stillness

   The person who lives in stillness (hesychia) is protected from very many evils, and especially depression. When a person manages to live in stillness he is not in danger of suffering from depression. Unfortunately, people around us upset us with their passions, neurotic people with their neuroses, the garrulous with their gossip, the envious with their wickedness, the indecent with their sensual provocations, etc. Their passions excite our own passions. And our inflamed passions banish stillness. Since we live among people conquered by passions, who want their passions and maintain them, we get upset and lose our peace of mind, that is, our union with God and our attempt to live a life of virtue.
This is a serious and important reason why ascetics, monks and nuns leave the world and worldly affairs and withdraw from society in order to live in monasteries and hermitages. And there they live and enjoy the benefits of stillness, which are tranquility, peace, quietness, joy, holiness and perfection   of life.
  God Himself advises stillness.We can read in the life of St. Arsenios that one day, while he was praying in the royal palace where he was the teacher of the crown prince and was begging the Lord to advise him in what sure way he would find his salvation, he heard the Lord's voice saying: "Arsenios. Go Away, be silent, live in stillness. Go away and save yourself." In the Gerontikon, we also read excellent advice: "Restrict your relations with other people", advises Abba Doulas, "so that your mind may not be dimmed by the distractions and cares of life, and thus you lose the free air of stillness".
  "The soul that has tasted the sweetness of stillness, always looks for it everywhere. Not because of hatred or contempt for other people, but because of its love of stillness", says Abba Theodoros of Phermis.
  Abba Makarios says, "Avoid frequent social gatherings and lots of talk. Love the stillness of solitude in order to win compunction and tears."
  A novice once asked Abba Rufos to teach him what stillness is and how it benefits man. "Stillness," the Abba answered, "is to be closed in your cell, aware of God and fearing Him, chasing from your soul rancor and pride. This stillness produces several virtues and guards the soul from the attacks of the evil one."

Abbott Spyridon 

Depression