Advice from the Holy Fathers
Photo: Flickr.com
Fortunately, many are trying to fight lustful thoughts. In order to help them, it is worth turning to the great wealth of the Orthodox Church - the spiritual experience of the Saints. Many of them experienced the influence of lustful thoughts from their own experience, but coped with them without polluting either their soul or body with sin.
Venerable Ephraim the Syrian
Photo: Svoskres.ru
Ephraim the Syrian advises, when lustful thoughts appear, to remember the Last Judgment and the fate of sinners - eternal torment. If you let sin win at least once, the habit of sinning will appear. Although you will hasten to repent of this sin, your conscience will still torment you. Outwardly this will not manifest itself, the person will be cheerful and calm, but the soul will no longer be pure, it will always remember what it did.
Therefore, the monk advises to be strict from the very beginning with any lustful desire and not to give it a single chance. Remembering mental anguish and always having God within you is the way to prevent sin from winning within you.
Venerable John Cassian
Photo: Azbyka.ru
John Cassian said that fornication arises in the soul and in the body, that is, it is twofold, it comes from all sides. Therefore, it is necessary to fight it in two ways. And this double-edged weapon will be fasting and prayer. In addition, you should constantly read the Holy Gospel, engage in physical labor and keep yourself busy with work. But especially - to humble yourself, not to give pride any opportunity to take over your soul.
Ignatiy Brianchaninov
Photo: Azbyka.ru
Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov explained the nature of the sin of fornication in that it has the property of uniting two bodies into one, although this is against the Laws of God. And if immediately after this sin you repent of it and leave fornication forever, then it is forgiven immediately after confession. But the trouble is that cleansing the body and soul from connection and infection with unity takes a very long time and is painful. Both bodies remember for a long time what happened between them, albeit not in thoughts, but on a more subtle level. Therefore, one must not only repent of prodigal sin, but also remove the memory of it from oneself for a long time, through prayer, fasting and even suffering.
John Climacus
Photo: Elitsy.ru
Saint John Climacus very figuratively described ways to combat fornication:
- whoever tries only to abstain from fornication is like a man trying to swim against the current, moving only one hand;
- whoever fights fornication with bodily labor, sweating profusely, is likened to a man who has tied his enemy with a weak rope;
- whoever fights fornication through abstinence and constant vigil over his thoughts is like a man who has chained his enemy;
- whoever arms himself with humility, meekness and a thirst for salvation will become like a man who killed an enemy and buried him in the sand.
Thus, the fight against prodigal thoughts should be waged not so much by physical methods, but, above all, by spiritual ones.
Neil of Sinai
Photo: Stsl.ru
Quite in the spirit of the current times, there is one more piece of advice - from Nile of Sinai: a column stands on a foundation, and fornication has a foundation - satiety.
It is satiety in the modern world that makes people want to experience even more pleasures, not to deny themselves anything, not to limit themselves to anything.
Getting rid of satiety, paying attention to those who are poorer, weaker, and in need of help - this is the way to overcome lustful thoughts within yourself. Doing good and sharing, seeing the suffering of your neighbor and alleviating it is a way to forget about sin.
Basil the Great
Photo: Azbyka.ru
One of the founders of our Church, a theologian and writer, appeals to women so that they should be careful in their desire to please others:
A woman who dresses up in order to arouse the desire and attention of men, without even entering into a physical relationship with them, is already indulging in fornication in her heart.
How important this is for today’s girls, who have begun to strive not so much to dress as to undress in order to arouse lust among those around them. But for this they will have to give an answer at the Last Judgment, not only for their own sin, but also for the sin of those in whom they aroused the desire to commit adultery and pushed them to sin. Isn't it scary?
How to cope with prodigal and carnal lusts if you are not married?
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes.
Reader question:
How to cope with prodigal and carnal lusts if you are not married?
Archpriest Andrei Efanov answers:
Good afternoon! According to the teaching of the Holy Fathers, sin begins with the so-called “pretext.” A pretext is something that gives rise to sin (action or sinful thought). There are a lot of reasons for sin in the world, the question is whether you personally fall for it or reflect them from yourself. The surest way to repel the pretext is to pray to God for help, so that you will not be caught and drawn to those thoughts and actions that will be a sin or that will definitely and clearly lead to sin. And secondly, do not give in to thoughts and know how to switch from them to something - other thoughts or active actions (physical labor helps here).
