Is there any special psychological techniques from the monks to abstain from carnal temptations?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Athanasiy
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
A

Athanasiy

Guest
Spring has begun and again these maiden delights cut an eye with sexual irritants.
I’ve been studying chastity for years, but as soon as Spring comes, it seems like I just want to blindfold my eyes and to tie them.
How do monks stop sexual temptations?
Are there any old textbooks or manuals for the monks for the daily life to avoid temptations and sexual discomfort?
I already tried everything, and physical exercises, and sports training, and moderation in food, and Spartan deprivation, are there any other proven methods for walking in chastity?
 
Last edited:
I would add prayer, Scripture reading and as far as possible avoiding situations that offer temptation.

Will pray a rosary for you, that you have relief from these temptations.
 
You’ve been studying chasity for years ? Lol - blindfolded ?
Paul says treat older women as our moms
and the younger women as sisters.
Jesus said, better to gouge your eyes out then to end up roasting in Hell.
Cut your hand off with an axe - or something like that.
The gist is - you don’t want to harm yourself in that way -
 
Sexual desires can not be turned off, don’t even bother trying, it will merely drive you insane.

Sexual desires need to be controlled so as not to fall into lust.

The best techniques was given to me by a priest friend who told me that when he was in the seminary, they were told by a professor, they could look at a female for 30 seconds. After than, the mind will draw you down the path of falling into lust and further sin.

Jim
 
Monks / Sisters / Nuns / priests/ bishops/ cardinals etc are not some mystic people with anything different than anyone who is not. They have the same ability , strengths , and weaknesses as anyone else, they do the same thing as anyone else in times of temptation and that is refrain from what ever is tempting and to pray. Starving yourself and physical exercise may help to a degree the rest is just up to how long you can resist nothing more nothing less, expect to fail so you are not overwhelmed with grief when you do fall and be prepared to go to reconcilation.

I wouldnt hold any stock into what ever " spartan deprivation is " as it sounds off hand nothing more than tossing chicken bones on the ground and hoping for the best. Probably isn’t but still sounds like rubbish.

One thing to consider why would God create humanity with an active sex drive that only lessens with time and age and then declare it a sin to engage in self gratification so one isn’t pestered with the sex drive. An then the arguement of we are not animals comes into play but then that doesnt really answer anything it just side steps the actual question.
 
crookbackt said:
Plus you really don’t wanna cave into sexual temptation and then have to confess this to a priest who knows you.
Click to expand...
Not wanting to have to confess embarrassing stuff has been a powerful motivator for me. I simply can’t get all interested enough to start down the primrose path to sin if part of my brain is thinking, “And I’m gonna have to run down to church Saturday afternoon and tell all this to some priest half my age and feel like an idiot”.
 
Life disposes so that youth can not afford a woman.
Instead of full sexual life of youth it is necessary to forget about it and to devote itself to study, sports, a hobby.
More elder youth and even middle age is not always allows you to get married.
You have to learn, get a good job, save money.
It turns out that in the situation of modern life in early youth and even later youth have to sacrifice the most impulsive period in life.
 
For me, abstinence in chastity is a kind of personal record.
If you devote energy to other noble activities, abstinence is a kind of Don Quixote(tism)
The life of every human is a book, the memoir, in which this man - the hero and the main blockbuster.
To live a normal life like all of this is very pathetic.
In life, you need to set records, go through the impossible, to win new heights.
Thus came Abraham, Daniel, Amos,Job.
People like them were so many, they left for eternity in the unknown, but eternity remembers the book of their lives as a feat.
The bodies of these people have long been in cemeteries. The cemetery is quiet. No one will rise from the grave and asks you a second chance.
For all people who have already buried, you can’t beg the second chance from God, but while you’re on this earth, you have a chance to go through and prove the impossible.
You can prove that it is possible to get married being a virgin even in late age, and to get married without past !
You can prove that through chastity, you have reached and conquered many heights in other areas of life.
All beauty is in- Don Quixotism.
Then if the Lord God will allow you to live to a very old age, you will remember your life as the life of a Victor and not a permanent loser.
 
