In Volume One of Walking on the Waves: An Everyday Guide to Nepsis, His Grace Bishop Emilianos of Meloa introduced nepsis as the spiritual method of prayerfully watching over our thoughts, divesting ourselves of passions, regrets and desires and making room for God. In continuing to equip the everyday person with knowledge to apply nepsis in the context of everyday life, Volume Two offers five distinct, yet intertwined talks, for building a healthy spiritual life in union with God.

Opening with Talk 5, “Nepsis: A Rule of Prayer,” we gain insight into the ways nepsis stabilizes our love for Christ, rids us of the fear of death and helps us acquire all other virtues. An important question emerges: what happens if we know all about the importance of nepsis but have thus far failed to practice it? For those who have struggled to reach the level of vigilance discussed, hope is not lost; it is found in a simple rule of prayer.

Talk 6, “Nepsis: Experiencing God,” explores two ways of experiencing God—Theoptia, the vision of God through the nous, and Theokoinonia, sensing the presence or qualities of God. We discover the significance of practicing nepsis to receive these experiences, the clarity nepsis brings to our intellect and nous—leading to inner peace and even greater spiritual experiences—and the need to find the nepsis ‘button’ to activate and regenerate our Connection with God.

Talk 7, “Nepsis: Humbling Ourselves Willingly,” focuses on a special kind of humility and the importance of it becoming a living condition rather than an intentional pursuit. The role of discernment in practicing the virtues and avoiding spiritual harm is also emphasized as foundational for a balanced spiritual life.

The theme of humility continues into Talk 8, “Nepsis: Self-Knowledge.” With humility, we are given the Gift of Knowing God, without which, we cannot know ourselves. Will we accept humility or reject it? This, we are told, is the key to understanding God, knowing ourselves, and accepting others, regardless of how they treat us—the difference between a psychological existence and spiritual reality.

Concluding with Talk 9, “Nepsis: Knowing Our Limits,” the importance of recognizing our spiritual, psychological and physical limits to avoid burnout and maintain a connection with God is emphasized. When practiced without discernment of our limits, even nepsis and prayer can lead us to harm. How do we protect ourselves? The answer may be surprising!

Throughout each talk, invaluable questions on real-world struggles are asked and answered: How do we prepare ourselves to change? When we lose our sense of Oneness with God or feel like we’ve slipped spiritually, how can we bring ourselves back to where we were? How do you overcome the discomfort of humbling yourself? How should I handle being in the company of someone—whether family or a friend—who vocalizes judgment about someone else? When you say to ‘focus on Christ,’ do you mean being aware of God in everything we do? How do we recognize the line between our limits and laziness?

In explaining the invaluable teachings of Elder Aimilianos of Simonopetra, we are given the knowledge of nepsis as a spiritual practice. In responding to the questions of everyday laypeople fighting to make vigilance a sustained practice amidst the pressures of daily life, Bishop Emilianos of Meloa offers what we deeply need. In these pages, we hear the gentle, pastoral voice of someone navigating the same turbulent waters, calling out to those overwhelmed by waves, anxiety, and despair, and proclaiming: there is a way to walk on the waves. That way is Nepsis.