Neklepaev beliefs and customs. The theory of the origin of signs and beliefs

Blasphemous THOUGHTS

We should not be embarrassed by blasphemous thoughts, they are not from us, but from the enemy

I am very sorry for your embarrassment, which is coming from the enemy. You consider yourself such a sinner that there is no one like you, not understanding that the enemy is fighting you with blasphemous thoughts, putting into your thoughts inappropriate and inexplicable words; and you think that they come from you, but you, on the contrary, do not have them, but you are horrified, grieved and embarrassed, while they are not yours at all, but the enemy; there is not the slightest part of your participation in them, and you should not even impute them to sin, but you must be calm, not paying the least attention to them and imputing them to nothing; they will disappear. And when you are embarrassed about this, grieve and despair, this consoles the enemy and he rebels against you even more with it. Don’t consider them a sin at all, and you will calm down; what need do you have to grieve for the sins of the enemy; he even blasphemed the Lord in heaven... But this is the guilt and sin on your part: you think a lot about yourself, are carried away by pride, despise others, condemn them and the like, and you care little about this, and that’s why this scourge is unleashed on you So that you humble yourself and consider yourself the last one of all, but do not be embarrassed, for embarrassment is the fruit of pride. Stop judging, don’t think too much about yourself, don’t despise others, then blasphemous thoughts will go away (VI, 154, 252-253).

The Holy Fathers generally consider blasphemous thoughts not ours, but the enemy’s excuses, and when we do not agree with them, but also grieve that they creep into our minds, then this is a sign of our innocence in them. There is no need to be embarrassed that they are coming. For if a person is embarrassed, then the enemy will rise up against him, and when he does not heed them, imputes them to nothing and does not consider them a sin, then his thoughts disappear. St. clearly writes about this. Dimitri Rostovsky in “Spiritual Medicine”.

But these thoughts, although they are not a sin, are found with God’s permission from the enemy for our exaltation, for our opinion about ourselves or about our corrections and for the condemnation of our neighbors. When a person, having recognized his sins, humbles himself and does not condemn others, but brings repentance for this, he receives liberation from them... In St. Isaac the Syrian in the 79th Word, among other types of allowances, as a punishment for pride, there is this: “blasphemy against the name of God.” In the superscript to the book of St. Nilus of Sora... it is written like this: “there is no servility and unreasonableness, and not exactly not having in itself a single feeling, lower than the one gift from those who were foretold (i.e., those above written in that superscript), but lower than those who know when such: they were jealous of the fasting and labors of the saints, not with good reason and proposal, imputing this, as virtue passes. The devil, crouching like a catching dog, plunges into their womb the seed of a joyful opinion, from which the inner Pharisee will be nurtured; and thus, increasing day by day, betrays such to perfect pride, and for its sake the regions of Satan are allowed from God” (II, 112, 165-166).

There is no sin for you in blasphemous thoughts; they are not yours, but the enemy’s; this is proven by the fact that you don’t want them, but you also grieve when they come to your mind. The enemy, when he sees that you are embarrassed by his suggestion, rejoices at this and attacks you more... That there is no sin in them, everyone knows, but they expose our sin of pride, which we do not recognize as a sin, but it is very close to us. If we do something well, no matter what, we are consoled by it and, at the instigation of the enemy, we are deceived into having something good; and although according to the poppy seed it increases, it increases; and we must always remember the word of the Lord: even if you do all that is commanded, say, “We are unworthy servants” (Luke 17:10), and our whole life should be imbued with humility and repentance. Humility crushes all the snares and machinations of the enemy (V, 575, 774-775).

From the book Orthodox psychotherapy [patristic course of healing the soul] author Vlahos Metropolitan Hierotheos

c) MIND AND THOUGHTS The main role in the illness of the soul and its treatment is played by the mind (? ??????) and thoughts. The pretext of the evil one appears in them, simple thoughts form complex ones, and then a desire appears that directs a person to commit sin. That's why Orthodox course treatment

From the book INSTRUCTIONS IN SPIRITUAL LIFE author Feofan the Recluse

Thoughts In the rational part of the soul, so-called thoughts act, which, irritating its lustful part, try to captivate the human mind and, as a result, lead it to sin. Committing sin begins with thoughts. Therefore, anyone who wants to cleanse his inner

