DISCERNMENT OF SPIRITS. - Supernatural wisdom (discretio spirituum), recommended by Sacred Scripture (I Thess. 5:19-21), which allows one rightly to distinguish the origin, at least generically, of the interior movements of the soul, that is, whether they are effects of the good spirit, to be followed, or of the evil one, to be guarded against. Such knowledge can be of two kinds: that which belongs to the graces "gratis datae" and is an extraordinary charism (v.) (I Cor. 12:10) granted to few, and that which is the fruit of progress in faith and in union with God, which can and must be attained by everyone (Hebr. 5:14).
To help spiritual men to know the interior movements or impulses which, through thoughts or affections, urge them toward good or evil, or the agents that are their principle, various rules have been written by spiritual masters, among which those of the Exercitia spiritualia of St. Ignatius (Regulae ad discernendos spiritus, 1st and 2nd week) are celebrated. "Good spirits" will be called those internal motions or tendencies that come from God, from the good angel, or from the human spirit guided by right reason and conscience, or else by faith and charity; on the contrary, those will be called "evil spirits" whose cause is the devil and the human spirit, insofar as it is guided by the desires of corrupted nature. The importance of the d. of s. derives from the fact that it is necessary to free oneself from the evil spirit, while one must be docile to the motions coming from God, both because the whole initiative of perfection and holiness starts from God (Io. 6:44), and because, by following what God suggests, the soul is sure that a further help from him will not be lacking.
One must, however, know how to discern well the time of the actual inspiration from the subsequent one, in which the soul can on its own add things that are not given or willed immediately by God, and which therefore must be carefully sifted (St. Ignatius, Reg., II, no. 8). Often the divine motion is not consciously perceived, and then the docility of the soul will consist in acting in everything according to what appears to it conformable to the light of faith, and therefore it will hold in great account the good thoughts that come to it, guarding itself with a habitual recollection from neglecting them, and it will take advantage of those affections which, on the occasion of good examples, pious readings and the like, it feels arising within itself. A condition for docility to bear its fruits is that it be joined with interior peace and humble conformity to the will of God. The more one is faithful in following the motions of the good spirit, the more delicate and sensitive one will become in discerning, and one will always have greater ones (J. de Guibert, Theologia spiritualis, no. 134).
Since the possibility of illusions is never excluded, the rules for discerning spirits must be used as a whole, so that from their convergence greater light may come, while prudence recommends asking counsel of an experienced director.
Some signs for recognizing the good spirit are to be drawn from the object of the illuminations and impulses. Signs of the evil spirit are falsehood, futility, darkness, or the false lights of the imagination, obstinacy of judgment, exaggerations, disturbances, pride and false humility (of words and not of deeds), presumption and despair, a hard and closed heart, impatience in trials, the rebellion of the passions, duplicity, simulation, a soul bound by affection to earthly things and persons, alienation from Jesus, false zeal, bitter and pharisaical (G. B. Scaramelli, Discernimento degli spiriti, chaps. 6-9).
A thought that arises contrary to the doctrine of the Church or that necessarily leads to this cannot be from God (cf. St. Ignatius, Reg., II, 5-6). Likewise suspect is an inspiration that is in contrast with a certain obligation. Moreover, although peace is a sign of the good spirit, in certain cases there can be a false peace, with which the spirit of evil entices a sinner and a lukewarm person to persist in his state (ibid., I, 1).
The d. of s. therefore presupposes great experience, counsel and discretion, and must be accompanied and supported by prayers and study.