgive people and endure circumstances. There is no need to be afraid of fighting temptations, much less fall into cowardice. The Lord strengthens us in this struggle, for it is for our benefit, and gives us such spiritual joy that all earthly joys fade before it.
The elders draw attention to the fact that temptations are not only difficult, but also long-lasting. Their line may continue long years and decades, and the school of fighting them turns out to be lifelong. Rev. Anatoly (Zertsalov) writes to his ward:
You complain about temptations and think that I won’t believe how hard it is to fight passions. I believe, Mother N., I believe. Even though you are already 23 years old, temptations still linger – of course, it’s unpleasant! But here I am, mother, in the monastery for 23 years and still working under the yoke of Pharaoh. Well, then shout: guard! No, dear, you won’t get anything from this... But let us reproach ourselves, as the sinner publican managed to do, who came out of the temple justified more than the righteous Pharisee .
In youth, a person often thinks that temptations must be quickly overcome, because their very severity is perceived as evidence of their abnormality. And only gradually does an understanding develop that our sins are serious and our passions are tenacious, and that, yielding a little to our will and desire to improve, they then rise up against us with new strength. And temptations, this inevitable and bitter medicine with which the Lord heals us, come to us again and again.
That is why we should not fall into despondency, but, realizing that the cause of temptation is in ourselves, we should humble ourselves and reproach ourselves, following the example of the tax collector. By patient self-reproach we can succeed much more in overthrowing our proud dispensation than by countless complaints about other people's injustice or unworthiness. And the Lord, seeing our will not for self-justification and blaming others, but for repentance, will forgive us and lighten the burden of temptations.
The elders teach that without temptation there is no salvation, and they very accurately show the positive effect that temptation produces in a person. Yes, Rev. Macarius notes:
If there were no temptations, no one would be saved, says Abba Evagrius, and the other fathers too, and that it is not through temptation that we come to the mind of truth, but Saint Peter of Damascus: “Humility is a product of reason, and reason is a product of temptation.” So, one should not be afraid of temptations and not dare to take them...;.
In temptations a person gets the opportunity to correctly understand his life. All flattering assumptions about yourself and derogatory assumptions about others collapse. Did you consider yourself worthy of greater success than others? And so, you have achieved the least, and others have surpassed you. Tirelessly demanded something from others without trying to understand their situation? Now they demand from you what you consider unfair, and they not only demand it, but also oppress you, persecute you, and slander you. Have you cherished in your soul the thought of your special holiness, which will bring deep peace to your soul? Now he is defenseless from the brutal violence of thoughts... In such circumstances, a person sees with his own eyes how weak he is: in his judgments, actions, deeds, emotions, etc. Having understood and accepted this weakness, he does important step into the “mind of truth”, beginning to truthfully evaluate himself as weak. And after this step he takes the second one - he admits that right life cannot be done otherwise than in humility. This transition to thinking based on humility and the desire to actually be humble is “the generation of humility from reason.”
At this time, a person comes to understand the complexity and severity of his problems, an understanding of how difficult it is to truly come to terms and live in humility. And that such a life requires art. And again the elders come to our aid with their advice.
Rev. Anatoly (Zertsalov) says:
You just need to not be cowardly. After all, you can’t live without temptations: “Whoever is, will live and not see death”(), i.e. temptations. Temptation is valuable because it makes patience; patience is an art. Without temptations, we would remain ignorant and stupid. Let us blame ourselves for our troubles, not others...
Temptations inevitably force us to teach patience, because any impatience, irritation, etc. only strengthens temptations. By patiently bearing the test, we become more patient and careful in everything: we treat people patiently, we patiently force ourselves not to consider ourselves better and more worthy than others, we patiently think about and understand the words and actions of others and our own, we patiently seek solutions to problems, etc. Over time, it is discovered that by doing this, we begin to better understand life and other people, and take a more accurate and correct position. In other words, we become more skilled. Then the consoling meaning of the old man’s word comes to us that we had to go through temptations so as not to remain those “stupid ignoramuses” that we were before.
