The Spiritual Roots of Procrastination Fr. George Morelli •
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Un produs
Traducere T raducere
"Procrastination is the thief of time" wrote an n!lish poet almost three hundred ears a!o# Procrastination bede$ils nearl e$erone althou!h some stru!!le more with it than others# %odern clinical pscholo! has compiled useful research concernin! this all too common malad that lends l ends important insi!ht into its nature and causes and pro$ides some useful tools in o$ercomin! it# At the same time& much of what modern scientic pscholo! has learned is not all that new# (ou (ou could sa that these these clinicians redisco$ered redisco$ered what man of the Church )athers tau!ht centuries a!o# As discussed in pre$ious essas *%orelli& essas *%orelli& +,,-cd.& the ndin!s of scientic pscholo! can be used to help practice pra ctice the teachin!s of Christ as understood b the )athers# )athers# Wh do we assert that the ndin!s of scientic pscholo! and the writin!s of the )athers ou!ht to be considered in tandem/ The answer lies in the con!ruence between the data compiled b scientic clinicians and the 0nowled!e possessed b the )athers# )athers# Put another wa& the conclusions that clinicians ha$e drawn about human beha$ior are often the same as what the )athers )athers tau!ht about it# 1f the
were correct about what we can see& mabe we should e2amine what the said about those thin!s we can't see# The )athers more readil enter the areas of human e2perience that the scientic method cannot penetrate *the content and meanin! of the spiritual life& the !race of 3od that enli$ens us& etc#.# Althou!h free of the philosophical and cultural dependencies practiced b those who espouse moral relati$ism& unscientic pscholo! *pschoanalsis and pschodnamics.& and political correctness *feminism& !a marria!e& etc#.& the )athers did not operate in a $acuum# Their startin! point was the teachin! of Christ passed on to His Apostles and canoni4ed as the Hol 5cripture b the Church& as well as the consistent praer& worship& and dail practices of the Church# Their startin! point was the spo0en teachin! of Christ to His Apostles and disciples# Christ's teachin! was passed on to the Church initiall b "word of mouth and letter" *+ Thessalonians +6 7897:. and subse;uent written teachin!s selected and canoni4ed as the Hol 5criptures 0nown toda b the Church *Peli0an& +,,:.# The written canoni4ed teachin! were ne$er meant to be separated from the oral teachin!s tau!ht and passed down b the successors of the Apostles as witnessed in the praer& worship& architecture& icons and dail practices of the Church held fast b !enerations of bishops& priests and hol fathers *7 Corinthians 776+< +67=& 8,.# 1n this essa 1 will rst e2amine the contributions of pscholo!ical science to understandin! the denition and process of procrastination# )ollowin! that is an o$er$iew of the contributions of the >rthodo2 Church )athers on the same sub?ect# We will disco$er that when the modern pscholo!ical insi!hts are incorporated into the teachin!s of the )athers& the nature of procrastination emer!es with more clarit and the inter$entions emploed i n o$ercomin! the a@iction can be more fruitfull applied#
Realistic versus Unrealistic Procrastination )rom the outset& two tpes of procrastination ha$e to be distin!ished6 realistic $ersus unrealistic procrastination# Contemporar scientic pscholo!ical research and clinical in$esti!ations ha$e helped understand this distinction more accuratel# ealistic procrastination occurs when a person ma not ha$e the phsical or mental abilit to accomplish a tas0 or is pre$ented from performin! a tas0 b an appropriate authorit# 1n a strict sense these situations are not appropriatel labeled procrastination# 5ome people don't accuratel assess their abili ties or lac0 of control and thus mislabel themsel$es as procrastinators# )or e2ample a color blind person ma dela redecoratin! a room because he cannot see all colors clearl# Appropriate inter$ention would be to aid such indi$iduals to accuratel and realisticall appraise their abilities and control# >n the other hand& unrealistic procrastination stems from an2iet or depression that has no basis in realit# Procrastination is not a pschiatric dia!nosis howe$er& thus the beha$ior elements of procrastination *puttin! thin!s oB& delain!
