Common Discernment Pitfalls
Subtle Errors That Deceive Even Sincere Practitioners
Discernment pitfalls are subtle errors in spiritual judgment that can derail contemplative practice. Unlike obvious temptations, these mistakes often appear virtuous—spiritual pride disguised as humility, imagination mistaken for revelation, or attachment to consolation presented as devotion. All three great traditions warn against these dangers and agree that self-diagnosis is nearly impossible; outside guidance is essential.
Why the Sincere Are Most Vulnerable
The greatest discernment dangers do not come to the lukewarm. They come to those who pray earnestly, who seek God with genuine desire, who have tasted real consolation. The very sincerity that draws us deeper into prayer also makes us vulnerable to subtle self-deception.
As Ignatius of Loyola observed, the enemy of souls adapts his tactics to the soul's state. The beginner faces crude temptations; the advanced practitioner faces refined ones. The further we progress, the more sophisticated the deceptions become—appearing as good, as holy, even as virtue itself.
Why Self-Diagnosis Fails
We cannot reliably judge our own spiritual state because:
- Pride is invisible to the proud
- Self-deception, by definition, deceives the self
- Our unconscious motivations remain hidden from us
- We naturally interpret experiences in ways that flatter us
- Spiritual feelings can be manufactured by the psyche
This is why every tradition insists on spiritual direction. The person who says "I don't need a director" has already proven they need one.
Pitfall 1: Mistaking Imagination for Revelation
This is perhaps the most common error in contemplative practice. The practitioner experiences vivid images, hears inner words, or feels strong impressions—and assumes these come from God rather than from their own mind.
How This Manifests
- Vivid images in prayer treated as visions
- Strong inner impressions interpreted as divine guidance
- "Messages" that happen to confirm what we already wanted
- Elaborate spiritual experiences that feed our sense of being special
- Inner voices that flatter or frighten (neither is from God)
The Tradition's Warning
John of the Cross warns that the devil can produce images and feelings indistinguishable from authentic grace. He advises practitioners to "reject them all"—not because they might not occasionally be genuine, but because attachment to them inevitably leads astray. Even if an experience is real, clinging to it obstructs the path to God.
The hesychast fathers teach that imagination is "the bridge of demons." The nous (spiritual intellect) must be kept free of images, or the enemy will use those images as a vehicle for deception. This is why the Jesus Prayer is so bare—it offers no imaginative content to manipulate.
Ignatius distinguishes between the "sensible consolation" that often comes from our own minds and the "spiritual consolation" that truly comes from God. The difference lies not in the vividness of the experience but in its fruits: does it increase humility, charity, and obedience, or does it increase self-focus?
The Test
True divine communication never flatters, never creates a sense of being special, never contradicts Church teaching, never creates urgency or anxiety, and never requires secrecy. If an experience fails any of these tests, it should be rejected regardless of how powerful it feels.
Pitfall 2: Spiritual Pride Disguised as Humility
This is the most dangerous pitfall because it wears humility's clothing. The practitioner develops a subtle sense of spiritual superiority while believing themselves to be humble. They may even take pride in their humility.
Warning Signs
- Feeling superior to those who "don't understand" contemplation
- Subtle disdain for "ordinary" believers who just pray vocally
- Impatience with those at "lower" spiritual levels
- Desire to be known as spiritually advanced
- Collecting spiritual experiences as achievements
- Resistance to correction from spiritual directors
- Teaching others before being asked
- Comparing your prayer life favorably to others'
The Tradition's Diagnosis
Teresa of Avila writes that the devil cannot easily attack humility directly, so he transforms our virtues into occasions for pride. The practitioner who has made progress begins to feel that progress belongs to them rather than to grace. They start to take credit for what God has done.
The Desert Fathers tell of the elder who, after fifty years of asceticism, was asked the secret of his holiness. He replied, "I have never trusted myself." The entire tradition agrees: the moment you think you are humble is the moment you have lost humility.
"When a person imagines that he possesses something spiritually, that is when he has lost it."
