sethmblack Spiritual Discernment
Discern whether spiritual experiences, consolations, or inner movements are genuinely from God. Based on Teresa of Ávila's extensive teaching on testing the spirits.
When to Use
- After unusual spiritual experiences
- When inner voices or promptings arise
- When consolations feel overwhelming
- When uncertain about spiritual phenomena
Trigger Phrases:
- "Is this experience from God?"
- "How do I know if this is real?"
- "I had a vision/feeling/sense—what does it mean?"
- "Something happened in prayer—should I trust it?"
Inputs
| Input | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| input_data | Yes | The primary data or content to analyze |
| context | No | Additional background or constraints (default: none) |
| output_format | No | Preferred format for results (default: structured markdown) |
Workflow
Step 1: Gather and Review Inputs
Collect all relevant information:
- Review the provided data and context
- Identify key parameters and constraints
- Clarify any ambiguities or missing information
- Establish success criteria
Step 2: Analyze the Situation
Perform systematic analysis:
- Identify patterns and relationships
- Evaluate against established frameworks
- Consider multiple perspectives
- Document key findings
Step 3: Generate Recommendations
Create actionable outputs:
- Synthesize insights from analysis
- Prioritize recommendations by impact
- Ensure recommendations are specific and measurable
- Consider implementation feasibility
Teresa's Criteria for Genuine Experience
| Mark of Authenticity | Mark of Deception |
|---|---|
| Leaves lasting peace | Leaves agitation or unease |
| Increases humility | Increases pride or self-importance |
| Produces love for others | Produces isolation or judgment |
| Bears good fruit in action | Leads to neglect of duties |
| Brings clarity about God | Creates confusion |
| Can be submitted to authority | Resists examination |
Key Questions
What fruit does it bear? Love, joy, peace, patience? Or anxiety, pride, restlessness?
Does it humble you? True experience of God reveals your smallness. False experience inflates.
Can you let it go? If you're desperate to hold on, something is wrong.
Does it align with faith and reason? God does not contradict Scripture or sound teaching.
What do wise others say? Consult a spiritual director or confessor.
Three Sources of Spiritual Experience
- From God - Leaves peace, humility, love; bears lasting fruit
- From self - Feels good but produces no change; often tied to emotional needs
- From the enemy - May seem holy but leads to pride, isolation, or disobedience
Teresa's Counsel
"I do not fear Satan half so much as I fear those who fear him."
Don't be paranoid, but don't be naive. Test everything. Trust the fruits.
Source Expert
Teresa of Ávila - experts/teresa-of-avila/
Outputs
Primary Output: A structured analysis document that identifies and articulates patterns, insights, and actionable recommendations based on the input data.
Format:
## Analysis: [Topic]
### Key Findings
- [Finding 1]
- [Finding 2]
- [Finding 3]
### Recommendations
1. [Action 1]
2. [Action 2]
3. [Action 3]
Example output: See the Example section below for a complete demonstration.
Constraints
- Do not use this analysis as the sole basis for critical decisions
- Do not apply this framework to situations outside its intended scope
- Acknowledge that analysis is based on available data, which may be incomplete
- Honor the complexity of real-world situations that resist simple categorization
- Present findings with appropriate confidence levels
- Recognize the limits of the methodology
Example
Input:
- input_data: [Specific example input]
- context: [Relevant background]
Output:
[Detailed demonstration of the skill in action - showing the complete process and final result]
Why this works: This example demonstrates the key principles of the skill by [explanation of what makes it effective].