“Knowledge of the basic laws of spiritual life is one of the necessary conditions for achieving salvation. Such knowledge is acquiring exceptional importance at the present time, when, on the one hand, all kinds of “spirits” have flowed into Russia in a stormy stream and countless variants of spirituality have appeared; on the other hand, for many reasons, the patristic understanding of spiritual life and the wisdom of applying its laws to the psychology and powers of modern man are becoming increasingly rare. Hence, many, even sincere believers, are often carried away by forms of spirituality that are outwardly attractive, but essentially far from the Holy Tradition of the Church, as a result of which they remain without fruit, or, jealous of high grace-filled gifts, find themselves on the path of direct delusion. Both lead to disastrous consequences not only for the lives of Christians themselves, but also for the Church and society as a whole” (From the preface).