You write that you are deprived of sight and spiritual instruction, but, O spiritual daughter, do not be faint-hearted and do not lose heart about this – the All-Merciful Lord is all-powerful and omnipotent to send us forever invisibly, according to our good will, ways and salvific examples, and He is able to send such most skilful elders to console us and nourish us with them for spiritual edification, only let us not weaken in our intention and ask the Lord with hope and good humor. And I am accursed, although in body I have been excommunicated from you for my unworthiness, but in spirit I am inseparable from you, and with these ill-compound lines I converse with you, face to face.

151. Sorrows are tolerated because of pride. Consider yourself the worst of all. Beware of addiction to the world. Think that you are the last in the monastery

You write that because of your pride sorrows are sent to you, you yourself are aware of what kind of pride it is, and we agree with this, so it is necessary to seek a cure for this ailment in the opposite pride, i.e. in humility, about which St. Isaac the Syrian writes in the 79th Sermon that unbearable sorrows are sent to the proud, — who is to blame for this, they themselves consider the cure in humility. And we advise you to seek this salvific medicine, and, recognizing yourself as heartily worthy of sorrows, accept them with patience and self-denial, as if you did not bear them. Thank God that He still spares you, not sending the greater, and in all your actions see that the enemy's seed – pride – does not act, but be reverent to your neighbors and consider yourself the worst of all, then, although reproach and reproach will come, imputing yourself worthy – you will bear more easily, and humility is more acquired, when we do not follow our reason and will, but listen according to God, to whom we have affection. Our fathers and teachers of our life have written at length about this, delve into their writings, such as St. Dorotheus, John Climacus and other saints who wrote about this virtue, how to acquire and seek it. And you try to follow this, and the Lord will not abandon you, and will ease your sorrow, and even console you, although you are afraid of your creditors and reprimands from them, God is also able to give them a feeling of compassion for you, and they will wait for your debt.

As for the weakness of your brethren, you cannot help this, you can advise them about abstinence, but in other things you must surrender them to God's Providence, He is able to strengthen His creation, if they so will, try to reconcile yourself to your parent, so that God's blessing may help you with his blessing.

Beware of addiction to the world, although it flatters you with calmness and consolation, they are so short-lived that you will not even see how you are deprived of them, but there will be a place of repentance, anguish, despondency and no consolation. You say that you wish to be in the monastery at least the last, so do this: when someone reproaches you, think that you are the last and worthy of it. May the Lord grant you according to your will to do good deeds in your pursuit. May the Lord forgive you for your repentance, and we, the unworthy, forgive and absolve, but this is only a consolation for you; however, she must certainly tell her confessor, although not in such detail, but covertly, for there the rite is performed and the prayer of absolution is read from the confessor.

May the Lord give you reason in everything, and may He preserve you, and protect you from all the snares of the enemy, and we, sending you our unworthy blessing, remain your pilgrims.

February 21, 1834.

152. Leaving a monastery, it is impossible to remain peaceful. In the monastery it is better to humble yourself

Glory to the Most-Merciful Lord, that He granted you the feeling of returning to the monastery, which was completely shaken. Even if you remain in the world, what does it matter to us: people live in peace and are peaceful, but you, having already devoted yourself to the monastic life and leaving it, could not be peaceful, and in maintenance it is doubtful that the brothers will always support you, perhaps they were diligent, but circumstances did not work out, for it is impossible to rely on a person, except for the One God.

Living in a monastery, although poorly, is more convenient for humility and you will humble yourself better. Thou hast asked thy parent's forgiveness according to thy strength, and though it is not said directly, yet all is peaceful, then be peaceful, and do not cease to reproach thyself, contemplating his guilt before him. The Lord will announce to him and give him a more compassionate feeling when you are at peace with Mother Anthia – this is your benefit: she, as you yourself know, does not need those who come, but accepts them out of compassion and obedience; Try not to allow strangers to come to her, and others not to endure rotten words that darken the world.

May the Lord forgive you, and we, the unworthy, forgive and absolve, and wish you peace, health and salvation.

March 14, 1834.

153. Entrust yourself and your neighbors to the Providence of the Heavenly Father: be more moderate and do not allow your heart to become immeasurably and recklessly distressed. On the Reception of Sisters and Brothers into the Cell

With a desire for peace and salvation, I will tell you according to my heart: one should not worry so much about the participation of one's relatives, but rather rely on the Lord in the patience of the soul, especially since such attachment, both calamitous for the heart, is alien to devotion to the Highest, and because all cases are not blind, but are led by the Providence of the Ruler of the World. No matter how sensitive we may be, we can never have so much compassion for our neighbors as our Creator, and the more sensitive we are to any object, the blinder we are in our minds about it, and for this reason we must most sacredly entrust ourselves and our neighbors to the Providence of the Heavenly Father, to be as moderate as possible, not to allow the heart to become immeasurably and recklessly distressed. Nor should you enter into their intermediary, when you have already entered into the most worthy of God's self-denial calling. About them, with all possible condolences, to say in one's soul: "The will of the Lord be done" and to cast sorrows on the Lord, and try to direct oneself in the Lord. "Treasure time: it is irretrievable, pay more attention to yourself, let your podvig consist in this!"