The root cause of depression (St. Porphyrios)

Nowadays people often feel sadness, despair, lethargy, laziness, apathy, and all things satanic. Saint Porphyrios talks about turning this satanic energy into good energy.
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Saint Porphyrios:
"Some time ago, a lady came to me and told me she suffers from depression.
Depression... It is an unpleasant feeling that crushes you from the inside-out. You can not think... You can only think about that... You think you have serious thoughts... while in fact you are prisoner of an idea...
I asked her if she knows to play music. "I have a piano, but I have abandoned everything due to my depression. I have stopped it due to my depression, I live on pills. I don't want anything. I don't take care of my home anymore... I have abandoned my music. I have forgotten everything.
I told her many things about music... I told her that above everything else is the love of God. It is the greatest thing that captures the soul because it is not only an act of the soul towards God... but it is the grace of God that fills the soul and transforms it...
What previously captured the soul was a power of the soul. And instead of making something good out of it, the devil turned it into torturing depression...
I told her to start playing piano again... little by little... And most of all... I told her to pray... and to try to know and love Christ...
The main reason for depression and all evil things like lethargy, laziness, apathy, and with those, so many psychological things... that torture us... is that there is such a big ego in you..."

[@otelders]

English subtitles: facebook.com/otElders/videos/522843684861408/

[@kiflomfesseha16]

"There is such a big ego in you" absolutely true, because I have experienced it myself....

[@briankristensen349]

@GoldenChannel I think ego can lead to depression, because it can get our focus away from God.

[@MissRikkiKat]

@GoldenChannel Ego forces you to go towards perfection. You strive to be above everyone else, without regard for your abilities, and you strive to do it mostly yourself, without truly relying on God. This is, in other words, pride, vanity. It makes you dissatisfied with what you have accomplished and makes you think you deserve more, and you must do more. This is what happens to me. I am fasting now, but my fast was not fortified by prayer and reliance on God. I found it difficult, I had no will to prepare fasting food for myself and felt indifferent most of the day towards anything. I succumbed to the desires of my stomach and ate what I shouldn't have. Yet, instead of feeling guilty about it because I have betrayed the Lord and His love, I feel ashamed because, how could I have fallen? I, who has fasted before with ease? I stumbled and I was weak. This is ego, pride tormenting me, and I am suffering now because I believed that I was above such petty sins as gluttony. Instead, I should be sad that I showed I love our Lord less than the food. I'm sorry, I wrote an entire confession here, but this is how it was with me and my ego. What is more, my very ego could be the one making me confess this in public, in order to ease my burning consciousness.

[@kaijughidorah8902]

This hit me like a punch to the face. I know it's true, but egoic me wants to deny it. God willing, I will heal from this too.

[@kaijughidorah8902]

@@MissRikkiKat Ego is fickle. Your words have helped me tremendously. Thank you.

[@midomeilyn2741]

The main reason for depression & all evil things like lethargy, laziness, apathy and with those, so many psychological things that torture us is that there is such a big ego in you. Amin. Thank you father.

[@hesychastmonk7678]

*Charity a.k.a. brotherly love, and serving others, can conquer Ego (which is latin/greek for "I".) Self love is the root of Pride and also the focal point of satanism, "Do what thou will." God desires we love Him first then neighbor and ourselves last.* St. Porphyrious, bless you we love you, please pray for us!

[@josiahb5229]

The Protestant summer camp I grew up going to and whose leadership also became the leadership of the Protestant Church I grew up in had this teaching called "The I'm 3rd Motto" that goes "God first, others second, I'm third". This motto, based on the commandments of Christ to "seek ye first the Kingdom of Heaven" and "Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself", is what in my adult life, since those who raised me planted this motto deep in my heart, lead me into the Orthodox Church eventually. Glory to God for all things, the right disposition can be captured in this simple I'm Third motto that if one focuses all of their energy on it, God will come and save such a person.

[@SymeonPhronema]

Too bad there's not more. Thanks be to God that we have St. Porphyrios to hear during his recording.

[@ReimaginedFairyTales]

There is more: here is 43 min of him talking about depression. kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4TNmXaBgqiemLc

[@paulwilliams9207]

The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. Now there's a simple answer to depression! Very well explained, thank you Father.

