Temporal
(source)
Соблюдаемая иерархия в опыте духовного постижения.
(a true voice)
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| [CELESTIAL GATES] От Velikden 2008 |
Translation from Russian
The Hierarchy Observed in Living the Spiritual Attainment.
There are several stages of ascent in spiritual life relating to the
contemplative (as opposed to the praxis) path. Further one could call these
levels: they are as it were in various degrees of remoteness from the source of
Light, but still the same they do have Him (the Light) in themselves – and the Light
is invariably felt, present in each one of them. These stages, or levels, are
the following:
1) prayer
2) the Gospel
3) spiritual-and-moral
literature (and)
4)
reflection and discursive experiences of the previous three. {See Note 1}
Most probably, a strict division of these into four components would be too
“quick”(,) a thing that seems odd, however, without man neither prayer, nor
even reflections about it is possible; and the Gospel and the spiritual-and-moral
literature would lie (remain) a useless burden unless there be understanding (a
meaning is given to them) and empathy for what is written there. It is no
coincidence, therefore the righteous Fathers (used to) say that prayer (the permanent
one) is a constant remembrance of God. Which is also reflected in the reflection
about Him.
However, prayer as such still is a specific way of thinking, rather a forced
one – and not a free one bound with an apparent necessity; and not by accident,
and the arbitrariness of intuition.
Actually, prayer is not even thinking (reflecting), but it is action – thinking
does presuppose it. Prayer one may call pro-active
meditation, and not one that presupposes activeness. Not a theory of
practice but the very practice albeit mixed (up) with theory. And trough it this
practice has been vouchsafed to become (evolve into) – often stemming out of fruitless,
painful, agonizing, seemingly endlessly long, but so much necessary for the creatures
acts of attainment of the Truth – “theoretical” states. This is why part 4 is also
a necessary and central content part of the perfection in Christ; it, too, is illuminated
by His light as long it leads to a right prayerful state.
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