From the book Sins and Passions and the Fight against Them author Feofan the Recluse

From the book How to overcome irritability and anger: advice from a confessor author Filimonov Sergiy

THOUGHTS Under what conditions are they imputed to us? Here I will tell you only a little about thoughts. When sinful deeds are stopped, the struggle moves inwards, into the heart... The main thing here is thoughts; behind thoughts are sympathies, behind these are wishes; behind these are inclinations to do things,

From the book Ladder, or Spiritual Tablets author Climacus John

Blasphemous THOUGHTS AND THE FIGHT WITH THEM Regarding blasphemous thoughts, one must regret and repent before the Lord, but not lose heart and not think that this is harmful. Just because you don’t want such thoughts and turn away from them, God is not angry with you. The thoughts are not from you, but the enemy does. AND

From the book How to Live Today. Letters on Spiritual Life author Osipov Alexey Ilyich

How to reflect thoughts Some of our thoughts, although we consider them ours, are not ours - through them demons talk to us. According to the teaching of the Holy Fathers, every evil thought is the germ of sin. For having accepted it, a person begins to develop this grain in his heart

From the book Saint Theophan the Recluse and his teaching on salvation author Tertyshnikov Georgy

Thoughts One must constantly fight against the distraction of thoughts. The warfare of thoughts differs: into adposition, combination, addition, captivity and passion; and what are they? .What is a thought called a foray of thought? .In monastics the passions act more

From the book Tsvetoslov of Advice author Kavsokalivit Porfiry

Thoughts * * *schema nun Valentina to the sisters 28/VI-49 Dear peace and salvation to you! I ask you to pray earnestly for Daria Mikhailovna, and on occasion, carefully remind her of how the holy saints fought against thoughts and other enemy machinations, how cunning the enemy is, how

From the book Evergetin or the Code of God-specified sayings and teachings of the God-bearing and Holy Fathers author Evergetin Pavel

Sinful Thoughts A person who has entered the path of salvation must wage a battle with sin and not repeat sinful acts in his life. When a Christian weaned himself “from bad deeds,” he begins a spiritual battle with sinful thoughts and feelings, which, like

From the book What We Live For by the author

Thoughts The devil pulls you by the hand through thoughts. I would like to talk about how to resist evil thoughts, since this issue is very important and has great importance for any person, especially for a Christian. We all know what mental warfare is,

From the book Soulful Teachings author Optina Macarius

From the author's book

Blasphemous thoughts during prayer It also happens that zealous prayer-bookers at the beginning of their spiritual life, and others until the end of their lives, experience blasphemous thoughts that prevent them from praying, so that this prayer-booker completely abandons prayer and demons drive him to despair. But you need to know ,

From the author's book

THOUGHTS Chilling and disturbing thoughts have many differences: the admonition or attack of a thought has no sin, but is the temptation of our autocracy, to what it bows - whether to them or to resistance to them, and when there is a combination and combination with these passions, it is considered

From the author's book

THOUGHTS OF UNBELIEF Thoughts of unbelief come from the devil You write that unbelief about God and the future comes like a light cloud<вечной жизни>. This thought is attributed to St. Demetrius to blasphemous thoughts; for in them our will does not agree; but only the enemy suggests thoughts of unbelief;

From the author's book

CARLINE THOUGHTS Do not give in to despair, which is still hotter than passion itself. When it happens that you fall through the accumulation and captivity of thoughts into mental darkness and become captivated, then, without becoming rigid, fall to the Lord with repentance, humility and contrition of heart; don't give in

From the author's book

Blasphemous THOUGHTS One should not be embarrassed by blasphemous thoughts, they are not from us, but from the enemy. I am very sorry for your embarrassment, which comes from the enemy. You consider yourself such a sinner that there is no one like you, not understanding that the enemy is fighting you with blasphemous thoughts, putting them into your thoughts.

