Fri, 09.21.2012, 12:42 - Sasha 1

Ignore OCD thoughts

Ignoring OCD thoughts is a half-measure after which at least the person does not fall into despair, but it does not affect the occurrence of such thoughts and images.
The attitude towards them simply changes and in a state of OCD you somehow get used to living, but it is unpleasant and the joy in life is overshadowed by these thoughts and images.
For 2-3 years, the occurrence of involuntary thoughts began to subside after I began to stop the thought; until 2007, I never did this on purpose.
When this state was at its height, it was like this.
I look at the Mother of God and once there is a nasty comment about her eyes, or there are maniacal thoughts about her.
There is trash on the relics of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Holy water -......
Homosexual obscenity against Christ, against priests.
A word of prayer, mat, again a word of prayer.
All sorts of unnatural images were layered on the men and relatives, on the image of the wife, images of the dead, on animals, disgusting things, something to drink and something to eat...
No matter what I looked at, the images were unnatural and scary, and my phobia of blood was so intense.
The icons were disgusting to me because of the color.
There were all sorts of maniacal things in my thoughts, my thoughts were dragging me around the morgues.
Despair even in a loop.
So many people asked me how to start stopping thoughts.
So that's it.
First, let's take a closer look at reality.
And we see the penetration of these uncontrollable and unstoppable thoughts.
I look at the icon and see the moment when a thought arises - one day it rains and again I see the icon without thoughts and one time it shudders again.
So I tried to stop this mental wave in prayer.
How to suppress its emergence, well, because it has already become unbearable.
Swear words intrude, then I also try with all my might to say a prayer or a mental phrase without swearing or bad comments.
About a year later it began to get better, and month after month all the adhesions and phobias began to subside, and I specifically applied this prayer experience to life, kept thoughts from arising when looking at reality, and now sometimes I look at everything and not a single extraneous thought at all, but in the temple it’s like I go into my home and there is mental silence.
Now I understand what it is to look at reality without thoughts and not only OCD thoughts do not form, but also some that I don’t need.
The fact is that sports and dousing and not drinking wine have no connection with the occurrence of any involuntary thoughts.
You can get rid of involuntary thoughts even in a dungeon with a severed leg.
It is a healthy lifestyle and the absence of stress that I think does not affect thoughts.
I wish you all health, Vika and all the guys, thank you for your sympathy for my son.
You guys ask me something about immersion, let me get into the subject for some reason, and then I’ll develop it.
I actually know a lot about diving.
Vika, you do the exhibition, but not specifically carry the child to the 14th floor, but just live like in normal life, if somewhere you have to approach a height with a child, then approach slowly and that’s all.
Gradually to low altitudes, then higher.

Fri, 09/21/2012, 16:56 - Victoria79

Sash, thank you! Tell me,

Sash, thank you! Tell me, please, when a thought came to you outside of church, did you also stop it with prayer? Those. for any thought - a prayer?
And as for the exposition, Sash, if I go up to the window with it, then such a flood of thoughts and urges immediately piles up that it makes me feel sick! Even when I’m standing alone on the balcony, I imagine the same nightmare...

Fri, 09.21.2012, 21:38 - Sasha 1

Vika towards the approaching

Vika, to meet an impending thought, you can start a prayer at a certain stage. And for some time the mind will be closed to some extent.
One must precisely achieve a state of thoughtlessness in prayer. Over time.
An icon is like a blank sheet in front of you, like an example of how you should look at reality, at children, at heights, at knives, at the subway, at everything...
Look at the icons in the temple and at home, try to stop all thoughts - this is almost impossible at first, and even more so with OCD.
Look and catch the moment when an extraneous image or an uncontrollable phrase slips through.
So follow this and look carefully, you see an icon without a thought, such a moment of a spark, a mental gap.
In the mental stream, places without thoughts will again appear. And again the stream.
For now, observe the mental flow and hold these intervals of looking at reality without thoughts with incredible effort and do not let a single word, fantasy, or memory intrude. Keep your gaze fixed and with superhuman effort try to hold back the emergence of any thoughts.
This pure look at reality without thoughts will be like sparks and glimpses in this stream, but then there must be complete thoughtlessness when looking at reality.
It's like a sample.
After a while, when looking at reality, for example, heights, you will feel these glimpses without thoughts and see the addition of uncontrollable images of how you drop a child or fall yourself.
This flow must gradually be cut off from reality and the force will begin to extinguish it.
And then these images are sooooo that they drag the consciousness into a fall or sharp thoughts about causing harm will begin to fade.
That is, we must learn to stop over time the flow of thoughts that frightens reality.
It’s very simple to start by taking an icon and in the silence in the evening you can look at it by candlelight and try not to think a single thought (even a good one).
Do not allow a single thought or mental image to arise.
Try to feel this moment of thoughtlessness and over time you will learn to hold it with ease and for as long as you want.
And such a look without thoughts will only forcefully do something to you.
You will look at the height and you will have a child in your arms and all you see is only the height, as if in half-oblivion and no thought of falling can form.
And so when looking at any reality.
That is, at first, looking at the icon, you will try to remain without thoughts, and then in life such an experience will take hold and you will look at reality without thoughts.
For me, this started somewhere after 2-3 years and gradually like this. My mind began to thaw.

Based on the exposition, I’ll say that you see these thoughts as you approach the balcony.
You don’t even need to be in a state of OCD.
Let’s just think about these images that we are already on the balcony and falling and causing harm.
Gradually approaching a terrible situation will give you confidence that you will not lose control from these vivid images. A gradual habit of terrible conjectures. Hardening. Then you don’t even have to show it, after getting used to it over time. So, yawning, you will endure such thoughts.

Fri, 09.21.2012, 21:39 - Sasha 1

This is what should happen

This is what it should look like when looking at an icon. I will indicate the absence of thought........

There is an icon in front of me (I see an icon)................................................... ........................................................ ........................................................ ........................................................ ........................................................ ........................................................ ........................................................ ...............

At first it will be like this
There is an icon in front of me.
The image that I’m falling........damn, what should I give my sister for her birthday..................... Mat.........what do purebred cats eat?.................childhood memories....... ................bang thought about the sewer....................on the door jammed at work......memory of a wedding and wife............................ ............etc

So in Everyday life with our reality
(I see the height and a child in my arms)...
the thought of falling and getting hurt.

If you learn to hold onto the formation of thoughts, then after a while you will be able to do this.

(I, height, a child in my arms).................................................. ........................................................ ........................................................ ........................................................ ............... the child needs to wipe the snot.................................... ........................................................ ........................................................ ........................................................ ........................................................ .......

Sat, 09/22/2012, 15:03 - Sergey12

Sasha, I’m re-reading everything now

Sasha, now I’m re-reading all your posts and I understand how important your experience and the fact that you share it with us are. What you have gone through is a real war, a spiritual warfare. Tell me, how do you assess OCD - is it a disorder of the internal person or is it an external influence? Tell me, were your experiences when you felt bad accompanied by anxiety or depression, despondency, despair? How did you fight them? What time of day was the hardest for you? Sasha, do you go to church now?

Sat, 09.22.2012, 21:49 - Sasha 1

Seryozha, I’ll write in more detail later.
I go to church and recently took communion with my little child.
I have my own opinion on the origin of thoughts. Not as depressing.
A person with OCD has 2 options at first. My third.
Option 1.
Look, the phrase it’s not me, but my OCD implies a certain part of the brain that sends such thoughts and images uncontrollable by the person himself that the owner of the mind plunges into anxiety and fear. A certain part of a person that invents thoughts against himself. And do whatever you want in such a situation, ignore it, get used to it, don’t pay attention, live somehow.
And everyone is afraid, since the part of the brain thinks against me as a person, what if it will prevail over me and my personality will be erased and displaced and the OCD part of the brain will rule my body.
Something like this makes my soul restless. What if???

Option 2 external influence is mental.
It’s also restless to say the least.

Option 3 occurs after a person comes out of OCD.
You begin to see the meaning when thoughts distort reality and when you clear reality from the addition of thoughts. When you begin to love, when you stop being afraid of death.
You begin to see the whole picture and that feeling of happiness that burns inside. It says that everything was supposed to happen.
Who is behind this spiritual birth?
Who created good and evil?
Who created the whole world?
Who has no one ever seen among people?
This is the most difficult question for me, which I can only answer indirectly.
This wall that holds back negative thoughts can only be removed and created by Him and the person himself.
There is such a thing as synergy
Synergy (Greek συνεργία, from Greek syn - together, ergos - active, action).
So for me there is nothing scary in such thoughts penetrating the mind.
Therefore, you see that I write about them calmly and fear and conscience do not torment me for them.
If I could return everything back, I would not despair, and if they offered to avoid such a test, I would refuse and go through everything again.
I can convey in more detail my feelings after leaving this state.
I proved everything to myself.