beha$iors& missin! deadlines& etc#. are cate!ori4ed under other dia!noses such as >r!anic and 5ubstance Disorders& Pschotic Disorders& %ood Disorders& An2iet Disorders and Personalit Disorders *American Pschiatric Association& Dia!nostic and 5tatistical %anual of %ental Disorders& )ourth dition& Te2t e$ision D5%919TE& +,,,.# 1rrespecti$e of the oFcial dia!nostic disorders& people do report problems initiatin! and completin! tas0s# The conse;uences of such unrealistic dela are social and occupational dsfunction# )or e2ample& the procrastinator ma not return phone calls from friends and ac;uaintances to the detriment of their social life# The ma fail to initiate important tas0s or dela their completion on the ?ob thereb underminin! $ocational stabilit# 1n case such as these& pscholo!ical inter$entions tar!etin! procrastination can be emploed independentl of a pschiatric dia!nosis or also incorporated into treatment procedures for the dia!nosable disorders listed abo$e#
A Psychological Model of Procrastination %ost people are confused about the precise meanin! of procrastination# >ften the include the delain! of one tas0 because the were occupied b others# This is not procrastination in the pscholo!ical denition of the term but the confusion ne$ertheless creates problems of its own# 1nstead of focusin! on the specic tas0 that needs completion& the person labels himself *or others. as la4< a term lled with surplus pscholo!ical meanin! that in man cases is meant as a description of his bein! or essence that shuts oB a meanin!ful plan to o$ercome the dela# 1t can also mas0 other underlin! problems# To help for!e a wor0able denition of procrastination& a pscholo!ical model *Gec0& 7==:< Gurns& 7==< Inaus& 7=J=& %orelli& +,,-c. was de$eloped that drew from scientic clinical research# 1t unco$ered some of the co!niti$e elements that tri!!er the emotional factors that contribute to procrastination# These elements include6 •
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Emotional reasoning: An indi$idual ma tell themsel$es somethin! li0e& "1 can onl do somethin! if 1 li0e it or if 1 am in the mood" or "Tas0s should be eas#" Magnifcation: A person ma erroneousl tell themsel$es that a tas0 is more diFcult and complicated that it reall is# Perectionism: A person ma set !oals that are set unrealisticall hi!h and demand the attain them# Mind reading: A person ma thin0 others will label them as "failures" if a tas0 is not done accordin! to a certain *man times unrealistic. standard# The ma also label themsel$es as "failures#" 1f a tas0 is delaed or not done howe$er& the failure label will not appl#
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Comortable discomort: A person ma be unhapp that a tas0 is not completed but the discomfort that he feels is more comfortable than the fear and apprehension of ta0in! on somethin! new# Devaluation or minimization: A person ma minimi4e the importance of a tas0 the thin0 about startin! and thus de9moti$ate themsel$es to ta0e the rst step# Should statements: A person tells themsel$es the "should& must& or ou!ht" to do a tas0 and respond with !uilt when the obser$e their inaction *see6 %orelli& +,,-a.# Coercion reaction: A person ma not want others to tell him what he should be doin! and feels resentful when the do# $en in situations in which the person wants the same outcome& he will react in oppositional was in order to maintain the feelin! that he controls his life# Aversion perception: A person ma simpl disli0e doin! certain tas0s# He ma nd them distasteful and thus e2perience them as punishin!#
Psychological Procrastination Intervention The pscholo!ical inter$ention for procrastination emplos a three pron!ed approach# The rst is to challen!e the dsfunctional ideas that maintain the dela and inaction *Gec0& 7==:< Gurns& 7==.< llis& 7=-+< Inaus& 7=J=< %orelli& +,,-c.# The second is the adoption of an action techni;ue called the General Problem Solver *3P5.# *Newell and 5imon& 7=J+.# The third is the application of beha$ioral mana!ement techni;ues *%artin and Pear& 7==+< %orelli& +,,-b& 50inner& 7=8.#
Therapeutic Rationale Gefore an patient be!ins treatment& he must understand wh the treatment was chosen and what he mi!ht accomplish b applin! it# This fosters moti$ation& commitment to the pro!ram& and cooperation with the procedures# Approachin! the patient in this manner has been shown to be eBecti$e in encoura!in! patient compliance in medical *Perri and ichards& 7=JJ. and pscholo!ical settin!s *Gec0& +,,7& %arcin0o& +,,8.# Kudith Gec0 *7==:. discusses the problem and need for pro$idin! patients a therapeutic rationale# "Problems in$ariabl arise *in a therapeutic settin!. ### *and. a common diFcult ### is to sociali4e the patient ade;uatel ### Therefore& the therapist must often repeatedl describe& a rationale ### Patients are more li0el to compl with ### # assi!nments if the understand the reason for doin! them#" %uch of the success of scientic pschotherapeutic procedures depends on the wor0 the patient does outside of the consultation sessions# Gec0 writes that when a !ood therapeutic rationale is pro$ided& the chances of the patient performin! this outside wor0 increases# "Patients are less li0el to do homewor0 when the therapist ### fails to pro$ide a !ood rationale#"
