• La Civiltà Cattolica
  • Newsletters
  • Podcast
  • Contact us
  • Login
  • Register
SUBSCRIBE
LA CIVILTÀ CATTOLICA
Advertisement
  • Home
  • Church Life
    • Faith
    • Mission
    • People
    • Pope Francis
    • Spirituality
  • Church Thought
    • Doctrine
    • Scripture
    • Theology
  • Culture
  • Politics
  • Editions
  • Authors
  • Donate

No products in the cart.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Church Life
    • Faith
    • Mission
    • People
    • Pope Francis
    • Spirituality
  • Church Thought
    • Doctrine
    • Scripture
    • Theology
  • Culture
  • Politics
  • Editions
  • Authors
  • Donate

No products in the cart.

No Result
View All Result
LA CIVILTÀ CATTOLICA
No Result
View All Result
     
Home 2305

Thought Therapy: The revival of an ancient practice

Giovanni Cucci, SJBetty VarghesebyGiovanni Cucci, SJandBetty Varghese
May 10, 2023
in 2305, Edition, Embracing Our Humanity, Ethics, Faith, Full Text Article, Spirituality, Subscriber Only Articles, THE CHURCH AGAINST THE ‘UNJUSTIFIABLE’ WAR, Trending Article
0
Therapy
0
SHARES
662
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Those mysterious things within

Thoughts are part of us, accompanying us, advising us, but also disturbing us, discouraging us. Some people are so tormented by them that they cannot find peace, are unable to get rid of them and thus are prevented from leading a peaceful, active life.

This is certainly not a new problem; Christian spirituality has long dealt with it. St. Ignatius, thinking back to the decisive episode in his life that led him to work out the rules for discernment, had noted the difference in the kinds of thoughts that crowded into his mind: “Amazed at that diversity he began to reflect on it: from the experience he deduced that some thoughts left him sad, others cheerful” (Autobiography, no. 8). For Ignatius such diversity is so important that he describes it as “the first reflection he made on the things of God.”

However, the analysis of thoughts was known to the Christian spiritual tradition well before Ignatius. Evagrius Ponticus wrote a famous treatise, Against Evil Thoughts, which has become one of the classic texts for its treatment of major vices. Evagrius saw thoughts as the origin of evil actions which, repeated over time, become vices that undermine the will and especially suggest to the individual that the tendency to evil is invincible, to the point of leaving the person in the grip of a sense of total loneliness and despair.

Evil thoughts may not only lead you to do evil, but also take away your energy and prevent you from expressing the best in yourself. They persistently remind us of traumas suffered, failures, health concerns, tasks we cannot complete. They bring on self-loathing and the possibility we may not be appreciated by others; or they delude, suggesting an exaggerated sense of self to the point of believing yourself to be the center of the world.

This article is reserved for paid subscribers. Please subscribe to continue reading this article
Subscribe

Welcome to
La Civiltà Cattolica !
This article is reserved for paid subscribers
Please login or subscribe to continue reading this article
LOGIN
SUBSCRIBE
What is La Civiltà Cattolica?

Tags: Against Evil ThoughtsAutomatic thoughtsCFTChristian spiritualitycognitive distortionsCompassion Focused TherapyDeliberate behaviorDeuteronomy 6:5-7Evagrius PonticusExodus 24:7Gigi SabbioniMBCTmindfulnessMindfulness Based Cognitive TherapyOverthinking.Paul GilbertPaul RicœurRuminationSaint IgnatiusSenecaSpiritual ExercisesSt Thomas AquinasSumma Theologiae
Previous Post

‘This is God’s Style’: Pope Francis’ conversation with Hungarian Jesuits

Next Post

Lebanon in Crisis

Giovanni Cucci, SJ

Giovanni Cucci, SJ

Is a member of the College of Writers of La Civiltà Cattolica

Betty Varghese

Betty Varghese

Related Posts

Francis’ Vision for a Renewed Theology
Church Life

Francis’ Vision for a Renewed Theology

byJames Hanvey, SJ
May 29, 2023
Don Lorenzo Milani - Priest and Prior of Barbiana - La Civilta Cattolica
Church Life

Don Lorenzo Milani, Priest and Prior of Barbiana

byGiancarlo Pani SJ
May 26, 2023
China’s Role in the Reconciliation of Iran and Saudi Arabia
China

China’s Role in the Reconciliation of Iran and Saudi Arabia

byVladimir Pachkov, SJ
May 24, 2023
Children go to school in Tamil Nadu, India. (photo: Jesuit Refugee Service). -church-
Church Life

Renewing and Realizing the Social Doctrine of the Church

byCard. Michael Czerny, SJand1 others
May 22, 2023
Little Brother A Refugee's Odyssey Ibrahima Balde, Amets Arzallus Antia, Timberlake Wertenbaker
Book Review

‘Little Brother’ A Journey to Find the Truth

byClaudio Zonta SJ
May 19, 2023
Next Post
Demonstrators hold a Lebanese flag, lebanon

Lebanon in Crisis

Please login to join discussion

Subscription Offers

Premium Content

Ukraine: Economic, political and cultural context

Ukraine: Economic, political and cultural context

February 28, 2022
Culture and Politics in China: The May Fourth Movement, 1919

Culture and Politics in China: The May Fourth Movement, 1919

May 30, 2019
Cosmopolitics: Global common goods and new international institutions

Cosmopolitics: Global common goods and new international institutions

July 27, 2021

Browse by Category

BEATUS POPULUS CUIUS DOMINUS DEUS EIUS

The most respected digital Catholic journal from Rome. A must-read on all the present issues alive in the Church. Discover top Church scholars interpreting the history, politics, culture, science and art in the light of the Christian faith.

Categories

  Editions
  Church Thought
  Authors
  Church 
 
  Culture
  Perspective Series
  Politics & Socitey

 

About Us

   Contact Us
   La Civiltà Cattolica  
   China Forum
   Feedback
   Terms & Conditions
   Privacy Policy
    Email : [email protected]
My IP Address : 54.36.149.88
Facebook Twitter Instagram

© Union of Catholic Asian News 2023 | All Rights Reserved.
Except for any fair dealing permitted under the Hong Kong Copyright Ordinance, no part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without prior permission.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Church Life
    • Faith
    • Mission
    • People
    • Pope Francis
    • Spirituality
  • Church Thought
    • Doctrine
    • Scripture
    • Theology
  • Culture
  • Politics
  • Editions
  • Authors
  • Donate
SUBSCRIBE

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?
Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
  • Login
  • Sign Up
Forgot Password?
Lost your password? Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.

laciviltacattolica.com uses cookies and similar technologies to optimize the user experience,  analyze site traffic and communicate with subscribers. To read more about how we use cookies and how you can control them click on settings, or click Accept to start browsing our site.

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?
LA CIVILTÀ CATTOLICA
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.