SO GOOD QUOTES

The old man is completely composed of passions. The divesting of it means spiritual martyrdom, by which you appointed yourselves to martyrdom. You know that this is true from your own experience. The external labors and podvigs are not as painful as the taming of the thoughts, the extinguishing of the passions, the tearing away of the temptations. If such movements can arise in a moment, then you are at any moment in labors, in wounds and turmoils.

—St. Theophan the Recluse, Kindling the Divine Spirit