Elder Paisios: Books and Orthodox Christians

- Elder, what spiritual books more help?

- Various patristic books, nowadays, thank goodness, circulate in the thousands. In these one finds what he craves, what he needs. It's true spiritual nourishment and ride safely in the spiritual path. To help but be read with humility and prayer. The patristic texts like CT scans, because as those photographed the physical condition of man, and so are photographed in his mental state.

Any motion of the patristic texts is not one but many hidden meanings, and everyone understands where the mental state. It is advisable to read one text rather than translation. Because the translator interprets the original as his own spirituality. However, to understand the Fathers have to tighten himself, gather his mind and has to live spiritually, because the spirit of the Fathers perceived only by the mind.

Especially Ascetic Grounds of Abba Isaac but need much help to their studies a little bit, to afomeioni food. The Evergetinos benevolence is great because we get to know all of the Holy Ghost Fathers. Helps, because it describes the struggles of fathers for all the passions in order, and the soul knows how they worked and helped. Missal The back story is holy, so much help - especially children - but not to read them as stories.

You do not need to have much knowledge to gain piety. A hymn from a blown, and the other knows by heart and not feel anything, because it moves out of reality. Fathers we read even one or two lines a day. Vitamins are very energizing.

- Elder, when one is tired or upset, he wants to read something easy, no story, no novel etc.

- There is no spiritual book that is good for that time? The purpose is not to forget the man of sorrow, but to save myself. The other redeems not. Not helping the spiritual life novels or newspaper and television. Sometimes even some religious magazines do harm to Christians because stimulate baby zeal and confusing. Beware. Do not read unnecessary stuff.

Some reading is like eating pumpkins, like looking in a haystack to vris a grain of wheat. Some say: "Yes, but they relax with." But how to relax, blessed, since in stun and hurt your eyes? Better to sleep. From what you read, you will understand the spiritual status. If it is too secular, he read magazines obscene and it would read less dirty or newspapers. If religion, he read religious literature or modern religious books or patristic etc.