i ve asked once elder Paisios:\"Geronda how can we distinguish a good spiritual father\"?
he told me :\"you are clever kids ,you can see by your own\"
i insisted and he added:
\"a good spiritual father should be strict to himself and indulgent to others\"
when you see a spiritual father,acting like an army official,giving orders and asking for full obedience RUN AWAY!!!
another good point is to observe him how he he behaves in the liturgy.If he is humble,attent,not hurried then you have a good sign.
Of course you have to assure first that he is an orthodox priest with a canonical ordination,respecting orthodox ascetic-hesychastic tradition and with no heretical ideas.
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