In itself, such a life of the body is not sinful, but if it occurs in marriage, when the husband and wife love each other and unite into a single whole. Then this is a source of joy and space for becoming closer and, first of all, closer internally. The physical is in many ways an expression of the internal. And in marriage, I’ll tell you, you shouldn’t think much about this side of life - it’s not for thinking, but for living.
When a person is not married, it is more difficult to cope with such thoughts, because these desires also come from one’s own body, they are natural. What can I recommend?
Firstly, firmly understand for yourself that these desires can only be realized in marriage. This will protect you from actions that you will regret later. Next, minimize all irritants on this topic - movies, pictures, conversations, songs, and so on, so that your thoughts do not revolve around this topic.
When a thought comes, pray to God to stop it until the time you get married. Just don't let your imagination run wild. This can be a very difficult struggle, but with God's help it is possible. And in relationships, maintain some measure, some distance. And, if you have a fiance with whom you are going to get married, then I suggest you honestly discuss this topic with him (after all, he will be your husband, your closest person, so who else should you talk to if not him) and communicate in such a way that these desires do not develop - keep your distance from marriage. This way you won’t torment each other, and it will be clear that it’s not a matter of coldness, but a reasonable and Christian choice. And if there is no groom yet, you need to live, rejoice, play sports and have physical activity that corresponds to your age, and try, with God’s help, to postpone these aspirations until the time when you get married. In the meantime, pray to the Lord, the Mother of God and the saints that your marriage will develop in the best possible way and at the most favorable time for this.
God bless you!
|
Prayer against lustful thoughts
Here's some advice for you. You need to abstain from heavy meat foods, but what do you want? If you satiate yourself with protein foods, eat meat, and drink alcohol, then it is clear that you are drawn somewhere. And when you limit yourself and eat light food, you won’t watch TV, attractive advertising, where everything is very provocative, very beautiful views are shown. Everything is awakening little by little, drop by drop, and in the end there is a whole trickle, then this trickle turns into a river, and problems begin. So, for this you need to lead a special lifestyle - this is the recipe. There are no other recipes! There will still be thoughts, there will still be cravings, because that’s how a person is designed, nothing can be done.
Questions for the priest
Who and how should I pray to get rid of lustful thoughts?
For women, the Mother of God is the savior in all cases. You can pray to her at home, but it is better to first visit the temple, listen to the morning prayer service and repent. Then at home continue reading the morning rule daily. Church ministers say that as soon as you notice a lustful or blasphemous thought appearing in your head, cut it off with the Jesus Prayer.
For family people, prayer to Adrian and Natalya will help them maintain harmony in the family and loyalty to their significant other. Nicholas the Wonderworker helps to preserve love between spouses, find your betrothed, and remain pure in thoughts and deeds.
You should always remember that any unclean thoughts, including prodigal thoughts, come from the unclean. Through them the devil subjugates people. Prayer will remove the negative energy sent by the servants of Lucifer and cleanse the soul and head.
The history of the emergence of sinful thoughts and temptations
All Christians know the story of the struggle between good and evil, or rather the war of angels led by the Archangel Michael with the Devil, who wants to seize power over God. The battle of heavenly forces ended long ago, Lucifer was driven to earth. But he did not give up and, together with his servants, continues to tempt and seduce people in order to drag them into a sinful life and subjugate them. The devil is trying to nullify the sacrifice of Christ in the name of people, cleansing them from sins. And then darkness will be able to engulf the world.
It is not easy for a believer to immediately, in an instant, be forced to sin. But Lucifer is cunning and patient. For him, time does not matter. He first seduces people with thoughts of enjoying money, gluttony, an idle life, and fornication. Then gradually thoughts turn into actions. Seeing a beautiful, easily accessible woman, a man perceives this as the fulfillment of his desires. The lady believes that spending time making love is good for health and it is just a little fun that has no consequences.
Usually, lustful thoughts arise against the background of other sins. For example, gluttony. My belly was full, I felt weak all over my body, felt lazy and wanted to take a nap. There are no thoughts about work and prayers, just continue to “enjoy life.” In a head empty of thoughts, thoughts of love joys and pleasures appear. A woman has no one to care for; there is no God in her soul. The emptiness is filled with desires for the bliss of love.
- CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF SINFUL PASSION
- HOW TO FIGHT SINNING PASSION
- SIGNS OF DEFEAT BY SINFUL PASSION
- SELF-LOVE
- PLEASURE OF PASSION AND PEACE IN EVERYTHING (RELIEF)
- CONDEMNATION
- LAUGHTER, TIMELESS LAUGHTER
About prodigal warfare
One wise man asked me a terrible question: “What sin,” he said, “after murder and renunciation of Christ, is the gravest of all?” And when I answered: “Fall into heresy,” then he objected: “How can the conciliar church accept heretics and honor them with the communion of the Holy Mysteries, when they sincerely anathematize their heresy, and the one who committed adultery, although he confessed this sin, and stopped doing Having received him, he is excommunicated for whole years from the Most Pure Mysteries, as the apostolic canons command?” I was struck with bewilderment; but this bewilderment remained bewilderment and without resolution. [15, 47]
The Lord, as incorruptible and incorporeal, rejoices in the purity and incorruptibility of our body; demons, according to some, rejoice over nothing else so much as over the stench of fornication, and they love no passion more than that which defiles the body. [15, 35]
Do not believe in this mortal body throughout your entire life and do not rely on it until you stand before Christ. [15, 17]
The serpent of voluptuousness is diverse; He inspires those who have not tasted the sweetness of sin to taste it only once and stop; and those who have tasted the insidious one are prompted by the memory to commit sin again. Many of the first, because they do not know this evil, are free from struggle; and of the latter, many, as having experienced this abomination, endure cold and abuse. However, quite the opposite of this often happens. [15, 67]
Paul called this my, and, one might say, not my hostile, but also my beloved flesh, death. Who will deliver me
, he says, “
from the body of sowing death
(Rom. 7:24)? And Gregory the Theologian calls her passionate, slavish and nocturnal. I would like to know why these holy men give it such names? If the flesh, as said above, is death, then the one who conquers it, of course, will never die. But who is the man who will live and not see death—the desecration of his flesh? [15, 31]
Do not think that you cannot fall because of abstinence; for one, even though he did not eat anything, was cast out of heaven. [15, 18]
Our inhuman enemy and teacher of fornication inspires that God loves mankind, and that He grants quick forgiveness to this passion, as natural. But if we begin to observe the cunning of demons, we will find that, after committing a sin, they present God to us as a righteous and implacable Judge. They say the first to lead us into sin, and the second to plunge us into despair. [15, 33]
Let us consider whether each of our mental enemies, when they take up arms against us, is assigned to carry out an assignment peculiar to him, as happens in a sensory battle; and this is worthy of surprise. I have watched those who were tempted, and I have seen some of the cruelest falls: if you have ears to hear, let him hear.
(Matthew 11:15)! [15, 28]
I noticed that sometimes a fornicating wolf intensifies the illnesses of those who are ill, and in the illnesses themselves produces movements and discharges. It was terrible to see that the flesh, in the midst of severe suffering, was rampaging and raging. And I turned and saw those lying on the bed, who in their very suffering were consoled by the action of Divine grace or a feeling of tenderness; and with this consolation they reflected the painful sensations, and were in such a state of mind that they never wanted to get rid of the illness. And he turned again and saw those who were seriously suffering, who, through bodily illness, as if by some kind of penance, had gotten rid of spiritual passion; and I glorified God, who healed the clay with the clay. [26, 21]
CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF SINFUL PASSION
All demons first try to darken our mind, and then they suggest what they want, for if the mind does not close its eyes, then our treasure will not be stolen, but the prodigal demon uses this means much more than anyone else. Often, having darkened the mind of this ruler, he encourages and forces us in front of people to do what only crazy people do. When, after some time, the mind becomes sober, then we are ashamed not only of those who saw our disorderly actions, but also of ourselves, for our obscene actions, conversations and movements, and we are horrified at our previous blindness; why some, reasoning about this, often lagged behind this evil. [15, 82]
With beginners, physical falls usually occur from enjoying food; with averages they happen from arrogance and for the same reason as with beginners; but with those approaching perfection, they happen only from the condemnation of their neighbors. [15, 20]
Malice is far from solid natural love, but fornication conveniently approaches it, as we sometimes see lice hiding in a dove. [9, 8]
