749 (‘NOUS’-MIND/ BRAIN/ SOBRIETY/ PRAYER/ PHILOKALIA) We should be aware, my brethren, that as man is a dual entity (comprising soul and body), we do have both ‘nous’ (mind) and brain.
‘Nous’ belongs to the soul and the brain to the body. We should also be aware that the task of the ‘nous’ (mind) is to pray without ceasing through and in the heart and not to think through the brain!
And the brain will simply carry out the suggestions of the (enlightened) nous and thus everything will be in order! We, most of the time, not to say always, operate the ‘nous’ (mind) by using our brain and in the end, what we manage to do is not to take the right decisions and thus the whole thing becomes a headache… And in extreme cases, people with a lot of this kind of stress – on something that may torment them too much – may even have a stroke! So, I repeat:
The job of the ‘nous’ (mind) is to pray unceasingly through and in the heart, and the brain will simply carry out the suggestions of the (enlightened) ‘nous’, and thus we will maintain our sobriety and calmness, but our decisions will also be enlightened… Do not act hysterically and hastily in the face of a matter presented to you.
Let your ‘nous’ (mind) pray through the heart (in the area of the chest) and when you get insight information about what is right and what must be done, carry on… Today’s man is very weary from the strain on his mind and brain.
We are in need, my brethren, of Sobriety and Prayer. If you too are tired of this strain, I would recommend to you our 95 Sermons on the Philokalia and the Jesus Prayer, which we have in the course of the last years presented in the ‘Archontariki’ (Guest House/Reception) of our Monastery. (*) I believe that the all-powerful Jesus Prayer is already well known: «LORD JESUS CHRIST, SON OF GOD, HAVE MERCY ON ME» You may find them on our YouTube channel “PHILOKALIA”, Playlist: You may also find a graceful and beautiful book related to this matter which is called:

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If you want to listen to the 95 Homilies (as audio), on the “Pantokrator” website, you can find them here (you can download them one by one): To download all 95 Homilies (in audio) and listen to them offline, click: For the Keynotes of the Homilies: