Energies are powerful

Energies are powerful. We see the powerful, sometimes destructive, energy in the wind, i.e., tornados and hurricanes; water, i.e. floods; fire, i.e., forest fires; etc. In the 3rd century St. Evagrius, a hermit, described eight energies of the human spirit. Those energies were: gluttony, lust, greed, sadness, anger, acedia, vainglory and pride. When these energies are out of control, they are destructive. When a person’s anger is out of control or not tempered, it is hurtful and the hurt may linger for years. Lust can bring a couple together but if it is out of control, it becomes sexual abusive, pornography, infidelity, etc. If gluttony is out of control, it creates obesity with serious health consequences. Vainglory helps us to dress and bath appropriately but if it is out of control all the person can only think of him or herself. These human energies need the virtue of temperance or balance. Temperance tames the energy, so it becomes healthy and appropriate. These energies have been created as a part of us, so they won’t go away but they need to be controlled by our higher selves or balanced with temperance.