Письмо к монахине Ксении об опыте Божественного Света

When the mind, through the exercise of virtue, learns to drive away all bad passions, the soul receives help and begins to absorb all spiritual forces. Then she adorns herself with the cultivation of virtues. With God's help, the inner man is cleansed, everything alien disappears. Through asceticism, man transcends evil meanings and, in a God-loving and divine manner, places everything on God. The grace of the Holy Spirit comes into his soul and makes his inner man better than before. When the light of this dawn appears and the sun rises in our hearts, the real man within, doing his real work, becomes visible. For such a person, the Light of God shines, illuminating his path. Such a person climbs to the tops of eternal mountains. Oh miracle! Illuminated by this Light, a person becomes a seer of things that transcend the world, without being separated from his material hypostasis. He does not fly there on the imaginary wings of the intellect, but actually flies by means of ineffable spiritual power, receiving spiritual and ineffable help. He hears unspeakable words, he sees the invisible. Thus, a person completely surrenders to God and becomes completely light. He competes in hymns with the tireless singers of heaven, he truly becomes an angel on earth. All creation is subject to him, since he participates in the One who is above all. St. Neil says: “The state of mind is an immaterial height, like the Divine and Heavenly color. During prayer, the mind partakes of the Light of the Holy Trinity. If a person wants to see the mind in such a state, let him free it from all thoughts.... Then the person will see how the Light of heavenly color, like sapphire, shines in him.” However, it is impossible to begin this without dispassion. The assistance of God's help is necessary; the Divine breath must be breathed in a person. Saint Diadochos of Photikie says: “Holy grace gives a person two things in Baptism: in water it renews and enlightens that which is created “in the image,” cleansing us from every spot of our sin. And then She remains with us in order to make perfect what was created “in the likeness.” So, when the mind begins to taste the goodness of the All-Holy Spirit, love enters into a person. Having been rewarded with heavenly Light, he accepts Divine beauty. Then a person is between Divine grace and the fatness of the body. Then a person feels immovable or almost immovable towards evil, discovering the Heavenly mysteries within himself. It is from here that various miracles and clairvoyances are manifested in the saints. That is, a person sees what is happening far away, as if it were happening before his eyes, and has a premonition of what will happen later. The grace of the Holy Spirit returns man to his ancient and excellent beauty. This is the height to which blessed sadness and repentance lift the humble in heart and the poor in spirit. May the humane-loving God help us to know the Comforter. May He comfort us, and may we give glory to Him with the Beginningless Father and the Only Begotten Son. We ask for the prayers of readers for the servants of God Mikhail and Irina, thanks to whom this publication became possible.