>f course other factors are in$ol$ed such as the diFcult of the tas0& i!norin! pre$ious eBorts& or the lac0 of specic instructions# Ne$ertheless& when the purpose of assi!nments is clear and e$idence is oBered that the techni;ues actuall wor0& faster outcomes usuall occur# )urther& other co!niti$e therap techni;ues such as bibliotherap *readin! boo0s and articles that facili tate co!niti$e9beha$ior chan!e. are more li0el to be performed when patients are !i$en meanin!ful rationales *Gurns& 7=,< llis& 7=-+< Inaus& 7=J=.#
Responding to Dyfunctional ognitions in Procrastination. 1n pre$ious articles %orelli *+,,-c. has delineated the challen!in! ;uestions for dealin! with dsfunctional co!nitions6 •
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1s there an other wa of loo0in! at it *"Are there alternati$e e2planations/"./ 1s it as bad as it seems *"What is the worst and best that could happen/" "Could 1 li$e with the results/" "What is a realistic outcome of m eBorts/"./ What is the eBect of holdin! onto m distorted thou!hts *"What would happen if 1 chan!ed m thin0in!/"./
These ;uestions be applied to the dsfunctional co!niti$e elements mentioned abo$e in the followin! was6 •
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Emotional reasoning: The patient can as06 "Where is the e$idence that 1 ha$e to be in the mood to before 1 do somethin!/ Are there other was to $iew m reluctance to perform a tas0/ (es# mer!enc responders and militar personnel would ne$er respond if the waited until the felt li0e it# er often fear and an2iet *and other emotions. !o alon! with action#" Magnifcation: "The tas0 loo0s bi!& but 1 can choose to loo0 at it diBerentl# 5uppose 1 loo0 onl at the rst step# The rst step is much more mana!eable than the whole tas0#" Perectionism: "1 ha$e set this self standard that 1 ha$e to do it perfect the rst time# 1n fact most accomplishments occur in small steps after man mista0es# Let me do the best 1 can now and correct it later if needed#M Mind reading: "Where is the e$idence that 1 will fail/ $en if 1 do fail what proof do 1 ha$e others will see me as a failure/ The mi!ht e$en !i$e me credit for trin!#" Comortable discomort: "1 ha$e ne$er performed a tas0 li0e the one 1 am faced with# %abe if 1 approach it one step at a time it mi!ht not be as hard or as bad as 1 thin0 it is#" Devaluation or minimization: "There ma be some $alue or importance in doin! this tas0# %abe 1 should rethin0 whether 1 should do it# %abe it will count for somethin!#"
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Should statements: "There is nothin! 1 'ha$e to do' but there ma be a tas0 that would benet me if 1 did it# 1t can be m decision# Let me see if there are an ad$anta!es#" Coercion reaction: "Wh should 1 cut oB m nose in spite m face/ Kust because someone wants me to do somethin! does not mean 1 should not do it# The decision is mine after all# 1 control m life& not others# 1f somethin! is ri!ht for me 1 am free to do it no matter what others sa#" Aversion perception: "1f 1 disli0e a tas0 and there is no benet in doin! it& then 1 can choose not to do it#" *This co!niti$e dsfunction is related to realistic procrastination# 1f there is no reason for the indi$idual to perform a tas0& then the are imposin! an unnecessar set of rules on themsel$es#.
Decision Ma!ing and "ehavior# The General Pro$le% Solver The 3eneral Problem 5ol$er *3P5. was created b Newell 5imon in 7=J+# 1t started as a computer pro!ram written to simulate human problem sol$in! techni;ues *ricsson 5imon& 7=O.# Newell and 5imon dened a problem as not 0nowin! the immediate steps to achie$e a concrete !oal# 3P5 wor0s well for procrastination problems where the !oals are specic and well dened and do not in$ol$e conictin! choices# Problem sol$in! *o$ercomin! procrastination in this case. be!ins with the !oal and then determines what se;uence of operations or actions are needed to attain it *Ashcraft& 7==O.# 1n clinical terms& two important processes are in$ol$ed# The rst is the application of meansends anal!sis# This in$ol$es assessin! the diBerence between the sta!e that the indi$idual presentl occupies and the completed tas0# The second process is called the subgoal strateg! # The indi$idual ta0es an action or operation to close the !ap between where the are at present and completin! the !oal# )or e2ample& sa an indi$idual was procrastinatin! on the start of a term paper on American Colonial Histor# The means9ends analsis mi!ht include listin! the tools such as a pencil& paper& and computer alon! with the resources such as boo0s or ?ournals needed to complete the assi!nment# *Clinicall it is helpful to tell the patient that e$en these preparator steps mo$es him towards !oal attainment#. This is followed b action steps where the assi!nment is bro0en down into mana!eable sub9!oals#The rst sub9!oal ma be as simple as collectin! se$eral pencils and a pad and placin! them on the table# The second sub9!oal ma be retrie$in! a resource such as an American Histor boo0 and so on# The procrastinatin! indi$idual must ha$e acti$e in$ol$ement in this process# The 5ocratic method of as0in! the indi$idual to choose the specic actions is helpful in fosterin! compliance# To illustrate& a sample clinician9patient dialo!ue mi!ht be6