[@alonelyrevert]

As a musician who has struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts this was literally a godsend to here 💚

[@podcast1560]

Although most of problems are a result of ego, sometimes depression can be caused by other reasons. Thanks for the enlightening words! God bless!

[@Amir.habibi]

Depression is to sink in your worldly Self and forget your heavenly Self. Remembrance of the one True Self is abundance of Joy.

[@mimimoonie]

Above everything else is the love of God. So many psychological things that torture us ...is that there’s such a big ego in you.

[@tessalogan586]

You maybe right ?

[@vasilicamunteanu2594]

Multumesc lu Bunul Dumnezeu ca si eu am trecut prin- tro urâtă depresie , rugaciunea si postul meu salvat Doamne da putere la toată lumea sa poata sa duca suferinta Amin

[@easternorthodoxchristianch5645]

Thank you for an amazing video. Pray unto God for us, o Holy St. Porphyrious

[@anothercat1300]

Pride comes before the fall

[@Tidnull]

I get depressed when God stops doing MY will.

[@Z_1917]

Ego is man's greatest downfall into destruction of himself, and those around him, including nature! Let go of EGO ... connect to the spirit of God ... experience total freedom of soul. Do away with unforgivenness and just love the always the Creator who is love wants you to love. When should you bring change in your life? Now & Today & Everyday ... bring positive change. God loves you and there is a HOPE he offers, Eternal Life!

[@MissRikkiKat]

Thank you!

[@kyriosbooks8400]

Thank you very much for english subtitles.. We will translate some of this.. Blessings

[@otelders]

God bless! It would be great if you could add the subtitles on our channel as well: kzbin.info_cs_panel?tab=2&c=UCemG7pFlyetQDzSgJogfekw

[@pbwbh]

My ego is enormous and causes me much misery.

[@lisasmith1850]

I love these Fathers. God bless you in sharing.

[@bobaffair]

Sage words from the Saint, but my goodness the phone . . . I guess I need to work on my equanimity

[@otelders]

:)

[@svsvsbsvz8419]

დიდი წმინდანია შეგვეწიოს მისი მეოხება უფლის წინაშე

[@motherpedar3592]

It is true,big ego root of many problem.mercy of your advise

[@annemcquade7185]

Thank you Saint Porphyrios! Very interesting! Perhaps some ego is necessary or we might be completely non human. Just to let you know that about 20 minutes ago I woke up to the Holy Spirit being in tune within me to the music of "He is exalted!" God Bless you. A few weeks ago I woke up to the Holy Spirit within me relating the music of Simon Choralsky ( the former introduced to me by the latter!) And on that ocassion it was to the sound in music of his voice singing: "How great thou art!" Considering what we as brothers and sisters, are enduring world wide with the Covid -19 virus, I suggest it would indeed be wondrous if all together, world wide, we consistently sang at least these two wonderful songs/hymns, which indeed pay special tribute and great Glory to God. Be assured that even in darkness especially in the form of death- which "only looks like annihilation"- God and His Holy Family are with us all the way. God Bless us all. Further, such music in itself, enables us to disregard all ego, in return for true and Holy worship and praise of God - an infinite inner heavenly quality in itself- which no money can buy! Finally, may I thank Simon (and the woman/wife he introduced) in sharing their songs of worship freely, while singing praise with great Glory to God! Deepest " thank you" to you Saint Porphyrios too. Please Pray that God gifts us all with the joy in ability to Love Him and one another, here and world wide. Such is both a "Teaching" of God, as well as a lottery filled True and beautiful Gift of God! Alleluia Praise the Lord Amen xxx In others words, only God's abundant Grace can fill us with such wondrous uplifting LOVE wherever we are in the world (and in any circumstances), and raise us into the heavenly realm, even as we each and all, journey here on earth! God Bless you all and "Thank you" dear Saint Porphyrios! Amen Lots of love in God Anne (from Scotland, UK). xxx Thank you!

