Let us clarify this for better understanding. A holy individual thrives on the right side, indicating spiritual well-being. On this side, he inspires fervent spirit, conquering various desires; he defies malevolent attacks without fear, casting aside carnal sins effortlessly; when he transcends worldly matters, regarding them as fleeting and hollow, he holds contempt for their transience; when his mind, uplifted, yearns for the eternal and not only anticipates it but also perceives it clearly; when he willingly engages in spiritual meditation, witnessing heavenly truths revealed to him; when he offers dedicated prayers to God with a pure heart; and ultimately, when he is zealous in spirit and relentlessly pursues the unseen and everlasting, taking little thought of his earthly existence.
Conversely, he also possesses a left side, which manifests during trials and tribulations; when he is ignited by intense carnal desires; when he battles the flames of wrath; when pride or vanity stirs within him; when he is overwhelmed by sorrow that leads to despair; when he feels the bitter pangs of despondency, and when he, having lost his spiritual fervor, experiences a numbing chill and unaccountable weariness, leading to a departure from thoughts ignited by pure intention, as well as a disinterest in psalmody, reading, prayer, solitude—everything serving to guide him toward virtue becomes repugnant. When a monk finds himself in this state, he must recognize that the left side weighs heavily upon him.
Therefore, who, endowed with the virtues of the right side, would not be easily swayed by the lures of vanity, and who, valiantly battling the vices of the left side, could remain free from despair? Taking from both sides, he arms himself with patience for the exercise of his virtue, such that both hands operate as right hands; thus, thriving victoriously with both, he earns a crown of triumph in relation to both aspects of his existence. The account of Job presents a clear illustration of this victorious crown. On the right side, he was adorned with it as a devout and accomplished father of seven sons who, daily, offered sacrifices to the Lord for their purification, intent on making them acceptable to God rather than merely to himself; when he welcomed all who came to him; when he was a support to the weak and a guide to the blind; when he nurtured orphans and widows; when his heart did not rejoice at the misfortune of his adversaries.
On the left side, Job displayed his virtue in the face of calamity, for when he lost all seven sons in a sudden moment, he did not succumb to the deep sorrow expected of a father but rejoiced in fulfilling his Creator's will; when, transitioning from wealth to utter poverty and from strength to weakness, from renown to obscurity, he maintained unwavering courage in his spirit; when, having lost all he possessed, he sat in ashes, enduring the agony of scraping his body, extracting worms from his wounds. At no point did he succumb to blasphemous despair or murmur against God; even when stripped of the scant clothing remaining to him, which served as his only protection, he relinquished it to the tormentor, casting it aside. He severed the hair on his head, his last remaining vestige, offering it to his fierce adversary as he fervently declared: "Shall we receive good things from God, and not receive evil things? Naked I came out of my mother's womb, naked I shall return. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord!" (Job 2:10; Job 1:21).
Joseph exemplified this, displaying kindness in prosperity toward his father, integrity toward his brothers, and faithfulness to God; in adversity, he remained chaste and good, forgiving even those who wronged him while being a generous benefactor to his brothers despite their envy. Such individuals are rightly termed "rim-handed." With both hands acting as one, they navigate the trials named by the apostle, declaring with him: "with the weapon of righteousness in the right and left hand, in honour and dishonour, in censure and praise." Solomon eloquently alludes to the concept of right and left hands in the Song of Songs, speaking for the bride: "His left hand is under my head, and His right hand embraces me" (Song 2:6). Though both hands serve a purpose, it is the left that undergirds her head, for adversity is subordinate to the primary aspect—her heart. Adversity serves to refine our virtue in certain moments and to strengthen our patience, while we long to be fully embraced and united by the right hand of our Beloved for continuous sustenance and comfort.
We too shall possess fair arms when neither abundance nor shortage of worldly goods will sway our resolve; neither will affluence tempt us to indulge in harmful pleasures, nor will scarcity incline us toward despair and complaint. Rather, we will be grateful to God for both, receiving the same benefit from both favorable and unfavorable circumstances. Such was the experience of the apostle to the Gentiles, who testified, "I have learned to be content with what I have. I know how to live even in scarcity; I know how to live also in abundance. I have learned to have all things and in all things, to be filled and to suffer hunger, to abound and to suffer need" (Philippians 4:11-13).
THEOSIS