Please pray for Justin.

Priest Siluan · Post by **Priest Siluan** » Mon 6 February 2006 1:42 pm

Justin:

You are in my humble prayers

Priest Siluan

ioannis · Post by **ioannis** » Tue 7 February 2006 5:10 pm

Justin,

There is another dimension to your problem I think that everyone in this society faces.

I have noticed more and more over the years, the difference between people who come from "older", more "backward" societies, and "modern" societies. My neighbor and his family are Mexican, from a small village in Mexico; and you can see that there is such a profound difference in his fundemental disposition vs someone who was born and raised in a modern consumer society. I have seen this with Greeks, even young ones, who were raised in villages who never knew anything about allot of things until they came here.

These "backward" people seem to have a profound genuineness about them, and an almost childlike trust and faith that you just cannot find of the faces of the more "cultured".

People who grew up in this modern society, which includes me and you, have a profound shallowness when it comes to our ability to be sincere humans. I don't even know if I am explaining this in a way you can understand - but I hope you do. This is why when you go to a church in the villages of the old countries, you find deep faith. Over here, people are so sterile and spiritually dry - like they are just going through the motions.

What is it do you suppose that creates this? I often think about this and have never had a good answer.

I think it clearly has something to do with our very souls being so filled with every kind of pleasure, device, thought, ambition, ect that it is no longer capable of really "feeling" anymore. Almost like we have become numb.

There have been a few times in my life when I have had the unique opportunity to spend considerable time away from everything. Once I was camping for 3 weeks in the wilderness and another was time I spent on a farm with relatives for several weeks. In the wilderness, you find that you do ntoice the absence of all the "noise" and it is almost like a void. No fast-food, video games, music, phone calls, cars, people, ect. ect. Not having this is great for the first day or two, or three. But after 2 weeks you miss it. And when you come out of it, there is a sense of feeling that you are refreshed, almost new - ready and wanting to absorb something new. But back in society, everything is once again overwhelming you, and I think it effects our spirituality to a great deal.

I think this has something to do with your problem, and one I think we all have the same issues. The culture we live in snuffs out our spiritual abilities and our virtues. I think this is why, in order to be Orthodox, it is important to think of ways to limit how this society impacts us - ie. TV, magazine, always driving with the radio on, ect.

Sounds silly perhaps, but I think "quiet" is a fundemental ingredient to our spiritual lives, and in this society, something we have to fight for to even be able to open our eyes. Therefore, start thinking of lifes "pleasures" as a sort of poison and perhaps that will help you do a full body spiritual cleanse. Take that with a glass of grapefruit juice.

Justin Kissel · Post by **Justin Kissel** » Fri 10 February 2006 2:19 am

I hope I will be forgiven for not responding to each of you individuallys. I do thank you for your prayers, and I did read you posts and have tried to consider what you are all saying. Sometimes I feel like I hear the same thing over and over, and there must be something wrong with me to just not get it enough to put it into practice, but thank you for saying it again... one of these times perhaps it will get through my thick skull For now, I can only comment on George's post...

Some situations can only be solved or ameliorated by chocolate.

At first, I was mystified by your statement. Then, after coming home from work one day, and having a piece of chocolate or two, I came to agree with you. I would only add one thing: if the chocolates come from a friend, their healing power are much improved. The power of forgiveness, understanding, and grace is also very healing.

Liudmilla · Post by **Liudmilla** » Mon 13 February 2006 10:42 am

Justin:

As a matter of fact...they have proven that chocolate does have a therapeudic effect. I read an article in our local papers last summer on the subject of Chocolates. It seems to contain a natural "upper". Mine own personal favoristes are Lindt white chocolates (simply divine as it melts on the tongue) and Godiva Chocolates. If you truly need a lift, go for the good stuff I always say. Although chocolate kisses, especially the white chocolate ones are really good too.

Milla

George Australia · Tue 14 February 2006 6:30 am

The most therapeutic chocolate is dark chocolate. It contains the endorphins (natural "uppers" Liudmilla mentions) as well as polyphenols which have excellent effects on the heart, and actually drop high blood pressure. Combine this with the fact that dark chocolate contains less fat than milk or white chocolate, and we have the (almost) perfect therapeutic food! As for the calories, my dieting secret is to eat half the portion you would normally eat, and you automatically halve the calories- and because it has only half the calories, you can eat twice as much!
Go on! Treat yourselves, it's a fast free week after all- and how often do they come for us poor Orthodox Christians?!

尼古拉前执事 · Tue 14 February 2006 9:08 am

I thought dark chocolate was milk-free, so it was fast friendly too?

CorpusChristi · Post by **CorpusChristi** » Tue 14 February 2006 9:53 am

I worked with alcoholics for several years and something starnge that was being prescribed by individuals(not physicians) was Chocolate, when one craved alcohol they were told to eat chocolate, as the sugar contained in alcohol would be substituted from chocolate- this was only a temporary fix of NON-Life threatening jitters... the end result even to alcoholism was that only God could fix this disease, but chocolate comforted a little