Question: Can you tell us a few words about negative and positive vigilance? Answer: Negative vigilance is when we resist the attacks of bad thoughts. As soon as they appear, we lift our mind to God saying, ‘Lord, my enemies have come, defend me against them,’ and we try not to allow our mind to give in. Saint Sophrony had a saying: ‘Do not surrender your mind (не дай ума)’, that is, do not give in to the thought of the enemy which assaults you. Negative vigilance is to say ‘no’ to every bad thought that approaches us. Father Sophrony would tell us that all the bad thoughts will go through us so that we may say ‘no’ to all of ...



















