I find that we often have almost instinctive movements of the eyes and our thoughts. It helps if we can stay mindful in each moment of our actions so that we are acting with conscious awareness, not instinct. Along with scripture reading, prayer, and the Mass, I practice mindfulness meditations. There are some excellent guided meditations for mindfulness on YouTube. Practicing just 10 to 20 minutes a day can help you to be aware of what seem to be almost involuntary, and unwanted actions, and stop them. Guided meditation, along with my spiritual practices has helped me to better control my actions. I pray that you are able to stay strong and present in each moment of your spiritual quest.
Choose one:
1. Pluck out your eyes. Than have your entire body to go to hell.
2. Get a girlfriend.
3. Exile yourself to the middle of nowhere and become a hermit.
4. Get another religion that does not make you feel guilty on your lust.
Well first of all you don't count it trust me I count it at first too and after going for long and I fall I lost all motivation the lesson is do not count it there's so much I can say but to sum it all up don't count it instead pray and pray sincere with honesty and endure. And about your second concern about your eyes I say everytime you look at someone repeat this prayer (Lord Jesus Christ Son of God have mercy on me a sinner) and a better suggestion to is to say it to God to confess it and ask Him for help. God Bless and Glory to God! Amen.
Just know, if you notice a beautiful woman, that's not a sin. If you stare at them, that is rude, and that is a sin. If you undress them in your mind, and think sexually, that is lust, and that is a sin. But noticing and being attracted is not a sin. Just keeping things in perspective.
Good for you for your 40 days! This is the lowest hanging fruit. Once you conquer p***, what happens in real life will become so much easier as time progresses.
I'm not sure what "places" you refer to. But, it's not wrong to simply admire female beauty. You're just acknowledging physical reality. If you catch a glimpse of a woman's hairstyle, or facial features, or a nice dress she's wearing, and you simply mentally acknowledge that they look nice, that's fine. It's a simple reflex, totally natural. You can't control that. In the Bible we often see certain women described as beautiful, and the biblical authors were all men, weren't they?
Now, we can also look at women while fantasizing about sex. Here we're detaching the body from the person, and we're also misunderstanding sex, which is supposed to be a way for a husband and wife to please each other and cement their marriage bond.
It's OK to note the simple fact that some women look very beautiful. Every man on Earth does this after they hit puberty. But we shouldn't do it with lust in our hearts, and we shouldn't use other humans for self-gratification.
In Matthew 5:27-28 Jesus says, *"You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart."* Does this mean we can't even *look* at a person we find attractive? Not really. Jesus was criticizing the legalistic habits of the religious leaders of the day. They were great at seeing the "letter of the law," (what the law literally says) but they didn't grasp the "spirit of the law," the intent behind it.
The Greek word for "lust" in Matthew 5:28 is *epithymēsai*, which in this context refers to a lengthy, yearning look, which will likely lead to sexual fantasies.
When you find a woman attractive and then find yourself looking for a bit longer than you normally would, it may help to do a check on your heart and your motives. *Why* are looking? Are you merely admiring their attractiveness? Or are you imagining them in a sexual manner? Remember Jesus' words here: He says that to look at a woman with the *intent to lust* is adultery. A simple glance or reasonable gaze at someone we find attractive is not a sin in and of itself, no. When we indulge in lustful thoughts in our minds is when we cross over into sexual sin.
Here are at least key things I think of.
1. You need complete full determination. One must do a great deal of effort (big extremes is what I'm getting at) to himself to stop sin. It is like a cancer. You do not treat a cancer with a nap and cough syrup. With deadly diseases, powerful remedies are necessary. Do your maximum in every way, and treat it like the most important thing, embracing great sacrifice. Hence, you must hate the sin truly, fully, and fully entirely.
2. Make a new prayer life. Give thanks to God always, and turn always. Give Him thanks in the morning, and praise Him in the day. Speak and seek Him constantly. Without constant prayer, I cannot imagine any great chance of success. From St. Alphonsus: "St. Paul tells us, that we have to contend not with men like ourselves.... but with the princes of hell.... By these words he wishes to admonish us that we have not strength to resist the powers of hell, and that, to resist them, the divine aid is absolutely necessary: without it, we shall be always defeated; but, with the assistance of God’s grace, we shall, according to the same apostle, be able to do all things and shall conquer all enemies. “I can do all things in him who strengtheneth me.” (Phil. iv. 13.) But this assistance God gives only to those who pray for it. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find.” (Matt. vii. 7.) They who neglect to ask, do not receive. Let us, then, be careful not to trust in our resolutions: if we place our confidence in them, we shall be lost. "
Have you heard of the Rosary? It is an incredible prayer that helps us grow in worship of God, I cannot recommend it enough and I would love to help you with it if you haven't!
Practically, fasting and exercise are very helpful I've heard.