linician# ">0& what would be a rst step/" Patient# "3et a reference boo0#"
linician# "3ood& where would ou !et that/" Patient# "At the librar#" linician# "When would ou !o there/" Patient# "Durin! recess tomorrow#" Goal attain%ent and Self&e'cacy Durin! application of the 3P5 model the clinician is also monitorin! dsfunctional co!nitions and emotional reactions to the sub9!oal actions# The Cli nician ma as0 such ;uestions as& "How would ou feel doin! it/" and "How sure are ou that the tas0 can be accomplished/" The simpler the tas0 and the !reater the condence that it can be accomplished& the more li0el that action will be ta0en# Patients tpicall ma!nif the diFcult of the tas0 and unrealisticall conclude that completin! it is emotionall unbearable# After completin! a sub9!oal howe$er& patients are able to more realisticall e$aluate future tas0 diFcult and thus facilitate action and o$ercome procrastination *Gandura& 7=-& %orelli& +,,-d.# Gandura calls this process sel e"cac! and denes it as "the abilit to de$elop a pro!ram or plan for action to reach a !oal" *Gandura& 7=-.# 3enerall people with hi!her self9eFcac are better able to attain !oals# Pscholo!ical inter$entions that emplo self9eFcac are incorporated into the treatment of procrastination# The ma?or $ariables brin!in! about self eFcac are6 •
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Master! e#perience: Practicin! appropriate concrete !raduated actions leadin! toward the nal !oal# This ma be $iewed as masterin! a series of sub9!oals that lead to a nal !oal# $icarious e#perience: >bser$in! a peer model stru!!lin! with the same problem of performin! an appropriate beha$ior in response performin! a sub9!oal# Prompting: Usin! 0e or phrases as cues to appropriate action followed b $erbal appro$al as reinforcement *%orelli& +,,:.# )or e2ample& the patient will $erbali4e such actions as "!et resource boo0"< "chec0 inde2" and so forth# >nce he accomplished the sub9!oal the patient sas out loud& "3ood ?obQ" Perceptions o arousal: %onitor the emotional reactions that are e2perienced# 1s the feelin! as uncomfortable as predicted/
(li%inating Distracting Sti%ulus ues in Procrastination 1n 7=8 beha$ioral research pscholo!ist G#)# 50inner in$esti!ated the powerful eBects of stimulus elicitation or control of beha$ior *also noted centuries earlier b the Church )athers.# 50inner concluded that specic responses occur automaticall *learned b repetition and followed b reward. when tri!!ered b specic stimuli or cues# Put another wa& 50inner disco$ered that cues wor0 because the si!nal the reward that follows a beha$ioral response#
To illustrate6 a telephone rin!s *stimulus cue. and automaticall a person pic0s it up and sas "Hello#" The pic0in! up and "Hello" would not occur if the stimulus cue had not elicited it# Persons with procrastination problems are usuall surrounded b stimulus cues that are associated with rewards !reater than the tas0 at hand# These cues ser$e as distracters b en!a!in! the indi$idual in actions associated with them# 1nstead of loo0in! for the resource needed to accomplish the tas0 the indi$idual en!a!es in a competin! beha$ior# >ne beha$ioral solution is to eliminate these "cues" as much as possible# )or e2ample& a person writin! a report mi!ht want to wor0 in a librar cubicle& for e2ample than in their home oFce lled with such distractin! cues *%orelli& +,,-d.# An treatment of procrastination re;uires a pro!ram of stimulus control# Contemporar research pscholo!ists recommend chan!in! the stimulus cues b usin! distinct si!nals such as location& si4e& color and sensor modalit *%artin and Pear 7==+.# >$ercomin! procrastination therefore in$ol$es eliminatin! cues that elicit hi!hl desirable rewardin! beha$iors#
Response Manage%ent 1ndi$iduals reportin! procrastination about startin! or completin! a series of tas0s fre;uentl do the eas tas0 rst and put oB the diFcult tas0s for a later time# This strate! actuall $iolates the principles of reinforcement or reward well delineated b beha$ioral pscholo!ists *%artin and Pear& 7==+< %orelli& +,,-b.# >ne wa to sol$e this problem is to use the principle of acti$it rewards and arran!e them to wor0 in increasin! the diFcult tas0# )or e2ample& when a procrastinatin! student selects which homewor0 assi!nment to do& he usuall be!ins with his fa$orite sub?ect# 1f he prefers histor and considers calculus onerous& then histor is the rst sub?ect tac0led# Unfortunatel fati!ue builds up as e$en pleasant tas0s are performed which ma0es calculus seem e$en more onerous than it is# A better strate! would be to start with a small se!ment of the onerous tas0& followed b part of the histor assi!nment as an reward# 1n acti$it reinforcement& the disli0ed tas0 is rewarded b the li0ed tas0#