Mon, 09.24.2012, 23:22 - Victoria79

Sash, thank you, thank you

Sash, thank you, thank you very much, you bestow positivity better than anyone else, it’s priceless for us! Here’s about option 1 of the occurrence of OCD, this is right about me. I’m so afraid that this part of the brain will take over me! Of course, as soon as I encountered these thoughts = I thought about the second option, I went to church, gave the children communion, and I myself was honored for the first time in 9 years, until the thunder struck, the man crossed himself. But over time, option 1 began to prevail. and now every day I ask myself the same question: “why can’t I just stop this disgrace. Why am I not the mistress of my life, why listen to urges that will irrevocably cripple my life? Isn’t it stupid to end with this? But part of the brain The . you're talking about seems to have jammed.

Mon, 09.24.2012, 23:25 - Victoria79

And I’m definitely talking about these tests

And I can definitely say about these tests, without them we would not have felt the taste of life, we would live like vegetables in a garden bed, after this, I think everyone will appreciate what they have. one dream and goal is to get out of the circle, rejoice in the little arms wrapped around your neck and not think about anything other than wiping your sniffles.

Thu, 09.27.2012, 18:47 - Sasha 1

In the Gospel Christ says

In the Gospel, Christ speaks about the Heavenly Father.
Which is Love. His commandment is eternal life.
He can also cast you into fiery Gehenna.
And who He is can only be said by someone to whom God is revealed to some extent and to what extent a person can feel.
This is why this is the most difficult question for me.

Sat, 09/22/2012, 15:20 - Sergey12

Exposition

Sasha, thank you for the experience of stopping the mental flow. It turns out that the experience of the holy fathers about keeping the mind is by no means a purely monastic activity or exercise. This is keeping (keeping) the inner world clean. I read your posts and remember that long-forgotten childhood feeling when you look at the world, for example at the trees in the park, in complete mental silence and you are completely filled with a sense of reality and peace. I have not experienced the world like this for a long time, but it is in some kind of everyday mental veil and noise. Although I remember these feelings well from childhood.
Yes, you mentioned exposure here. Was it really required in your case too? What do you see as its benefit?

You're just talking about some other version of its occurrence. But, as I understand it, following two main directions helped you get rid of OCD:
1) gaining God's protection from demonic influence (faith, confession, communion, turning to God for help, prayer rule);
2) self-psychotherapy, calming neurosis, i.e. work on oneself, exposure, immersion, regular work to stop thoughts, and here the fight against one’s shortcomings (sins: irritability, condemnation, pride...)

It seems to me that it is important and, most importantly, to correctly understand the nature of OCD in this way. Because without recognizing the demonic influence, without protecting ourselves from it, we will not be able to defeat neurosis. Since the first (let me remind you about the unnatural, violent nature of this demonic muck) is the cause of the second (illness, obsessive-compulsive neurosis). And of course, without calming the neurosis, i.e. Without fighting anxiety, fear, and obsessive thoughts (which the disease evokes from memory), the psyche will not calm down, hence despondency, depression, and remission.

You can, of course, only fight neurosis. But where is the guarantee that the root cause of its occurrence will not be allowed to torment a person again. And then everything repeats itself.

For everything, thank God!

Fri, 09.28.2012, 22:08 - Lilya 2011

I don’t think these are demons B

I don't think it's demons
IN modern world so much dirty information is poured out on a person that demons are basically not needed
OCD is always preceded by stress, depression, anxiety, in general, a violation of biochemistry. And a healthy psyche and biochemistry protects us from all negativity, be it swearing or maniacs and other harmful information.
Our defenses have been destroyed, and obsessions begin; all the rubbish we have ever heard penetrates inside.
This is a physical illness, the same as scoliosis, for example. Demons do not play a special role here.
Another thing is that God knows everything and everything in the world is not accidental. Perhaps if God allowed this disease, then we need it for something

Fri, 09.28.2012, 22:32 - Sasha 1

Seryozha I tell you one thing

Seryozha, I’ll tell you one thing.
Any human invention is too simple to explain anything.
I will never defend evil and would not want to have anything from it. And I won’t say that evil comes from God.
How it happened that there are both evil thoughts and evil deeds, I don’t know.
There are terrible crimes on earth that horrify the soul.
There really is evil.
And I prayed while going through evil thoughts.
And prayer, everyone testifies, begins with a mental struggle.
And in the darkness of these thoughts, the Light you strive for is visible.
And by stopping dark thoughts in prayer, you cleanse your mental world and reality.
And you go to happiness.
You make a choice between brow and evil.
The meaning is very deep and everything is not as literal as we think.
Although evil thoughts are not jokes and choosing them with all your soul, they commit terrible murders and hellish violence and bullying.
It's all very serious.
But you begin to strive to talk with God and your spirit towards the will of God and Love, passing through dark thoughts
That's why things haven't been so easy for me.

I believe that a person should be happy. Do not be afraid of death, knowing within yourself that you will live forever, have bright thoughts and live by them, sacrificially love people until you are able to die. And look at reality without adding scary and bad thoughts.
Have a repentant state of soul, worthy of resurrection from the dead.
This is a long path to happiness, and these thoughts help me get there in a way I don’t understand.
How to deal with this???
And prayer - a conversation with God cannot take place at first without these thoughts.
How to deal with this???
What is the meaning and origin of bad thoughts that lie, defile, frighten, humiliate, and bring unbearable guilt to loving mothers?
I repeat once again that I am against evil with all my soul.
And why is it in the world?
Why do mothers kill their children?
Why do people choose evil with their soul???
Why do we have so much untouchable will that we can commit a hellishly evil sin???
I did not say that the third type of thought is the disease neurosis.
The meaning of such thoughts became more clear to me.
And it does not fit into the damage to the caudate part of the brain, which uncontrollably scares us and lies in our thoughts and blames and humiliates the owner of the mind.
It’s not like some evil comes into my mind as if it were its home and torments me just like that.
And when it wants, fear will begin and when it wants, fear will fade away.
As if I had nothing to do with it and like a whipping boy.
The third type of emergence is thousands of times more complicated: knowledge of God and a real conversation with God in prayer.
No matter how crazy it may sound.
And these thoughts come to an irrevocable end and reality is cleared of the admixture of thoughts and this happens in the soul....
I will always maintain that you can talk to God in prayer and get an answer to all your questions.
This is how prayer began in my life.
Here is my answer to the question about the reason for these thoughts.

Tue, 10/30/2012, 22:00 - Sergey12

Tell someone

Tell me, has anyone tried to intentionally laugh with their OCD? Has your OCD caused you to have fits of uncontrollable laughter? I was thinking of writing a couple of funny stories from my OCD experience, but I decided not to. Still, the vast majority of people who come to this site are in a “not a fountain” state, to put it mildly. No time for humor.
Still, is it good to mock your OCD? Personally, despite the gravity of the situation (any OCD is, first of all, an extremely painful experience for the sufferer), I actually sometimes hold back a little laughter from his (OCD’s) idiotic antics.
Is ridiculing OCD healthy?

Tue, 30.10.2012, 22:18 - oriana

Sometimes I find it funny too, otherwise

Sometimes I find it funny too, otherwise I get tired of worrying all the time. But most often I tell him (OCD) “I’m already sick of it.” I also remembered one incident, but I also decided not to write due to the suspiciousness of all of us here.

Wed, 31.10.2012, 09:49 - SSS

Sergey, when I was being treated

Sergey, when I was treated with psychotherapy, my doctor emphasized this - you need to ridicule neurosis. This is also the path to healing. By ridiculing him, we thereby belittle his importance; we make it clear to ourselves that he is pathetic and worthless. You need to try to treat OCD with humor, even when you want to get into a loop. You need to try in every possible way to reduce the imaginary significance of OCD thoughts.

Wed, 31.10.2012, 11:41 - oriana

When I was at the PT for the first time,

The first time I visited the PT, I cried and spoke about my thoughts, and she laughed at them to show the unimportance of these thoughts. He says he thought about it and thought about it. I really liked her. It’s a pity that I’m not working with her, she sent me to a psychologist who does CBT, but she also seems to be normal.
But when the OCD attacks, then it is difficult to perceive it with humor.

Wed, 10/31/2012, 13:42 - Alexa555

Sergey I am OCD

Sergei, I now treat OCD with humor, and at the end of the illness, when it became easier and easier for me, then humor came and I remember some stories with humor. Where there is a state of joy there is no fear. But at first it’s no laughing matter, of course, and then yes.

Wed, 31.10.2012, 19:22 - Droplet

It's very useful to make fun of

It can be very helpful to make fun of OCD. It helped me a lot before. It literally looked like this when the thought of killing a child comes to mind. Then I start imagining it very funny, then I decide not only the child, but everyone, even the cat, accompanying this with funny words. Once, twice, then thoughts come less often, because they are not grounded in fear.

Wed, 07.11.2012, 20:40 - oriana

I kind of laughed too

Somehow I also laughed at the thoughts that OCD gave me, I realized that I wasn’t afraid of thoughts, it started to give me terrible feelings. Then there was no time for humor, I had to ignore it.
P.S. Seryozha, I sent you a message yesterday, I don’t know if you got it.