The spirit of blasphemy torments you. Not only do blasphemous thoughts occur and amaze, but words are heard in the ears. The demon... produces them. He does this in order to confuse you and deprive you of the courage to pray. And what he means is, would you agree to some kind of blasphemy, in order to plunge you into the sin of blasphemy, and then into despair. The first thing to do against this demon is... do not be embarrassed and do not at all think that these are your thoughts, but directly attribute them to the demon. Then, against thoughts and words - thinking and speaking is disgusting. He inspires evil about the saint, and you say: you are lying, you sly; This is how he is... So against everything - and keep talking until they move away. Conclude this way: be damned, blasphemer, and let the words of blasphemy be directed at your head! Turn to the Lord with this prayer: I open my soul before You, Lord! You see that I do not want such thoughts and do not favor them. The enemy is in control. Get him away from me!

Regarding blasphemous thoughts, one must regret and repent before the Lord; but don’t lose heart and don’t think that this will cause harm. Just because you don’t want such thoughts and turn away from them, God is not angry with you. The thoughts are not from you, but the enemy does.

When the Assyrians under the walls of Jerusalem shouted to the Jerusalemites standing on the walls, uttering blasphemous words against God and trying to shake them in their faith in God and in loyalty to the king, then the pious Hezekiah did not order his people to answer, but he himself went to the temple and prayed. This is what Christians should do when their thoughts are overwhelmed. Don’t answer, don’t listen, go deep into your heart, call on the name of the Lord Jesus, protect yourself with the sign of the cross, externally and internally.

Turn to the Lord with the following prayer: “I open my soul before You, Lord! You see that I do not want such thoughts and do not favor them. The enemy is in control. Drive him away from me!”

The spirit of blasphemy lurks; but don’t think that he will leave you so soon. Accustomed to finding access to you, he will keep approaching you, to see if he can somehow confuse you even more. Everyone experiences this. That’s why they write that in the fight against the enemy you should never lay down your arms, but always be ready to resist him.

You think that they come from you, but you, on the contrary, do not have them, but you are horrified, grieved and embarrassed, while they are not yours at all, but the enemy; you don’t have the slightest participation in them, and you shouldn’t even impute them to sin, but you need to be calm, not paying any attention to them and imputing them to nothing, they will disappear. And when you are embarrassed about this, grieve and despair, this consoles the enemy and he rebels against you even more with it.

No one should think that he is guilty of blasphemous thoughts; for the Lord is a knower of the heart and knows that such words are not ours, but those of our enemies.

Despising him, and regarding the thoughts he puts in as nothing, we will say to him: follow me, Satan: I will worship the Lord my God and serve Him alone; your illness and your words will be turned on your head, and your blasphemy will come down on your head. this century and in the future.

Let us stop judging and condemning our neighbor, and we will not be afraid of blasphemous thoughts; for the cause and root of the second is the first.

And when blasphemous thoughts confuse you, don’t fight them, but simply despise them, that is, don’t pay attention to them: they are not our thoughts, but the devil’s, and therefore we will not answer for them.

Blasphemous thoughts multiply and strengthen from pride and condemnation of others. Therefore, beware of both, and blasphemous thoughts will fade away.

If blasphemous thoughts come and condemn others, then reproach yourself for pride and do not pay any attention to them.

From demons who blaspheme the shrine. They are allowed by God for various reasons: they happen from the envy of the devil towards an ascetic of piety, from sadness or despondency, from pride or condemnation.

Elder Paisiy Svyatogorets explains where do blasphemous thoughts come from:

“Look what happens: seeing you sad, the tangalash girl takes advantage of this and slips you a worldly candy - a sinful thought. If you fall the first time [having accepted this caramel thought], then next time it will upset you even more and you will not have the strength to resist it. Therefore, you should never be in a state of sadness, instead it is better to do something spiritual. Spiritual activity will help you get out of this state.

Geronda, I am very tormented by certain thoughts...

They are from the evil one. Be peaceful and don't listen to them. You are an impressionable and sensitive person. The devil, taking advantage of your sensitivity, instills in you [the habit] of giving undue attention to certain thoughts. He “glues” your mind to them, and you suffer in vain. For example, he may bring you bad thoughts about Mother Superior or even about me. Leave these thoughts unattended. If you treat a blasphemous thought with even a little attention, it can torment you, it can break you. You need a little kind indifference. The devil usually torments reverent and very sensitive people with blasphemous thoughts. He exaggerates their fall [in their own eyes] in order to plunge them into sorrow. The devil seeks to plunge them into despair so that they commit suicide; if he does not succeed, then he seeks, at least, to drive them crazy and incapacitate them. If the devil does not succeed in this, then it gives him pleasure to at least bring melancholy and despondency upon them.

