Chapter 21

On Feelings in Prayer and Spiritual Delusion

^21.2.1 May the mercy of God be with you!

^21.3.1 What you wrote about prayer is all good. As for the movements of the blood that sometimes occur during prayer, these will pass. Don’t strain your heart too much; rather, act in simplicity of heart. Then whatever feelings God sends will produce nothing harmful. When this happens, pray to the Lord and your Guardian Angel about this movement, that they may calm it, and if the enemy is stirring there, that they may drive him away.

^21.4.1 There is nothing to fear from spiritual delusion. It happens to those who have grown proud, who begin to think that once warmth of the heart has come, that is already the end of perfection. But this is only the beginning, and perhaps not even a stable one. For both warmth and peace of heart can be natural as well—the fruit of concentrated attention—but you must labor and labor, wait and wait, until what is natural is replaced by what is grace-filled. In any case, it is best of all never to consider yourself as having attained anything, but always to see yourself as poor, naked, and blind, and good for nothing.

^21.5.1 Remember the Most Holy Trinity, if you are able, together without division: for God is One. When you pray with prayer beads, at the large knots, say: ‘Most Holy Trinity, our God, glory to You’ or ‘have mercy on us!’ And even that, not always. Act freely, without binding yourself, only so that you remain always in feeling toward the Lord and with the Lord. Pray to Him, and He Himself will teach you.

^21.6.1 May the Lord bless you!

^21.7.1 Be saved!

^21.8.1 Your intercessor, Bishop Theophan.