Several times in my life I have felt myself to be attacked by malign psychic forces. Sometimes this has been in dreams and I describe an incident from not too long ago here. That was very dramatic and unmistakeable but these attacks can also happen in waking hours and then they are usually not so obvious. For instance, we are attacked through our thoughts and emotions which can be manipulated, if we allow them to be, by the dark forces to bring us down into the kind of world they inhabit, one of anger, delusion and lies. My teachers told me that the more progress you make on the path, the more you are attacked by these beings and that has been my experience.
There are various ways to protect yourself against these attacks. One very simple way is just to watch out for your thoughts and emotions and not allow these to be corrupted. Keep your thoughts on the full reality of God, seeing everything in his light, and do not let your feelings become contaminated by anger, fear or, a particular weakness of mine, irritation. You can still feel these emotions but try to place them in the context of God's love which can burn them all up. I don't pretend this is easy. It's the work of a lifetime but that's what we are here to do. Life is work, specifically spiritual work, and our labours in this world will be rewarded in the next.
Of all the weapons at our disposal to fight evil I have found (not that it's a new discovery!) there is none more potent than the name of Jesus. This is a kind of gleaming white sword of fire that can cut right through any demonic attack. "In the name of Jesus Christ, Son of God, depart!" There is no more powerful utterance. Not only does the very name appear to disarm the demons but by appealing to Jesus you summon his aid, both in your own imagination, which is important, and in reality. You are bringing his presence to the field. In a very real sense where his name is spoken, there he is.
Non-religious people might just regard this as a kind of mental trick, a spiritual version of a placebo which works because you believe it will work. They might point to the fact that Jesus's name varies slightly from language to language. But that is because they are viewing the operation from within the limitations of their own materialistic worldview. The truth is that the name of Jesus in any language has a spiritual power beyond all others because it is a form of Jesus himself. In the spiritual world our names are us and we are our names. It is almost like a face. It is certainly a real aspect of the person. And because Jesus is the greatest person, his name is the greatest name. Just to say the name Jesus brings Jesus into your life, though the greater your faith and love the fuller will be his presence. He is life and truth and so no wonder the demons, who have set themselves against life and truth, flee when he comes.
11 comments:
@William - I agree with this. I tend to use 'the Jesus prayer' which I practiced (and tried to make a habit) when I was intending to become Russian Orthodox.
I now have reservations about both habitual praying and the exact wording of the Jesus prayer - in particular *repeatedly* asking for 'mercy' from Jesus (which I think he finds rather irritating since he will always have mercy for the repentant - and does not need to be 'nagged' about it!).
However, the name and thought of Jesus is exactly what is needed, and once the prayer has impressed itself on my consciousness and some kind of 'contact' has been established - then the words can be changed.
I have always intuitively known this, and even as a meditator where my practice goes beyond the words, I still establish my practice with a prayer to Jesus.
There are too many modern spiritual approaches that don't recognise that this world is a spiritual war zone. I am tempted to say these are encouraged by the dark forces and some may even be created by them The name of Jesus is the best weapon we have in this war. This thought is too simple, even childish, for many but it is nonetheless true.
@William @Bruce – I tend to use the Jesus Prayer myself, although I use the Latin iteration since it seems to provide a better entree for me, as the words spoken in english tend to lead towards the kind “irritated” discernments that a familiar tongue makes more available. The Latin rolls off the tongue more easily, and I’ve discovered that I can also modify the phrase for personal use or for interventional prayer on behalf of humanity (that is: “miserere mei” versus “miserere nobis”). It is also worth mentioning that the power of the formula lies beyond considerations of whether mercy should be continually sought, or whether one is eternally a sinner. The varied fathers in the Philokalia have amply indicated that the recitation in itself is altogether salvific and protective in an ongoing way as one regularly engages it, with a depth that takes one beyond the meaning of the words. It’s another reason I especially like reciting it in a tongue other than the one I am most familiar with.
I agree that Latin seems more powerful than English. I'm not sure why. It could just be tradition or it could be a more hierarchical tongue meaning it has a kind of solemnity that English perhaps lacks, much as I do love English.
Maybe Latin is important because we have to question where and why it came about? For me, Latin is systemic to our Roman ancestors, and I was taught Latin in the first two years of my Secondary education. I know everyone, including my parents said 'It's a dead language'. Well, I just bounced off that and didn't pursue it.
But anyone in their right mind now, recognises language has been used and abused over the years. Look, it is obvious that generations afterwards use the word 'like' before they try to make a truth statement. What is that about? They have to say, unconsciously, 'like' before they say anything.
I have myself called on Jesus in dreams and visions, in thanks or in asking for help.
He doesn't like repetition. on the third repetition what came back was 'ENOUGH!'
Sasha
I rather like the idea that he doesn't like repetition. "Ok, I've heard you. You don't have to go on!"
It struck me that this is more or less what I chide my child. 'We heard you the first time, darling!' And here we are, Spiritual Children.
I wasn’t insisting on Latin for others, it is just that I find its sound beautiful in a primal way. A more esoteric reason perhaps: since Latin is the original tongue of the Roman Catholic church, while the Jesus Prayer is a fruit of the Eastern Orthodox church, the recitation seems a way to effect something of a harmonizing bridge between them, and thus perhaps even contributes something positive and healing of the rift between the two.
As for repetition, the prayer provides both refuge and address at once, but it importantly eliminates pride and hubris. If you’re inclined to think “well, God heard me the first time, so why go on?” you might better think again: how would you know? Suppose you said it once, but there was no intuitive effect, no return indication of any kind… then what? Is that then time to shift into another familiar mode, such as “well looks like I’ve just got to get on with it myself at this time, since God helps those who help themselves”?
The whole point is that we make ourselves more relevant to God — and not the other way around. So, the repetition isn’t for God’s sake. You could also think of mantras: what are they supposed to accomplish, mere self-hypnosis — or an absorption into something higher? That’s only bestowed by grace…
I've been thinking about this post and a recent video I watched brought this up in the context of resistance to forced vaccination (as opposed to taking up arms) here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=UWcIuYFpoTo&list=PLjJEXmzbyxxX6wRngzmWQTBq5RMj5qnIv&index=54
Around minute 11:00, the discussion moves to Christian persecution in the Soviet concentration camps. Several examples are told of people being drugged in order to break them psychologically. Incredibly, for one very pious Russian woman, the drugs had no effect because she was saying the Jesus Prayer constantly. While I don't think we should act like the Jesus Prayer is some Cosmic "get-out-of-jail-free-card," we should have enough Faith that we can embrace God's Will in that moment (whether through Divine deliverance, suffering or martyrdom).
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