Thu, 01/31/2013, 22:39 - Sergey12

> Kind

> Good afternoon, Sergey...
Hello!
I decided to respond to your letter on my blog, since our communication is needed not only by ourselves. I myself remember how eagerly I read each post, trying to find answers to my questions or see similar symptoms.
A wave of blasphemy hit me like a “ninth wave.” Those. with all his might, as if with the goal of killing. With God’s help, I managed to learn to despise and not perceive these thoughts so much that now I almost don’t notice them, although at the beginning I was extremely depressed. Feelings of guilt - discard this immediately. It was not enough to suffer from blasphemy and even consider this demonic sin as one’s own. There should be no misconception here. I perceive blasphemy as praise and as strengthening. This blasphemy teaches me real prayer. Those. with attention, humility and suppression of the thoughts of strangers. So far the truth hasn’t quite worked out, but that’s okay!
There is only one church. Holy Orthodox. Christ didn’t say that he came to found many churches. He came and founded one. Although others Christian churches I don't think it's not salvageable. They just seem to be not quite complete. Like “undercooked borscht” :)
I have not yet managed to get rid of this infection completely. But here we need to understand that not everything depends only on us. Everything is God's will! You need to suffer a little. Everything for our salvation.
I want to try NMR. By the way, I noticed that relaxation in moments when OCD attacks is very effective method maintaining your emotional calm. Those. you just let these thoughts flow, not caring at all about the meaning contained in them. They are for themselves, I am in my silence for myself. They don't bother me and have nothing to do with me. Here I achieve the maximum separation, alienation from myself of these thoughts as soon as possible. Those. I don’t hold them back, I don’t analyze them, I don’t worry about the fact of their occurrence. I don't follow them. I'm not interested in them. It's like flies, they just fly and fly. Here you need proper ignoring, ignoring is like a blanket to keep out flies. Cover yourself with it and you look at the fly as a fly, and not as an annoying “nuisance.” That is, more precisely, you don’t look at these flies at all. Those. I protect my emotional sphere as much as possible, no worries about these thoughts. These are just thoughts, not mine.
I don’t doubt the reason for this “biochemistry”, I don’t need to lament and suffer “how can I think this”, etc. Neurosis is the finest moral barometer. I need to look at myself as closely as possible, to understand where I went off the straight path. It seems to me that the root cause of obsessive neurosis is anger, irritability and vanity. And also from the habit of constantly judging others.

Fri, 02/01/2013, 09:20 - Uralochka

It seems to me that such thoughts

It seems to me that such thoughts in an OCD person, on the contrary, indicate a person’s morality. They appear because faith in God is the most sacred thing, and for some reason OCD chooses exactly the things that are most significant for a person.
As a child, I didn’t go to church because of this, because terrible blasphemous thoughts appeared in front of the icons. I then memorized several prayers. Sometimes I simply read the Our Father in front of them. But as soon as you stop, everything starts all over again. The feeling of guilt and shame is terrible.
What helped me was that I stopped seeing these thoughts as part of myself and stopping worrying about my sinfulness or immorality. And since they don’t depend on me, then why should I depend on them? Somehow like this...

Mon, 05/13/2013, 03:02 - Sergey12

Anxiety. If you imagine

Anxiety.
If you imagine your inner world as a green meadow, then the OCD thoughts that arise there are weeds. Generally speaking, this is normal. Similar weeds normal people there are. Only in the case of a neurotic we ourselves give the power to these weeds, even if they rain down on us continuously. We need to keep our emotional sphere in balance and be able to divert attention from the weeds, so we deprive them of strength and life and they disappear. Anxiety, especially constant anxiety, especially as an emotion strengthened in us, as the main reaction to life stressors, is an earthquake in this meadow, throwing into the white light not only weeds, but boulders and blocks of fears, phobias, etc. Where can we pull the weeds? I wish I could stay on my feet! Pay attention to our smart doctors who talk about OCD as an anxiety disorder. Anxiety is the soil on which OCD grows. Pay attention, everyone who feels better in one way or another talks about reducing anxiety (relaxation with music, “stopped taking it to my head,” “I don’t give a damn about these thoughts...”, etc.). Anxiety is the inability to react correctly to life, the habit of relying only on one’s own strength in everything, taking on oneself beyond one’s strength, trying to keep up with everything, worrying about everything, thinking through everything, idealizing (I choose a bottle of milk from a number of identical ones in the store carefully and carefully , here she is, the best, this one, no, this one, that’s exactly it!). Make yourself to-do lists and be sure to strive to complete them, achieve ideal outcomes, etc. We need to eliminate anxiety, we need to change our character. Personally, I began to approach problems this way: if I feel that a problem is raising a stone of anxiety in me (this can be felt by the degree of internal tension), I say to myself “stop” and “goodbye”, this problem will be solved later and its solution will come by itself. Of course, thoughts come in like what?, you need to do everything, pay attention, find time... And still I tell them: “goodbye!” This is the beginning of a character change. You need to learn to reduce anxiety. And there are two ways: changing your attitude towards stressors and relaxation. Due to excessive busyness, the NMR courses from this site are still ahead of me. In summer.

Mon, 05/13/2013, 03:03 - Sergey12

Faith. Prayer. Anxiety like

Faith. Prayer.
Anxiety is a lack of trust in God. In my case this is true. This is excessive arrogance in one’s own strengths, as if everything depends only on the correctness and timeliness of my actions, on the timely resolution of problems. The mask seems to be correct, but only when it all develops into selfishness, it becomes a sin of distrust in God, a sin of relying only on oneself and one’s own strengths. I noticed that the Lord acts unnoticed, and the solution to the problem often happens as if by itself, you just need to give it time to resolve it, you need to be able to ask God, he himself says: “come to me all those who are in need and burdened...”, “ ask and it will be given to you, knock and it will be opened..." and learn to wait, learn to humble yourself. One is pretty a wise man, who has achieved a lot in life, told me that one day he realized a paradoxical thing: all his successes depended to a small extent on him (although our efforts are certainly needed) and that up to 75% of all problems are generally solved as if by themselves (with God's help on actually).
Anxiety is a gap through which streams of bright thoughts, images and emotions alien to us pour into us. Personally, my attitude to this is that it is not only our creativity that is to blame here, but also the dark creativity of the forces of evil, who perfectly understand what fertile ground this is - anxiety, suspiciousness and what kind of fire can be started here!
I don't know how people can cope with OCD without faith in God. Without Faith, any OCD thought, especially with a philosophical twist, becomes insoluble. And what? There are no authorities, nothing to rely on. For example, a common spike is “what is it like: am I me?, who is it, me? How is it to be me?” and fear with PA or “death is endless nothingness, billions of endless eternities in nowhere” and paralyzing fear with PA and other adhesions. With faith in God, I am not afraid, because there is no death, I was created in the image and likeness of God, God is love, and what I am destined for in eternity is the highest form of happiness and the path of life is the time for the formation of the soul in faith and patience, repentance. “He who loves me keeps my commandments”, “he who endures to the end will be saved” - what simple and understandable guidelines in life. This is the authority and basis. This is what a person relies on. This is the “corner stone” as the Lord himself calls himself. Let OCD thoughts break into pieces of glass against Him with all their twists. We reduce anxiety, distract attention, live and learn and endure.
Correct prayer is not a long or “special expression” prayer. Correct means with a repentant heart, this is when you are aware of who you stand before and with the understanding that you cannot cope without His help. Not only with OCD, with yourself, with your life. Correct means with full attention to the words of the prayer. My prayer is upset. This is a sure sign of trouble in the soul. But I felt dramatically better when I started trying to pray as Sasha wrote 1 . It’s so much easier that I even gave up praying. You can't throw her away! This is not only part of recovery, but of life in general. So I felt better - and immediately went back to my business. But prayer is work, very difficult work. I read the “Our Father” three times in a row and never manage to do it without distraction. And here is the basis of the fight against thoughts. The basis of the ability is not to react to thoughts in any way. Here is a vulgar image addressed to icons, but you don’t react, all your attention is in the words of the prayer. This is work for life.

