Unseen Warfare

Unseen Warfare is a spiritual classic written by Lorenzo Scupoli, a 16th century Venetian priest. Eventually this work reached Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain who recognized its immense value edited it into a new version. Later the 19th century, Theophan the Recluse revised Unseen Warfare into a thoroughly Orthodox resource which has been called a "perfect complement" to the Philokalia. The following notes and quotations are mere highlights of this valuable spiritual resource. The reader is encouraged to acquire, read, and carefully reflect on the entire book: Unseen Warfare (St. Vladimir's Seminary Press)

"Man was created to find his delight in the inward presence of God; the fall deprived us of our interior life and enslaved us to external things; our restoration must involve returning 'from without to within, and from within to God.'" (49)

In Christ >>> union w/ God >>> becomes communion when we become conscious of it. (54)

Because of the distractions of life >>> not perceive presence of Christ >>> the perception is a gift of grace, but given to those who exercise themselves in virtue & pure prayer (66)

Four Essential Weapons (Dispositions): 1) non-reliance on oneself; 2) an unshakable hope in God; 3) resisting and struggling with sin; 4) prayer (225)

Protect the mind from "too much knowledge and idle curiosity." (92)

"Always collect your mind within yourself, with all concentration you can . . ." (93)

St. Basil - "Let listening to worldly news be bitter food for you, and let the words of saintly men be as combs filled with honey." (93)

Train your will "not to let it lean towards your own desires, but instead lead it to be perfectly as one with the will of God." (94)

Morning - as soon as you wake up - pray - shut yourself in your own heart. (113)

In what order should you fight the passions? Examine thoughts, dispositions, and passionate attachments. Which are most predominant?  (116) . . .  Later, the author writes, "Take up arms pre-eminently against the passion which troubles you most, which has often conquered you and which is ready to attack you again now. Fight it with your whole strength and strive to establish yourself in the virtue opposed to that passion . . ." (176).  (Webmaster NOTE: see corresponding prayers in Path to Sanity.)  The author again emphasizes this point: ". . . do not at once undertake the practice of all virtues, or even of a number of them, but become first grounded in one and thereupon pass to another. . . . As his experience in the first virtue increases, he stimulates too all other virtues and makes them grow and strengthen in himself; for they cannot be divided from one another, as all are rays leaving from the same divine light."  (180). It is important to remember that all the details of our life are the curriculum for our growth: "You should realize that the opportunities for virtue you meet with are the best means you can have for acquiring it, given you by God in answer to your prayer." (186)

As soon as you feel a passionate impulse >>> "hasten to curb it by an effort of will, descend into your heart with the attention of your mind, and try in every possible way not to let the passion enter the heart." (117)

Avoid a life of physical ease & comfort. Fast. Make prostrations.

"You must flee all kinds of inquisitiveness (trying to find out what's here, or what's there, idle wandering, empty chatter, gaping around), any kind of cleaving to something earthly, all arbitrary actions of 'doing what I like' which is totally out of keeping with your position." (124)

Problem: ". . . we went outside ourselves and began to seek our joys and comforts there . . ." (vs. "God within") (128)

General lessons in the use of the senses (see chapter 24 beginning on p. 139 for specific counsels)

Not suppressing feelings of sorrow, but aware of them and bringing them to Christ >>> "This remedy is Faith in the good Providence, which arranges the course of our life with all its accidental happenings, for the good or each of us, and a serene compliance with God's will, expressed in our attitude, in accordance with which we call from the bottom of our heart: Let God's will be done! As the Lord wills, so let it be, and be for our good." (155)

"If circumstances, which seem to us to impede our freedom in doing good, are not the result of our will, but are sent by God, accept them submissively and listen to no suggestions, which make you depart from submissiveness. When God sends such circumstances, He expects nothing more from you than that you should conduct yourself and act as the occasion demands, within the possibilities it offers. Whether you are sick or poor, endure it. God demands of you nothing but to endure. Enduring with a good heart, you will be constantly occupied in good." (170)

"Peace does not dwell in self-indulgent hearts." (185)

Instructions on Prayer (beginning on p. 207).  1) Try to ponder over and feel the prayers you have read; 2) learn them by heart; 3) stand for a while in silence, until your feelings calm down; 4) bring yourself to the consciousness and feeling of standing in the presence of God w/ reverent awe and faith that God hears and looks with benevolence on you in this hour of prayer; 5) say your prayers with the deepest attention; 6) if while praying, some subject especially touches your heart and incites you to pray in your own words, do not let the occasion slip by, but pause and pray in your own words until this need or feeling for prayer that has risen is satisfied; 7) try to preserve the spirit of prayer for the rest of the day; 8) patiently remain in prayer

"The method was invented of saying short prayers, which would keep the thought always withing, before God's face, and would thus give it no chance of straying, nor of going outside." (213)

"Preeminence belongs to the Jesus Prayer because it united the soul with our Lord Jesus, and the Lord Jesus is the only door to union with God, which is the aim of prayer." (215)  Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

On Giving Thanks to God: "You are immersed in divine blessings. (237) >>> Rehearse God's favors frequently in your thoughts.

The remembrance of death: Think often of death with attention. (252)

On Spiritual Peace of Heart: "Only in peace is His place." (257) >>> Peace of heart is disturbed by the passions; so if you do not allow passions to approach the heart, ti will always remain at peace." (257) >>> This requires patience: "You cannot expect to gain inner peace in a day." (260) >>> "The main foundation of this peace of heart is humility and avoidance of actions, works, and occupations which bring worry and care." (260)

"The key which opens the mysterious treasure house of spiritual gifts of knowledge and divine love, is humility, renunciation of self and surrendering oneself to God at all times and in every action." (266)

On Reading Scripture: "Do not have in mind to read page after page, but ponder over each word. . . . when some words make you go deep in yourself . . . pause on them. . . . If you fail to complete the allotted reading, do not worry. One great obstacle to inner peace is to bind yourself to an immutable law by a set rule to read so many chapters, etc. . . . concern yourself not to complete a set amount . . . but let your heart be touched." (267) >>> St. Isaac - slavish work brings no peace of mind. Brush aside quantity . . . (267)

"Have no other aim but to find God wherever He chooses to manifest Himself to you." (267)

On Planning: Make no plans for the future, since you do not know "what a day may bring forth" (Prov xxii.1), but keep yourself unbound and free. This does not forbid any man from taking reasonable care and pains about things required by his state and position, since such care is in conformity with God's will and does not interfere with inner peace, devotion to God or man's progress in the spirit. In everything you undertake, keep a firm resolve to do all you can, all that is needed and all that is obligatory for you, but be indifferent to everything else and humbly submit to whatever outer results may follow. (268-269)

One must not be perturbed by impoverishment of spiritual feelings or by other inner temptations >>> dryness of heart . . . can bring much profit to the soul if we accept them with humility and patience. (273)

"Every time you fall into some pardonable transgression, even if it happens a thousand times a day, as soon as you notice it, do not torture yourself and so waste your time without profit, but at once humble yourself and, conscious of your weakness, turn to God with home and call to Him from the depths of your heart. . . ." (279)

NOTE: Many of the truths discussed in Unseen Warfare are concisely contained in Fr Thomas Hopko's 55 Maxims.