See VENTILIA, [14: 5, 17]
Let us tame the belly by thinking about the future fire. Obeying the belly, some finally cut off their innermost members and died a double death. Let us be careful, and we will see that overeating is the only reason for the drownings that happen to us. [14, 18]
He who serves his own belly and at the same time wants to defeat the spirit of fornication is like someone who extinguishes a fire with oil. [14, 20]
When we are fed up, this unclean spirit departs and sends the spirit of prodigalness upon us; he announces to him the state in which we are left, and says: “Go, stir up such and such: his belly is full, and therefore you will work a little.” This one, having come, smiles and, having tied our hands and feet with sleep, does whatever he wants with us, desecrating the soul with vile dreams and the body with discharges. [14, 27]
In voluptuous people there is (as one of them who experienced this confessed to me after his sobering) a feeling of some kind of extreme attraction and love for bodies, and such a shameless and inhuman spirit, clearly nesting in the very feeling of the heart, that the one fought by this spirit during battle feels bodily kindling, like fire from a burning furnace; he does not fear God, he regards the memory of torment as nothing, he disdains prayers, almost as if he were actually committing a sin, and looks at dead bodies as if they were soulless stones. The one who suffers this becomes, as it were, mad and frantic, being intoxicated by the ever-present passionate desire of verbal and wordless creatures, so that if the days of this painful battle did not stop, then no soul could be saved, clothed in this clay, dissolved in blood and phlegm. And how could it be otherwise? For everything that exists by nature insatiably desires what is akin to itself: blood for blood, a worm for a worm, and clay for clay; and therefore this flesh desires flesh, although the enforcers of nature and the desirers of the Kingdom of Heaven try to seduce this charming one with various tricks. Blessed are those who have not experienced the above-described battle. So, let us pray that He will deliver us forever from such temptation. Those who crawled and fell into this ditch are far away from the Angels ascending and descending along this ladder; and such an ascent, after a fall, requires them to sweat a lot with the strictest fasting. [15, 27]
We will also hear about another treachery of our enemies. Just as foods harmful to the body, after some time, or a day later, produce illness in us, so very often causes defile the soul. I saw those enjoying and not suddenly struggling; I saw that some eat and stay with women, and at that time do not have any evil thoughts; but when they were deceived by arrogance and dreamed that they had peace and affirmation, they suddenly suffered destruction in their cell; and what kind of destruction it is, physical and mental, to which a person can be exposed alone, is known to those who were in this temptation, and those who were not tempted do not need to know. [15, 56]
There is a demon who, as soon as we lie down on our bed, comes to us and shoots at us with evil and unclean thoughts, so that we, being too lazy to arm ourselves against them with prayer and falling asleep with bad thoughts, are overcome with sweat and bad dreams. [26, 103]
HOW TO FIGHT SINNING PASSION
Whoever wants to fight his flesh and overcome it with his own strength struggles in vain; for if the Lord does not destroy the house of carnal lust and build the house of the soul, then he who thinks to destroy watches and fasts in vain. [15, 25]
Do not think to overthrow the demon of fornication with objections and evidence, for he has many convincing justifications for fighting against us with the help of our nature. [15, 24]
Diligently drink reproach, like the water of life, from every person who wants to give you this medicine that cleanses you from fornication, for then deep purity will shine in your soul, and the light of God will not become scarce in your heart. [4, 85]
I saw that hatred broke the long-term bonds of prodigal love, and then memory of malice miraculously did not allow them to unite again. A wonderful sight! The demon heals the demon; but perhaps this is not the work of demons, but of the Providence of God. [9, 7]
If the flesh is inflamed, then it must be tamed by abstinence at all times and in all places. When it subsides (which, however, I do not hope to wait for before death), then you can hide your abstinence from others. [14, 10]
If you promised Christ to follow a narrow and cramped path, then oppress your belly, for by pleasing him and expanding it, you are rejecting your vows. But listen and you will hear the speaker: the path of gluttony is wide and wide, leading to the destruction of fornication, and many walk along it, but narrow is the gate, narrow is the path of abstinence, leading to a life of purity, and few enter through it.