...Often blasphemous thoughts come to a person through the envy of the devil. Especially after all-night vigil. It happens that from fatigue you fall as if dead and cannot resist the enemy. That’s when the evil devil brings you blasphemous thoughts.

...A person himself can give a reason for such a thought to come. If blasphemous thoughts are not caused by excessive sensitivity, then they come from pride, condemnation and the like. Therefore, if, while asceticism, you have thoughts of unbelief and blasphemy, know that your asceticism is performed with pride. Pride darkens the mind, unbelief begins, and a person is deprived of the cover of Divine Grace. In addition, blasphemous thoughts overcome a person who deals with dogmatic issues without having the appropriate prerequisites for this.”

The Holy Fathers teach not to converse with such thoughts, not to contradict them, not to be frightened by them and not to attribute them to oneself, but to turn away from them with contempt, as from an enemy excuse, and not to pay any attention to them.

Rev. Macarius of Optina expounds the patristic teaching on blasphemous thoughts:

“I am very sorry for your embarrassment, which comes from the enemy. You consider yourself such a sinner that there is no one like you, not understanding that the enemy is fighting you with blasphemous thoughts, putting into your thoughts inappropriate and inexplicable words of his; and you think that they are from happen to you, and you, on the contrary, do not have them, but you are horrified, grieved and embarrassed, while they are not yours at all, but the enemy’s; your participation in them is not the slightest, and you should not even impute them to sin, but you must be calm , not paying any attention to them and imputing them to nothing; they will disappear. And when you are embarrassed about this, grieve and despair, then this consoles the enemy and he rebels against you with them even more. You do not at all consider them a sin, then and you will calm down; what need do you have to grieve for the sins of the enemy; he even in heaven blasphemed the Lord... But this is what guilt and sin on your part: you think a lot about yourself, are carried away by pride, despise others, condemn them and the like, and think little about This is why you are worried, this is why this scourge is unleashed on you, so that you humble yourself and consider yourself the last one of all, but do not be embarrassed, for embarrassment is the fruit of pride. Stop judging, don’t think too much about yourself, don’t despise others, then blasphemous thoughts will go away.

Elder Paisiy Svyatogorets instructs how to drive away blasphemous thoughts:

“Chanting. "I will open my mouth..." [ Initial words irmos of the first song of the canon of the Annunciation Holy Mother of God] Don’t you know how to sing notes? Don’t pick at this thought, treat it with contempt. A person who stands in prayer and converses with such thoughts is like a soldier who gives a report to the commander and at the same time spins a grenade.

What if the blasphemous thought does not go away?

How can you get rid of such thoughts?

If a person is upset that such thoughts come to him and does not communicate with them, then, not receiving food, they disappear by themselves. A tree that is not watered will wither."

Rev. Barsanuphius of Optina teaches:

Doubts, just like lustful thoughts and blasphemies, must be despised and ignored. Despise them - and the enemy the devil will not stand it, he will leave you, for he is proud and will not tolerate contempt.

Abba Isaiah:

Reject blasphemous thoughts without paying attention to them, and they will disappear; they upset only those who fear them.

Saint Demetrius of Rostov:

“Many people experience such a temptation from a blasphemous spirit that, confused by blasphemous thoughts, they do not know what to do, and they fall into despair, believing that it is their sin, and thinking that they themselves are to blame for those fierce and vile thoughts .

A blasphemous thought is a temptation for a God-fearing person and especially confuses him when he is praying or doing something good. Blasphemous thoughts do not come upon a person wallowing in mortal sins, careless, not God-fearing, lazy and careless about his salvation. They attack those who live virtuously, in works of repentance and in the love of God.

With this blasphemous temptation the devil leads a person to frighten him. Or, if he is free from other sins, to disturb his conscience. If he is in repentance, then to interrupt his repentance. If it rises from virtue to virtue, then to stop and overthrow it. But if the devil does not succeed in this, he strives to at least insult and confuse him. However, let the smart one reason.

