Time and Despondency

Regaining the Present in Faith and Life

De: Nicole Roccas

Narrado por: Nicole M. Roccas

Idleness. Apathy. Restlessness. Procrastination. These are symptoms of what early Christian theologians called despondency (acedia), a spiritual sickness rooted in a lack of care or effort.

A condition as old as the ancients, despondency thrives in today's culture of leisure, anxiety, and digital distraction. Time and Despondency is a penetrating synthesis of ancient theology, spiritual memoir, and self-help practicality. It envisions despondency as the extension of a broken relationship with the experience of time.

Driven by the fear of death and the anxiety of living, despondency drives us to abandon the present moment, forsaking the only temporal realm in which we have true fellowship with Christ. The remedies offered by time-honored Christian thinkers for this predicament constitute not only an antidote to despondency but also stepping stones back to the present moment.

In regaining the sacredness of time, we re-encounter the resurrection of Christ in the dark and restless moments of our lives.

©2017 Nicole M. Roccas (P)2018 Nicole M. Roccas

Phenomenal

This is my favorite Orthodox audiobook. Every chapter heals the soul. Truly a blessing for monastics and laymen alike.

Great for anyone struggling with depression

I found this audiobook to be both interesting, informative and timely. I like it when authors narrate their own work and plan to listen to this book again. I highly recommend it and think it would be great if more young adults listened to/read this book.

I am very grateful that I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request ; I have voluntarily left this review.

Rumination is the opposite of gratitude (and other insights toward freedom from despondency)

I want to stop numbing myself— thought this book (which gives modern applications to the teachings of the desert fathers) might give insight.

The author’s voice is so soft that I had to really pay attention to catch what she says. This irritated me at first, accustomed to doing a million things while listening to a book. Two thirds into it, I realized that was the point! I need to slow down and do daily tasks with attentiveness, awareness.

The insight that the opposite of gratitude is rumination is worth the whole book (but there are many such insights). I replayed that section at least 10 times to let her observations re this to sink in.

At the end of each section, Dr. Roccas has practical suggestions for countering the aspect of despondency treated in that chapter. It is both serious and joyful.

In addition to the Audible version, I bought the Kindle version and 3 of the hardcover so I can share the book with others (and I never buy hardcopy books any more!).

Ok! I’m going to start listening to it again now. :D

Really good snippets of information

The book was all over the place but it still contains information worth listening to in regards to the subject matter presented.

Whoa

The gems come so fast and so frequently that within a day I ordered your book so that I can contemplate these ideas and enjoy the depth of what you are revealing.
I am off to start reading. Blessings to you Nicole. In this moment I would say the Lord has used you to give me what I need.