>> Saint John the Solitary On thoughts of the mind
Be attentive to the thoughts of the mind. If some evil thought passes through you, do not get upset, for it is not the transient thoughts of your mind that the knowledge of the Lord of all observes, rather He looks at the depths of the mind to see if you take pleasure in that evil thought which resides there; for hateful thoughts float over the surface of the mind, but it is the senses that are lower down which can chase away hateful thoughts, which the Lord of all examines. He does not judge what just passes over the mind, but rather the thoughts that are lower down than those hateful ones, namely those which appear in the depths of the mind, which can drive them away with its hidden hand. For He does not pardon the thoughts which spring up from the depth of the mind, for it is they which should be chasing away those which pass over the surface of the mind; He judges those thoughts which have a passage into the heart.
Originally posted 2008-08-27 18:52:42.
October 8th, 2009 at 6:04 am
Here are some more quates from Fathers on thoughts of the mind.
http://www.orthodoxprayer.org/Jesus%20Prayer/Jesus%20Prayer-Attention.html
October 23rd, 2011 at 1:23 pm
[...] Too often my thoughts get away from me. I am not in charge of them; they are in charge of me. Saint John the Solitary said, “It is the senses that are lower down which can chase away hateful thoughts…He [...]