Mon, 05/13/2013, 03:04 - Sergey12

Attitude towards OCD thoughts. I have already

Attitude towards OCD thoughts.
I already wrote that I have not responded to the semantic part of OCD thoughts for a long time. I don't care about her, I know that she is a lie to the core. And that's enough for me. I have a foundation - Faith, Gospel. I'm talking about the semantic part because there is also a figurative part and an emotional part of OCD thoughts. Sometimes some parts are implicit, as if missing, sometimes all three are in full size. At least that's how I feel OCD thought. I don’t know who or how. For example, blasphemous thoughts can come in the form of a blasphemous image (all sorts of phalluses and other bullshit), blasphemous words (like a semantic part), blasphemous such evil emotions (grin and feel this emotion). It’s easy to cut off the semantic part, because OCD is a lie and there’s nothing to think about, it’s a waste of time. I cut off the image this way: just as these images are not mine, they do not relate to me and not to the object of my attention or, in general, to anything in my life. It is up to me to decide and it is in my power to treat them with contempt from the bottom of my heart. This is where you can tear your soul out of contempt! Because the OCD image is NOTHING and there is NO WAY to call it. A horror story made from scraps of stinking fog over a pile of rotten OCD meaning. And I switch my attention to the current task (here, see how the experience of prayer helps and how important it is for a recovering neurotic to always be busy with useful things). It turns out that no matter what image OCD paints for me, I deprive it of meaning. This is how it works for us given by God will. We do not accept evil and it is as if it does not exist for us. The images fall off pretty quickly after such training. There is no ground for them, there is no anxiety, there is no attention to them.
It's more difficult with emotions. It’s like with anger or irritation. This emotion comes and takes over the heart, What should I do? And in the case of OCD, they mix in: fear, anxiety, horror, despair, you don’t want to live. What to do? It’s as if I mentally collect this whole tangle of emotions and move away from it a little and... continue to drink tea, talk with my family, smile, work, get carried away. I despise these emotions. They are evil and will burn out sooner or later. Patience is the key here. And also humility, since everything comes from God! At first it’s hard, even if you shout guard. Then it gets easier. This is where experience comes in. When I became afraid that blasphemous thoughts would one day become continuous and consume me, I became terrified, I didn’t want to live. When they really became continuous, they made me laugh and disgust at the same time. It's like a mental boil. There is no need to be afraid of OCD. We need to learn to eradicate it slowly.
OCD to us: “we cannot be ignored, we need to be thought of...” We to him: I have a guideline that I trust more “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked...” And from that moment the dialogue is over. Because for me, OCD is lies and dirt, that very meeting of the wicked. Just an annoying fly is OCD from now on with the remnants of his mercenary images and emotions. But he still attacks and attacks and does not leave. That's why he's OCD. Sasha 1 wrote, you can hit your head on the OCD head, and always be knocked out, or you can simply dodge it, minding your own business. Sometimes I read a text and my OCD gets to the point where I can’t stand it. My attitude towards him at this moment is like a pain in the stomach. Well, it hurts and it hurts, it will hurt and stop. Emotional sphere in balance, no attention to OCD. Patience. Endure it. It will pass, like all evil things. Without any doubts. It will definitely pass!

About more and more new spikes.
Having learned to live alongside OCD without reacting to it emotionally, you gradually observe what it becomes: a simple delirium that comes and goes in the head of any person. How often do we hear this: “What nonsense came to mind!” Here's the new spike. Any. And what does a neurotic do? Examines him from all sides, enslaved to his paralyzing fear. We meet him boldly and without respect. What about the new guy? Wait over there, by the trash can. I have no time now. And you know, I generally have no time. If you want, sit on the bucket, if you want, don’t sit, you are not there for me. Never.

Thank you Zhenya. Agree.
Alenka, tell me how long ago this started for you, when or after what? I don’t mean all sorts of semi-harmless rituals and so on, but specifically, when did the OCD attack happen? What state are you in now? Better, worse?

Tue, 05/21/2013, 22:13 - Mouse Break

I started this back in

I started this in my teens, around 14 years old, that is, for almost 15 years now... Again, not all the time, but in periods. My grandmother was very ill with her heart, had a terrible attack, they thought she would die. And I allowed the thought in my heart that God was to blame for this. This thought terrified me so much, it’s simply difficult to describe in words. I thought how could I allow this to happen in my mind. And away we go... It got worse and worse... For the first few months I was tormented by constant panic attacks; it was around that period of time that problems with the vegetative-vascular system began, and I was diagnosed with NCD. And now there is another aggravation. Of course, gradually over the years I got a little used to this nightmare in my head. I notice that most often exacerbations occur after strong emotional shocks (problems at work, personal life etc.) or when everything in life is too calm. But even when these obsessive thoughts disappear, there is a fear that it will all start again. And once you think about it, everything changes in a new way, it’s such a vicious circle. I'm afraid of going crazy or losing control of myself, suffocating from this nightmare... Although I know that all these are just fears in my head and the usual panic typical of such impressionable natures as me. I wanted to ask you, have you shared your problem with your loved ones? If so, what was their reaction?

It seems to me that it is better to tell everything only after a complete recovery, so as not to place unnecessary problems and worries on loved ones. Yes, and we can say in general terms that it was an ordinary neurosis =) Although you feel lonely when you hide such information, it’s better to endure this feeling)

From demons who blaspheme the shrine. They are allowed by God for various reasons: they happen from the envy of the devil towards an ascetic of piety, from sadness or despondency, from pride or condemnation.

Elder Paisiy Svyatogorets explains where do blasphemous thoughts come from:

“Look what happens: seeing you sad, the tangalash girl takes advantage of this and slips you a worldly candy - a sinful thought. If you fall the first time [having accepted this caramel thought], then next time it will upset you even more and you will not have the strength to resist it. Therefore, you should never be in a state of sadness, instead it is better to do something spiritual. Spiritual activity will help you get out of this state.

Geronda, I am very tormented by certain thoughts...

They are from the evil one. Be peaceful and don't listen to them. You are an impressionable and sensitive person. The devil, taking advantage of your sensitivity, instills in you [the habit] of giving undue attention to certain thoughts. He “glues” your mind to them, and you suffer in vain. For example, he may bring you bad thoughts about Mother Superior or even about me. Leave these thoughts unattended. If you treat a blasphemous thought with even a little attention, it can torment you, it can break you. You need a little kind indifference. The devil usually torments reverent and very sensitive people with blasphemous thoughts. He exaggerates their fall [in their own eyes] in order to plunge them into sorrow. The devil seeks to plunge them into despair so that they commit suicide; if he does not succeed, then he seeks, at least, to drive them crazy and incapacitate them. If the devil does not succeed in this, then it gives him pleasure to at least bring melancholy and despondency upon them.

...Often blasphemous thoughts come to a person through the envy of the devil. Especially after the all-night vigil. It happens that from fatigue you fall as if dead and cannot resist the enemy. That’s when the evil devil brings you blasphemous thoughts.

...A person himself can give a reason for such a thought to come. If blasphemous thoughts are not caused by excessive sensitivity, then they come from pride, condemnation and the like. Therefore, if, while asceticism, you have thoughts of unbelief and blasphemy, know that your asceticism is performed with pride. Pride darkens the mind, unbelief begins, and a person is deprived of the cover of Divine Grace. In addition, blasphemous thoughts overcome a person who deals with dogmatic issues without having the appropriate prerequisites for this.”

The Holy Fathers teach not to converse with such thoughts, not to contradict them, not to be frightened by them and not to attribute them to oneself, but to turn away from them with contempt, as from an enemy excuse, and not to pay any attention to them.

Rev. Macarius of Optina expounds the patristic teaching on blasphemous thoughts:

“I am very sorry for your embarrassment, which comes from the enemy. You consider yourself such a sinner that there is no one like you, not understanding that the enemy is fighting you with blasphemous thoughts, putting into your thoughts inappropriate and inexplicable words of his; and you think that they are from happen to you, and you, on the contrary, do not have them, but you are horrified, grieved and embarrassed, while they are not yours at all, but the enemy’s; , not paying any attention to them and imputing them to nothing; and when you are embarrassed about this, grieve and despair, then this consoles the enemy and he rebels against you even more. Do not consider them a sin. and you will calm down; what need do you have to grieve for the sins of the enemy; he even blasphemed the Lord in heaven... But this is the guilt and sin on your part: you think a lot about yourself, are carried away by pride, despise others, condemn them and the like, and think little about yourself. This is why you are worried, this is why this scourge is unleashed on you, so that you humble yourself and consider yourself the last one of all, but do not be embarrassed, for embarrassment is the fruit of pride. Stop judging, don’t think too much about yourself, don’t despise others, then blasphemous thoughts will go away.

The Holy Fathers generally consider blasphemous thoughts not ours, but the enemy’s excuses, and when we do not agree with them, but also grieve that they creep into our minds, then this is a sign of our innocence in them. There is no need to be embarrassed that they are coming. For if a person is embarrassed, then the enemy will rise up against him, and when he does not heed them, imputes them to nothing and does not consider them a sin, then his thoughts disappear. St. writes clearly about this. Dimitri Rostovsky in "Spiritual Medicine".

But these thoughts, although they are not a sin, are found with God’s permission from the enemy for our exaltation, for our opinion about ourselves or about our corrections and for the condemnation of our neighbors. When a person, having recognized his sins, humbles himself and does not condemn others, but brings repentance for this, he receives liberation from them.”

Elder Paisiy Svyatogorets instructs how to drive away blasphemous thoughts:

“Chanting. “I will open my mouth...” [The opening words of the irmos of the first song of the canon of the Annunciation Holy Mother of God

] Don’t you know how to sing notes? Don’t pick at this thought, treat it with contempt. A person who stands in prayer and converses with such thoughts is like a soldier who gives a report to the commander and at the same time spins a grenade.

If he doesn’t leave, know that somewhere in you he has chosen a place for himself. The most effective remedy is contempt for the devil. After all, he is hiding behind blasphemous thoughts - a teacher of wickedness. When fighting blasphemous thoughts, it is better not to fight them even with the Jesus Prayer, because by saying it, we will show our anxiety and the devil, aiming at our weak spot, will bombard us with blasphemous thoughts endlessly.

In this case, it is better to sing something churchy. ...And sing and take communion - after all, these thoughts are not yours...

How can you get rid of such thoughts?

If a person is upset that such thoughts come to him and does not communicate with them, then, not receiving food, they disappear by themselves. A tree that is not watered will wither." Rev. Barsanuphius of Optina

teaches:

Doubts, just like lustful thoughts and blasphemies, must be despised and ignored. Despise them - and the enemy the devil will not stand it, he will leave you, for he is proud and will not tolerate contempt.

