THE INFLUENCE OF HESYCHASM ON THE FORMATION OF PERSONALITY
/ВЛИЯНИЕ ИСИХАЗМА НА СТАНОВЛЕНИЕ ЛИЧНОСТИ/

George MELKON

cleric of the Archangel-Mikhailovsky Zverinetsky Monastery in Kiev, Michurina street 20/22, 01014 Kiev, Ukraine, georgmelkon@ukr.net

Abstract

In his article (speech), the author, Master of Theology George Melkon, based on the experience of the Holy Fathers, made an attempt to discuss and justify the need for personal practical prayer experience of Jesus prayer. This experience is important for the formation of a human as a personality. And also, this is one of the shortest and most reliable ways to achieve unity with God. Hesychasm, this ancient teaching, commanded by the God and is based on the infallible external authority of the Holy Fathers. The experience of the creators of the doctrine was formed on the basis of personal revelations and opinions. However, this is the experience of their subjective judgments and expresses the sensual-emotional attitude of a person to God. Many clergy have mixed feelings about the initiative to study, preach, and popularize Hesychasm. The range of opinions on this subject ranges from extreme rejection to active support for the Hesychast teachings. As a result, the discussions are emotional. The cause of acute conflicts is explained by the dominance of personal beliefs that were formed without the historical and epistemological experience of theological reflection and the realities of modernity.

Keywords

Hesychasm, prayer, Spirituality, mission, faith, hope, love, Church

SUMMARY

The upbringing of a person, the formation of personality, his views, ideas, values, way of thinking - these concepts, and their manifestations in the life of our society, have always worried clergy, pastors, teachers and parents. Nowadays, with the increasing participation of youth in public life, which is more and more confidently occupying leadership positions in many modern states, issues of attitude and perception of the young generation, and especially the individual, are becoming very relevant today. Reading and analyzing the Holy Fathers, thoughts come, no matter what the work, and most importantly, the experience of these great monks - prayers, to change the human consciousness from the inside, could bring real benefits today, to many specific people. Unity with God in Hesychasm occurs very calmly, gradually, starting at a subconscious level, and, very importantly, completely not distracting the prayer from his daily everyday worries, but, transforming his worldview, fundamentally. Socialization has led us to the fact that a person in society has turned from a person into a unit, a unit of society. And for him, life without God is normal, but the existence in this life without loved ones, friends, acquaintances, television, and, especially, social networks, is simply impossible.

(Language: russian)

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