Acedia
Acedia or laziness means that I have no faith. I do not see any value in what is to be done. This is a symptom of a diseased condition. Should we not naturally be inclined to make ourselves useful to others, especially, to all those, who have done so much for us – like for example our parents, teachers, farmers etc.?
The problem is that we only want to enjoy. We want others to work for us. We cannot understand what our natural position is. We feel that we are the rightful enjoyer, that the world owes something to us, and that other people are lucky if they can do something for us. Thus we always want to relax. If somebody challenges or threatens our attitude, we immediately react with anger.
We are not convinced that our qualifications have been given to us by God for a very good purpose. We do not have faith in the most essential aspect of life, which is that I am constitutionally a servant and that there is nobody better to be served than God or those who are serving the truth. Due to the lack of this understanding, the material nature is pushing us to serve our own senses and those people, with whom we come in contact with by providence, and who oblige us to serve them against our will. Thus we become more and more frustrated. The tax-department, the military, our wife, husband or children and our entire surroundings, do not care. They are obliging us to serve them. Otherwise they will punish us. In this way, if we cannot act in a positive way for a higher purpose, we have to experience what it means to serve the circumstances of life by obligation and force. And if we can not handle this, then we are in great danger. We are on the verge of developing unsocial or criminal behavior.
Laziness comes from ignorance. We are not able to see the mystical background of life. We think everything in life is by chance. This is because of a lack of faith.
Some people are so lazy that they want their wives to work for them. Or they let their children and family stay at home without food, while they hang around in bars only talking nonsense. Laziness is like a curse. Nobody will like you, except those who may see a material interest fulfilled by you.
To overcome laziness, OIDA-therapy proposes spiritual rejuvenation. We have to learn about the wonders of the world and the miracles of life. We have to hear stories about those who have sacrificed themselves joyfully for the welfare of others. We have to go to the root of all problems to find out, when and where did we lose faith and enthusiasm. The study material provided by OIDA-therapy will hopefully help us to regain strong faith again.
If you want to go deeper into a particular mystical tradition, which you feel strongly attracted to, then you have to follow the recommendations of the teachers you have trust in.
Faith will be given to those who pray for it: to those who admit that nobody should cause suffering to others; to those who are reasonable and are ready to share their energies, give donations for good causes or do voluntary work to improve the situation of suffering souls in this world. A general teaching of the OIDA-therapy is that you have to be ready to give to others, whatever you are hoping and aspiring for in your life.