The sins of man can be very different from the notorious seven deadly sins to the multitude of seemingly small and insignificant offences. But every wrong action, no matter how small, has a devastating effect on the soul. As water wears away the stone, and gradually aggravate the sins of the soul, make it dirty, dark, overwhelmed by baser desires.

All of the above is not a metaphor. People with the gift of clairvoyance, able to see firsthand how different the souls of the righteous people from the souls of sinners. St. Theophan the recluse wrote about the righteous man with pure thoughts, the soul is light, and sinful man is black. This is confirmed by modern clairvoyants.



How polluted soul



It is very important to understand how there is spiritual decline. In the human mind almost all the time present some thoughts. But the Holy fathers a hundred years ago talked about the fact that not all thoughts belong to the person – many of them are conscious. This idea entered into the consciousness, referred to as the app. The important thing is that no matter how sinful a thought, a person is not responsible for her punishment. Because she is an alien that came from the outside.

A righteous person immediately recognizes this idea and want to defy her, she has no power over him. And the other person will listen to it – it becomes a thought. If people agree with the idea, take it, it is a combination. This is followed by the captivity, the idea of actively captures human consciousness. The last stage of submission of someone else's thoughts (which has already become his) passion.

The easiest way to ward off the sinful thought at the stage of app. Of course, this work requires constant monitoring, observation of thoughts, it is very difficult, but possible. If a person drives away sinful thoughts, his soul becoming lighter. Conversely, obeying alien sinful thoughts, people increasingly pollutes your soul, make it dark and insensitive to the truth.


Discernment of truth and falsehood



The issue of distinguishing between truth and lies is one of the most important to preserve the purity of the soul. Not everyone can immediately understand the true idea came into his mind or false. How to avoid mistakes in this matter?

In Orthodoxy it is believed that man cannot fight the lies, as Satan is infinitely smarter and more cunning than him. The lie can disguise themselves so thoroughly that even righteous people sometimes can make mistakes and accept the lie as truth.
The only correct way is to constantly ask God for help in separating truth from falsehood. As a spiritual practice the person gradually emerges a spiritual vision, he begins to see very clearly all the tricks of the dark forces, all of their lies. His soul becomes more pure and bright.

At some point, for example, during prayer the soul of the pure man becomes so bright that the light visible to the naked eye. There is plenty of evidence as shone on the face prayer of the Orthodox ascetics, sometimes the light was so bright that made people look away. Such a person's soul is completely freed from the passions, therefore, shines in its true spiritual light.