The Antidote
True humility does not think about itself at all—neither highly nor lowly. The truly humble person is so focused on God and neighbor that self-assessment rarely occurs. When it does, they see only that they have received everything from grace and can claim nothing as their own.
Pitfall 3: Attachment to Consolation
Spiritual consolation—the sweetness, peace, and joy that sometimes accompanies prayer—is a genuine gift from God. But attachment to consolation is a trap that arrests spiritual development. We begin to pray for the feeling rather than for God.
How This Manifests
- Abandoning prayer when it becomes dry
- Judging the quality of prayer by how it feels
- Seeking techniques that produce emotional experiences
- Feeling abandoned by God during desolation
- Confusing spiritual feelings with spiritual reality
- Bouncing between spiritual "highs" and despair
What the Masters Teach
Ignatius warns against making decisions during consolation, precisely because the pleasant feelings can cloud judgment. We may mistake emotional warmth for divine confirmation. Conversely, he teaches that faithful prayer during desolation is often more valuable than prayer during consolation.
John of the Cross devotes much of his writing to explaining why God withdraws consolation. It is not punishment but purification—weaning the soul from spiritual milk so it can digest solid food. Those who quit when consolation ends never progress beyond the early stages.
The hesychast tradition teaches that the goal is not consolation but theosis—transformation in Christ. Feelings come and go; transformation is permanent. The practitioner must learn to pray whether feelings are present or absent.
"Seek the God of consolations, not the consolations of God."
Pitfall 4: Over-Reliance on Feelings
Closely related to attachment to consolation, this pitfall involves using feelings as the primary criterion for discernment. "I feel peace about this decision" becomes the final authority, regardless of what reason, Scripture, or wise counsel suggest.
The Problem
Feelings are real, but they are not reliable guides to truth. They can be:
- Manufactured by our own desires
- Influenced by physical states (fatigue, illness, diet)
- Manipulated by spiritual forces
- Produced by group dynamics or emotional contagion
- Confused by psychological woundedness
The tradition never uses "I felt" as the sole criterion for discernment. Feelings are one data point among many. They must be tested against Scripture, Church teaching, the counsel of the wise, and the objective fruits of a decision over time.
The Balance
Authentic discernment neither ignores feelings nor relies on them exclusively. The Ignatian tradition, for example, pays careful attention to movements of consolation and desolation—but always in context, always over time, always with guidance, and always tested against objective criteria.
Pitfall 5: Self-Appointed Authority and Rejecting Guidance
Perhaps the most dangerous pitfall of all is the refusal to submit to spiritual guidance. The practitioner decides they have advanced beyond the need for direction, that their experiences are too advanced for ordinary directors to understand, or that they have a "special" calling that exempts them from normal accountability.
Warning Signs
- "No one understands my spiritual experience"
- "Directors I've had weren't advanced enough for me"
- "God speaks to me directly; I don't need intermediaries"
- "I've been called to something beyond ordinary spirituality"
- Resistance to correction or challenge
- Selective hearing—taking advice that confirms, rejecting what challenges
- Director-shopping until finding one who agrees
What All Traditions Agree
The Orthodox tradition is perhaps most emphatic: the spiritual father is essential, and obedience to him (in matters of spiritual practice) is non-negotiable. The proliferation of "self-taught" mystics is a primary cause of prelest (spiritual delusion).
Ignatius built regular consultation with a director into the very structure of his Exercises. No one should make the Exercises alone; no one should make major decisions without counsel.
Teresa and John repeatedly emphasize the necessity of learned directors who can distinguish authentic graces from counterfeits. Teresa once said she would rather have a learned director who knows nothing of mysticism than an unlearned mystic who cannot properly discern.
"He who is his own master is a disciple of a fool."
Pitfall 6: Urgency and the "Special Mission"
A classic sign of spiritual deception is the sense of urgency combined with a special calling. The practitioner feels they have received a unique mission that cannot wait, that exempts them from normal discernment processes, and that sets them apart from ordinary believers.