Abba Isaiah:

Reject blasphemous thoughts without paying attention to them, and they will disappear; they upset only those who fear them.

Saint Demetrius of Rostov:

“Many people experience such a temptation from a blasphemous spirit that, confused by blasphemous thoughts, they do not know what to do, and they fall into despair, believing that it is their sin, and thinking that they themselves are to blame for those fierce and vile thoughts .

A blasphemous thought is a temptation for a God-fearing person and especially confuses him when he is praying or doing something good. Blasphemous thoughts do not come upon a person wallowing in mortal sins, careless, not God-fearing, lazy and careless about his salvation. They attack those who live virtuously, in works of repentance and in the love of God.

With this blasphemous temptation the devil leads a person to frighten him. Or, if he is free from other sins, to disturb his conscience. If he is in repentance, then to interrupt his repentance. If it rises from virtue to virtue, then to stop and overthrow it. But if the devil does not succeed in this, he strives to at least insult and confuse him. However, let the smart one reason.

Let anyone oppressed by blasphemous thoughts not impute them to himself as sin, but consider them as a special temptation, for the more someone imputes blasphemous thoughts to himself as sin, the more he will comfort his enemy the devil, who will therefore triumph because he has troubled someone’s conscience like a sin. If someone sat tied up among blasphemous people, heard their speeches against God, the Mysteries of Christ, the Most Pure Mother of God and all the saints and wanted to run away from them so as not to hear these speeches, but he could not, because he was tied up, and could not even shut up ears - tell me, would he be sinful because he reluctantly hears their blasphemous speeches? Truly, not only would he not have had any sin, but he would also have been honored with great praise from God, because, being bound and unable to escape, he listened to their blasphemous words with a heaviness in his soul. The same thing happens to those whom the devil oppresses with blasphemous thoughts, when they can neither run away from them, nor get rid of them, nor shake off the unclean spirit, which shamelessly and incessantly instills blasphemous thoughts on them, although they do not want them, do not love them. and even hate them. After all, not only will they not have any sin from these thoughts, but they also deserve great grace from God.

We must pray to the Lord God to remove this temptation and drive away the blasphemous spirit. And if this does not happen, then endure it meekly and with gratitude, remembering that this temptation was allowed not out of anger, but from the grace of God, so that we would be patient and untroubled by it. And the Apostle Paul suffered something similar when he spoke about the dirty trick given to him, for whom he prayed three times and did not receive what he asked for, for he heard: “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Cor. 12:9). One of the great elders often said to himself: “I do not deign, I do not deign.” And when he did anything: walked, or sat, or worked, or read, or prayed, he repeated these words many times. Hearing this, his disciple asked: “Tell me, Abba, why do you often say this word?” The father replied: “When any evil thought comes into my mind, and I feel it, then I tell it that I do not accept it, and immediately the evil thought runs away and disappears.”

When you suffer from a blasphemous spirit, as soon as blasphemous and unclean thoughts come to you, you can easily get rid of them and drive them away from you with this word: “I do not accept.” I don’t accept, devil, your blasphemies! They are yours, not my abominations; I not only do not accept them, but I also hate them. Therefore, let no one be embarrassed or despair, having obsessions from blasphemous thoughts, knowing that they are more for our benefit than for temptation, and for the demons themselves to shame.

If a blasphemous thought against God comes, read: “I believe in one God” - to the end. And if possible, perform several throwings or bows.

If a blasphemous thought comes to the Most Pure Mysteries of Christ, read: “I believe, Lord, and confess that You are truly the Christ” - to the end, and make prostrations.

If a blasphemous thought comes to Blessed Virgin Mary, then read some prayer to the Most Pure Mother of God - either “Under Your Grace”, or “Virgin Mother of God, Rejoice”, or some troparion of the Theotokos, with bows, saying: “Most Holy Mother of God, save me, a sinner.”

If a blasphemous thought comes to any saint, read: “Pray to God for me, a sinner, saint (name of the rivers), as I am according to God, I resort to you, a quick helper and prayer book for our souls.” And bow down, saying: “Holy (name of the rivers), pray to God for me, a sinner.” If a blasphemous thought comes to any icon, bow in front of that icon fifteen times or as much as you can, praying to the one depicted on it, and thus, with God’s help, you will turn the blasphemous thoughts into nothing.”

Eva, Ekaterinburg

How to deal with blasphemous obsessive thoughts?

Hello! My name is Eva, I am 16 years old, and I have a problem that I cannot solve on my own. The fact is that for quite a long time I have been struggling with blasphemous thoughts that appear out of nowhere, especially at times when I am upset or angry. They instill in me disbelief, they say that God is unjust, and that I should abandon Him and even insult... Sometimes they instill in me words of curse and say that I already agree with them and have accepted them, although I diligently reject them, I try not to pay attention , replacing them with good thoughts and prayers. I studied a lot related to this problem, understood how to fight, saw the light ahead, but... suddenly I began to catch myself thinking that when I want to do something ordinary and everyday, something stops me and says that Because of what I'm about to do, something very bad will happen. For example, I want to go online, or take something from the refrigerator, and at that moment I hear in my head: “If you do this, something terrible will happen to God, the Virgin Mary or other Saints.” These thoughts say that evil will come out and begin to rampage, and no one will be able to stop it... And all this because I will do an ordinary everyday activity! Moreover, this thought appears somehow abruptly, so that I almost jump out of fear and doubt, what to do: obey them and constantly abstain, or just live and not pay attention to them? After the next occurrence of such a thought, I decided to abstain from all my activities, went to the temple, asked God to give me a sign if it was He, so that I would definitely understand that it was He. Throughout the day I prayed and asked the Lord to enlighten me. But no special messages I didn’t notice either that day or the next. Everything was normal and calm, the sun was shining, the sky was clear, and I decided not to listen to suggestions. Having done the same thing as with blasphemous thoughts (that is, starting to ignore), I developed a feeling of fear and shame. Thoughts say: “You chose temporary pleasure for yourself, and this was a sign from God, or a warning that you should leave this activity, and thereby prevent a catastrophe! This was a special task for you, and you failed it, and now everything is very bad.” I told my parents everything, they tried to calm me down. I went to church for confession and communion, I pray every morning and evening. But the feeling of shame and fear haunts me. I understand that God is stronger than any evil, and that I, an ordinary girl, cannot in any way have a bad influence on God or the Saints. That everything is God’s Will, and that He protects us people. And who am I? Nobody gave me any power. Sometimes it seems to me that this was God’s Will, that he decided to test me, what would I choose - His or my desires. But God could not say such terrible things! He will not harm himself, the Mother of God... Why would he let everything go because of me, just to show me my sins and shortcomings? It’s just my pride that thinks I’m worthy of conversations with God and such tests... Have I driven myself into a trap? Help me please! I can’t study anymore, I don’t have the strength to do anything, my thoughts are tormenting me, I can’t sleep. Am I to blame and should be punished, or did I make the right decision to ignore and just live and believe?... Sometimes the desire to live disappears. I constantly go over my actions and thoughts in my head, I feel guilty, I remember all the pros and cons, but I don’t come to anything and I spoil the nerves of those around me. Resolve my doubts! I really hope for your answer. Good for you!

Good health, Eva. Very nice end to your question. And good luck to you too!

What you are describing is very similar to an internal battle, an internal spiritual war between man and the devil through thoughts. The first stage of the struggle is precisely through thoughts, then, when the ascetics defeated the thoughts instilled by the enemy - thoughts, then the demons themselves entered into battle with them. This threatens us, who live in the world - not in monasticism. Our task is to learn to repel enemy mental attacks. What you have already read on this topic is already good. As I understand it, when you began to resist the blasphemous thoughts, they changed tactics and began to attack you from the other side. There is nothing surprising. Your words " and this thought appears so abruptly that I almost jump out of fear and doubt"seems very similar to me
the description given by the Holy Fathers:

There is nothing more fleeting in bodies, nothing faster and more instantaneous in spirits - than how this thought, with one subtle reminder - both timeless and unspeakable, and for others even unknown - suddenly reveals its presence in the soul, without preliminary conversation and association with it. (Philokalia, St. John Climacus).

I think I can give you the following advice: try to read and understand the issues of the truth of baptism. Through baptism a person enters the church, the birth of a new person takes place, not the old one, living according to passions and lusts. Baptism can be compared to the foundation of the building of all spiritual life and, ultimately, salvation. So, if baptism is not performed in three immersions, but in some other way, then it is not baptism (the basis is the 50th Apostolic Canon). Those denominations that have not preserved correct baptism (accepted since apostolic times) have also lost the Holy Spirit. Read the rules, it describes similar cases there. So, if you do not have the correct baptism and you do not belong to a church that has preserved all this, then we can say that you are trying to build the building of your salvation, your protection from these thoughts, on sand without a foundation. Everyone understands that such a building will certainly collapse and fall apart.