Spiritual Procrastination# )ealing $y Spirit and ognitive Synergia The Church )athers dened procrastination in diBerent terms than the scientic clinicians but a close loo0 re$eals that both often shared a similar basis# 5t# Kohn Cassian for e2ample& in his discussion on the ei!ht $ices de$oted an entire section on listnessless& the condition we dene toda as procrastination# He considered it a harsh and terrible malad because the person a@icted with it is slac0 and full of fear# He hates his surroundin!s& those around him& and wor0 of an 0ind *" ### e$en for readin! Hol 5cripture".# This description is similar to what research scientists unco$ered o$er a millennium and a half later# 5t# Kohn tells us the mind of the person suBerin! from listlessness suBers from "$ain distraction ### andE is !rie$ousl cau!ht up in them" *Philo0alia 1.#
The Spiritual Rationale
The Church )athers approach listlessness *also called sloth and la4iness. with a spiritual rationale# The see listlessness as internal conict that deals with a person's orientation towards 3od# Their startin! point is a sense of the presence o God particularl how it ties into the remembrance of sal$ation# 2amples from scripture and the writin!s of the )athers clarif this point# )or e2ample& 5t# %atthew wrote about the necessit of 0eepin! the heart *the i nward orientation. on 3od6 No one can ser$e two masters< for either he will hate the one and lo$e the other& or he will be de$oted to the one and despise the other# (ou cannot ser$e 3od and mammon ### where our treasure is& there will our heart be also *%atthew -6 +O&+7.# # The spiritual rationale for 5t# Diadochos of Photi0i centered on the contemplation of hope in 3od and His lo$e towards us6 All spiritual contemplation should be !o$erned b faith& hope and lo$e but mostl b lo$e# The rst two teach us to be detached from $isible deli!hts& but lo$e unites the soul with the e2cellence of 3od& searchin! out the 1n$isible b means of intellectual perception *Philo0alia 1.# %oti$ational factors as a rationale in the spiritual life are also emphasi4ed b the Church )athers# 5t# %ar0 the Ascetic in his letter to Nicolas the 5olitar wrote6 5o& when we are humbled and shattered& and 0eep in mind possession ChristRs humiliation& what an!er& wrath or bitterness can ta0e possession of us/ Gut when for!etfulness of these life9creatin! truths is accompanied b the sister $ices of la4iness and i!norance& then these three oppressi$e and deep9seated passions of the soul& hard to disco$er and correct& o$erla and dar0en us with terrible futilit# This dention of listlessness& sloth& and la4iness was de$eloped e$en more b >rthodo2 theolo!ian Dmitru 5taniloe *+,,8. who wrote6 5ome passions are of the soul& others of the spirit# Gut the close unit of the bod and soul cause the bodil passions to be interwo$en with those of the soul or to ha$e an inter9inuence# 1t could be said than that there is a double circuit which leads from !lutton to all the passions 99 includin! those of the soul 99 and a!ain from pride& to almost all of the passions includin! some of the bodil ones# 3lutton and pride represent one and the same e!ocentric thirst of man& under the double aspect of his pscho9phsical nature# There is a close interconnection between the biolo!ical and the spiritual< one realm inuences the other both in the decline and in the restoration of man# Haucherr *;uoted b 5taniloae +,,8. noted6 The demon of listlessness is the hardest of all to bear# He pours out drop b drop his bitterness in all our moti$es to li$e in a supernatural wa# There is no lon!er an lo$e whatsoe$er around ou& 3od Himself no lon!er cares for ou at all& The demon of listlessness cuts oB all hope ###
And whether ou 0now it& or whether ou don't& if this thou!ht persists& in the time of praer& it shuts oB the hol li!ht from the soul# (ou no lon!er dare to see0 the merc of 3od with all our praers# (ou want to cr& but a horrible thou!ht suppresses suppresses the tears6 the don't help at all# Thus we fall into to the depths of e!oism# *H.e who is e!otistic& has all the passions *5t# %a2imus the Confessor& Philo0alia 1 8.# ### e!otism represents a rupture with 3od ### e!otism represents a !ra$itation toward the world# Thus e!oism is fertile !round for the !rowth of the seeds of procrastination and sloth# 5t 3re!or of 5inai *Philo0alia 1. oBered insi!ht on how stimuli interfere with action and thus contribute to procrastination# He wrote6 5inful acts pro$o0e passions& the passions pro$o0e distracti$e thou!hts& and distracti$e thou!hts pro$o0e fantasies# The fra!mented memor be!ets a multiplicit of ideas& for!etfulness causes the fra!mentation of the memor& i!norance leads to for!etfulness and la4iness to i!norance# La4iness is spawned b lustful appetites ### appetites are arouse b misdirected emotions and misdirected mindless desire of e$il and a stron! attachment to the senses and to sensor thin!s# The Church )athers would surel ha$e welcomed the modern pscholo!ical inter$entions that are applied to procrastination since the deal with the listlessness related to it# The indi$idual who suBers dela and start up problems ma ;uestion himself about the underlin! causes of his malad& which compels an inner disputation that re;uires pscholo!ical and spiritual !uidance in order to nd resolution# The patient ma be prompted to di! deep to discern the !round of particular thou!hts and how it should be tilled to brin! healin!#
