On the foundations of Orthodox asceticism: Elder Silouan the Athonite

By St. Silouan the Athonite

Having made this comparatively long retreat in order to more clearly present you with a general picture of the meaning and spirit of monasticism, I will proceed to reveal the spiritual content of each of the three main vows, which is, so to speak, the center of this report. Many people think of monasticism that its main difference from the usual universal way of life is celibacy, but, following the holy ancient Fathers and modern ascetics, I give greater importance to obedience, because often people spend their lives in celibacy, not becoming monks not only in a sacramental sense, but also in spirit. And non-covetousness, if we understand it as the ability to be satisfied with very little, can also be found in people very far from the monastic spirit.However, establishing the order of importance of the main vows is not my goal. Rather, I would like to show, namely, that through the merging of all three vows into a single whole, conditions are created that are conducive to achieving the main goal of the ascetic - passionlessness and pure prayer.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B08BQTB8FC
• ISBN13: 9798656226981
• Release Date: June 2020
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 330 Pages
• Weight: 1.06 lbs.
• Dimensions: 10.0" x 0.8" x 7.0"