Soulful teachings

Vigil • Sinlessness • Silence (see Solitude) • Carelessness • Insensibility • Demons (see delusion) • Thanksgiving • Grace • Prosperity • Neighbor • Prodigal passion • Knowledge of God • Theology • Worship • Illness • Warfare • Prodigal warfare • Brother Faith • Faith and reason • Faith and good deeds • Attention • Exaltation (see Pride) • Will • Divine and human will • Enemy • Reprimands Anger (see Irritability) • Pride • Sin Gifts • Virginity • Good Deeds • Work • Physical work • Money • Children (raising children) • Friendship • Spiritual conversations • Soul • State of mind Spiritual life • Monastic and worldly life Concerns • Envy • Marriage • Commandments • Grudges Temptation • Confession • Correction • Truth Treasurer • Cell • Slander • Oath • Witchcraft • Cross • Meekness Cowardice • Place of residence • Alms • Worldly world • Mental peace • Prayer • Jesus Prayer • Silence • Monastery • Monastery and peace • Monasticism • Novice • Monasticism and peace Skill • Hope • Science • Leadership • Weakness • Impatience • Spiritual Poverty • News Vows • Reproof • Renewal • Seduction • Education • Experience • Care in Words • Condemnation • Despair Falls • Mortal memory • Shepherd • Singing • Pension • Sorrow • Food • Crying • Flesh (prodigal passion) • Weather • Feat • Suspicion • Repentance • Bows • Peace • Remembrance of the departed • God's help • Thoughts • Thoughts (revelation of thoughts) • Thoughts in prayer • Thoughts of unbelief • Carnal thoughts • Blasphemous thoughts • Obedience • Fasting • Teaching others • Praise • Rules • Rule (penance) • Idle talk • Idleness • Exaltation (see Praise) • Predestination of God • Human predictions • Prelest • Reconciliation • Willfulness • Divine Providence • Enlightenment • Asking for forgiveness • The middle path Work on spiritual books • Irritability • Reason • Absent-mindedness • Reasoning • Jealousy • Murmuring • Leadership • Brothers and confessor • About premature leadership Self-will • Self-love • Conceit • Self-reliance • Self-justification • Self-knowledge • Self-reproach • Freedom • Self-will • Holy Fathers • Holy Mysteries • Holy Scripture • Heart • Sorrows • Boredom • Love of Fame • Tears • Service (public) • Death • Humility • Confusion • Dreams (sleep) • Events • Perfection • Conscience • Advice (in spiritual life) • Contrition of the heart • Conciliation with neighbors • Salvation • Dispute • Love of money • Quarrels • Passions • Fear • Shame • Superstitions • Happiness Solitude • Reproaches • Intelligence • Dejection (see boredom) • Consolation This edition was compiled from the “Collected Letters of the Blessed Memory of the Optina Elder Macarius”, in six volumes, by the resident of the Trinity-Sergius Lavra, Archimandrite John (Zakharchenko). It has, bit by bit, absorbed all the most valuable, most important content contained in the elder’s letters, and will help every Christian begin the active fulfillment of the instructions and covenants of St. Macarius, for “the scriptures of the fathers are read by deeds.” The teachings of the Venerable Elder Macarius are given in alphabetical order by topic, and each ends with an indication of the volume, letter number and page number of the Collected Letters, and the numbering of the volumes is as follows: Volume 1 – letters to lay persons; Volume 2 - letters to the monks, including two articles compiled by the elder based on the word of God and the writings of the holy fathers, and his own notes on humility; Volumes 3–6 – letters to nuns. Just like previous publishers, the editors of this book considered it advisable to preserve, as much as possible, the living style of St. Macarius. The spelling as a whole is close to today, excluding words with the prefix “without”, the spelling of proper names and some other cases that give us an idea of ​​the living language of the elder. Quotations from the Holy Scriptures in the letters of the Venerable Elder Macarius are not brought into accordance with Scripture, but are given as presented by the elder. We also tried to preserve the author's punctuation, even in cases that do not correspond to modern rules, as this serves to better understand the teachings of the reverend elder. Taking into account the peculiarities of this edition, some explanations by the compiler are given in angle brackets. To improve the perception of the text by the modern reader, some abbreviations are revealed. In certain volumes of the Collected Letters of Elder Macarius of 1862–1863, to which reference is given in the text, the numbering of letters is incorrect (in particular, in volumes 4 and 5). In this edition they are given in accordance with the correct numbering. You might be interested in: