Letter 11. To an unknown monk, about dispassion and the art of anti-resistance

1. If the possession of blessed dispassion is dear to you, and you desire to receive the holy “knowledge of Christ” (Phil. 3:8), then with all your soul do everything that is useful for gaining your life, and during prayer ask the Lord for wisdom, which, by His grace, will make you dispassionate and reveal to you the insidious machinations of demons. For without it the soul achieves nothing, and the mind does not acquire clarity in the vision of its actions. 2. Therefore, it (the mind) must be fearless in the face of its adversary, as blessed David points out, citing speeches as if from the mouth of demons, and (then) refuting them. For when the demons say: “When will he die and his name perish?” (Ps 40:6), then he also says (refusing them): “I will not die, but I will live and carry on the works of the Lord!” (Ps 117:7) And again, when the demons say: “Move to the mountains like a bird,” then he also says: “For He is my God and my Savior, my strong refuge; I will not be shaken” (Ps 62:3). So, look at these refuting speeches and, loving victory, imitate David and take care of yourself! 3. Be the “gatekeeper” (cf. Mark 13:34) of your heart and do not allow any thought to enter without examination. Interrogate each thought (separately) and tell him: “Are you ours, or one of our enemies?” (Joshua 5:13). And if he is “ours”, he will fill you with peace. If from “enemies,” it will confuse you with anger or arouse lust in you. After all, these are precisely the thoughts of demons. 4. So, you should always examine the state of your soul when you expected something in hope and did not succeed in it of your own free will; when you were deceived in something, or asked and did not receive; or was praised, or blamed, or reviled, or exalted, according to the word of the blessed Apostle: “with the weapon of righteousness in the right and left hand, in honor and dishonor, with censure and praise: we are considered deceivers” in order to deceive with vain glory about ourselves; but you, “with the weapon of righteousness,” consider everything futile, so that the “knowledge of Christ” may descend upon you. “As an unknown person,” acquire humility, and as a “known person,” gain boldness in Christ; as “poor” in wealth, but “making many rich” in the knowledge of our Lord; as “having nothing,” but “possessing everything” in faith. These are the signs of dispassion, filled with all bliss.