Excess in Monasticism - Orthodox Canada

REPLY:

It is difficult. First of all, we must remember a primary lesson that we learn from St Gregory Palamas. The attainment of apathea, a signal goal of monasticism, is no mere mortification of the body in order to quell the passions. The passions are products of the mind, not the body, and excess in asceticism easily becomes yet another passion. The path to apathea is rather through the redirection and transformation of the energies to a better and more creative state. This requires more than self-discipline. Indeed, the attainment of pure prayer of any form requires a movement from self discipline to self regulation. Self discipline can sustain one only for a short time and it should be used as a step toward self regulation. This cannot be done through excessive asceticism, which develops another kind of passion in one, becoming an addiction rather than self discipline and self regulation.

Let me enumerate some of the problems in monasticism when this concept is not primary in the life of the monk.

First, let us observe the reality that a certain number of people enter monasticism already in a state of psychosis which tends toward extremism. The processes or struggle they follow may enhance this psychosis. Unfortunately, in a florid state, a psychotic individual may seem extremely "spiritual" and gain a following -- even a very large following. People who lack discernment may end up having their whole spiritual agenda developed simply as an extension of the psychosis of some "elder" or "spiritual father." A key to recognizing such a circumstance is that such an "elder" will demand an absolute obedience even of married people, and a cult-like loyalty. Threats pertaining to one's after death condition will often be used to enforce such delusions.

Now, to some specific problems:

Excess is a passion and can open the doors to other passions, and certainly to delusion.
Many of the excesses arise from perverse or twisted ideas about sex and sexuality. In the first place, the primary sex organ is the mind, not any part of the body. The body does no more than what the mind instructs it to do. Physical asceticism is necessary but the main focus should be on the redirecting of the energies. This is why the prayer of the heart and guarding the mind are mental activities, and why so many of the fathers spoke of "mental prayer." As an example, the control of lust and desire for pleasure ultimately depends on self-regulating the activity of the nucleus accumbens region of the brain. This area of the brain, when signalled by a neurotransmitter, releases endogenous opiates, which are connected with feelings of lust, etc. Physical asceticism is only an aid in this, and primarily because it helps one develop, first self-control, and then a progression to self-regulation. Monastic obedience in such struggles helps to protect one from falling into pride, and should be aimed also at avoiding addictive ascetic behaviour which will turn the struggle into a passion.

Such misunderstandings about the relationship between body and mind can lead one into a Gnosticism in which the body is perceived to be an enemy of the soul. One may pass into such delusion (plani, prelest) that he forgets that the body shares with the soul in the life of grace, not only in the resurrection, but in this present life.Once these concepts have been forgotten, it is easy for the monk to pass into destructive excess. Alas, one who thus passes into delusion can lead many others into a spiritual cul de sac also. We have also witnessed on a number of occasions, would be spiritual fathers and elders who burden their victims with heavy rules of prayer and constraint while they themselves do not fulfil them. They are particularly interested in trying to control the sexual lives of lawfully married couples, so such a degree that they often cause divorces.

Monasticism is often a safety valve in the Church for Gnostic tendencies, and this should be clearly remembered when one sees excesses of asceticism, the teaching of the Gnostic "aerial toll house" myth and a Gnostic attitude toward marriage and often a misogynistic attitude toward women which borderson hatred. This Gnosticism is quickly identifiable by a few teachings:

- A disdain toward the human body.
- An excessive interest in the sexual lives of married people, with a condemnation of normal, heterosexual marital sexual relations which do not produce children.
- Teaching such as the "aerial toll house" myth being presented as if they were ontological realities.
- The notion that married people have little or more limited hope of salvation compared to monastics (who, by this very teaching, demonstrate that they have fallen into a soul-destroying pride and arrogance).
- Any attempt to lure the faithful away from confessing with their parish priest, insisting that confession can only be salutary or have fulness if it is done with a monastic (who will often be self-styled elder of spiritual father who can do more harm than good). This practice interferes with the communal life of the parish and denigrates the parish priest in the eyes of his parishioners. It is completely without justification.

We can discuss these and additional matters at some length later.
In Christ,
Vladika Lazar.