In the spiritual life, acedia arises in response to our spiritual commitments and vocations. Weariness pervades precisely in the arenas of our life that had previously been a source of great joy. Prayer feels dry and cold, when before it was rich and alive. Scripture and spiritual reading used to be inspiring. The words now seem out-of-touch and even make me feel irritable. The same liturgy, worship services, and rituals that ignited my soul’s fire become boring and laborious. In vocational marriage or vowed monasticism, the wife, husband, nun, or monk wonders what they were thinking ten, fifteen, twenty years ago when they took these vows. What did I ever see in him? Or Why did I ever think this is what I was meant to do with my life?The marriage or monastery begins to feel small and suffocating. The person afflicted with acedia spends a lot of time looking at the door and wondering what it would be like if they walked through it.
Read moreThe Spirit of Anger, or Compassion, Forgiveness and Acting from Freedom
Like Dejection, the thought of Anger is related to the frustration of the desires of ego. Whereas dejection is a sinking down, anger is a flaring out. Anger brings heat, intensity, and passion. It is activating and threatens to quickly take over one’s heart when it arises. Like the story of when I badly hurt myself, when we feed our anger it narrows our awareness, drives our actions, and blinds us to the fullness of reality.
Read moreThe Spirit of Lust, Or Cultivating Unselfish Love
Sexual energy is an essential part of nature, and a beautiful and natural part of being human. It’s the energy of attraction, affection, and connection. It draws us to one another and fuels our longing for intimacy. From the onset of puberty until death, it’s probably the most powerful drive we experience within our bodies. In its natural form, it’s a beautiful thing.
The problem with sexual energy begins when it becomes co-opted by the self-serving nature of the ego. Lust is when sexual energy is directed for self-gratification, drawing us away from loving connection with both other people and with the Source of life (God). We can recognize the energy of lust by how it narrows us. It contracts our field of awareness. It increases tension and agitation in the body. It arises like a fire and overrides are ability to enjoy the goodness of the present moment.
The wider symphony of life goes silent, awareness of God disappears, and all that matters is the fulfillment of this one desire.
Read morePurifying the Heart: What the desert elders can teach us about healing our world – and ourselves
In the fourth century, the ancient Roman world order, which had stood for a thousand years, teetered on the edge of collapse. Imperial Rome was being battered by enemies from without and rotting from corruption and social decay from within. The Roman state had become ‘Christian’ in name, whichonly furthered the resolve of Christian spiritual pioneers who stepped away from the collapsing society and fled to the wilderness. There, they built a new social order founded on radical fidelity to the God of infinite love and mercy. These pioneers became known as ‘The Desert Fathers and Mothers.’ They developed a system of spiritual practice that I believe has profound significance for our time.
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