...God does not send us temptations beyond measure, but perhaps (only) for pride, for conceit and for murmuring, with which we aggravate our own sorrows. Beware of grumbling and cowardice: generosity and patience ease sorrows, but cowardice and murmuring multiply and burden them .
Good students quickly learn lessons and correct mistakes. Therefore, if we become spiritually more mature, humble and skillful in temptations, then we will endure temptations incomparably easier. At the same time, some of them may bypass us altogether in the future. But if we persist in pride, conceit and grumbling, then we will fail the exam, and our humility will require more severe temptations than what we had before.
8.2. EXPLANATION OF SPECIAL CASES"
Based common understanding the role of temptations in our lives, which was discussed in the previous paragraph, the elders gave explanations of many more specific questions on this topic. The first group of such questions relates to “why specifically temptations are sent (allowed).”
In the overwhelming majority of cases, the elders focus our attention on the fact that without temptation it is impossible to come to the knowledge of our weaknesses, and through this to humility. Considering that, according to the teachings of the elders, they look for humility in a person, first of all, such a position is quite understandable. For example, Rev. Macarius states:
...In many fatherly teachings we see that one cannot come to the knowledge of one’s weaknesses and humility unless one is allowed to be tempted by mental and physical weaknesses. Delve into your actions, and you will see that in cases that outrage you, there was no trace of humility, but only one excuse .
There is a lot going on in our lives that makes us angry. This especially applies to the opinions, words and actions of people towards us in certain situations. How do we respond ourselves? The Elder invites us to delve into our actions, i.e. calmly understand the logic of our reaction. And we see that our behavior is completely predictable: in all cases we strive to justify ourselves, seeking conceivable and inconceivable arguments to prove our rightness or innocence. And we challenge the arguments of others, trying to find in them the slightest clue to refute or, at least, doubt.
With this approach, we have to face repeated temptations, which by their very regularity will finally draw our attention to our own role in these temptations. And we will see that all our failures in relationships with people have their root in our self-confidence and lack of humility. And as soon as we change our approach to a humble one, we discover that something is possible that we could not achieve before, even with great effort. And this is what the elders remind us of – grace is given to the humble.
...You celebrated the bright holiday safely and pleasantly, peacefully and calmly - thank God! But later illnesses and sorrows met; This is how it should be, so that we do not become arrogant, but the spiritual consolations we receive are purified by the fire of temptations that bring us humility .
Spiritual consolations, like gifts, must be pure. Alas, we sinners have such a structure of the soul that, having accepted a pure gift, we defile it with our narcissism and exaltation. As a result, consolations cease to be consolations, but give rise to burdens, and gifts are not beneficial. That is why, according to God’s Providence, we carry consolations and gifts through temptations, by which we humble ourselves and preserve what is sent down undamaged.
Rev. Leo puts it this way:
...And we ask you not to be discouraged and to be surprised that this temptation has been allowed through the action of a malicious enemy to the experience and knowledge of our own, and so that we do not philosophize and think something about ourselves, but humble ourselves under the strong hand of God, and confess our thoughts more often Mother... with permission, however, be complacent, and the Lord will not leave you...;.
We are not always clearly inclined towards exaltation, sometimes giving preference to wisdom, i.e. mental and spoken verbosity. This verbosity greatly complicates our perception of what is happening to us, but does not clarify it. And the more abstract reasoning we have, the more we imperceptibly arrive at the same self-justification and exaltation.
Therefore, the elder suggests that the solution does not lie in wisdom, but in confessing wise thoughts, and putting oneself under the strong hand of God. This is how we must overcome temptations. And complacency, this soft robe of the soul, in which pride is weakened, greatly helps to ensure that the Lord does not leave us and helps us overcome temptation.