Let him not think that these thoughts belong to him and come from him, but that they are brought by the devil, who is their origin and inventor. For how can those blasphemies that we hate come from our heart and will, and would rather wish for illness for ourselves than such thoughts? This is true proof that blasphemies are not born of our will, because we do not love them and do not desire them.

Let anyone oppressed by blasphemous thoughts not impute them to himself as sin, but consider them as a special temptation, for the more someone imputes blasphemous thoughts to himself as sin, the more he will comfort his enemy the devil, who will therefore triumph because he has troubled someone’s conscience as if it were a sin. If someone sat tied up among blasphemous people, heard their speeches against God, the Mysteries of Christ, the Most Pure Mother of God and all the saints and wanted to run away from them so as not to hear these speeches, but he could not, because he was tied up, and could not even shut up ears - tell me, would he be sinful because he reluctantly hears their blasphemous speeches? Truly, not only would he not have had any sin, but he would also have been honored with great praise from God, because, being bound and unable to escape, he listened to their blasphemous words with a heaviness in his soul. The same thing happens to those whom the devil oppresses with blasphemous thoughts, when they can neither run away from them, nor get rid of them, nor shake off the unclean spirit, which shamelessly and incessantly instills blasphemous thoughts on them, although they do not want them, do not love them. and even hate them. After all, not only will they not have any sin from these thoughts, but they also deserve great grace from God.

We must pray to the Lord God to remove this temptation and drive away the blasphemous spirit. And if this does not happen, then endure it meekly and with gratitude, remembering that this temptation was allowed not out of anger, but from the grace of God, so that we would be patient and untroubled by it. And the Apostle Paul suffered something similar when he spoke about the dirty trick given to him, for whom he prayed three times and did not receive what he asked for, for he heard: “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Cor. 12:9). One of the great elders often said to himself: “I do not deign, I do not deign.” And when he did anything: walked, or sat, or worked, or read, or prayed, he repeated these words many times. Hearing this, his disciple asked: “Tell me, Abba, why do you often say this word?” The father replied: “When any evil thought comes into my mind, and I feel it, then I tell it that I do not accept it, and immediately the evil thought runs away and disappears.”

When you suffer from a blasphemous spirit, as soon as blasphemous and unclean thoughts come to you, you can easily get rid of them and drive them away from you with this word: “I do not accept.” I don’t accept, devil, your blasphemies! They are yours, not my abominations; I not only do not accept them, but I also hate them. Therefore, let no one be embarrassed or despair, having obsessions from blasphemous thoughts, knowing that they are more for our benefit than for temptation, and for the demons themselves to shame.

If a blasphemous thought against God comes, read: “I believe in one God” - to the end. And if possible, perform several throwings or bows.

If a blasphemous thought comes to the Most Pure Mysteries of Christ, read: “I believe, Lord, and confess that You are truly the Christ” - to the end, and make prostrations.

If a blasphemous thought comes to the Most Pure Mother of God, then read some prayer to the Most Pure Mother of God - either “Under Your Grace”, or “Virgin Mother of God, Rejoice”, or some kind of troparion of the Theotokos, with bows, saying: “Most Holy Mother of God, save me, a sinner."

If a blasphemous thought comes to any saint, read: “Pray to God for me, a sinner, saint (name of the rivers), as I am according to God, I resort to you, a quick helper and prayer book for our souls.” And bow down, saying: “Holy (name of the rivers), pray to God for me, a sinner.” If a blasphemous thought comes to any icon, bow in front of that icon fifteen times or as much as you can, praying to the one depicted on it, and thus, with God’s help, you will turn the blasphemous thoughts into nothing.”

Where do blasphemous thoughts come from?

- Geronda, could you tell us something about kind indifference?

Kind indifference is necessary for an overly sensitive person who is tormented by tangalashka with various thoughts. It would be good for such a person to become a little insensitive - in the positive sense of the word - and not delve into thoughts of a certain kind. In addition, kind indifference is necessary for a person whom the devil, wanting to incapacitate, has made overly sensitive in relation to some specific matter or phenomenon - although usually such a person does not suffer from excessive sensitivity. And such a person will be helped for some time by kind indifference. However, he must be supervised by a confessor. He needs to reveal his thoughts to his confessor and be under his supervision. Otherwise, he may slowly become indifferent to everything and go to the opposite extreme - turn into a completely indifferent person.