(Matt. 7:14). [14, 29]
The godless Evagrius imagined that he was the wisest of the wise, both in eloquence and in the height of his thoughts, but he was deceived, poor thing, and turned out to be the maddest of the mad, both in many of his opinions and in the following. He says: “When our soul desires various foods, then we must exhaust it with bread and water.” Prescribing this is the same as telling a little boy to climb to the very top of the stairs in one step. So, let us say in refutation of this rule: if the soul desires various foods, then it seeks what is characteristic of its nature; and therefore we must use prudent caution against our cunning belly; and when there is no strong carnal warfare and there is no opportunity for a fall, then we will cut off first of all the food that fattens, then the food that inflames, and then the food that delights. If possible, give your belly sufficient and digestible food to get rid of its insatiable greed through satiation, and through rapid digestion of food to get rid of the burning sensation, like a scourge. Let us delve deeper and see that many of the dishes that swell the stomach also arouse movements of lust. [14, 12]
Whoever tries to satisfy this battle with abstinence alone is like a man who thinks to swim out of the abyss, swimming with one hand. Combine humility with abstinence, for the former is of no benefit without the latter. [15, 40]
Lying down on the bed, we must most of all be awake and sober, because then our mind alone, without the body, fights with demons, and if it is voluptuous or filled with voluptuous dreams, then it willingly becomes a traitor. [15, 52]
During the day, no one should imagine in his mind the dreams that happen in sleep, for this is also the intention of the demons to defile us while we are awake with dreams. [15, 55]
This demon, more carefully than all others, observes the times that are most convenient for catching us; and when he sees that we cannot pray against him physically, then this unclean one especially tries to attack us. [15, 79]
For those who have not yet acquired true heartfelt prayer, bodily prayer is facilitated by the feat of compulsion, for example: stretching out the arms, beating the chest, tenderly looking at the sky, deep sighs and frequent kneeling. But when it often happens that they cannot do this in the presence of other people, the demons then try to attack them; and since they are not yet able to resist them with the courage of their minds and the invisible power of prayer, then, perhaps, out of necessity, they yield to those who fight them. In this case, if possible, quickly move away from people, hide for a short time in a secret place and there look at the sky, if you can, with your spiritual eye, and if not, then at least with your physical eye; stretch out your hands in a cross shape and hold them motionless, so that in this way you can shame and defeat the mental Amalek. Cry out to Him who is able to save, and cry out not with eloquent words, but with humble statements, beginning first of all with this appeal: have mercy on me, for I am weak.
(Ps. 6:3). Then by experience you will know the power of the Almighty, and with invisible help, invisibly, you will put invisible (enemies) to flight. Whoever has learned to fight them in this way will soon begin to drive away these enemies with just his soul; for the Lord gives this second gift to workers as a reward for their first exploits. And fair enough! [15, 80]
Just as it is disgusting to an earthly king who, when standing before him, turns his face away from him and converses with the enemies of his ruler, so he who stands before him in prayer and entertains unclean thoughts is disgusting to the Lord. [28, 54]
Drive away this dog that comes to you with the weapon of prayer, and no matter how much he continues to be shameless, do not give in to him. [28, 55]
Beware of praying indiscriminately for the female sex, lest you be robbed from the right side. [28, 57]
When confessing your sins to the Lord, do not go into the details of your carnal deeds, how they happened, so that you do not become a slanderer to yourself. [28, 58]
What the eyes have not seen, the larynx, according to one hearing, is not very willing to taste, so those who are pure in body receive great relief from their ignorance in spiritual warfare. [26, 217]
SIGNS OF DEFEAT BY SINFUL PASSION
Being in temptation, I felt that this wolf wanted to seduce me, producing wordless joy, tears and consolation in my soul; and in my infancy I thought that I had received the fruit of grace, and not vanity and delusion. [15, 42]
Those inclined to voluptuousness are often compassionate and merciful, quick to tears and affectionate; but those who care about cleanliness are not like that. [15, 46]
The most enlightened and sensible of the fathers noticed another thought, which is more subtle than all of the above. It is called the foray of thought; and it passes through the soul so quickly that, without time, without words or images, it instantly presents passion to the ascetic. In the carnal warfare between the spirits of malice, there is no one faster and more inconspicuous than this. With one subtle memory, without combination, without continuation of time, in an inexplicable, and in some even unknown way, he suddenly appears as his presence in the soul. Whoever through crying has managed to comprehend such subtlety of thought can teach us: how, with one eye, and a simple glance, and the touch of the hand, and the hearing of a song, without any thought or thought, the soul can commit fornication passionately. [15, 74]
Among passionate people, one is more passionate than the other; and some confess their very filth with voluptuousness and delight. Unclean and shameful thoughts are usually born in the heart from the demon of fornication, this deceiver of the heart; but they are healed by abstinence and imputing them to nothing. [15, 85]
Turn away from this adversary when, after you have done the actions described above, he forbids you to pray, practice pious deeds and remain in vigil; and remember the One who said: this soul, tormented by vicious habits, does my labors; I will take vengeance on her from her enemies.
