The third way...

"The third way is indeed strange and difficult to explain, whilst, to those who are not aware of it, it is often incomprehendable, appearing unreal and impossible that any such thing can happen.

This is because in these days the third way is not found in many, but rather in very few.

As I understand, this virtue abandoned us together with obedience, since it is the obedience one shows to his spiritual father which makes one truly free, leaving all the cares to him and staying away from the struggles of this world, whilst being a diligent artisan of this third way.

(That is, if one finds a real spiritual father who has no error!) Thus he who dedicates himself and all the care to God and the spiritual father, by real obedience is no longer living his own life where he does his own wishes, but is free from any struggle of the world or his body.

By what ephemeral thing then, can this person ever be spiritually defeated or enslaved, or what care or concern could he ever have?"



Symeon the New Theologian
"The Three Ways of Attention and Prayer"
from the Philokalia
English translation by Bishop Kallistos of Diokleia
Myriobiblos — On Line Library of the Church of Greece