Last edited:
Maybe not to that extent, but…

if you can make yourself take a cold shower, or sleep on the floor, you’ll be way better able to say no to porn/adultery
 
Athanasiy said:
How do monks stop sexual temptations?
Click to expand...
Monks and nuns, priests, and anyone who wants to live a chaste life do not “stop sexual temptation” or any other temptation. We can avoid near occasions of sin, but most of the time we just cope with temptation and resist it by the power of the Holy Spirit. The choice to live a chaste life does not mean a person has no temptations.

I am curious that you are looking for “psychological techniques”? The life of a disciple has spiritual techniques. This is not to say that none of them have psychological benefit, but the solution to carnal temptations is spiritual, not “psychological”. This is a battle between good and evil, and the only successful victory is found in Christ.
Athanasiy said:
Are there any old textbooks or manuals for the monks for the daily life to avoid temptations and sexual discomfort?
Click to expand...
Yes, of course, there are volumes written on spiritual disciplines. For most of us in religious life, it is the Liturgy of the Hours. Praying throughout the day, every day, orients our hearts and minds toward Christ. The reading of scripture and participation in sacramental life will help replace carnal temptations with sources of spiritual grace.

One classic is The Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis
Athanasiy said:
I already tried everything, and physical exercises, and sports training, and moderation in food, and Spartan deprivation, are there any other proven methods for walking in chastity?
Click to expand...
I commend you for your efforts, and these are all good methods, but unless your efforts are grounded in allowing the Holy Spirit to work in and through you, they will not likely be effective.

Read Romans 7:13-25, then read the solution in Rom. 8:1.
 
I think the relative isolation of monastic life (and the “limited” access to pornography, to put it one way) greatly reduces a monastic’s “opportunities” (again, to put it another way) to express their sexuality.
 
Athanasly,
It is mind over matters. It is meditation. NEVER WATCH MOVIES OR READ BOOKS W WORLDLY CONTENT. Read religious books and watch religious movies. Watch EWTN. Keep your life full of work, Church, Biblestudies. Retreats. Religious Book clubs. If you take all worldly stimulation away, it can be better. You must put yourself in a Holy Bubble. Seeing attractive women at work will only be your weak spot. Think of them as your SISTER. She will be your Sister in Christ.
Now, this is old. It shouldn’t be done. It dawned on me, one day. Why did the religious in olden days flagellate? I feel it was to heat their passionate thoughts. Don’t do it! Cold showers where applicable.
Certain things happen at night that you can’t help. As far as dreams— a company sells easy music w an underlying thread at a certain soundwave that lulls us to sleep. They have products for soothing dogs, babies, and some to encourage studying. Google soothing soundwave therapies?!!!
In Christ’s Love
Tweedlealice

Jesus, Lover of chastity, Mary, Mother most pure, and Joseph, chaste guardian of the Virgin, to you I come at this hour, begging you to plead with God for me. I earnestly wish to be pure in thought, word and deed in imitation of your own holy purity.

Obtain for me, then, a deep sense of modesty which will be reflected in my external conduct. Protect my eyes, the windows of my soul, from anything that might dim the luster of a heart that must mirror only Christlike purity.

And when the “Bread of Angels becomes the Bread of me” in my heart at Holy Communion, seal it forever against the suggestions of sinful pleasures.

Heart of Jesus, Fount of all purity, have mercy on us.
 
You have tried physical solutions for a spiritual problem.

Instead of trying to do from lust, strive for the beauty and self-discipline of chastity: move towards something good rather than beating down something bad.

And in striving for chastity, lean on God; we can’t do it ourselves and it is prideful to think we can. God is waiting for you to ask for His help.
 
I heard some foods like meat and chicken make people have more lust urges.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top