Fear, emptiness, fear of emptiness? In quest of spiritual remedies today

Abstract

The contribution starts from the experience of loss of meaning, fear and emptiness in contemporary society and culture, which can also result in acute (clinical) forms. Starting form the model of a therapeutics of spiritual illnesses grounded in the ascetical experience linked to the hesychastic tradition, I will focus on the experience of fear (e.g. according to John Climacus), emptiness and abandonment (referring to Diadochus of Photike and Archimandrite Sophrony Sakharov), culminating in considerations on experiences of void, nothingness, self-annihilation and despair. After the examination of the meaning of the “negativity” involved in these experiences, I will explore the spiritual remedies and their resources in the Eastern Orthodox ascetical tradition. How is it possible, for the contemporary self, to find meaning and consolation, to find the courage to combat the (inner) meaninglessness and search for the transcendent meanings, to overcome despair, constant anxiety, or acute moments of fear?