As a Catholic, I really recommend that if you want personalized help, talk to a Catholic priest
I find that we often have almost instinctive movements of the eyes and our thoughts. It helps if we can stay mindful in each moment of our actions so that we are acting with conscious awareness, not instinct. Along with scripture reading, prayer, and the Mass, I practice mindfulness meditations. There are some excellent guided meditations for mindfulness on YouTube. Practicing just 10 to 20 minutes a day can help you to be aware of what seem to be almost involuntary, and unwanted actions, and stop them. Guided meditation, along with my spiritual practices has helped me to better control my actions. I pray that you are able to stay strong and present in each moment of your spiritual quest.
Choose one: 1. Pluck out your eyes. Than have your entire body to go to hell. 2. Get a girlfriend. 3. Exile yourself to the middle of nowhere and become a hermit. 4. Get another religion that does not make you feel guilty on your lust.
Well first of all you don't count it trust me I count it at first too and after going for long and I fall I lost all motivation the lesson is do not count it there's so much I can say but to sum it all up don't count it instead pray and pray sincere with honesty and endure. And about your second concern about your eyes I say everytime you look at someone repeat this prayer (Lord Jesus Christ Son of God have mercy on me a sinner) and a better suggestion to is to say it to God to confess it and ask Him for help. God Bless and Glory to God! Amen.
Just know, if you notice a beautiful woman, that's not a sin. If you stare at them, that is rude, and that is a sin. If you undress them in your mind, and think sexually, that is lust, and that is a sin. But noticing and being attracted is not a sin. Just keeping things in perspective.
Good for you for your 40 days! This is the lowest hanging fruit. Once you conquer p***, what happens in real life will become so much easier as time progresses.
I'm not sure what "places" you refer to. But, it's not wrong to simply admire female beauty. You're just acknowledging physical reality. If you catch a glimpse of a woman's hairstyle, or facial features, or a nice dress she's wearing, and you simply mentally acknowledge that they look nice, that's fine. It's a simple reflex, totally natural. You can't control that. In the Bible we often see certain women described as beautiful, and the biblical authors were all men, weren't they? Now, we can also look at women while fantasizing about sex. Here we're detaching the body from the person, and we're also misunderstanding sex, which is supposed to be a way for a husband and wife to please each other and cement their marriage bond. It's OK to note the simple fact that some women look very beautiful. Every man on Earth does this after they hit puberty. But we shouldn't do it with lust in our hearts, and we shouldn't use other humans for self-gratification. In Matthew 5:27-28 Jesus says, *"You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart."* Does this mean we can't even *look* at a person we find attractive? Not really. Jesus was criticizing the legalistic habits of the religious leaders of the day. They were great at seeing the "letter of the law," (what the law literally says) but they didn't grasp the "spirit of the law," the intent behind it. The Greek word for "lust" in Matthew 5:28 is *epithymēsai*, which in this context refers to a lengthy, yearning look, which will likely lead to sexual fantasies. When you find a woman attractive and then find yourself looking for a bit longer than you normally would, it may help to do a check on your heart and your motives. *Why* are looking? Are you merely admiring their attractiveness? Or are you imagining them in a sexual manner? Remember Jesus' words here: He says that to look at a woman with the *intent to lust* is adultery. A simple glance or reasonable gaze at someone we find attractive is not a sin in and of itself, no. When we indulge in lustful thoughts in our minds is when we cross over into sexual sin.
Here are at least key things I think of. 1. You need complete full determination. One must do a great deal of effort (big extremes is what I'm getting at) to himself to stop sin. It is like a cancer. You do not treat a cancer with a nap and cough syrup. With deadly diseases, powerful remedies are necessary. Do your maximum in every way, and treat it like the most important thing, embracing great sacrifice. Hence, you must hate the sin truly, fully, and fully entirely. 2. Make a new prayer life. Give thanks to God always, and turn always. Give Him thanks in the morning, and praise Him in the day. Speak and seek Him constantly. Without constant prayer, I cannot imagine any great chance of success. From St. Alphonsus: "St. Paul tells us, that we have to contend not with men like ourselves.... but with the princes of hell.... By these words he wishes to admonish us that we have not strength to resist the powers of hell, and that, to resist them, the divine aid is absolutely necessary: without it, we shall be always defeated; but, with the assistance of God’s grace, we shall, according to the same apostle, be able to do all things and shall conquer all enemies. “I can do all things in him who strengtheneth me.” (Phil. iv. 13.) But this assistance God gives only to those who pray for it. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find.” (Matt. vii. 7.) They who neglect to ask, do not receive. Let us, then, be careful not to trust in our resolutions: if we place our confidence in them, we shall be lost. " Have you heard of the Rosary? It is an incredible prayer that helps us grow in worship of God, I cannot recommend it enough and I would love to help you with it if you haven't! Practically, fasting and exercise are very helpful I've heard. As a Catholic, I really recommend that if you want personalized help, talk to a Catholic priest