- Geronda, why, when I fall into sadness, do I have blasphemous thoughts?

Look what happens: seeing you sad, the tangalashka takes advantage of this and slips you a worldly caramel - a sinful thought. If you fall the first time [having accepted this caramel thought], then next time it will upset you even more and you will not have the strength to resist it. Therefore, you should never be in a state of sadness, instead it is better to do something spiritual. Spiritual activity will help you get out of this state.

- Geronda, I am very tormented by certain thoughts...

The devil usually torments reverent and very sensitive people with blasphemous thoughts. He exaggerates their fall [in their own eyes] in order to plunge them into sorrow. The devil seeks to drive them into despair so that they commit suicide, and if he does not succeed, then he seeks, at least, to drive them crazy and incapacitate them. If the devil does not succeed in this, then it gives him pleasure to at least bring melancholy and despondency upon them.

Often blasphemous thoughts come to a person through the envy of the devil. Especially after the all-night vigil. It happens that from fatigue you fall as if dead and cannot resist the enemy. That’s when the evil devil brings you blasphemous thoughts. And then, wanting to confuse you or plunge you into despair, he begins to inspire: “The devil himself will not bring such thoughts! Now you will not be saved.” The devil can bring blasphemous thoughts to a person even against the Holy Spirit, and then say that this sin - blasphemy against the Holy Spirit - cannot be forgiven.

- Geronda, can a blasphemous thought come through our own fault?

Yes. A person himself can give a reason for such a thought to come. If blasphemous thoughts are not caused by excessive sensitivity, then they come from pride, condemnation and the like. Therefore, if, while asceticism, you have thoughts of unbelief and blasphemy, know that your asceticism is performed with pride. Pride darkens the mind, unbelief begins, and a person is deprived of the cover of Divine Grace. In addition, blasphemous thoughts overcome a person who deals with dogmatic issues without having the appropriate prerequisites for this.

Contempt for blasphemous thoughts

- Geronda, Abba Isaac says that we overcome passions “with humility, and not with exaltation.” Contempt for some passion, exaltation [over it] and contempt for blasphemous thoughts are not the same thing?

No. In despising passion there is pride, self-confidence and - worst of all - self-justification. That is, you justify yourself and “give up” your passion. It’s as if you are saying: “This passion is not mine, it has nothing to do with me” - and you are not working to free yourself from it. But we must despise blasphemous thoughts, because, as I already said, they are not ours, but from the devil.

- And if a person pretends to others that he has some kind of passion, for example, portraying himself as a glutton, then he thereby mocks the devil?

In this case, he is “a hypocrite with good hypocrisy,” but this is not a mockery of the devil. You mock the devil when he brings you blasphemous thoughts, and you sing something churchy.

- Geronda, how to drive away blasphemous thoughts during worship?

Chants. “I will open my mouth...” Don’t you know how to sing notes? Don’t pick at this thought, treat it with contempt. A person who stands in prayer and talks with such thoughts is like a soldier who gives a report to the commander and at the same time spins a grenade.

- What if the blasphemous thought does not go away?

If he doesn’t leave, know that somewhere in you he has chosen a place for himself. The most effective remedy is contempt for the devil. After all, he is hiding behind blasphemous thoughts - a teacher of wickedness. When fighting blasphemous thoughts, it is better not to fight them even with the Jesus Prayer, because by saying it, we will show our anxiety and the devil, aiming at our weak spot, will bombard us with blasphemous thoughts endlessly. In this case, it is better to sing something churchy. Look, even small children, wanting to show contempt for their peers, interrupt his speech with various songs like “tru-la-la.” We should do the same in relation to the devil. However, we will show our contempt for him not with worldly songs, but with sacred chants. Church singing is not only a prayer to God, but also contempt for the devil. Thus, the evil one will get his nuts from both one side and the other - and he will burst.

- Geronda, being in this state, I cannot sing. Even Holy Communion is not easy for me to approach.

