Conceiving the Holy Spirit

Εἶπεν ὁ ἀββᾶς Λογγῖνος τῷ ἀββᾷ Ἀκακίῳ· Ἡ γυνὴ τότε γινώσκει ὅτι συνέλαβεν, ὅταν σταλῇ τὸ αἱμα αὐτῆς. Οὖτως οὖν καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ, τότε γινώσκει ὅτι συνέλαβε Πνεῦμα ἅγιον, ὅταν σταλῇ τὰ ῥέοντα ἀπ' αὐτῆς κάτωθεν πάθη. Ἐν ὅσῳ δὲ ἐνέχεται ἐν αὐτοῖς, πῶς δύναται κενοδοξεῖν ὡς ἀπαθής; Δὸς αἵμα, καὶ λάβε πνεῦμα. Ἀποφθεγματα των ἀγιων γεροντων, Παλλαδιος

Father Longinus said to father Acacius: 'A woman knows that she has conceived when she no longer loses blood. And likewise with the soul, for it knows it has conceived the Holy Spirit when the passions stop pouring forth out of it. As long as one is filled with the passions, how can one think oneself unafflicted? Give blood and receive the Spirit.' Sayings of the Desert Fathers, Palladius of Galatia