The Praktikos, of Evagrius begins with the listing of eight kinds of “evil” or “passionate” thoughts: gluttony, impurity, avarice, sadness, anger, vainglory, pride and acedia. Jacob Needleman offers this explanation of the word: No single English word adequately translates this term. It has been variously rendered as “laziness” or “despondency” or “boredom”. Perhaps it is best rendered as “the desire to give up.” ** I submit that it is this acedia with which Gunlap70 is at war. The acedia, which meaning Jacob Needleman has opened for us. No, by no means give up to “puttering around the house”. Please do not confuse this acedia with the spiritually nourishing and first step to action, the surrender involved in the first step of the life changing program of Alcoholics Anonymous. They are in very opposite camps.

**Jacob Needleman,  Lost Christianity ,  (New York, Jeremy Tarcher/ Penguin, 1980), p. 138

Acedia: Spiritual Despair