There is one more reason to find out how you were baptized. According to Christian teaching, Satan resides in a person’s heart before baptism. For example, you were baptized by sprinkling, that is, sprinkled, you think that you are baptized, but in fact you are not, and Satan remains completely calm inside you, and you cannot drive him out of there by any human means. After baptism, Satan is cast out of the heart, and all his attacks are no longer made from within, but from without. Naturally, it is easier to defend yourself when attacked from outside. And not such strong blows. Here is my advice: find out how you were baptized, look for a church that has preserved correct baptism. Participate in the sacraments of repentance and communion, church and home prayer - correct and not changed, and, of course, read Holy Bible. There is no way without him. Patience. Remember, the one who walks will master the road. Don't be discouraged.

Number of entries: 29

Hello. I am a believer, I am 19 years old. I go to church very rarely, no lie, I was there once last year, and not at a service, but just put candles on the icons, prayed, and asked for forgiveness. I know that it is a sin to believe in God and not go to church, but so far I am not drawn to it. I'm thinking of going there as soon as my soul so desires. But I often pray to God, thank him, and ask for forgiveness. Over the past 2 years, bad thoughts have been appearing in my head, offending God and the Mother of God. I am very much afraid of them, because I think that this is my worst sin, so I want to get rid of them. Please tell me, are there any prayers that will specifically help cope with this illness? Thank you.

Hello. For this there is the Sacrament of Repentance, but in order to benefit from it, you will have to go to church, pray, fast and repent. There have never been and never will be any other means. It is impossible to be a Christian if, at least for an hour a week, you do not tear yourself out of the whirlwind and bustle of the world and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the temple, where everything is designed to create conditions for sincere and attentive prayer, where sound teaching and grace-filled Sacraments are taught.

Priest Alexander Beloslyudov

Hello, father. My name is Andrey P., I am 18 years old. Recently, in a dream, I dreamed that I was blaspheming: I was throwing icons on the floor in the house. After that, quarrels and swearing began in the family, and I began to have business and internal problems. Please advise what should I do then, should I go to church and confess?

Andrey

Dear Andrey, in dreams we often see projections of our unresolved problems, so there is no need to be afraid of dreams; It wasn’t him that started the quarrels, it was just that the subconscious signaled an impending crisis. It’s good to start solving these problems, and if you notice that some of your sins were the cause of them, and, of course, those sins that accompanied the showdown (for example, anger, pride), they need to be confessed. Help me, Lord!

Priest Sergius Osipov

Hello, thank you very much again for your site! Tell me what to do, what prayers, maybe to read, the fact is that my mother is a very angry person, she constantly slanders, and sometimes blasphemes, all people are not like her and even her own children and grandchildren are not like that. Very often she bursts out: “God will pay you all!” I tried to explain to her more than once, told her the truths of God, the Gospel - nothing helps. Sometimes it seems to me that a word thrown accidentally or intentionally only brings us harm - after all, it is my mother’s word. Thank you in advance. God bless you!

Oksana

Oksana, don’t be afraid that something bad will come to you from your mother’s words, but rather order a magpie or a church memorial for her for six months, or even a year. You need to pray for your mother, her enemy is tempting her, she needs to go to confession and communion, then she can find peace.

Hegumen Nikon (Golovko)

Hello! Is it blasphemy against the Holy Spirit when you commit a sin, knowing in advance that you are sinning, and cannot cope with passion (adultery), you ask the Almighty for forgiveness and somehow do not feel the fear of the Lord. Is there hope for forgiveness? I can’t raise my eyes to the icon. But how can I kiss the CROSS in confession - wouldn’t that be hypocrisy on my part? Sinful, she could not stand the temptation.

Elena

Elena, it will be a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit if, God forbid, of course, you begin to live in sin, nevertheless, justifying yourself and considering sin and lies to be truth. In any case, no matter what sin has been committed, while there is still time to live, there is time for repentance, the sin can be forgiven.

Hegumen Nikon (Golovko)

Good day! The essence of my question is this - now in many in social networks I observe how social network users put the faces of saints on their avatars. My opinion is that this is unacceptable! But many people think that there is nothing wrong with this. I would like to hear your opinion Orthodox Church. Thank you very much.

Elena

The opinion of the Church is the determination of a church council or at least a specialized synodal department; here you can only hear a private, albeit well-founded opinion. I also believe that such things are unacceptable, because they deprive the icon of its sacred meaning.

Deacon Ilya Kokin

Good evening, father! I am tormented by thoughts, I would like to know the answer to my question, so as not to become despondent. My name is Evgeniy, I am 15 years old, I live and study in Kyiv. In March, during a literature lesson, we were asked to recite an excerpt from Taras Shevchenko’s poem “Dream,” where there are the words: “There is no Lord in heaven,” - forgive me, Lord. I knew then that God existed, I believed in Him and did not want to offend Him in any way, and when I told these lines, I mentally disagreed with them. Then he confessed and, thank God, did not do such things again. Has God forgiven me this sin, have I blasphemed the Holy Spirit through this action?

Eugene

If you repented and decided not to repeat this again, then the Lord has forgiven. But the most important thing is not to repeat it again. For the future - if you explain to the teacher before class why you don’t want to recite godless poems, I’m sure he will understand and won’t give you a bad mark for it.

Hegumen Nikon (Golovko)

Good evening! Answer me this question, we bought an apartment from complete strangers, when they moved out, they left a plaster cross on the wall, citing the fact that it could not be moved from apartment to apartment. We moved in the tenants, and they flatly refused to let this cross hang; my husband and I didn’t need it either, so we put it in a bag and took it to the trash can. Tell me, is this a sin? And now what i can do? They all did this without thinking about their actions.

Elena

Elena, throwing away the cross is grave sin. The cross is a symbol of our salvation, the cross is victory over death, over the devil. Christ voluntarily crucified himself on the Cross for our sake, for the sake of our salvation. You exchanged the cross for the money your tenants paid you. You did very, very badly. Repent before God in church in confession, and depending on the sincerity of your repentance and what kind of life you will lead next, God will forgive you.

Hieromonk Victorin (Aseev)

Good afternoon I know that it is very important for a Christian to control his thoughts. But very often there are periods when some kind of swarming occurs in your head, like in an anthill. And it happens that bad thoughts, even blasphemous ones, just come, even reluctantly and completely unconsciously. I immediately ask for forgiveness from the Lord and think, how could I so completely unwittingly end up in a bad situation? What to do? Thank you.

Ksenia

Ksenia, what you describe is called spiritual warfare: suddenly we feel in our minds thoughts or images that come from the devil. Until we communicate with these thoughts and do not hold them in attention, there is no sin, but if we begin to develop them or somehow concentrate on them, then we are already sinning. You gradually need to learn not to pay attention to such fleeting thoughts, and they will disappear from consciousness as easily as they appear.

Hegumen Nikon (Golovko)

I am 27, I have been going to church for seven years now, and I have encountered the sin of blasphemy. This started for me quite recently, about 1.5 months ago, I mentally call names to a saint, Jesus Christ, the Mother of God during prayer. How to overcome this temptation? A lot has happened in 7 years, but I think this is the worst.

Sergey

Sergey, this temptation is temporary, it passes pretty soon. Confess to the priest your mental warfare, and do not pay any attention to the thoughts themselves - nothing more than dust blown past by the wind.

Hegumen Nikon (Golovko)

Hello! Please resolve my question. About a month ago I was reading an empty sinful book, and there the main character spoke in the first person about selling his soul to the devil, and I became scared: what if I sold it with these words? I prayed to the Lord to forgive me, but I was still scared, and then I realized through one book that fear is also a sin, and that it comes from unbelief. I believed and the fear disappeared. But then I thought, what if Satan did it? The Bible says that all sins are forgiven to a person, except blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. The Holy Fathers interpret this sin as attributing God's works to Satan. And I’m scared again: have I really committed this terrible sin, and there is no forgiveness for me?

Shinkarenko Yura

Dear Yura, it’s a pity that you didn’t look on our website for answers to the topic of what blasphemy against the Holy Spirit really is. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit can be equated to pharisaism, that is, to living in sin with the confidence that this is not a sin, but the norm. At the same time, those “gifts” that can arise from such an incorrect spiritual life will be a manifestation of the actions of demons, and a person, while confident in his rightness, will take them for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit and from this will be even more mistaken. As for the events that happened to you, I think you have nothing to worry about, except for one thing: avoid sin in the future. By sin I mean empty reading, idle thoughts, and, of course, actions. And, besides, you need to study Orthodoxy more, and the best thing would be not even to find out, but to adopt it from some good priest or layman in the process of live communication with him.

Hegumen Nikon (Golovko)

Good day, fathers! I want to ask you for advice, my problem is my 26 year old son, who doesn’t work anywhere and doesn’t intend to, drinks for 2-3 weeks with a short break, all the metal that was in the yard has already been taken down for buying, I gave him a house , which I support myself, because we cannot live together, I have a second marriage and the relationship between my husband and son is no fault of my son. For many years I have been paying for gas and electricity, we feed him together with his grandmother, I help his son, whom he does not even want to acknowledge, no matter how much I persuade him. They treated him twice, and persuaded him, and inspired him, and on her knees asked him to come to his senses, I tried to talk about God - as a result, drunken blasphemy, I became scared for him, I pray as best I can. And the question is this: yesterday I gave money to pay for the electricity, I called - of course, nothing was paid, although I was sober, and another lie. Fathers, what should I do? Should I carry this burden to the end or stop supporting it? I am aware of my sin of under-education, but my strength is running out due to cynicism, because I am a man, and I have to work for him. Forgive me, a sinner, for grumbling, but I am alone in this trouble, and your advice is very important.

