Signs of Apatheia and Practical Insights

Through dreams we come to know these things. And we say that dispassion is health for the soul, and knowledge its nourishment, which alone is accustomed to join us to the holy powers, if indeed union with the incorporeal naturally comes about from a similar disposition.

There are two peaceful states of the soul: one rising from the natural seeds, the other supervening from the withdrawal of the demons. Upon the former follow humility with compunction, and a tear and an infinite longing toward the Divine, and an immeasurable zeal for the work; upon the latter, vainglory with pride, drawing the monk down through the destruction of the other demons. Therefore, he who keeps the boundaries of the former state will more keenly recognize the attacks of the demons.

The demon of vainglory opposes the demon of fornication, and for these to attack a soul together is among impossibilities; if indeed the one promises honors, the other becomes a procurer of dishonors. Whichever of these, then, having approached, presses you, fashion, supposedly, within yourself the thoughts of the opposing demon; and if you can drive out, as the saying goes, nail with nail, know that you are near the boundaries of dispassion; for your mind has been strong enough to annihilate the thoughts of demons with human thoughts. But to repel the thought of vainglory through humility, or the thought of fornication through sobriety, would be the deepest evidence of dispassion. And try to do this against all the demons opposed to one another; for at the same time you will also know by which passion you have been more qualified. But as much as possible, ask from God to defend against the enemies in the second way.

As much as the soul advances, so much greater adversaries succeed it; for I am not persuaded that the same demons always remain with it; and this is known most by those who apply themselves more keenly to temptations, and see their present dispassion being pried out by the successors. Perfect dispassion comes to the soul after the victory over all the adversaries in the practical struggle against the demons; but imperfect dispassion is so called with respect to the power, for now, of the demon wrestling with it.

The mind would not advance, nor would it journey that beautiful journey, and come to be in the land of the incorporeal, without having set its inner things right; for the disturbance of its own things tends to turn it back toward those from which it had departed.

Both virtues and vices make the mind blind: the former, so that it may not see vices; the latter, so that it may not again see virtues.

Regarding the signs of dispassion: When the mind begins to perform the prayers without distraction, then the whole war is established regarding the irascible part of the soul, both at night and by day.

A sign of dispassion is a mind beginning to see its own light, remaining quiet toward the phantasms of sleep, and beholding realities smoothly.

The mind is strong imagining nothing of this world during the time of prayer.

A mind having accomplished the practical with God and approached knowledge perceives little or not at all the irrational part of the soul, knowledge seizing it aloft and separating it from sensible things.

A soul has dispassion, not one that does not suffer with respect to things, but one that remains undisturbed even with respect to their memories.

The perfect does not practice self-control, and the dispassionate does not endure, if endurance belongs to the one suffering, and self-control to the one being tossed about.

Great indeed is to pray without distraction, but greater is to also sing without distraction.

He who has established the virtues within himself, and having been wholly mixed with these, no longer remembers law or commandments or punishment, but says and does whatever the best state dictates.

Practical insights: The demonic songs move our desire, and cast shameful phantasies into the soul; but the psalms and hymns and the spiritual songs always call the mind to the memory of virtue, cooling our boiling thumos and withering the desires.

If wrestlers consist in pressing and counter-pressing, and the demons wrestle with us, then they themselves, pressing us, are counter-pressed by us. For I shall press them out, he says, and they will not be able to stand. And again: those pressing me and my enemies themselves grew weak and fell.

Rest is joined with wisdom, and toil with prudence; for there is not...