BEGOMING MONK
The elder Paissios of the Holy montain says there is two kind of men, the ones who are made of steel, the others of wood. That's how you know if you are made for mariage or for monasticism. We can assume, following the symbols of the philocalia that he meant monasticism by the steel.
I need help here. How am I supposed to know if I am made of steel or of wood ? How can I know my vocation ?
Also vocation thread.
there is none for the elder Paissios.
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You need to spend some time at a monastery and talking with the monks before just showing up and wanting to be a monk. Spend some time there as a volunteer and see if you can do that for the rest of your life. The monks will also give you some good feed back as well. Maybe deep inside you long to be a part of the monastic community, but just temporarily. People go there for retreats to refresh their spiritual batteries in the constant struggle with the World once they return. Maybe that is all you need.
St Paisios of Mount Athos has strengthened my faith immeasurably. Pray for us St. Paisios.
God will guide you to that decision but talking to a spiritual father would be your best bet about the choice
Only the Orthodox.
Are you attracted to women? Do you have a sex drive? Then you're wood and might have wood.
be practical and do what you think you'd be good at.
If monasticism is in your cards you'll just be drawn to it and it'll happen, it won't really be your "choice".
If you have to "choose" and "ponder" then its not for you.
Set up 10 bricks on top of each other, placed carefully on 2 supporting pieces of wood so you have a bit of space in the middle. Then you put a box ~1 meter in front of the bricks, get on top of it, jump forward and hit your head as hard as you can at the bricks. If you manage to break all of them without falling into coma, you're ready to become a monk.
That is THE most ignorant and uneducated thing regarding vocations I've ever heard. It even easily rivals with my other post.
It's not something "you're drawn too" in these days. There is so much distraction and temptation, you'd have to live amish-style to have few enough distraction to naturally be drawn to something like monk- or priesthood.
What you need is serious contemplation and silence. Obviously not all day, but 20 minutes a day should be enough already. You orthos have the prayer of the heart. Use it. Meditate on it. Contemplate your possible vocations with it.
That is to say, some ARE naturally inclined to being able (or at least better than the average distracted man) to listen to their guardian angel and the Holy Spirit more easily, but considering that a guy has to ask on a chinese blanket knitting internet forum about things like vocations instead of his priest, I wouldn't count on that for OP.
Господи Ісусе Христе, Сину Божий, помилуй мене грішного.
And of course I forgot to add one more very very important thing: Vocation does not mean a path of doubtlessness. There can be no such thing. Doubt is part of our nature, it is - paradoxically enough - a vital part of the faith.
But doubting can be overcome. Take the words of my priest
Doubts are part of believing, because they ensure that you're not acting out of a sort of "spiritual lethargy". They keep your spiritual life a-live, because we will (and as Catholics and orthos we can) ensure us every single time we go to Mass, Confession, pray a Rosary or rule of Theotokos (by orth. St. Seraphim of Sarov) and so on and so forth.
Can you not learn how to control it, or does it immediately mean you are made of wood ?
The fact is that I want to become an orthobro monk because I want to find a real spiritual father. So it will clearly be more complicated for me given my country. I don't think I have enough ressources by myself to be sanctified and philocalia clearly says you need a master. Orthos have kept this tradition, with the prayer of the heart while even if catholic sacraments are valid they don't.
I think in a life of wood I will keep falling, because it's too much easy and soft to do so. While in the monastery people could control me, and a spiritual father could watch after my conscience.
Hesychasm needs a master.
Also I ask it here because why not, and because I already asked priests and they don't know, they say they can't help about it. But that's not a surprise because they are catholic priest living in the world.
You really just need to spend some time at an Orthodox monastery. Talk to the monastics there, and they will give you answers far more insightful than that you will find from us.
Because do you think that anyone with supernatural vocation would post here and give you sound advice ? I won't turn this into ortho vs Cath crap, open another thread for that. If your priest can't tell you, then your next step is a vocations director. Every parish, at least diocese, should have one - he can be your guide through this.
Furthermore make exercise-trips to monasteries. Live with the brothers, share their schedules, see if you have what it takes of even the inclination to do so.
I think you are right. Thank you for your answers.
Still it's good advices mostly here. People have good sense. Thank you for the answer to.
I had it sound more sarcastic than I wanted, apologies for that.
You're most welcome.
BASED WESTERN RITE MONASTERY
Any eastern right catholic monasteries in the US? I’m really thinking about joining one, my sex drive has extremely diminished and I have no problems with a monastic life.
Please answer, I want to know
I don't know of too many of them but here is one.
hrmonline.org
Why is sex drive always brought up? Don't base you life choices on that, don't get married because you think "its too strong" and don't become a monk because "its diminished" or you want to try to control it.
There is this special someone in my life. I have lost all other affection for women except her. If things turn sour, a monastery might be my best option.
Thank you, God bless.
Becoming a monk doesn't have anything to do with whether you are lustful or not. Lust goes after monks too, although it's better for them because they are not surrounded by women and can't really see anything that gives them lustful thoughts. However, you can't really say that monks are not vulnerable to lust.
I think someone else has already said it, that you should go visit a monastery for a short time to see if you like how they live. But, keep in mind, a relationship gone bad isn't the reason to go to a monastery. Although, who knows, I think it was John Climacus who said that even people who go to the monastery for a bad reason, end up staying there because their spirit changes. You should be careful with this, but I hope everything works out for you. :)
Also
That's a good sign. But it seems like you don't expect it to really work out? If you happen to not like the monastery, don't despair, there are lots of great women out there.