Tag Archives: apatheia

External forces, especially those arising from demonic sources, pose significant challenges for individuals on the Ascetic journey. These relentless assaults are among the most formidable barriers to be overcome. The Latin translation of “to besiege” was occasionally expressed as obsidere. This linguistic origin can be traced back to the English term “obsession.” Monastic records indicate that during this state, thoughts influenced by demons enclose the mind from external sources. By persistently troubling the mind with these thoughts, the demons attempt to hinder any contemplation of the Godhead. Accounts of this condition are plentiful in early monastic literature, ranging from the Life of St Antony, in which Antony laments that “the demons surrounded me like armed soldiers,” to the ascetical writings of Maximus Confessor in the seventh century, where he instructs that demons “encircle the mind with thoughts.” Or as the Psalmist best recounts it, “They encompassed me about; the encompassed me about like bees.” In accordance with the information shared in our prior blog post, the specific demon known as acedia afflicts and surrounds the mind. read more