Does anyone struggle with Acedia?

[Greatshield17]

It's a bit hard to describe, but Acedia refers to a lack of joy in the spiritual good; it's sort of like sloth, which is a sorrow of having to do the morally good, but Acedia goes much deeper than that. In Acedia there is a constant restlessness, especially in one's intellect; and one is constantly going from task to task, without any devotion or care, (Which is actually the etymology of Acedia, it comes from a Greek word meaning "carelessness" or "without care.") one's mind is always wanders away from the present, (often to the future) and one is often impatient for the day to be over. Acedia is often marked be a deep dissatisfaction with one's life and workaholic procrastination, in which one does a lot of things but gets nothing done.

Do anyone of you struggle with Acedia? (I certainly have, it's one of the reasons, if not the key reason why I'm having difficulties getting things done, although I did quite good today.) How common is Acedia among people of Autism-1?

An interesting side note, Acedia is often associated with a demon called the Noonday Devil, and this Noonday Devil has been identified with Nergal, the Mesopotamian god of the noonday sun. Mars, the Father of the Romans is considered to be the Roman equivalent of Nergal, and one of the key things that started Roman Imperial expansion, was that the Roman citizens would be let off there shifts at noon, and there would ultimately end up being riots and anarchy in the streets because the citizens didn't know how to spend the rest of their day. Thus the Consuls and later Caesars, would institute great building projects, bread and circuses, and ultimately wars of expansion, as coping methods to deal with that restlessness.

 

[Alexej]

Hi @Greatshield17

I looked back to find this thread since I suspected that acedia was not a term that would get a lot of responses, and I was right.

I know this terms from my reading of the Desert Fathers and Mothers. For them it was a daily experience, and I am sure that it remains so to this day. However, its manifestation may be different. I wonder what role social media and devices play today?

I know that sticking with it is a challenge at times and that challenge can be the challenge of acedia.

You ask if acedia is particularly prevalent among folks with Austism-1. I do not see a particular link here, but may be wrong on that one - why do you think there is a correlation particularly? IMHO I would veer towards acedia being endemic in society today and we are all susceptible to it (along with the other 7 principal vices).

 

[Greatshield17]

Give me sometime to respond, I'm working on a couple of things here.

 

[Greatshield17]

I wonder what role social media and devices play today?

I imagine that social media increases the restless aspect of Acedia with all of it available at your finger tips. Also, studies have shown that social media has contributed people having a lower sense of self-worth and so, contribute to the joyless aspect of Acedia; I myself remember hearing about people my age or younger doing various things and leaving me feeling like I have contributed very little to the Church.

You ask if acedia is particularly prevalent among folks with Austism-1. I do not see a particular link here, but may be wrong on that one - why do you think there is a correlation particularly?

Well, of course it will often vary from person to person; but I imagine our tendency to be idealistic and think more about the ideal and the contradiction between the ideal and reality, may make us more prone Acedia. Also, the more that I think of it, I think there may be a lot of societal factors in general that will makes us more prone to Acedia, specifically as Aspies.

IMHO I would veer towards acedia being endemic in society today and we are all susceptible to it (along with the other 7 principal vices).

Yeah, a lot of people say that Acedia is the primary sin of vice of this age, for many reasons; such as a consumer culture that actually reduces peoples' ability to enjoy life and be grateful for it.

 

[Alexej]

.. I myself remember hearing about people my age or younger doing various things me feeling like I have contributed very little to the Church.

I don't quite get your drift here. Have some words got lost in posting?

Also, the more that I think of it, I think there may be a lot of societal factors in general that will makes us more prone to Acedia, specifically as Aspies.

which societal factors are you thinking of?



Talking of this topic reminds me of the teaching from the Desert Fathers and Mothers on the principal vices.
One book that was written by Evagrius Ponticus is especially interesting in this regard and that is his book of Scriptures to quote back to the temptation when you are under the attack of temptation.

 

[Greatshield17]

I don't quite get your drift here. Have some words got lost in posting?

Sorry, I fixed it now; I meant that saw other Christians my achieving various successes and making great advances in their lives and me, feeling like I was falling behind.

which societal factors are you thinking of?

Well I can't remember exactly what I had in mind when I typed that; Maybe the fast paced nature of the society we live, which causes to neglect our thoughts so they wonder around pointlessly instead of harnessing them for the benefit ourselves and others?

I'll have to come back to you on that.

 

[Alexej]

I'll have to come back to you on that.

I look forward to your response