Three Questions for the Spiritual Father

Question: Father Andrew, I would like to hear your opinion about meditation, yoga. Is it a sin to study the work of the Vedic psychologist about family life, relationship make, and self-improvement?

Answer: Probably, it cannot be said better than Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov), a disciple of Saint Silouan the Athonite, said. He said that going to the astral plane without repentance is deadly for the soul.

What does meditation mean? Man himself climbs into the sky on his own. He breaks away from everyday life, from earthly problems, issues, elevates his mind to heaven. But in what state is his soul, when there is pride, when there is so much sin?! And whom does he meet in this sky? Of course, the devil. He starts to be arrogant, to admire his spirituality, to show off, to distance himself from reality and live by some kind of illusions that lead to a clouding of the mind.

Therefore, Christ came to earth. He did not say: “Hey everyone, come over here to Me to Heaven”. He came to earth to prepare us for the Kingdom of Heaven. And this way is very difficult, it is narrow – the way of repentance, the way of meekness.

Indeed, the saints of God were given such moments when their soul was ascended to heaven. But what kind of people were they and could they take credit for something? They saw their sin, and their whole life was saturated with meekness and repentance. Therefore, do not read any Vedic books, from whatever source. There will never be a good fruit from a wild apple tree. And you can’t touch pitch without being defiled. Read what is blessed by the Church, read the Holy Fathers, read the literature that leads a person to Christ, to the Church, to the Holy Chalice, to repentance.

Question: Hello. How can I understand why do I partake of communion? I really don’t know why am I doing this.

Answer: Probably, it is simply impossible to understand all this. How can you understand that you accept God, the Creator of heaven and earth? That in this piece of Communion, a drop of Blood — there is all the love of God? And God is Love. We can accept this, we can feel that this is the most important thing in our life, the greatest gift.

When a person starts to partake of communion regularly, he realizes that he can no longer live without this gift, that the connection that was lost after the fall is restored in the sacrament of the Eucharist, the Holy Communion. The only thing needed is to thank God and not to leave the Church, not to leave the Holy Chalice.

I think you will understand something that can be understood more by heart than by mind. Only patience and meekness are needed. But giveth grace unto the humble (James 4:6).

Question: Hello, Father! My question is: should I continue to tell my husband about God, if my every attempt never ends well? He does not prevent my going to church, pilgrimage, but he says about himself: “I believe within my soul”. However, he believes that man has evolved from a monkey, he perceives Adam and Eve, original sin as legends and myths. What should I do?

Answer: Thank God that your husband does not prevent your going to church, pilgrimage.

I think you need to be very careful. If he is annoyed at your catechesis in relation to him now, then you probably need to be restrained and pray. Pray all the time for your husband to come to God, to enter the Church and to become a believer through you, through your word. For him to believe he is not a monkey, but the image and likeness of God. But for this you need a lot of love, patience, meekness.

Life practice shows that if someone in the family comes to God and does not impose, does not argue, but tries to live in good conscience, to live with God, then the neighbors sooner or later will go to church.

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