# Censure and Opinion On The Spirit and The Attitude In Prayer Of a Discalced Carmelite Nun [Probably written in Segovia between 1588-89] In the affective attitude this religious bears there appear to be five defects which reveal that hers is not a good spirit. First, it seems she has within her spirit a great attachment to possessing things, whereas the good spirit is always very detached in its appetites. Second, she is too secure in her spirit and has little fear of being inwardly mistaken. Where this fear is absent, the spirit of God is never present to preserve the soul from harm, as the Wise Man says. [Prv. 15:27] Third, it seems she has the desire to persuade others that her experiences are good and manifold. A person with a genuine spirit does not desire to do this, but, on the contrary, desires that his experiences be considered of little value and despised, and this he does himself. Fourth and this is the main fault the effects of humility do not appear in her attitude. When favors are genuine, as she says here that hers are, they are ordinarily never communicated to a soul without first undoing and annihilating it in the inner abasement of humility. And if these favors had produced this effect in her, she would not have failed to say something about it here, and even a great deal. For the first thing the soul esteems and is eager to speak of are the effects of humility, which, certainly, are so strong that they cannot be disguised. For although they may not be so noticeable in all the apprehensions of God, still, these apprehensions which she here calls union are never present without them: Quoniam exaltetur anima, humiliatur (2) [Prv. 18:12], and, Bonum mihi quia humiliasti me. (3) [Ps. 118:71] Fifth, the style and language she uses doesn't seem to come from the spirit she claims, for the good spirit itself teaches a simpler style, one without the affectation or exaggeration she uses. And all this about what she said to God and God said to her seems to be nonsense. I would advise that they should not command or allow her to write anything about this, and that her confessor should not show willingness to hear of it, other than to hold it in little esteem and contradict it. Let them try her in the practice of sheer virtue, especially in self-contempt, humility, and obedience; and by the sound of the metal when tapped, the quality of soul caused by so many favors will show itself. And the trials must be good ones, for there is no devil that will not suffer something for his honor. --- > 2 Before the soul is exalted, it is humbled. > 3 It is good for me that You have humbled me.