A review of Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives

It was suggested that I read this book by one of my friends. And it is one of the best “Orthodox Books” I’ve ever read. It has helped me a lot, the wisdom recorded has taken me a bit to understand fully but I think I’m closer to it after letting it sit for a bit.

Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica is a very interesting person. He lead what from my opinion was very great life. An account of it is also found in the book. He had a lung disorder and was given five years to live which he surpassed to be 88.

A high-level overview of his teachings are that everything that we think about will influence how we act in the real world, a concept referred to as warring against someone in our heads, and the necessity to maintain the “inner peace” in prayer. Every chapter covers these things from various different angles, featuring quotes from scripture and the fathers and sayings related to all of the subjects.

This is a man who saw his country change after ww2, who saw the direction that Serbians were going and sought to advise people against it. This modern way of life that to him was completed inverted and not-conducive to a spiritually productive and peaceful life. I’m not Serbian (not in the slightest), I’m not old, I’m quite young. Though do believe that many places around the world have gone in a direction that is not spiritually beneficial. The modern world tends to make us anxious, paranoid, hyperactive and quick to jump to conclusions.

I liked the chapters on family life, specifically that children should obey their parents and that parents shouldn’t be so quick to give their children everything they ask for. Because when they grow up they will be discontented, demanding, and unstable.

One particular section covers how we cannot war against someone with our thoughts. It specifically talked about this regarding two co-workers. How we approach someone in our head will determine how we interact with them in our day to day life. I was doing this. I hate one of my co-workers (I still do) and would constantly think of how “the moment she messes up and tries to blame it on anything else or tries to avoid doing her job I’m gonna chew her out like this!” which affects my work. Similarly when I hold anything people did (or that I percieved had done) to me against them. However, when I forget about this and instead pray and do my job in sincerity. Everything has goes much better. Whenever I have strayed away from this, and especially into anxiety/fantasy about the future it all goes to pot.

The Christian life is a life of struggle. Whether you’re a monastic (like elder Thaddeus), your married, or single wondering what parth you ought to traversethere is struggle. The elder’s teachings speak about how we have to control our thoughts to focus on the lord if we expect to profit from that struggle. Me and the friend who recommended me this book had a conversation about it. He believes it would be a wonderful book to add to our parish’s reading list for catechumens. I think that on such a list it ought to be around the end or the exact middle of it if that is done.

If you wish to read this book it is published by the St. Herman of Alaska Botherhood. I would highly recommend it: Perchase the book from here or your local Orthodox Church Bookstore

Selected Quotes

“Our Life depends on the kind of thoughts we nurture. If our thoughts are peaceful, calm, meek, and kind, then that is what our life is like. If our attention is turned to the circumstances which we live, we are drawn into a whirlpool of thoughts and can have neither peace nor tranquility.” Pg. 63
“If you want to bring someone onto the right path, to teach and advice him, then you must humble yourself first and talk to the person with a lot of love” Pg. 76
“The children of intellectuals whose every wish was fulfilled by their parents when they were young don’t know what they want anymore, so in the end many become Satanists. They have already tried everything, and now they openly serve Satan! Many of them even commit suicide — may God preserve us from this terrible sin! Since they are not able to live their lives, they cannot take care of others and have their own families. We cannot hope that they will have a good future.” Pg.79
“How do our parents know whether we are good children and love them? If They see that we respect and obey their words” Pg. 79
“God wants married people to be of one mind. By disobeying God’s commandment they create an atmosphere of hades in their homes.” Pg. 80
“Look at us: as soon as our mood changes, we no longer speak kindly to our fellow men, but instead we answer them sharply. We only make things worse by doing this” Pg. 88
“Humility is a Divine property and the perfection of the Christian life. It is attained through obedience. He who is not obedient cannot attain humility. There are very few in the world today who have obedience. Our humility is in proportion to our obedience. Physical, outward humility is easier to attain than inner humility, humility of the mind.” Pg. 89
“It is always best to keep silent at large gatherings. Let the others bring out their suggestions. We should keep silent. If you absolutely must say something, then say it so as not to offend anything’s dignity. It is better not to become involved. Mind your business and try to keep your peace.” Pg. 98
“We fear what tomorrow will bring, what the future has in store for us…. That is an animal-like fear. The fear of God is when you love Him, when you truly love Him with all your heart and your strive never to offend or sadden Him — not only with your deeds, actions, and words, but also with your thoughts.” Pg. 98
“We must free ourselves from the obsession of thoughts. We fall many times during our life, and it is absolutely necessary to reveal everything in Confession before a priest who is a witness to our repentance” Pg. 103
“when we seek the Lord from the heart, He is here! He is our Parent. Our parents in the flesh want our attention; they want us to return the love they have givven us. But what happens? Very often we make them sorrowful. So when seek God we must do so from the heart. When we endeavor to do everything from the heart, then we have sincere, warm prayer, a love for our parents and neighbors, and the Lord is with us.” Pg. 107
“without God is it not possible to love oneself, even. Many people become depressed and hopeless and attempt to take their own lives, for without God we cannot even love ourselves, let along our friends, family, and neighbors — or our enemies for that matter.” Pg. 121
“…a family man who has a home and a family and who knows how to do his job well but is doing this job against his will. That is how inner resistance builds up.If we do not learn to rid ourselves of this inner resistance, we will not be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven and dwell among the angels and the saints. For we have acquired the habit of always opposing one thing or another, as there is always something that is against our will. We have not learned to be obedient to the will of God but always want our will to be done. Well, in that case there will be no place for us in heaven.” Pg. 133
“When children are small they usually pray to God for their parents. Becuase they are young, they receive Grace. Later when they are grown, if God wills it, they will feel joy and a state of blessedness, which is a foretaste of the Kingdom of Heaven, where angels and saints dwell. God allows this first spiritual awakening, which is received without struggle on their part, so that later their sould will yearn after the joy and blessedness they felt. When it is in this state of blessedness, the soul has no need of anything that is of this world. Such a soul is quiet and meet and does not know anger, for the person is in a state of Grace” Pg. 139
“You must strive to have peace in your homes. Peace starts with each one of us. When we have peace in us, we spread it around to others. You can see for yourself that there are very few humble and meek souls on the earth-but also that they are truly blessed. They will not be offended if you insult them in any way. Whatever way you treat them, they are quiet and peaceful and they are truly sorrowed because you are in such spiritual torment.” Pg. 153