Red Flags
- "This message must be shared immediately"
- "The Church isn't ready to hear this"
- "I've been chosen for something special"
- "Normal rules don't apply to my situation"
- Pressure to act before discernment is complete
- Secrecy requirements ("Don't tell your director about this")
Authentic divine communication is patient. God's timing is never rushed. The Spirit never pressures, never creates anxiety, never demands immediate action without proper discernment. Urgency that bypasses wisdom is a hallmark of the enemy, not of God.
Protecting Against These Pitfalls
The traditions agree on several protective practices:
1. Regular Spiritual Direction
Not optional but essential. A qualified director provides the outside perspective we cannot have of ourselves. They can see patterns we miss, question assumptions we hold unconsciously, and challenge rationalizations we construct.
2. Humility About Experiences
Hold all experiences lightly. Neither claim them as achievements nor rely on them as proof. What matters is not what you experience but what you become. The fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness—are the only reliable measures of progress.
3. Fidelity in Dryness
Continue faithful practice when prayer is dry and unrewarding. This protects against attachment to consolation and builds the muscular faith that persists without emotional payoff. The willingness to pray without feeling is a powerful guard against self-deception.
4. Test Everything
Apply the traditional tests to all spiritual experiences: Does it increase love of God and neighbor? Does it deepen humility? Does it align with Scripture and Church teaching? Does it bear good fruit over time? Does your director affirm it?
5. Community and Accountability
Solo spirituality is dangerous spirituality. The practitioner embedded in community—in the liturgical life of the Church, in relationships of mutual accountability, in the correction of fellow believers—has natural protections against the isolation in which deception thrives.
Essential Reading
This article addresses common pitfalls; our main Discernment article provides the complete framework for testing spiritual experiences:
Discernment in Contemplative Practice →Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if I'm experiencing genuine spiritual pride?
You likely cannot—that's precisely the problem. The test is not self-examination (which pride easily manipulates) but the judgment of others: Does your director see pride? Do those close to you find you humble or condescending? Do you resist correction? If multiple people identify the problem, believe them over your own self-assessment.
Is it possible to have genuine mystical experiences?
Yes, but they are rarer than most people think, and less important than most assume. Even Teresa of Avila, who had extraordinary experiences, warned against seeking them and said that ordinary faithful prayer is more valuable. The safest approach is to neither seek experiences nor obsess about discerning them—simply pray faithfully and let God act as He wills.
What if I can't find a qualified spiritual director?
This is a real challenge in many places. Start with what's available: a wise priest, an experienced prayer partner, a mature Christian friend who can offer outside perspective. Read the classics of discernment (Ignatius's Rules, John of the Cross, the Philokalia). Proceed more slowly and cautiously than you would with guidance. And pray persistently for a director—this is a legitimate and important prayer intention.
Can psychological issues mimic spiritual experiences?
Absolutely. Dissociation, trauma responses, hyper-religiosity, certain mental health conditions, and even physical factors (fasting, sleep deprivation, illness) can produce experiences that feel profoundly spiritual. This is another reason why direction is essential—a good director can help distinguish spiritual realities from psychological or physical phenomena that masquerade as spirituality.
How do I know if my prayer is "working" without relying on feelings?
Look at the fruits over time, not during prayer itself. Are you becoming more patient, more loving, more humble? Are you less reactive, less self-focused, more at peace? Is your character being transformed, even slowly? These objective changes—visible to others, not just felt by you—are the reliable measures of authentic prayer, regardless of what you experience in the prayer itself.
Related Articles
- Discernment in Contemplative Practice — The complete framework for testing spiritual experiences.
- The Dark Night of the Soul — When God withdraws consolation for purification.
- Finding a Spiritual Director — Essential guidance for finding qualified help.
- Prelest: Spiritual Delusion — The Orthodox tradition's systematic analysis of deception.
- Why the Saints Distrusted Their Experiences — The hesychast approach to visions and revelations.