It is very dangerous! Tangalashka drives you into a corner! And sing and take communion - after all, these thoughts are not yours. Show me obedience at least in this [during the battle of thoughts] sing “It is worthy to eat” once, so that the tangalashka gets what is due to him and runs away. I didn’t tell you about one Athonite monk? As a twelve-year-old orphan, he came to the Holy Mountain. Having lost the love of his mother according to the flesh, he gave all his love to the Mother of God. He had the same feelings for Her as for his own mother. If you could see with what reverence he venerated the icons! And so the enemy, playing on this love, brought him blasphemous thoughts. The unfortunate man stopped even touching icons. His Elder, having learned about this, took him by the hand and forced him to venerate the faces and hands of the Most Holy Theotokos and Savior on Their icons. Immediately after this, the devil took flight. Of course, kiss Mother of God and the Savior right in the face - this is, in some way, daring. But the Elder forced the monk to do this in order to drive away the thoughts that tormented him.

In what cases are we guilty of blasphemous thoughts ourselves?

- Geronda, when I experience the attack of a blasphemous thought, but without coping with it, does the guilt fall on me?

If you are upset and do not accept this thought, then there is no guilt.

- Geronda, when is a person guilty of blasphemous thoughts?

He is guilty if he is not upset that he has such a thought, but sits [with folded hands] and talks with him. And the more he accepts blasphemous thoughts, the more devilish confusion he will be subjected to. After all, by looking at a blasphemous thought that has appeared and conversing with it in your mind, you are to a small extent subject to demonic possession.

- How to drive away such thoughts?

If a person is upset that such thoughts come to him and does not communicate with them, then, not receiving food, they disappear by themselves. A tree that is not watered will wither. However, having begun to enjoy these thoughts at least a little, he gives them food, “watering” his old man. In this case, thoughts “dry away” not easily.

- And with me, Geronda, sometimes the following happens: I accept blasphemous thoughts, associate with them, then I understand this, but I can no longer drive them away.

Do you know what's happening to you? At some point, you get distracted by something, become distracted, and with your mouth open, start counting crows. Then the tangalashka sneaks up on you and throws caramel into your gaping mouth. You start rotating it in your mouth, feel its taste, and it’s already hard for you to spit it out. You need to spit it out right away - you will barely feel its “sweetness”.

- Geronda, what if I briefly accept a blasphemous thought that appears, but then drive it away?

In this case, the devil gives you a candy, you spit it out - but not immediately, but after some time. You don't need to spit it out slowly. Otherwise, having deceived you first with the help of candy, the devil will subsequently give you a bitter potion to drink and mock you.

Taken from http://duhpage.sed.lg.ua/Biblioteka/DuhNastavl/book09/03.htm

Elder Paisiy Svyatogorets ABOUT Blasphemous THOUGHTS

What thoughts are blasphemous

- Geronda, I don’t understand when a thought is blasphemous...

When bad pictures come to our minds about Christ, the Mother of God, the Saints, something divine and holy, or even about our spiritual father and the like, then these are blasphemous thoughts.

There is no need to retell these thoughts to anyone.

- Even the confessor?

It is enough for the confessor to say the following: “I have blasphemous thoughts about Christ or the Holy Spirit, about the Mother of God, about the Saints, or about you - my spiritual father.” All these blasphemies and sins are not ours - they come from the devil. Therefore, we do not need to be upset because of the sins of the devil. When I was a new monk, the devil brought blasphemous thoughts to me for some time - even in church. I was very upset. The devil instilled in me bad thoughts about the Saints, [as source material] using the foul language and obscenity that I heard from others while in the army. “These thoughts are from the devil,” my confessor admonished me. “Once a person is upset because of the bad thoughts that he has about the shrine, this already proves that they are not his own, but come from outside.” But I continued to get upset. When blasphemous thoughts came, I went to pray in the chapel of Venerable John the Baptist, venerated his icon, and it smelled fragrant. When bad thoughts came again, I again hurried to the Baptist chapel, and a fragrance again emanated from the icon. During one Divine Liturgy, I was in the chapel and prayed. When the singers sang “Holy God” by Nilevs, I began to quietly sing along from my seat. Suddenly I saw a huge scary beast with the head of a dog. Flames erupted from its mouth and eyes. The monster turned to me and, annoyed that I was singing “Holy God,” shook his paw at me angrily twice. I glanced at the monks praying next to me: maybe they also saw [the beast]? No, no one noticed anything. Then I told my confessor about what happened. “Well, did you see who it was? - the confessor told me. - This is him. Have you calmed down now?