(Luke 18:5). [15, 83]
How and in what way can I bind my flesh, this friend of mine, and judge it according to the example of other passions? Don't know. Before I have time to tie it up, it is already resolved; Before I judge her, I make peace with her; and before I begin to torment, I bow to her with pity. How can I hate the one I am naturally accustomed to love? How can I free myself from the one with whom I am bound forever? How can I kill the one who should rise with me? How can one who has received a corruptible nature be made incorruptible? What blessed proof shall I present to her who can counter so many natural objections to me? If I bind her with fasting, then, having condemned my neighbor, I again surrender to her; If, having stopped judging others, I defeat her, then, having lifted up my heart, I am again brought down by her. She is my friend, she is my enemy, she is my helper, she is also my rival: my intercessor and traitor. When I please her, she turns against me. Am I exhausting her, exhausting her? If I calm her down, she goes wild. Am I a burden? I can’t stand it. If I make her sad, then I myself will be extremely poor. If I defeat her, then there will be no one with whom to acquire virtues. And I turn away from it and embrace it. What kind of mystery is this in me? How did this combination of opposites come about in me? How am I both my own enemy and friend? Tell me, my wife is my nature; for I do not want to ask anyone else but you about what concerns you; tell me, how can I remain without being hurt by you? How can I avoid natural disaster when I promised Christ to wage constant warfare with you? How can I overcome your torment when I voluntarily decided to be your enforcer? She, answering her soul, says: “I will not tell you what you do not know, but I will tell you what we both understand. I have my father in me - self-love. External kindlings come from pleasing me and from excessive peace in everything, and internal ones - from former peace and from voluptuous deeds. Having conceived, I give birth to falls; they, having been born, themselves give birth to death through despair. If you clearly recognize my and your deep weakness; then you will tie my hands. If you torture your larynx with abstinence; then you will tie my legs so that they do not move forward. If you unite with obedience, you will be freed from me; and if you acquire humility, you will cut off my head. [15, 86]
SELF-LOVE
See above [15, 86]
PLEASURE OF PASSION AND PEACE IN EVERYTHING (RELIEF)
Just as he who fights with a lion, if he turns his gaze away from him, immediately dies, so he who fights with his flesh, if he puts it to rest. [26, 226]
He who caresses a lion often tames him; and whoever pleases the body increases its ferocity. [14, 6]
See above [15, 86].
CONDEMNATION
When judging others and exalting others, the entire feat against the flesh is in vain. [15, 86]
See PRIDE.
[10, 9]; [23, 51]; [10: 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16]. Hula
See PRIDE. [23: 39, 42, 44, 45, 48]; [23, 34].
LAUGHTER, TIMELESS LAUGHTER
See VANITY. [7, 14]
If nothing is more in agreement with humility than crying, then, without a doubt, nothing is so opposed to it as laughter. [7, 8]
Be like a king in your heart, sitting on the high throne of humility, and command laughter: go, and it goes
;
and I cry to the sweet: come, and it comes
;
and to the body, this servant and our tormentor: do this, and he will do it
(Matthew 8:9). [7, 39]
God does not require, brethren, and does not desire that a person should cry from heart disease, but that out of love for Him he should rejoice with spiritual laughter. Sin will be removed, and painful tears will be unnecessary for sensual eyes, for when there is no wound, then there is no need for a plaster. Adam had no tears before his crime, just as there will be none after the resurrection, when sin is abolished; for then sickness, sorrow and sighing will flee away (Isaiah 35:10). [7, 45]
See VENTILIA. [12: 4, 5].
Table of contents
