On Dreams (St. Gregory the Dialogist)

By St. Gregory the Dialogist

(Dialogues, Bk. 4, Chs. 48 & 49)

You must understand that there are six kind of dreams. For sometime they proceed of too much fullness or emptiness of the stomach, sometime by illusion, sometime both by thought and illusion, sometime by revelation, and sometime both by thought and revelation. The two first all by experience know to be true, and the four latter we find mentioned in Holy Scripture.

Fasting as a Weapon in Spiritual Warfare (St. Isaac the Syrian)

By St. Isaac the Syrian

The Savior began the work of our salvation with fasting. In the same way, all those who follow in the footsteps of the Savior build on this foundation the beginning of their endeavor, since fasting is a weapon established by God. Who will escape blame if he neglects this? If the Lawgiver Himself fasts, how can any of those who have to obey the law be exempt from fasting? This is why the human race knew no victory before fasting, and the devil was never defeated by our nature as it is: but this weapon has indeed deprived the devil of strength from the outset.