Archimandrite Sophrony (Sakharov). "Saint Silouan, the Athonite".
In our desire to learn from the Elder if there is a criterion that allows to distinguish in a certain way between the true spiritual path and ‘illusions of truth’ that are found when we turn away from the path, we talked to him about this issue. His words were precious. He said:
"When the Holy Spirit fills the whole man with the sweetness of his love, the world is completely forgotten and the soul contemplates God with unspeakable joy. But when the soul remembers the world again, it cries then, full of love for God and compassion for men and prays for the whole universe.
Given over to tears and prayer for the world that love inspires in her, the soul, full of the sweetness of the Holy Spirit, can forget the world again and rest in God. And when the memory of the world returns, she prays anew, shedding tears, imploring, submerged in affliction, the salvation of all men.
This is the true way that the Holy Spirit teaches.
The Holy Spirit is love, peace and sweetness. The Holy Spirit teaches to love God and neighbour. But the spirit of delusion is a spirit of pride; it forgives neither man nor other creatures, for it has created nothing. He acts as a thief and predator; his path is strewn with ruins.
