A man who has taken upon himself to travel the path of internal mindfulness must have above all the fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom. Upon his mind there must always be engraved these words of the prophet: Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling (Ps 2:11).
He should travel this path with the utmost care and with reverence for everything holy, and not negligently. Otherwise, he must take heed lest there should apply to him the divine decree: Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord negligently (Jer 48:10). Reverent carefulness is necessary here because this sea– that is, the heart, with its thoughts an desires, which one must cleanse by means of mindfulness– is great and vast, and there are numberless reptiles there (Ps 103:27), that is, numerous vain, unjust, and impure thoughts generated by evil spirits.
– St. Seraphim of Sarov, The Little Russian Philokalia
Featured image: Taken with Holga film camera. source