- Geronda, does a person always understand that his thought is blasphemous?

He understands this if he works with the head that God gave him. For example, some people ask me the question: “Geronda, how is it possible for the torments of hell to exist? We are upset when we see a person sitting in prison, what can we say about those who are tormented in hell!” However, such reasoning is blasphemy against God. These people pretend to be more righteous than Him. God knows what he's doing. Remember the incident told by Saint Gregory the Dvoeslov? One day, Bishop Fortunatus expelled an unclean spirit from a demon-possessed woman. The expelled demon took the form of a beggar, returned to the city and began to accuse the bishop. “The merciless one drove me out!” - he shouted. One person, hearing these screams, felt sorry for the “unfortunate”: “What a difficult thing it was that pulled him to kick you out! How could he do such a thing! Well, come on, come to my house.” The devil entered his house and soon asked: “Put some firewood on the fireplace, otherwise I’ll feel cold.” The owner put thick logs on the fire, and the flames hummed cheerfully. And when the fire burned properly, the devil entered the child of the owner of the house. In a fit of rage, the unfortunate man jumped into the fire and burned. Then the owner realized who the bishop had expelled and whom he accepted into his home. Bishop Fortunatus knew what he was doing when he cast out an unclean spirit from a demon-possessed woman.

Where do blasphemous thoughts come from?

- Geronda, could you tell us something about kind indifference?

- Geronda, why, when I fall into sadness, do I have blasphemous thoughts?

- Geronda, I am very tormented by certain thoughts...

Often blasphemous thoughts come to a person through the envy of the devil. Especially after the all-night vigil. It happens that from fatigue you fall as if dead and cannot resist the enemy. That’s when the evil devil brings you blasphemous thoughts. And then, wanting to confuse you or plunge you into despair, he begins to inspire: “The devil himself will not bring such thoughts! Now you will not be saved." The devil can bring blasphemous thoughts to a person even against the Holy Spirit, and then say that this sin - blasphemy against the Holy Spirit - cannot be forgiven.

- Geronda, can a blasphemous thought come through our own fault?

Contempt for blasphemous thoughts

Geronda, Abba Isaac says that we overcome passions “with humility, and not with exaltation.” Contempt for some passion, exaltation [over it] and contempt for blasphemous thoughts are not the same thing?

And if a person pretends to others that he has some kind of passion, for example, portraying himself as a glutton, then he thereby mocks the devil?

In this case, he is “a hypocrite with good hypocrisy,” but this is not a mockery of the devil. You mock the devil when he brings you blasphemous thoughts, and you sing something churchy.

- Geronda, how to drive away blasphemous thoughts during worship?

- What if the blasphemous thought does not go away?

- Geronda, being in this state, I cannot sing. Even Holy Communion is not easy for me to approach.

It is very dangerous! Tangalashka drives you into a corner! And sing and take communion - after all, these thoughts are not yours. Show me obedience at least in this [during the battle of thoughts] sing “It is worthy to eat” once, so that the tangalashka gets what is due to him and runs away. I didn’t tell you about one Athonite monk? As a twelve-year-old orphan, he came to the Holy Mountain. Having lost the love of his mother according to the flesh, he gave all his love to the Mother of God. He had the same feelings for Her as for his own mother. If you could see with what reverence he venerated the icons! And so the enemy, playing on this love, brought him blasphemous thoughts. The unfortunate man stopped even touching icons. His Elder, having learned about this, took him by the hand and forced him to venerate the faces and hands of the Most Holy Theotokos and Savior on Their icons. Immediately after this, the devil took flight. Of course, kissing the Mother of God and the Savior directly on the face is, in a way, impudent. But the Elder forced the monk to do this in order to drive away the thoughts that tormented him.

In what cases are we guilty of blasphemous thoughts ourselves?

- Geronda, when I experience the attack of a blasphemous thought, but without coping with it, does the guilt fall on me?

If you are upset and do not accept this thought, then there is no guilt.

- Geronda, when is a person guilty of blasphemous thoughts?

- How to drive away such thoughts?

And with me, Geronda, sometimes the following happens: I accept blasphemous thoughts, associate with them, then I understand this, but I can no longer drive them away.

- Geronda, what if I briefly accept a blasphemous thought that appears, but then drive it away?

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