The Ladder of Divine Ascent

[Anonymous No.7958888]

Hey /lit/,

So last night on /pol/ I talked to someone about how The Ladder of Divine Ascent by John Climacus basically blew his mind and turned his entire world upside down, etc. etc. He also mentioned that he shouldn't have read it and does not recommend that I read it because you have to really be "ready for it."

I did some research and it turns out that this book was written for monks and monks alone. So it got me thinking, what is it about this book that only monks would understand/be ready for? This concept is not an unfamiliar one; I can see why a layman shouldn't delve right into a book on quantum mechanics or something as equally complicated for a layman, but the case of The Ladder of Divine Ascent seems less obvious to me why the layman wouldn't be able to understand it.

Is /lit/ familiar with this book? Do any of you know what goes into a monastic education that I am not currently getting in my modern one? Why would I not be ready for this book?

[Anonymous No.7958904]

God is supremely good. Of all creation that is capable of rational thought and free will, some are friends to God, some are His true servants, some are estranged, and there are others who, despite their weakness, take their stand against Him. We might imagine that God's friends are those angelic beings which surround him (Seraphim, Cherubim etc...). His true servants are those who sincerely attempt to do His will to the best of their ability. The estranged are those who have not yet met Christ. His opponents are those who go out of their way to attack Him and those who believe.

Lets focus on His true servants because that is all humanity can ever hope to be. In order to be His servant we first must attempt to know who He is. God is the life of all free beings. He is the salvation of all, of the just or the unjust, of the pious or the impious, and of the young or the old. He is like the sun's warmth which is the same for everyone without exception (Rom 2:11). An impious man is a rational being, one that must die, who willingly runs away from life. A Christian is one who attempts to imitate Christ in thought, word and deed to the best of their ability.

[Anonymous No.7958912]

>>7958904
The angelic friends of God live in a higher plane of existence which is uncorrupted by sin. These beings are capable of rational thought and attempt to influence our plane of existence when they can. Of course they are not omnipotent so their influence is limited to what God permits. The blessed man attempts to mirror his life to those angelic beings (who are themselves imitators of Christ). In his mind, the Christian attempts to spiritually raise himself up to heaven and perceive the world as Christ did, then act accordingly. We are incapable of perfectly achieving this goal, but the mere act of striving for it is a key to our redemption. The blessed sincerely believes the validity of God's commandments and does all that he can to obey them even through failure. Attempting to live righteously is a constant struggle within one's consciousness but by simply engaging in it we begin to imitate God Himself. Rejecting earthly values is the willing acceptance of ridicule in exchange for a spiritual kingdom.

Christians have many reasons to reject the world; either for the hope of things to come, or because of the number of their sins, or simply because they love God. Without these objectives, denial of the earthly pleasures would make no sense. We believe God will judge us if we do not prepare for Him and will likewise reward us if we love Him (Heb 11:6).

Those of us who wish to escape this worldly prison, to free ourselves from Pharaoh, need our own version of Moses to be our intermediary with God, to translate His will for us. Those who believe in God but attempt to serve Him on their own terms, without a leader, are deceiving themselves. We need someone to teach us how we can best serve God.

[Anonymous No.7958919]

>>7958912
Christ is our leader and although we fail Him, let us try our best to follow His example because He truly knows how to make us happy. His teachings are those of our Creator Himself, it would be arrogant and foolish to reject them. Let all those considering this marvelous, tough and painful yet paradoxically easy leap of faith remember that Christ promised to help us and that our rewards are peace and happiness.
If we decide to take the leap, we must prepare a fertile soil from which Christ's vine can grow. Therefore, a Christian will attempt to turn away from worldly pleasures in order to pursue heavenly ones. Innocence, abstinence and temperance are a thrice-firm foundation upon which we can pursue our faith. Let all infants to Christian life begin with these virtues, taking real infants as their example; for among young children no evil is found, nothing deceitful, no insatiable greed or gluttony, no flaming lust. A Christian must remember that we are all children before the Lord.

It is detestable and dangerous for a wrestler to be slack at the start of a contest, thereby giving proof of his impending defeat to everyone. Let us have a firm beginning to our spiritual life, for this will help us if slackness comes later. A bold and eager soul will be spurred on by memory of its first zeal and new wings can thus be obtained.

When the soul betrays itself, when our innocence becomes blemished and our happy warmth grows cold, the reasons for such a loss ought to be carefully sought and, once found, ought to be combated with all possible zeal. The man who turns away from worldly pleasures out of fear is like burning incense, which begins with fragrance but ends in smoke. But the man who leaves the world because he loves God has taken fire from the start and ignited his heart creating warmth wherever he goes.

[Anonymous No.7958921]

>>7958919
Some people build their house trusting in masonry. Others raise pillars up from the ground. The blessed builds his house with Christ as the cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20). A subtle mind will understand this analogy.