This is where the meaning of the old man’s word is revealed to us, that the Lord sends temptations to us so that we do not lose intercession. Rev. Macarius explains:
The weather is harsh, rain, wind and cold, so you have to resort to both a fur coat and fuel. But the beneficial air and clear weather are not always beneficial; worms and other insects infest the plants, harming the good fruits. This also happens in our spiritual dispensation: a visitation of grace, peace, silence and tranquility from the oppression of passions, if they remain with us for a long time and constantly, then it is dangerous that we can become arrogant and lose our intercession, and we will not be skilled in the struggle of passions, and Let's move away from the sorrowful path. And therefore he tempts us with the opposite, to the knowledge of our weakness, to patience and humility .
Grace, peace, silence and tranquility are the most gratifying experiences of the soul. In them, a person relaxes, gains strength, and enjoys the best that life has. But just as an immeasurably prolonged rest turns a person into a slacker, and idleness leads to rash actions, so the soul - if it remains for a long time and constantly in grace-filled peace and tranquility - can become prone to a special and high opinion of itself.
In prolonged peace, a person’s perception of his own sinfulness, complexity and tragedy of the world in which we live weakens. Through weakened control own consciousness Proud thoughts break through more and more persistently and successfully, and a person begins to agree with them. But for this exaltation, a person is deprived of intercession from above and, in laziness, daydreaming and weakness, becomes inexperienced in the fight against passions. And then he may completely leave the sorrowful but saving path.
The Egyptian writes that the Lord allows the evil enemy to tempt Christians so that they do not indulge in negligence, but try to live carefully and carefully. Secondly, so that through temptations they humble themselves and do not become arrogant, to which, without struggle and the temptation of the enemy, people are easily exposed. Thirdly, through temptations people become more experienced and skillful and more firm. And first of all, the Lord allows temptations in order to separate the God-loving from the peace-loving, the pleasure-loving from the abstinent and chaste, the humble from the proud and self-loving, as it is said in the Gospel: “I did not come to bring peace to the earth, but a sword” () .
Temptations are needed so that we “do not indulge in negligence, but try to live carefully and carefully.” Neglect about our lives, as well as the lives of others, manifests itself in us in many ways. Here is negligence about faith, when we do not pray and forget the word of God, and negligence about others, when our inconstancy and frivolity cause problems in other people’s lives, and negligence about ourselves, when, without understanding the situation, we take on inconvenient or inappropriate obligations. Temptations that precede or follow negligence wean us from it and instill the skill of attentiveness and caution.
The blows of temptation force us to struggle, in which we experience our weakness and humble ourselves, moving away from arrogance. Without this, we easily slip into special opinion about ourselves, which turns us into proud people. On the contrary, by maintaining humility, we become more experienced, skillful, and firm.
As the elder explains in conclusion, the Lord first of all allows temptations so that “who is who” among people can be revealed. We are all sinners, of course. But when temptations strike, some of us repent and correct ourselves, while others fall even lower. It depends on the existing, sometimes hidden from us, structure of the soul that a person has. In temptations, a person discovers for himself what his choice is, what he loves more - God or the world, sweets or abstinence, humility or a passionate desire to rise above everyone.
8.3. WHAT DOES TEMPTATION OCCUR"
As we understand “why temptations are allowed,” we also begin to better understand “why they overtake us.” There is a connection here, the transformation of the first into the second and the connection of the first with the second. Let's say temptation is sent to prevent arrogance. But man did not improve in this temptation, but fell even lower - i.e. became more arrogant than he was previously inclined. Then the next temptation will be a punishment for arrogance, and at the same time a means of turning a person away from passion.
... May you not become arrogant, accepting good consolations from the Most Merciful Lord, about which you often write to me, and ... that you thanked God, who merited you to be in the monastery and enjoy spiritual pleasure, incomparable to anything. It is clear that, although subtly, you have become exalted in your mind about yourself, so you allowed yourself such a temptation .