Spiritual o%$at *ith +istlessness and Sloth )or the committed Christian& listlessness and sloth is unrealistic procrastination# 1n fact& listlessness is the most unrealistic of all procrastination because it puts oB the !race of 3od e2pended toward us# Put another wa& listlessness occurs when the inner orientation is unresponsi$e to the life that pours forth from 3od on our behalf< a condition that creates an!uish and despair# Ne$ertheless 3od's !race is !i$en to all& includin! the procrastinator# 5t# Kohn wrote6 Kesus said& " ### whoe$er drin0s of the water that 1 shall !i$e him will ne$er thirst< the water that 1 shall !i$e him will become in him a sprin! of water wellin! up to eternal life" *Kohn O6 7897O.# Glessed Au!ustine& ;uoted in the Catechism of the Catholic Church& said6 1ndeed we also wor0& but we are onl collaboratin! with 3od who wor0s& for his merc has !one before us# 1t has !one before us so that we ma be healed& and follows us so that once healed& we ma be !i$en life< it !oes before us so that we ma be called& and follows us so that we ma be !loried< it !oes before us so
that we ma li$e de$outl& and follows us so that we ma alwas li$e with 3od6 for without him we can do nothin!#" As 5t# Paul wrote6 ### but he said to me& % !race is suFcient for ou& for m power is made perfect in wea0ness#'' 1 will all the more !ladl boast of m wea0nesses& that the power of Christ ma rest upon me *+ Corinthians 7+6=. ### 1 can do all thin!s in him who stren!thens me *Philippians O678.# A stor from the ancient desert fathers& translated b Archimandrite Chrsostomos *7=,. e2plained the point6 A be!innin! mon0& who went to a certain elder to confess& posed& amon! others& this ;uestion6 "Wh& )ather& do 1 fall so often into sloth/" "(ou lac0 the faith which ma0es ou see 3od e$erwhere< for this reason ou can be careless and la4 about our sal$ation&" the discernin! elder wisel e2plained#
Spiritual ognition While not usin! the modern scientic pscholo!ical term cognition& the Church )athers meant somethin! ;uite similar when the spo0e of intelligence# A hand denition for intelligence would be "ri!ht thin0in! in dealin! with listlessness and slothfulness *or what we ha$e termed spiritual procrastination.# 5t# %a2imus the Confessor wrote6 While passions such as for!etfulness and i!norance aBect but one of the soul's thee aspects 9 the incensi$e& the desirin!& or the intelli!ent 9 listlessness alone sei4es control of all the souls powers and arouses almost all the passions to!ether# That is wh this passion is more serious than all the others# Hence our Lord has !i$en us an e2cellent remed a!ainst it sain!6 "'ou will !ain possession of our souls throu!h our patient endurance' *Lu0e +767=." *Philo0alia 11#.# The fathers lin0 sloth or la4iness with it's opposite6 ardor and 4eal# 5t# %ar0 the Ascetic told an in;uirer6 %emor and intelli!ence wor0 interacti$el to produce ardor or 4eal# La4iness enables e$il to root itself in the soul because ou do not ll ourself with spiritual 0nowled!e and ou are thus dar0l i!norant ### 5o& throu!h the power of the Hol 5pirit& with all praer and entreat ### throu!h mindfulness of 3od& ou will alwas reect on "whate$er is true& whate$er is modest& whate$er is ?ust& whate$er is pure& whate$er is lo$el& whate$er is of !ood report& whate$er is hol and deser$in! of praise" *Philippians O6.< and in this wa ou will banish from ourself the pernicious e$il of for!etfulness& Throu!h the li!ht of spiritual 0nowled!e ou will e2pel the destructi$e dar0ness of i!norance ### *Phil0alia 1.# An increase of fer$ent lo$e of 3od and 4ealousness towards Him becomes a co!niti$e restructurin! of the hopelessness component of spiritual procrastination and thus a part of the healin! process# 5t# %ar0 continues6 "throu!h our true
ardor of all that is !ood ou will dri$e out the !odless la4iness that enables e$il to root itself in the soul#" This is accomplished b attenti$e praer6 When b deep attenti$eness and praer ou ha$e ac;uired these $irtues& not onl throu!h our own personal choice& but also throu!h the power of 3od and with the help of the Hol 5pirit ### the combination of these three e2pels from the soul and obliterates e$er trace of for!etfulness& i!norance and la4iness and henceforth !race rei!ns within it& throu!h Christ Kesus our Lord# %a He be !loried throu!h all the a!es# Amen# 1n >rthodo2 Christianit& praer is in part an action of the mind# Praer is& of course& much more than a co!niti$e act# 1n its purest form& praer is an indwellin! of 3od in the nous& the center of the heart& the facult of spiritual illumination# Poma4ans0 *7==J. called it the "praer of mind in the heart#" To the e2tent the mind is in$ol$ed howe$er& praer is similar to the co!niti$e acts dened b the pscholo!ical models of procrastination# i$ian *+,,O. wrote that the Church )athers& 1saac& Cassian and $a!rius "places pure praer to the e2tent that the mind 'withdraws from the contemplation of earthl and material thin!s& its state of purit lets it pro!ress and causes Kesus to be seen b the soul's inward !a4e ### " 5piritual readin! *somewhat analo!ous to bibliotherap techni;ues used b the clinician. is a ma?or practice in the spiritual life# The Philo%alia *the set of collected teachin!s often referenced in m articles. is the colle ction of astern Christian spiritualit most recommended b spiritual directors and cler!