[@pawelsawicki7003]

It’s Amazing

[@DChristina]

Love his book Wounded By Love! Great to hear his voice here- but the subtitles would sometimes just flash on for a split second, unreadable. And that phone kept ringing! But thanks for this anyway💕

[@artdanks4846]

I found the phone in the background to be charming. Mainly because St. Porphyius LOVED talking on the phone to people. So, to me, this kind of brought out a very specific specific part of his personality.

[@NightShade671]

We now know from medical science and biochemistry, that a lot of times depression has a physical cause, not a spiritual or psychological cause.

[@otelders]

It could be more complex, indeed. But everything is in the hands of God... if we live as true Christians perhaps He will take care of the physical causes...

[@justinayers3589]

Couldn't the latter precede the former? You can be so psychologically scared or upset that it causes you to feel physically sick, for example.

[@NightShade671]

@@otelders God can take care of physical causes to mental problems, but it's abuse to advise them to stop taking medication, and to trust in God alone. Sometimes God uses medicine. And in all probability, God is not going to heal people. It's hypocritical to expect people with mental health problems to trust God, instead of taking medicine, but allowing yourself and others to take medicine for things like diabetes, heart ailments, cancer, etc.

[@user-ce4cc2eu2d]

Physical is rarely to say the east separated from the spiritual and psychological... They all go more or less together

[@NightShade671]

@@user-ce4cc2eu2d The people who hold to the spiritual cause of depression and mental illness, know nothing about the science and biochemistry of the brain. It is totally abusive to blame someone for being sinful, or nonspiritual, because he has depression. It is physical, and has nothing to do with spiritual reality. If someone cuts their finger, it doesn't mean there is a spiritual problem with them.

[@AleksandarAleksiev_]

Thank you!

[@fitsumgarredew9624]

So if I succeed in removing my Ego, does that mean God will take away my sadness and my laziness?

[@yurisv7315]

If you "work" towards the salvation of you and your dear ones and if you pray to God, yes.

[@jetlinjacob6137]

@@yurisv7315 Salvation is a gift of God through his grace in his only Son, Christ Jesus, our Lord.

[@yurisv7315]

@@jetlinjacob6137 Yes, it is true, but that does not mean that everyone will be saved based on their mere belief, despite all of their sins.

[@jetlinjacob6137]

@@yurisv7315 If we claim to know the truth then go on to continue sinning without remorse then we never knew him in the first place and we were liars. One cannot truly know the Lord then ignore what he set before us, which is to live holy lives.

[@youthful6098]

Yes. When there's no ego, God lives inside you. I don't say that the human's will cannot be good, but because it's small compared to God's will which is great and unlimited; He can do much, much more for the human than the human can do for himself.

[@sandachera9471]

Felicitări

[@markeedeep]

Some cold water to splash over the head every now and again.. this particular recording always reminds me how violent the world has become, I found myself gradually growing a thick skin in response to it, but never truly happy because of that. You can violently defend yourself if necessary, yet whoever wanted to live in a world full of violence in the first place?

[@xenia7067]

While his words may be true, this doesnt take into account chemical imbalances. To reduce the issue to “ego” is an error, I believe.

[@otelders]

He mainly refers to a spiritual source of depression... there are other biological factors, as you mentioned...

[@xenia7067]

@@otelders Thank you for clarifying! Agree!

[@coeur8042]

@@xenia7067 I believe it is possible that chemical imbalances to be the result of state of the soul. I saw many people fall into depression because a loved person of theirs died and begin to take pills. :( Those chemical imbalances cannot come from nothing. The soul can influence the body at least as much the body can influence the state of mind. Our inner spiritual world is the one that influences all we encounter, including illness or anything else. If we take care of our own soul in time then we will not encounter such things! All with God's will!

[@veronicasoler6106]

@@coeur8042 I have been strugglin with depression for years and I love God.

[@adrianc1264]

'Chemical inbalance' is a catch-all term coined by the pharmaceutical industry to force drugs on the public. There is no such thing as chemical inbalance, it literally has no meaning and has never been explained, just repeated as 'science'.

[@esde3667]

If we just ask Jesus to help us to pray and also listen to the word of God each day at the liturgy u will hear God's words for u and u will forget ur sadness as u feel it's Jesus talking to you and for u to pray to Jesus all the more through meditating the mystery of the Rosary. No pills and doctors needed. Only ppl who love and understand us we need and if u don't have just be. God is above our hearts. God will answer us.