Passions can act subtly, disguised, hiding behind superficial piety. Even spiritual pleasure and gratitude to God for it can warm up self-love and from it produce an imperceptible elevation in the mind about oneself. So it turns out that a person considers himself righteous and honored by God with spiritual gifts, but does not see how passion has stirred in him, polluting the gifts. And for falling into this passion temptation is allowed.
The freedom of rational beings has always been tested and is still being tested until it is established in goodness. Because goodness cannot be established without testing. Every Christian is tested in some way: one by poverty, another by illness, another by various bad thoughts, another by some kind of disaster or humiliation, and another by various bewilderments. And this tests the firmness of faith, and hope, and the love of God, that is, to what a person is more inclined, to what he cleaves more, whether he strives for grief, or is still nailed to earthly things, so that a Christian man, through such tests, can see for himself what he is in position and location, and involuntarily humbled himself. Because without humility all our deeds are vanity, as the God-bearing fathers unanimously affirm .
The freedom of rational beings must be established in goodness, and trials contribute to this. It is necessary that a person be consciously committed to goodness and be ready to defend it and go to hardships for its sake. Without this, good becomes a bargaining chip; it is accepted only when it is beneficial or does not interfere with a comfortable and safe existence. In other cases it is left.
Each of us is destined to undergo trials, and in trials we have freedom of choice. What we think, say and do will characterize our choices. And this characteristic will be quite objective. Those. we will see for ourselves what begins to dominate in our life: whether our faith weakens, whether we lose our aspiration for the heavenly, whether we completely dissolve in the material world, whether we begin to consider it self-sufficient. Or, on the contrary, we humble ourselves, seeing our imperfections, and accept the difficulties of the narrow path, and through this we nevertheless become stronger in faith, confirmed in the truth. Then we get the hardening that we need. We need it in order to successfully resist the temptations that constantly pursue us.
Rev. Ambrose notes:
...With full health, especially young people, what kind of wasteland does not come to mind. The enemy, in order to lure them out of the monastery, promises them almost the entire kingdom of earth, and all sorts of benefits, and all sorts of pleasures, and things that are inconvenient to write. But in fact, if they listen, he rewards them with disgust. Saint Dmitry of Rostov writes that the world promises gold, but gives gold .
No matter what promises the enemy tempts us with, glory, money, or anything else, we must always remember that the basis of life is faith in God and the fulfillment of His commandments. The rest will be given to everyone to the extent that it is necessary and useful for him. And it is precisely this correct view of life that is developed in a person when he is tested in temptations.
8.5. HOW TO BEHAVIOR IN TEMPTATIONS"
Finally, how to behave in temptations? The Optina elders here also give a number of pieces of advice that allow us not to be helpless. First of all, we must accept that temptations serve our salvation. This protects well from despondency and discontent.
Rev. Macarius instructs:
...Forward, no matter what happens that is contrary to your temptation, you must accept that it will serve to your salvation, through temptation we come to true reason, and from reason to humility, which is what we most need for salvation...;.
This is a clear understanding that through temptation we must grow wiser and humble ourselves, and that this is most necessary for our salvation and changes negative perception temptations for the positive. In other words, we need to focus not on the fact that temptation is unpleasant, but on the fact that it pushes us towards a better structure of our soul. As a consequence, and to better life, in which the orientation towards salvation is more pronounced.
The conclusion that follows is that we should not desire to remain in an unchanging state. Such a desire is contrary to the task of salvation. Rev. Ambrose says:
…Those who wish to be saved must always keep in mind the words of St. Peter of Damascus, that salvation occurs between fear and hope. But the desire to see your salvation as clear as the palm of your hand is a mistaken desire and opinion. If there is a constant change in visible nature: sometimes it’s quiet, sometimes it’s windy and stormy, sometimes it’s clear weather, sometimes it’s rainy, and sometimes unexpected frost or hail and the like, how much more so in spiritual life there are problems and unexpected changes. The Monk Isaac the Syrian writes that a Christian’s love for God is tested at every hour by changes, pleasant and unpleasant, joyful and sorrowful. And to wish to always remain in an unchanged state is the way of the wolves, i.e. mental ones, which with plausible pretexts lead them to destruction, from which may the All-Good Lord deliver us .
It seems that what’s wrong with the desire for constant peace and freedom from temptation? But the elder points out that this desire is a temptation to which a person is exposed by the enemies of his salvation. If a Christian's love for God were not tested by changes, his soul would weaken, become too pampered and incapable of humility. In such a weak soul, it is easy for the enemy to do his will: to cultivate vices, inflame passions, and lead to sin.
Therefore, the desire for immutability is the path of “mental wolves”, i.e. demons who benefit from isolating a person from the natural course of his life. A flow in which he has both joy and sorrow, and in which his soul is constantly tested and by all its experience is brought to a better state.
But for this to happen, one must see the power of passions in temptations and learn to overcome them. Rev. Macarius notes:
Thank God that the temptation between you has been abolished and passed, and you should take note of how the power of passions in you, through the action or encouragement of the enemy, opposes the will of God and erases your spiritual neck<шею>, drives away the world and to whom does it make them like? planted love in us, and from it a much-desired peace, and the enemy, on the contrary, instills enmity and embarrassment for the most trifles: “I said the word wrong!” I didn’t look at it that way!” – and the very tone and sound of the words matter and measure. I am writing this to both of you and have written a lot before, and where there is love and humility and self-reproach, this would not be there .
This is why it is difficult in temptations because we have to resist not a toy enemy, but a real one, who does everything so that passions enslave us. And sometimes we do not see how the power of passions opposes the will of God and how it suppresses our own will follow the commandments. In the unfolding passions, pride reigns, and it finds the smallest reasons to enmity people: not only a word and a look, but even the tone and sound of words are meticulously measured in order to find these reasons for enmity.
“Love and humility and self-reproach” - this is how you need to protect yourself from hostility. These virtues conquer passions, although victory is not easy. Therefore, we must endure and remember that temptation is hard for everyone. Rev. Anatoly (Zertsalov):
For whom is the burden of temptation light? Why is Saint Isaac the Syrian great before God, and he says: “For whom is this not a hard time, when man is drunk with the poison of temptation?..” That’s why you too: squeak, squeak, and be silent! It will pass! It will pass and not be remembered! And the fruit of these diseases will grow, ripen, and become beautiful. And how sweet it will be! How fragrant! How it will sparkle with all the colors of the rainbow, with all the beauties of precious stones! Every drop of sweat, every breath will be rewarded a thousandfold by our generous Hero Jesus. Be patient with the Lord, take courage. May your heart be strengthened! Save yourself….
Carrying the burden of temptation is hard. But this is destined for us all and there is no injustice in the fact that now this particular person bears this burden. In due time it falls on everyone. Temptations are not eternal, they are transitory - they will go away and be forgotten. But the soul that has grown and matured on them will remain. And in her purity, the radiance of her virtues, there will be an answer to the question: why is it so difficult in temptations? Because the fruit that is grown in them is so beautiful, and without our labor and sweat and blood it cannot be grown. We must, as the elder says, “be patient with the Lord” – i.e. endure and be comforted by the thought that behind temptations there is the strong hand of God, guiding us to a very high goal. This goal is for us to become worthy of Him.
In temptations, you also need to resist grief, and not allow yourself to slide through overthinking into self-torture. Rev. Anthony teaches:
...Whatever grief there may be, they are like the slightest spark, i.e. if you spit, you will put it out. If you fan this slightest spark, then a flame will ensue and destroy all the good dispensation in a person, and this fanning is caused by overthinking, for example: “My heart is under heavy cross; truly bitter monastic life: my whole heart was torn.”… .
The first contact with grief, even strong, does not create a fire in the soul. If we immediately resort to complacency, then grief will become a spark that never turns into a fire. This is what you should do when faced with temptation. We will certainly be convinced of the correctness of such behavior later, when we discover that our good dispensation has not been burnt to the ground by passions inflamed by overthinking.