# The 3ree0 word philo%alia means "lo$e of the beautiful& the e2alted& and the !ood"# Iadloubo$s0 and Palmer *7=:7.& in the ussian introduction to the &ritings 'rom the Philo%alia on Pra!er rom the (eart wrote that the collection6 ### contains an interpretation of the secret life in our Lord Kesus Christ# The secret life in our Lord Kesus Christ& which is the trul Christian life& be!ins& de$elops& and rises to perfection *for each in his own measure.& throu!h the !ood will of 3od the )ather& b the action of the !race of the Hol 5pirit present in all Christians& and under the !uidance of our Lord Kesus Christ Himself& who promised to abide with us for all time# 1n order to increase 4ealous lo$e for 3od and o$ercome procrastination& a person must steep their mind in the scripture and counsels of the )athers# eadin! the wor0 of the Hol )athers Garsanuphius and Kohn is a !ood place to be!in6 Dispose ourself to !i$e than0s to 3od or e$erthin!& hear0enin! to the words of the Apostle6 "1n e$erthin! !i$e than0s" *7 Thessalonians :67.# No man who wishes to reach a cit lies down on the !round< no man who wishes to wor0 !i$es himself up to la4iness when he sees the sun rise ### Thus e$en the ordinar can remind us of 3od6 "The hea$ens declare the !lor of 3od and the rmament proclaims His handiwor0" *Psalm 767.# "He that has ear to hear& let him hear" *%atthew 7767:.# *Iadloubo$s0& Palmer& 7=:7.#
Thoughts Arouse Senses That Distract Us When contemporar research pscholo!ists spea0 of the co!niti$e9emotional connection in procrastination& the echo what Kesus said6 "The ee is the lamp of the bod# 5o& if our ee is sound& our whole bod will be full of li!ht< but if our ee is not sound& our whole bod will be full of dar0ness# 1f then the li!ht in ou is dar0ness& how !reat is the dar0nessQ" *%atthew -6 ++9+8.# The )athers also noted that thou!hts e$o0e feelin!s and the indicated how we should combat the co!niti$e tri!!ers *stimuli.# 5t %a2imus the Confessor counseled& "Do not befoul our intellect b clin!in! to thou!hts lled with an!er or sensual desire# >therwise ou will lose our capacit for pure praer and fall $ictim to the demon of listlessness" *Philo0alia 11.# 5t# Thalassios li0ewise wrote6 "1f the intellect dallies with pleasure or de?ection& it rapidl succumbs to the passion of listlessness ### Listlessness is an apath of the soul< and a soul becomes apathetic when sic0 with self9indul!ence" *Philo0alia 11.# %ore$er& 5t# Thalassios oBered an antidote for listlessness6 "He who lo$es Kesus trains himself in suBerin!6 perse$erance in suBerin! dispels listlessness ### The soul is stren!thened throu!h ascetic suBerin!& and dispels listlessness b doin! all thin!s accordin! to measure" *Philo0alia 11.# His counsel is con!ruent with the !raduated step b step approach recommended b modern scienticall based clinicians# Abba Philimon e2panded the counsel& also in was similar to the sub9!oalin! emploed b modern clinicians# Note how Abba Philimon instructed a oun! mon0 a@icted with procrastination to be!in with small& attainable !oals# The no$ice as0ed the wise mon06 "What must 1 do father/ Durin! m ni!ht rule sleep wei!hs me down and does not allow me to pra with inner watchfulness or to 0eep $i!il beond the re!ular period# And when 1 sin! psalms& 1 want to ta0e up manual wor0#" Abba Philimon said6 "When ou are able to pra with inner watchfulness& do not en!a!e in manual wor0# Gut if ou are wei!hed down b listlessness& mo$e about a little& so as to rid ourself of it& and ta0e up manual wor0" *Abba Philimon& Philo0alia 11.# As in choosin! !oals in the 3eneral Problem 5ol$in! model or en!a!in! in master e2periences in de$elopin! self9eFcac& Abba Philimon wisel recommended ta0in! steps the be!inner in praer can master# The same con!ruence between the )athers and modern clinicians is re$ealed in the concept of stimulus control# While not usin! the technical term "stimulus control&" 5t# Kohn of Damascus' obser$ed6 The roots or primar causes of all these passions are lo$e of sensual pleasure& lo$e of praise and lo$e of material wealth# $er e$il has its ori!in in these# As %ar0& the wisest of the ascetics& sas6 a man cannot commit a sin!le sin unless the three powerful !iants& for!etfulness& la4iness and i!norance& rst o$erpower him# And these !iants are the oBsprin! of sensual pleasure& lu2ur& lo$e of men's esteem and distraction# The primar cause and $ile mother of them all is self9
lo$e& which is a senseless lo$e of one's bod and an impassioned attachment to it *Philo0alia 11.# 1n o$ercomin! spiritual sloth we must focus on 3od in the healin! process# The more we focus on the thin!s around us& the more distracted we become and the more we put oB the needful and necessar thin!s# >nl b returnin! the ees and ultimatel the heart to 3od can procrastination be o$ercome#