[@JudithMatta]

The Jesus Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ have mercy on me, a sinner - with mind contained within the heart so all of me prays. Rosary is the opposite mind separates from words on lips, fractures my thoughts keeps them outside my words of prayer to God. Be wise and burn the rosary please as a snare which seems right but causes anger because of the division of the person in its method.

[@fayezmahfoud1316]

❤❤

[@o.g.6221]

so how do we fade and jesus get bigger? how do we let go of ourselves?

[@otelders]

We can start by giving thanks to Him for everything... thankfulness is the easiest way.

[@reg8297]

I been depressed since I was 3

[@otelders]

He mainly refers to a spiritual source of depression... there are other biological factors as well...

[@nickmoser7785]

Is there an english transcript of the audio

[@otelders]

All the videos on our channel have English subtitles. If they don't appear automatically please try to activate them using the CC button/Settings-Subtitles-English or use another device (Laptop, PC , tablet). For this particular video, the transcript is here: otelders.org/ro/orthodox-psychotherapy/the-root-cause-of-depression-st-porphyrios/

[@louisaccardi2268]

Why is that phone ringing? We want to hear the words of this man of God.

[@cB3n.5jBtAA9.-a]

Pas de traduction en français.....

[@otelders]

otelders-org.translate.goog/orthodox-psychotherapy/the-root-cause-of-depression-st-porphyrios/?_x_tr_sl=en&_x_tr_tl=fr&_x_tr_hl=en

[@ralph7545]

Subtitles in english ?

[@otelders]

It has English subtitles. Make sure to activate them using the CC/Captions button on your device.

[@tessalogan586]

It was subtitled .

[@johnparker4484]

The phone ringing in this makes it almost unbearable to watch

[@Calciu_83]

I despair because of illness and addiction. Not ego

[@otelders]

:(

[@wmnoffaith1]

For Heaven Sake, was that the devil calling on the phone to stop the interview? I wish someone had turned off the ringer. It's like when a woman let's a baby scream through an entire sermon so that noone can hear it.

[@sak6724]

Your comment really saddens me. No woman “let’s” her baby scream through an entire sermon. The baby is being a baby! This mother is bringing her baby to church to take Holy Communion and believe me,she’s stressed out from negative looks and comments. Instead of giving her a look,we can try to smile at her… A nice smile that says: “ It’s ok, don’t worry it’s a baby…” Did you ever think that maybe God is testing our patience? This is one of the reasons why families with young children don’t come to church anymore.

[@wmnoffaith1]

@@sak6724 Well, judging from your comment I guess your in the camp that lets their baby scream through a service. When I was a child we went to church every Sunday, but we were taught to behave because it was the house of God; not a place to talk and fool around. When families with children get looks, people are basically saying "Why are you not teaching your children to have discipline?". One of the Orthodox monks did a whole sermon on this; children controlling their parents instead of the other way around. Babies and toddlers are different; if you know your baby is fussy and a crier, you bring a bottle, a pacifier or nook, a juice cup, Whatever, to soothe them. If they can't be soothed. one parent usually walks the child out to the lobby, or the back of the church, or even out on the steps until it stops crying. Many times it needs a diaper change in the car. Then, when the baby is calm, or the sermon is over, you bring the baby back in. This is the way it was when I was growing up, and this is what I did with my own son, who I used to bring on Sunday and also to daily mass every morning as a preschool child. You just have to have consideration for others. It isn't fair to make everyone miss what the priest is saying, because a parent won't be considerate. Parents get looks from people, because we know we were considerate of others when our children were young, and we don't understand why some parents today just let their children misbehave and talk in church, and let their babies scream as if they are the only ones there.

[@artdanks4846]

@@wmnoffaith1 I found the phone in the background to be charming. Mainly because St. Porphyius LOVED talking on the phone to people. So, to me, this kind of brought out a very specific specific part of his personality.

[@gabrielgabriel5177]

Well this does not help me. Other people get heaven here on earth and also they will inherit heaven in afterlife. Why they can have such a huge ego and enjoy from sex and beatiful girls and they will have eternal life?

[@Sam-vg8so]

?