Marina

Dear Marina, Of course, stop supporting. By being overprotective, you and your grandmother only created the conditions for the development of the disease. This needs to stop. You will have support from your husband, whose rejection of a situation where a twenty-six-year-old person is completely asocial could lead to family conflicts. It will be more difficult with your grandmother if she does not live with you. She may not accept the need to leave her grandson without food and continue to feed him. Explain that this is direct harm to him, in fact, an offer to drink and again plunge into alcohol addiction, while others feed and clothe him. You will have to tell your son that for his benefit you cannot support him. If he wants to go to a clinic (if you offer to be “encoded” with a certain substance that causes aversion to alcohol on a physical level - know that the Church allows this) and then systematically work with a psychotherapist (you can call him a psychologist) with a complete lifelong abstinence from alcohol, then tell him that you are ready to help with this, pay for visits to the doctor. The psychotherapist will help him understand himself, find the wrong psychological attitudes that led to addiction, and “correct” them a little. With these realized problems and sins, he can already go to confession if he wants. But you can’t give him money now. Pay the doctor yourself. As he recovers, he will be able to do this on his own, but it will take a long time. He must earn money himself, be responsible for the house, for food (at the same time, have a reserve so as not to lose your house). Otherwise, the son will continue to go downhill. Only his desire to free himself from addiction can become the beginning of this liberation. By refusing to support him, you will create a situation that will make him think about it. More detailed instructions The psychotherapist you find for your son can give you advice. Eat special classes for relatives of addicted people, search the Internet in your region. He can't do it alone. I have described the general direction to you, be sure to coordinate the details with your attending physician - and it will be very good if you consult with him in detail before announcing to your son your decision to terminate the support. God bless you all!

Priest Sergius Osipov

Hello, for 5 months now I have been tormented by thoughts that I have blasphemed the Holy Spirit. I can't repent. I just realize that I did wrong, but I can’t change. No matter how much I prayed, nothing helps, there is no feeling of forgiveness in my soul. I really want to change and be with God, but nothing is working out. I'm ready to do anything for forgiveness. What should I do? Can God forgive me if I really committed this sin, or are prayers useless? Maybe I should go to a monastery, maybe that will help?

Anna, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit has already been discussed several times and at some length on our website - just read the answers to the “Blasphemy” tag on our website. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit lies in the fact that a person lives in unrepentant sins, therefore, in fact, it is not forgiven - the person feels righteous and does not repent. Everything else is not blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. And, besides, you can repent of any sin, because the Lord is infinite mercy.

Hegumen Nikon (Golovko)

I blasphemed the Holy Spirit, and I didn’t realize it right away; now I feel like I’m going to die, because life didn’t go at all the way the Creator wanted. But I did it with free will. And now NOTHING can be fixed. Truly, the Bible is the truth... God bless you!

Vika

Vika, you are not the first tormented by this topic, and therefore the time has come to understand in detail what blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is and why blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven either in this century or in the future, and give as comprehensive an answer as possible. So, when and under what circumstances did the Savior pronounce His words about blasphemy against the Holy Spirit? After the Pharisees essentially accused him of being possessed, telling everyone that He casts out demons and works His miracles not by the Spirit of God, but by the power of the prince of demons: “Then they brought to Him a demon-possessed man, blind and dumb; and He healed him, so that the blind and dumb the dumb man began to speak and to see. And all the people marveled and said, “Is this not the Christ, the son of David?” And when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of demons” (Matthew 12:22). 24). After this, those famous words were spoken: “...if anyone speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but if anyone speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come” (Matthew 12:32 .). Here we must understand absolutely clearly that the Lord called blasphemy not when He was insulted as a Man of flesh and blood, but when He was denied precisely as God, that is, His Divinity was insulted, that is, when a person says that Christ is not God, not God's Son. It is precisely this blasphemy that will not be forgiven to a person. But in our time, it would hardly occur to any Christian to say such madness. And again, St. Athanasius the Great wrote about this: “Christ did not say: He will not be forgiven to the one who blasphemed and repented, but to the one who blasphemes, that is, the one who remains in blasphemy. For due repentance resolves all sins” (St. Athanasius the Great. “Conversations on the Gospel of Matthew"). Thus, even if such terrible blasphemy took place, but the person repented of it and no longer speaks or thinks about it, then it too will be forgiven by God! But there is one consequence from this blasphemy: namely, that you can not only deny the Divinity of Christ with words, but even deny Him with your very life spent in sins, that is, through trampling the commandments with your sins, you can actually deny the commandments and Christ Himself as God who gave them. It was in this regard that St. John Chrysostom called the shameless and persistent denial of the truth blasphemy against the Holy Spirit: “Just as someone who considers the sun dark does not disparage this luminary, but presents clear evidence of his blindness, and like someone who calls honey bitter , - does not reduce its sweetness, but reveals its illness, just like the condemning works of God. .. Blasphemy does not humiliate the greatness of God... He who blasphemes inflicts wounds on himself... All torments, both present and future, are insufficient for the soul (blaspheming the Spirit)" (Treasury of Spiritual Wisdom: Extracts from the Works of the Holy Fathers, arranged in accordance with the annual circle of Gospel readings / Comp. Prot. M. Neigum). tempting God. Saint Theophan the Recluse wrote very clearly on this topic. Asking the question exactly when, under what circumstances, people trample on the truth and consider it untruth, he answers: “Then when they know the truth and do not fulfill it, when life does not correspond to the knowledge. ; one thing is on their mind and conscience, sometimes in words, and the other in life and deeds, in the feelings of the heart and the mood of the will. ...This untruth increases a hundredfold when someone does something wrong at the very time when his mind and conscience disgust him and does not tell him to do it. This is what blasphemy against the Holy Spirit consists of...” (St. Theophan the Recluse. “Outline of Christian Moral Teaching.” Part 2.) So, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit consists of a conscious and persistent life in unrepentant sins, and this is precisely what we should be afraid of. Why is it not forgiven? And precisely because a person stubbornly does not want to repent of his sin, even considering it sometimes excusable or justified. May God save us all from such a blasphemous life!

Hegumen Nikon (Golovko)

Sorry for stupid question. But it is very important for me. I recently went to church. A couple of times in my life there were moments when, before confession, I “allowed” myself some small sin with the thought that I would confess it tomorrow. I repent of this. I read that this is the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Does this mean that he will never forgive me?

What thoughts are blasphemous

- Geronda, I don’t understand when a thought is blasphemous...

When bad pictures come to our minds about Christ, the Mother of God, the Saints, something divine and holy, or even about our spiritual father and the like, then these are blasphemous thoughts. There is no need to retell these thoughts to anyone.

- Even the confessor?

It is enough for the confessor to say the following: “I have blasphemous thoughts about Christ or the Holy Spirit, about the Mother of God, about the Saints, or about you - my spiritual father.” All these blasphemies and sins are not ours - they come from the devil. Therefore, we do not need to be upset because of the sins of the devil. When I was a new monk, the devil brought blasphemous thoughts to me for some time - even in church. I was very upset.

The devil instilled in me bad thoughts about the Saints, [as source material] using the foul language and obscenity that I heard from others while in the army. “These thoughts are from the devil,” my confessor admonished me. “If a person is upset because of the bad thoughts that appear in him about the holy thing, this already proves that they are not his own, but come from outside.” But I continued to get upset.

When blasphemous thoughts came, I went to pray in the chapel of Venerable John the Baptist, venerated his icon, and it smelled fragrant. When bad thoughts came again, I again hurried to the Baptist chapel, and a fragrance again emanated from the icon. During one Divine Liturgy, I was in the chapel and prayed. When the singers sang “Holy God” by Nilevs, I began to quietly sing along from my seat.

Suddenly I saw a huge, terrible beast with the head of a dog tumble into the aisle through the door leading to the vestibule of the main temple. Flames erupted from its mouth and eyes. The monster turned to me and, irritated by my singing “Holy God,” shook its paw at me twice angrily. I glanced at the monks praying next to me: maybe they also saw [the beast]? No, no one noticed anything. Then I told my confessor about what happened. “Well, did you see who it was?” the confessor told me. “It’s him. Have you calmed down now?”

- Geronda, does a person always understand that his thought is blasphemous?

He understands this if he works with the head that God gave him. For example, some people ask me the question: “Geronda, how is it possible that the torments of hell exist? We are upset when we see a person in prison, but what can we say about those who are tormented in hell!” However, such reasoning is blasphemy against God. These people pretend to be more righteous than Him. God knows what he's doing. Remember the incident told by Saint Gregory the Dvoeslov? One day, Bishop Fortunatus expelled an unclean spirit from a demon-possessed woman.

The expelled demon took the form of a beggar, returned to the city and began to accuse the bishop. "The merciless one drove me out!" - he shouted. One person, having heard these screams, felt sorry for the “unfortunate”: “What a difficult thing drove him to kick you out! How could he do such a thing! Well, come on, come into my house.” The devil entered his house and soon asked: “Put some firewood on the fireplace, otherwise I’ll feel cold.” The owner put thick logs on the fire, and the flames hummed cheerfully. And when the fire burned properly, the devil entered the child of the owner of the house.