The ,arning of -esus The penultimate e2ample of procrastination was !i$en to us b Kesus in the Parable o the )en $irgins6 Then the 0in!dom of hea$en shall be compared to ten maidens who too0 their lamps and went to meet the bride!room# )i$e of them were foolish& and $e were wise# )or when the foolish too0 their lamps& the too0 no oil with them< but the wise too0 as0s of oil with their lamps# As the bride!room was delaed& the all slumbered and slept# Gut at midni!ht there was a cr& "Gehold& the bride!roomQ Come out to meet him#" Then all those maidens rose and trimmed their lamps# And the foolish said to the wise& "3i$e us some of our oil& for our lamps are !oin! out#" Gut the wise replied& "Perhaps there will not be enou!h for us and for ou< !o rather to the dealers and bu for oursel$es#" And while the went to bu& the bride!room came& and those who were read went in with him to the marria!e feast< and the door was shut# Afterward the other maidens came also& sain!& "Lord& lord& open to us#" Gut he replied& "Trul& 1 sa to ou& 1 do not 0now ou# "Watch therefore& for ou 0now neither the da nor the hour" *%atthew +:6 7978.# The Lord's warnin! ou!ht to sha0e us out of slumber of sloth into watchful sobriet# He tells us that procrastination& if not o$ercome& can shut us out of His Iin!dom# Let us learn from our spiritual fathers# Pscho9spiritual healin! and def eatin! the demon of sloth and re;uires an increase in the spiritual "oil" of 4eal& ardor& and lo$e of 3od from the depths of our hearts# Trust in 3od& true repentance& reception of the Hol %steries and praer allows His !race to pour forth into our hearts# The scientic co!niti$e9beha$ioral techni;ues shown to be eBecti$e in o$ercomin! procrastination can help us#
Gandura& A# *7=-.# Social 'oundations o )hought and Action# n!lewood CliBs& NK6 Prentice Hall# Gec0 K#5# A Cognitive )herap! Approach to Medication Compliance# 1n6 Ia K& ed# e$iew of Pschiatr6 ol# +,# 1nte!rated Treatment of Pschiatric Disorders# Washin!ton& DC6 American Pschiatric Press< +,,7# Catechism o the Catholic Church# *7==-.# Washin!ton& DC6 National Conference of Catholic Gishops# Chrsostomos& Archimandrite# *7=,.# *d# and Trans#.# )he Ancient 'athers o the Desert: *ntroduction and Commentar! # Groo0line& %A6 Hellenic Colle!e Press llis& A# Harper& #A# *7=-+.# A Guide to +ational ,iving# 5ecaucus& NK6 Lle 5tuart# ricsson& I# A# 5imon& H# A# *7=O.# Protocol Anal!sis: $erbal +eports as Data# Cambrid!e& %A6 %1T Press# Hausherr& 1# *7==,.# Spiritual Direction in the Earl! Christian East # Cistercian Publications& 5t# Koseph's Abbe6 5pencer& %A# Iadloubo$s0& # Palmer& 3##H# *trans#. *7=:7.# &ritings 'rom the Philo%alia on Pra!er rom the (eart # London6 )aber and )aber# Inaus& W#K# *7=J=.# Do *t -o.: (o. to Stop Procrastinating# n!lewood CliBs& NK6 Prentice Hall# %arcin0o L# Medication Compliance .ith Di"cult Patients# 1n6 Leah L& ed# oadbloc0s in Co!niti$e9Geha$ioral Therap# New (or06 3uilford< +,,8# %artin& 3# Pear& K# *7==+.# /ehavior Modifcation: &hat *t *s and (o. )o Do *t # n!lewood CliBs& NK6 Prentice Hall# %orelli& 3# *+,,-a& Kanuar ,-.# 0 (app! Guilt1 0 2o!ul Sorro.# http6SSwww#orthodo2toda#or!Sarticles-S%orelli3uilt#php %orelli& 3# *+,,-b& )ebruar ,O.# Smart Parenting Part **: /ehavioral Management )echni3ues http6SSwww#orthodo2toda#or!Sarticles-S%orelliParentin!+#php %orelli& 3# *+,,-c& %arch -.# Asceticism and Pscholo! in the %odern World# http6SSwww#orthodo2toda#or!Sarticles-S%orelli%onasticism#php # %orelli& 3# *+,,-d& April& ,8 .# "5e2ual addiction"6 An >rthodo2 and 5cientic iew# http6SSwww#orthodo2toda#or!Sarticles-S%orelliHperse2ualit#php Newell& A# 5imon& H# *7=J+.# (uman Problem Solving# n!lewood CliBs& NK6 Prentice9Hall# Nicodemos of the Hol %ountain# *7==. A (andboo% o Spiritual Counsel# %ahwah& NK6 Paulist Press#
Perri& %#3# ichards& C#5# *7=JJ.# An *nvestigation 0 -aturall! 0ccurring Episodes 0 Selcontrolled /ehaviors# Kournal of Consultin! Pscholo!& +O& 7J9 78# Palmer& 3##H#& 5herrard& P# Ware& I# *ds.# *7=J=.# )he Philo%alia: )he Complete )e#t Compiled b 5t# Ni0odimos of the Hol %ountain and 5t# %a0arious of Corinth ol# 1# London6 )aber and )aber# Palmer& 3##H#& 5herrard& P# Ware& I# *7=7.# )he Philo%alia: )he Complete )e#t compiled b 5t# Ni0odimos of the Hol %ountain and 5t# %a0arios of Corinth ol# +# London6 )aber and )aber# Palmer& 3##H#& 5herrard& P# Ware& I# *7==:.# )he Philo%alia *$ # London6 )aber and )aber# Poma4ans0& %# *7==J.# 0rthodo# Dogmatic )heolog!: A Concise E#position# Platina& CA6 5t# Herman of Alas0a Grotherhood# 50inner& G#)# *7=8.# )he /ehavior o 0rganisms: An E#perimental Anal!sis# N(6 Appleton9Centur9Crofts# 5taniloae& D# *+,,8.# 0rthodo# Spiritualit!: A Practical Guide 'or )he 'aithul And A Defnitive Manual 'or )he Scholar # 5outh Canaan& PA6 5t# Ti0hon's 5eminar Press# i$ian& T# *+,,O.# 'our Desert 'athers: Pambo1 Evagrius1 Macarius o Eg!pt and Macarius o Ale#andria4 Crestwood& N(6 5t# ladimir's 5eminar Press#
$4 +ev4 'r4 George Morelli Ph4D4 is a licensed Clinical Ps!chologist and Marriage and 'amil! )herapist1 Coordinator o the Chaplainc! and Pastoral Counseling Ministr! o the Antiochian 0rthodo# Christian Archdiocese1 5...4antiochian4org6counselingministries7 and +eligion Coordinator 5and Antiochian Archdiocesan ,iaison7 o the 0rthodo# Christian Association o Medicine1 Ps!cholog! and +eligion4 'r4 George is Assistant Pastor o St4 George8s Antiochian 0rthodo# Church1 San Diego1 Caliornia4
)r# %orelli is the author of (ealing: 0rthodo# Christianit! and Scientifc Ps!cholog! *a$ailable from astern Christian Publications& 7:#,,.#