And overthinking, as the elder explains, fans the spark of grief and turns it into a flame. Those. a person begins to reflect on the grief, to feel sorry for himself - and the fire of resentment, bitterness, bewilderment and anger flares up. So much so that there is nothing good left in a person.
This rule of “not fanning the spark” should also be adhered to in relationships with those who are at enmity with us, which usually appears in temptations. Rev. Leo teaches:
...Tell her that her temptation requires patience and awareness of her weaknesses, recognition of her sins and self-reproach, but that she will look at and pacify those who are hostile to her. And if he treats himself with contradiction, nonsense and resentment, he will bring more persecution and sorrow upon himself .
When we show patience in temptation, awareness of our weaknesses, admit our own sins and reproach ourselves, it seems to us that this is what keeps the situation under control and calms down. In fact, by such behavior we draw God’s attention to us and, since this is what He expects from us, pacifies those who are at enmity with us. This The best way overcome temptations.
But we do not immediately master this approach. First, we try to actively resist the “offenders,” contradict them, talk nonsense in the heat of the moment, and accuse them of evil. Alas, this does not please God, and therefore He brings upon us even greater persecution and sorrow. We see with bitterness how the situation has become even more difficult and hopeless, and we begin to learn to restrain ourselves.
Moreover. In temptations, we must not only endure and restrain ourselves, but also rejoice. Rev. Ambrose teaches this:
...And I hear that you have given yourself up so much and are indulging in immeasurable sadness that for several days now you have not eaten at all, so that your stomach has begun to shrink. It is unreasonable and inconsistent with the will of God to indulge in such exorbitant sadness when we have the apostolic commandment “rejoice in various temptations”(Wed:), as Saint James, brother of God, writes. The Apostle Paul said the same thing: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in everything”(). This is the will of God. And we should adhere to the will of God, and reject the opposite and not indulge in it. The Angel of Repentance told Saint Hermas that sadness offends the Holy Spirit and is indecent for the servants of God, that is, sadness is inappropriate or exorbitant. And you are already fed up with sadness, it’s time to put it aside and take up trust. And simple experience shows that after strong storm There is great silence at sea. Let us hope and expect this.
Sadness from temptations can easily become “extreme,” i.e. Furthermore grief, which is natural for this case. Then we start doing things that are unreasonable and harmful to us. This is contrary to the will of God, contrary to the apostolic commandment, in which we are ordered to do exactly the opposite: not to be sad, much less exorbitant, but to rejoice in temptations.
What is there to be happy about? The fact that he allowed temptations for our own benefit, which we will see for ourselves after a while. Because temptations are not endless, peace will come in which all our sorrows will be forgotten. Because through temptations we become better, which means they are in our interests.
And also because we realize that the humility that is developed in us by temptations also rejects the temptations themselves. Rev. Anatoly (Zertsalov) consoles:
...These years - this temptation is one of the links in the chain of temptations that haunt you. But only these links change. Nevertheless, they have one root: “I, they say (i.e. N.), am very smart and know the business.” Therefore, if you humble yourself and realize your weakness, all your temptations will fly away from you in a chain .
Temptations in our lives change; the only thing that does not change is the regularity with which they overtake us. This suggests that, unfortunately, we need not one, but many lessons in order to understand what is required of us. We beat around the bush, looking for some particular causes of temptation. While their root - our self-confidence that we are smart and know everything, is carefully hidden from us by our pride and pride.
But as soon as we humble ourselves and realize our weakness, we will immediately see how much wrong comes from us in life. And that temptations are only the medicine we need to correct ourselves. So let us correct ourselves, and the whole chain of temptations will fly away from us.
If luck suddenly runs out, things don't go well, personal life If it doesn't work, it's time to change something. You can bring prosperity into your life using proven magical methods.
Anything can happen in life. It happens that black line suddenly ends and luck is literally on your heels. And it also happens that failures haunt a person, preventing him from achieving his goals. If bad luck is systematic, it’s time to use magic.
Signs of bad luck and its causes
Trouble may await you at home. Usually a series of failures begins with the spoilage of essential products. If you notice that your bread is not stored well and quickly becomes moldy, then this is often one of the signs of problems.
The words of your household members can also be an indicator of a black streak. They suddenly begin to complain about life, talk about their constant failures and defeats, and become fixated on typical sayings.
Communication with losers can negatively affect a person, so if a “whiner” appears in your life, reduce communication with him to a minimum.
Negative reasons for bad luck can be the following:
- boasting, the desire to show off and, as a result, self-evil eye ;
- mindset for failure negative thinking, depressive thoughts, reluctance to overcome obstacles to life path;
- damage, evil eye, curse, settlers and entities.
Ritual to get rid of bad luck
The simplest and effective way is a spell for good luck. Our ancestors also used it, so there is no doubt about its power. However, in addition to the conspiracy itself, you should take measures to clearing the mind of negative attitudes. Tune in positive thoughts, repeat encouraging words to yourself, start every morning with your favorite song, drink, food.
You do not need any special preparation for the ceremony. It is important to believe in what you say and repeat the spell three times a day for nine days:
“A man was driving to the mill in a cart. The misfortune, sadness, fell from him, and stuck to me. I’ll tear her away from me and take her to the mill. There its millstones will be ground, crushed and remade. If it turns out to be trouble, not trouble, but torment, good luck. I’ll dust myself with flour from head to toe and attract happiness and luck into life.”
After the conspiracy is pronounced in last time, take a handful of flour, throw it up and stand under this cloud.
The magic of the forces of nature: removing bad luck from life
For the ritual you will need:
- Earth;
- water;
- candle;
- spacious white shirt made of natural fabric;
- plant pot;
- seeds or bulb of a flower (such as a tulip).
In the evening (it will be especially successful) let your hair down, put on a shirt and remain barefoot. Place containers with soil and water, a lit candle and a plant pot in the four cardinal directions. Stand in the center of the circle and say magic spell, bowing to each object:
“I step on Mother Earth with bare feet, absorbing strength; I wash my face with cold water, quickly wash away the troubles; I warm myself from the clear Sun and get better; I breathe clean air, I exhale pain and sorrow. I’ll take a cleansing fire and burn the pot so that there will be no diseases. I will pour in the fertile earth that life gives. I will plant the child of Mother Earth and the spring water that nourishes life. A wondrous flower will grow, take away my sorrows and misfortunes and rid my life of bad luck. It will pass through the roots and bury the soil in the cheese.”
After the ritual, place the pot in a secluded place and wait for the sprout to hatch. Tell him about your sorrows, but do not forget to mention your luck. This is your personal talisman that attracts good luck.
Slavic conspiracy against bad luck
On Saturday evening, go to the bathroom. Turn on cold water and stand under it with the words: “Forget me!”. This action shouldn't take you long. Then turn on the water warmer, stand under the stream and say: “Away with me!”. Add again hot water, stand under it and say: “Keep me out of here!”. Do the same with even more hot water, say: “Forget me, get out of here!” Wash away from my life with water!”. After that, without drying yourself, leave the bathroom, go to the mirror and throw an old rag under your feet. Stand on it and say:
“As water flows and drips from me, so do adversity leave me. I admire myself in the reflection and utter magic words. May there be happiness and good luck in my life. I leave all the idle rumors behind me, new life I’m opening it.”
Once dry, put the rag in a bag and throw it away from the house at night, or better yet, bury it under an old rotten stump.
Attract good luck to yourself it is possible in other ways. You just need to make an effort and believe that it is possible to achieve happiness. Stop blaming yourself and others for your failures, learn from your mistakes and help other people in trouble. The universe always favors the kind and generous. She will definitely respond to your call. We wish you all the best and don't forget to press the buttons and
06.04.2017 07:08
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