“Five
degrees can be distinguished in the battle as one is led away from
Godpleasing purity of mind:
(1)
A simple thought of suggestion (in Slavonic, prilog) which
comes to the mind from outside; not depending upon us, such fleeting
thoughts are not sinful in themselves, and even the spiritually
perfect are not entirely free from them.
(2)
“Conjunction” (sochetanie)
or conversation with the thought, granting it permission
to come within, receiving and holding it in the mind. This may be
done with or without passion, and so may be sinful or sinless,
depending on the outcome.
(3)
“Joining (slozhenie)
or accepting the thought, being defeated by it; this is judged more
or less severely depending on one's state of advancement in spiritual
life and on the basic orientation of one's heart: one may be defeated
in thought and yet still be determined not to sin in act; or one may
accept the thought to such an extent that one is prepared to act
according to its suggestion, in which case a penance (epitimia)
should be given by one's spiritual father.
(4)
“Captivity” (plenenie)
is an involuntary attraction of one's heart to the thought, from
which state one may be freed and return to oneself with God's help;
or, more seriously, the thought constantly settles in one's mind and
the mind, carried away from its good orientation into evil thoughts,
can no longer return to a peaceful state.
(5)
“Passion” (strast)
is an inclination and activity that have nested themselves in the
soul for a long time because of habit and become as it were the
soul's nature. A man comes to this state at first voluntarily, but
ends by being completely enslaved by it.”
The
Northern Thebaid, St. Herman's Press, pp. 99-100
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