Let us run our spiritual race eagerly for we are summoned to do so by God Himself. Our time is short; for what is a man's life compared to eternity. Let us not be found barren on the day of harvest and perish in hunger. Instead, let us please the Lord as soldiers please an emperor; for we are at the mercy of our commander in chief. We should fear God in the way we fear wild animals because God and His creation are both sublime. I have seen men do wickedness with no fear of God and these same men become afraid of a police dog. Such blindness is the precursor to spiritual death.

We should love the Lord as we love our friends. I have seen people casually dismiss God and I have seen these same people resort to every device, plan and plea to mend a broken friendship. If we can afford such love to our friends, how much more can we love our Creator?

In this world when our employer summons us to obedience, we answer the call without excuse. We had better be careful then not to refuse the summons of our God. Someone caught up in the affairs of the world can make spiritual progress, if they are determined, but it will be difficult. Just as a man in chains can still walk, so too can a worldly person undertake the spiritual journey. But both will often stumble and injure themselves.

Some people living carelessly in the world asked a saint: "How can we who are married and have careers aspire to the spiritual life?"

The saint replied: "Do whatever good you can. Speak evil of no one. Tell the truth and do not steal. Despise no one and carry no hate. Go to church. Be compassionate and avoid all scandals. Love your spouse. If you do all this, you will not be far from the kingdom of heaven."

[Anonymous No.7958931]

>>7958921
Let us pursue our spiritual lives joyfully and without fear of our enemies. They are unseen but can sense the disposition of our heart. A fearful and despairing soul is easily lead into darkness. Therefore, let us be brave and walk our spiritual paths confidently fully trusting in our Lord to deliver us.

The Lord wisely eases the struggles of spiritual novices so that they will not be driven back into the world. Let us then rejoice always in the Lord because He even chooses the adversities we overcome and will never give us more than we can handle. God identifies courageous souls and allows them to become embattled from the very beginning, so that they may be rewarded sooner.

Having accepted God's grace, it would be tragic to leave the spiritual kingdom we have inherited to go worry about something which cannot aid us in the hour of death. This is what our Lord meant when He told us not to turn back and not be found useless for the Kingdom of Heaven. God knows that we are very susceptible to turning back to the world at the start of our spiritual life. He also knows that some of our relationships can tempt us to give up on our spiritual quest. When the eager man said to our Lord, "Let me go away to bury my father," He replied, "Let the dead bury the dead" (Mt 8:22) because the world is dead compared to the spirit. There are also spiritual entities which attempt to convince us to return to our worldly ways. They make us envy those who have worldly and spiritual successes. They make us regret that we seemed deprived of these virtues.. Their goal is to make us give up in false humility or to cause us despair during our journey. Vanity can lead us to mock the secular life or secretly despise those who do not pursue spiritual paths.

[Anonymous No.7958933]

>>7958931
However, when we are afflicted with worldly desires, we should remember the courage of the saints who have gone before us. We should investigate why these blessed people chose to endure slander and violence. Why they accepted fasting and kept vigils. Why some choose to withdraw from the world entirely and enter into monastic life. Surely these great people were driven by something to not only endure, but to joyously accept hardship. Meditating on the zeal of those who have embraced the spiritual life can inspire us to follow their example. If God answered the prayers of the saints, He will certainly answer our prayers as well.

There are three renunciations we can take which will aid us greatly in our spiritual journey. We can turn away from the world's expectations, from the appraisals of men, by remembering that only God judges us. Having turned our back to the world, we can then let go of our own expectations for ourselves because we are often our own worst critics. Having success with the first two, the third step is to rebuke the vanity that comes with obedience. As we make spiritual progress and begin reaping some fruits from our labor, it becomes very tempting to view ourselves as superior to those who have not received the same grace. Just as the devil himself was first among the angels, we must remember that "pride goes before destruction" (Proverbs 16:18).

[Anonymous No.7958937]

>>7958933
We should pray to attain a state of holy exile; an irrevocable renunciation of everything in one's familiar surroundings that hinders one from attaining virtue. Holy exile is a disciplined heart, unheralded wisdom, an unpublicized understanding, a hidden life, masked ideals. It is private meditation, prayers for humility, a wish for simplicity, the longing for what is divine. It is overflowing love, a rebuke against vanity, a deep silence.

The Lord says that every prophet is without honor in his own country (Jn 4:44). We then must remember that our act of renunciation is not for empty honor. Holy exile is a spiritual separation from everything, in order that one may hold on totally to God. It requires great sacrifice. A holy exile is a fugitive, running from all that tries to distract him from God. Do not wait for souls that are still enamored with the world when you are pressing on your spiritual journey. Even our loved ones may not understand the spiritual task we are undertaking but we must wish them well and not let their doubts distract us from our eternal glory. Many set themselves on rescuing the indifferent and become lost themselves. The flame within them is dimmed by their environment. So, if you have the fire, run, since you never know if it might be doused, leaving you stranded in darkness. Not all of us are summoned to rescue others. "My brothers, each one of us will give an account of himself to God," (Rom 14:12) Paul reminds us. Again, he declares: "You teach someone else, but not yourself" (Romans 2:21). Paul is admonishing us for being so preoccupied with teaching others that we forget that God is the teacher and that we are all His students.

Once we are operating from a place of holy exile it becomes possible to liberate ourselves from attachments. Once you have left the world, there is no need to reach out for it; the Lord provides for you now.

We must beware the ways and guiles of demons. They come with the suggestion that we should not really abandon the world. They tell us of the riches that await us if we pursue worldly passions. We must not give in to their lies, in fact we must use the power of prayer to oppose them.

[Anonymous No.7958948]

>>7958937
y, compunction, and self-control, but then we are harassed by empty thoughts telling us to turn back. They might tell us that we are a lesson for others, that we are such a shining example of righteousness that we must parade ourselves about for the sake of others. Especially crafty demons will tell us that we would be great rescuers of souls and teachers to the world if only we bring our mind back down to earthly things. These lying thoughts tell us these things that they might scatter abroad the spiritual treasures we are accumulating for ourselves in private. Let us remember Lot's blessed example and flee the dying world without looking back. A soul that has tasted freedom but turns back to the world will be like salt that loses its flavor and becomes a useless ingredient. Run from Egypt, run and do not turn back. The part of you that yearns for worldly pleasure will never reach paradise, allow God to free you from it.

It is better to offend your parents rather than God. He, after all, created and saved us, while they, despite their best intentions, have occasionally sinned against us (as we have against them).

A true holy exile sits quietly amongst worldly men as one who speaks a different language.

If we want to live spiritual lives that does not mean we have to give up our familiar relationships, we simply must be aware to avoid any harm which may come from them. Here, as in everything, Christ is our teacher. It often looked as if He were trying to rebuke his earthly parents. Some people said to Him, "Your mother and your brothers are looking for you," and Christ gave them a detached response that was nonetheless free from any harsh feelings: "My mother and my brothers are those who do the will of my Father in heaven," (Mt 12:50). So let your father be the one who is able and willing to labor with you in bearing the burden of your sins, and your mother the remorse to wash away your iniquity. Let your brother be your companion and rival in the race that leads to heaven, and may the constant thought of death be your spouse. Let your children be the joy in your heart. May your body be your servant, and your friends the holy angels who will always help you if you are true to them; "This is the generation of those who seek the Lord" (Ps 23:6).

[Anonymous No.7958953]

>>7958948

Your love for God will eclipse the love of your family. Your love for them is not diminished but simply reoriented to its source. Only the deceiver tries to convince us that we must place our family's expectations above those of God: "No one can serve two masters" (Mt 6:24). "I did not come to bring peace on earth," says the Lord, knowing how parents would rise up against their children who chose to serve Him. "It was for war and the sword" (Mt. 10:34), to separate the lovers of God from the lovers of the world, the spiritually-minded from the materially-minded, the humble from the proud, the sheep from the goats.

Contradiction and dissent are pleasing to God when they arise from love of Him; do not let parents or friends distract you from your spiritual birthright. When we are surrounded by doubts and images of those we care about imploring us to give up our spiritual quest, let us think of death so as not to forget the holy reward that awaits us. The deceiver can even use friends and our own families to detain us from the noble contest and draw us back into the world. We had better withdraw from such temptations lest we turn into pillars of salt.

God gave us the greatest example of renunciation through Abraham's faith when he heard the command: "Leave your country and your family and the house of your father" (Gen 12:1). Obediently, he went to a foreign country where the language was different. We should be inspired by Abraham's faith and trust that God will provide for us when we leave our familiar way of living.
When we find that God blesses us and we become successful like Joseph amid Pharaoh's courts, we must arm ourselves with a shield of humility. When demons or men lavish praise on us for our successes as if they are some great achievement, let us remember God's infinitely superior achievements which He allows us to enjoy. Let us remember the hands that fastened Orion's belt and set the seasons in motion. Let us remember how He came down from Heaven for our benefit and exiled Himself to earth because He loves us. Let us then offer up our achievements to the ultimate achiever and rejoice that such a Being cares for us.

To establish a good character within ourselves, to build a fitting temple for the Holy Spirit to dwell, is a difficult and toilsome task. Made all the more so by the fact that no matter how far we progress in the spiritual life, we will never be immune to temptation. Lucifer himself was the brightest Angel before he fell and we must remember not to follow his example. When a man has renounced the world and still returns to its affairs or draws near to it, he will either fall into its snares or will defile his heart with thoughts of it. He will imagine other routes he might have taken and begin to doubt the straight and narrow path laid before him.

[Anonymous No.7958991]

>>7958904
>>7958912
>>7958919
>>7958921
>>7958931
>>7958933
>>7958937
>>7958948
>>7958953
I think my lack of desire to read any of these means I shouldn't read this book...

Still curious about what makes it difficult to understand though. Argh, maybe I should read them.

[Anonymous No.7959005]

This is pretty fascinating. I may have to delve into this book.