In a fit of rage, the unfortunate man jumped into the fire and burned. Then the owner realized who the bishop had expelled and whom he accepted into his home. Bishop Fortunatus knew what he was doing when he cast out an unclean spirit from a demon-possessed woman.

Where do blasphemous thoughts come from?

- Geronda, could you tell us something about kind indifference?

Kind indifference is necessary for an overly sensitive person who is tormented by various thoughts of the tangalashka (as the Elder called the devil). It would be good for such a person to become a little insensitive - in the positive sense of the word - and not delve into thoughts of a certain kind. In addition, kind indifference is necessary for a person whom the devil, wanting to incapacitate, has made overly sensitive in relation to some specific matter or phenomenon - although usually such a person does not suffer from excessive sensitivity.

And such a person will be helped for some time by kind indifference. However, he must be supervised by a confessor. He needs to reveal his thoughts to his confessor and be under his supervision. Otherwise, he may slowly become indifferent to everything and go to the opposite extreme - turn into a completely indifferent person.

- Geronda, why, when I fall into sadness, do I have blasphemous thoughts?

Look what happens: seeing you sad, the tangalashka takes advantage of this and slips you a worldly caramel - a sinful thought. If you fall the first time [having accepted this caramel thought], then next time it will upset you even more and you will not have the strength to resist it. Therefore, you should never be in a state of sadness, instead it is better to do something spiritual. Spiritual activity will help you get out of this state.

- Geronda, I am very tormented by certain thoughts...

- They are from the evil one. Be peaceful and don't listen to them. You are an impressionable and sensitive person. The devil, taking advantage of your sensitivity, instills in you [the habit] of giving undue attention to certain thoughts. He “glues” your mind to them, and you suffer in vain. For example, he may bring you bad thoughts about Mother Superior or even about me.

Leave these thoughts unattended. If you treat a blasphemous thought with even a little attention, it can torment you, it can break you. You need a little kind indifference. The devil usually torments reverent and very sensitive people with blasphemous thoughts. He exaggerates their fall [in their own eyes] in order to plunge them into sorrow.

The devil seeks to plunge them into despair so that they commit suicide; if he fails, he seeks at least to drive them crazy and incapacitate them. If the devil does not succeed in this, then it gives him pleasure to at least bring melancholy and despondency upon them.

I once met a man who spat constantly. “He is possessed by a demon,” they told me about him. “No,” I answer, “possessed people don’t behave like that.” And indeed, as I reliably learned later, this poor fellow was not guilty enough to become possessed. He grew up an orphan and was sensitive and impressionable.

In addition, he had a left-wing mentality and a slightly morbid imagination. The devil inflamed all this and began to bring him blasphemous thoughts. And when he brought them, the unfortunate man resisted, jumped up and, wanting to get rid of blasphemous thoughts, “spitted out” them. And those who watched this from the side thought that he was possessed by a demon. Like this: the impressionable poor fellow spits out blasphemous thoughts, and they say to him: “You are possessed by a demon!”

Often blasphemous thoughts come to a person through the envy of the devil. Especially after the all-night vigil. It happens that from fatigue you fall as if dead and cannot resist the enemy. That’s when the evil devil brings you blasphemous thoughts. And then, wanting to confuse you or plunge you into despair, he begins to inspire: “The devil himself will not bring such thoughts! Now you will not be saved.” The devil can bring blasphemous thoughts to a person even against the Holy Spirit, and then say that this sin - blasphemy against the Holy Spirit - cannot be forgiven.

- Geronda, can a blasphemous thought come through our own fault?

Yes. A person himself can give a reason for such a thought to come. If blasphemous thoughts are not caused by excessive sensitivity, then they come from pride, condemnation and the like. Therefore, if, while asceticism, you have thoughts of unbelief and blasphemy, know that your asceticism is performed with pride.

Pride darkens the mind, unbelief begins, and a person is deprived of the cover of Divine Grace. In addition, blasphemous thoughts overcome a person who deals with dogmatic issues without having the appropriate prerequisites for this (i.e. spiritual prerequisites - reverence, humility, obedience to the Church or external prerequisites - education, abilities, knowledge Greek language and so on.).

Contempt for blasphemous thoughts

- Geronda, Abba Isaac says that we overcome passions “with humility, and not with exaltation”(in Russian translation: “When you overcome passions with humility, and not with exaltation”) . Contempt for some passion, exaltation [over it] and contempt for blasphemous thoughts are not the same thing?

No. In despising passion there is pride, self-confidence and - worst of all - self-justification. That is, you justify yourself and “give up” your passion. It’s as if you are saying: “This passion is not mine, it has nothing to do with me” - and you are not struggling to free yourself from it. But we must despise blasphemous thoughts, because, as I already said, they are not ours, but from the devil.

- And if a person pretends to others that he has some kind of passion, for example, portraying himself as a glutton, then he thereby mocks the devil?

In this case, he is “a hypocrite with good hypocrisy,” but this is not a mockery of the devil. You mock the devil when he brings you blasphemous thoughts, and you sing something churchy.

- Geronda, how to drive away blasphemous thoughts during worship?

Chants. “I will open my mouth...” (the opening words of the irmos of the first hymn of the canon to the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary). Don't you know how to sing notes? Don’t pick at this thought, treat it with contempt. A person who stands in prayer and converses with such thoughts is like a soldier who gives a report to the commander and at the same time spins a grenade.

- What if the blasphemous thought does not go away?

If he doesn’t leave, know that somewhere in you he has chosen a place for himself. The most effective remedy is contempt for the devil. After all, he is hiding behind blasphemous thoughts - a teacher of wickedness. When fighting blasphemous thoughts, it is better not to fight them even with the Jesus Prayer, because by saying it, we will show our anxiety and the devil, aiming at our weak spot, will bombard us with blasphemous thoughts endlessly. In this case, it is better to sing something churchy.

Look, even small children, wanting to show contempt for their peers, interrupt his speech with various songs like “tru-la-la.” We should do the same in relation to the devil. However, we will show our contempt for him not with worldly songs, but with sacred chants. Church singing is not only a prayer to God, but also contempt for the devil. Thus, the evil one will get the nuts from both sides - and he will burst.

- Geronda, being in this state, I cannot sing. Even approaching Holy Communion is not easy for me.

It is very dangerous! Tangalashka drives you into a corner! And sing and take communion - after all, these thoughts are not yours. Show me obedience at least in this [during the battle of thoughts] sing “It is worthy to eat” once, so that the tangalashka gets what is due to him and runs away. I didn’t tell you about one Athonite monk? As a twelve-year-old orphan, he came to the Holy Mountain. Having lost the love of his mother according to the flesh, he gave all his love to the Mother of God.

He had the same feelings for Her as for his own mother. If you could see with what reverence he venerated the icons! And so the enemy, playing on this love, brought him blasphemous thoughts. The unfortunate man stopped even touching icons. His Elder, having learned about this, took him by the hand and forced him to venerate the faces and hands of the Most Holy Theotokos and Savior on Their icons. Immediately after this, the devil took flight. Of course, kissing the Mother of God and the Savior directly on the face is, in a way, impudent. But the Elder forced the monk to do this in order to drive away the thoughts that tormented him.

In what cases are we guilty of blasphemous thoughts ourselves?

- Geronda, when I experience the attack of a blasphemous thought, but without coping with it, does the guilt fall on me?(in the ascetic lexicon, “attack” is a thought of the mind or a movement of the heart that is not accompanied by images. The appearance and retardation of sinful images and dreams indicates “surrender” to the thought, which is an internal concession to sin and requires healing by repentance.)

If you are upset and do not accept this thought, then there is no guilt.

- Geronda, when is a person guilty of a blasphemous thought?

He is guilty if he is not upset that he has such a thought, but sits [with folded hands] and talks with him. And the more he accepts blasphemous thoughts, the more devilish confusion he will be subjected to. After all, by looking at a blasphemous thought that has appeared and conversing with it in your mind, you are to a small extent subject to demonic possession.

- How to drive away such thoughts?

If a person is upset that such thoughts come to him and does not communicate with them, then, not receiving food, they disappear by themselves. A tree that is not watered will wither. However, having begun to enjoy these thoughts at least a little, he gives them food, “watering” his old man. In this case, thoughts “dry up” not easily.

- And with me, Geronda, sometimes the following happens: I accept blasphemous thoughts, associate with them, then I understand this, but I can no longer drive them away.

Do you know what's happening to you? At some point, you get distracted by something, become distracted, and with your mouth open, start counting crows. Then the tangalashka sneaks up on you and throws caramel into your gaping mouth. You begin to rotate it in your mouth, feel its taste, and it’s already difficult for you to spit it out. You need to spit it out right away - you will barely feel its “sweetness”.

- Geronda, what if I briefly accept a blasphemous thought that appears, but then drive it away?

In this case, the devil gives you a candy, you spit it out - but not immediately, but after some time. You need to spit it out immediately. Otherwise, having deceived you first with the help of candy, the devil will subsequently give you a bitter potion to drink and mock you.