Greco-Christian stream·The Imitation of Christ·Book III — On Inward Consolation·Chapter XXVI. Of The Exaltation Of A Free Spirit, Which Humble Prayer More Deserveth Than Doth Frequent Reading
XXVI. The free spirit — humble prayer above frequent reading
The exaltation of the free spirit which humble prayer deserves more than does much reading. Reading can serve learning; only humble prayer can free the spirit from its attachments. The chapter's underlying non multa sed multum — not many books but deeply applied.
Source context
- Theme
- supremacy of humble, recollected prayer over intellectual reading as the path to spiritual freedom and interior elevation
- Soul-faculty
- Consciousness Soul
Steiner
not engaged in the GA corpus
Cross-tradition
- Hesychast prayer tradition (Eastern Orthodox)Hesychasm likewise subordinates discursive theological study to the stilling of the intellect (hesychia) through interior prayer as the direct means of divine encounter.
- Sufi practice (Islamic mysticism)In Sufi disciplines, dhikr (remembrance through prayer) is ranked above 'ilm (book-knowledge) as the operative means of lifting the nafs toward direct proximity to the Divine.
- Vedantic distinction — jnana vs. bhakti margaThe Bhakti tradition holds that surrendered, devotional practice can surpass purely intellectual enquiry as a vehicle for liberation, a structural parallel to this chapter's argument for prayer over reading.
Chapter XXVI. Of The Exaltation Of A Free Spirit, Which Humble Prayer More Deserveth Than Doth Frequent Reading
OF THE EXALTATION OF A FREE SPIRIT, WHICH HUMBLE PRAYER MORE DESERVETH THAN DOTH FREQUENT READING
Lord, this is the work of a perfect man, never to slacken his mind from attention to heavenly things, and among many cares to pass along as it were without care, not after the manner of one indifferent, but rather with the privilege of a free mind, cleaving to no creature with inordinate affection.
2I beseech Thee, my most merciful Lord God, preserve me from the cares of this life, lest I become too much entangled; from many necessities of the body, lest I be taken captive by pleasure; from all obstacles of the spirit, lest I be broken and cast down with cares. I say not from those things which the vanity of the world goeth about after with all eagerness, but from those miseries, which by the universal curse of mortality weigh down and hold back the soul of thy servant in punishment, that it cannot enter into liberty of spirit, so often as it would.
3O my God, sweetness unspeakable, turn into bitterness all my fleshly consolation, which draweth me away from the love of eternal things, and wickedly allureth toward itself by setting before me some present delight. Let not, O my God, let not flesh and blood prevail over me, let not the world and its short glory deceive me, let not the devil and his craftiness supplant me. Give me courage to resist, patience to endure, constancy to persevere. Grant, in place of all consolations of the world, the most sweet unction of Thy Spirit, and in place of carnal love, pour into me the love of Thy Name.
4Behold, food and drink and clothing, and all the other needs appertaining to the support of the body, are burdensome to the devout spirit. Grant that I may use such things with moderation, and that I be not entangled with inordinate affection for them. To cast away all these things is not lawful, because nature must be sustained, but to require superfluities and things which merely minister delight, the holy law forbiddeth; for otherwise the flesh would wax insolent against the spirit. In all these things, I beseech Thee, let Thy hand guide and teach me, that I in no way exceed.