Spiritual Life & Practices

Nepsis (Watchfulness)

Spiritual vigilance: the practice of guarding the mind and heart against sinful thoughts (logismoi). Central to Orthodox ascetical theology. The nous (spiritual intellect) must be kept free from distractions and directed toward God. 'Attention is the calling of the soul back to itself' (St. Nikephoros the Monk).

Sources

St. Hesychios the Priest, On Watchfulness (Philokalia) the Greek text, Athens 1893
St. Mark the Ascetic, On the Spiritual Law
St. Philotheos of Sinai, On Watchfulness

Connections

Prelest (Spiritual Delusion)
St. Anthony the Great (c. 251-356)
St. Tikhon of Zadonsk
The Desert Fathers and Mothers
The Jesus Prayer
The Logos and the logoi
The Nous and the Heart
The Philokalia
The Sayings of the Desert Fathers

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