Humility collects the soul into a single point by the power of silence. A truly humble man has no desire to be known or admired by others, but wishes to plunge from himself into himself, to become nothing, as if he had never been born. When he is completely hidden to himself in himself, he is completely with God

The man who follows Christ in solitary mourning is greater than he who praises Christ amid the congregation of men.

If, at the time when the mind is praying it is distracted by any extraneous thought or worry about anything, then this prayer is not called pure.

Let there always be a preponderance of mercy with you, even though you don't feel such mercy in yourself, as God has for the world ... A cruel and merciless heart is never purified. A merciful man is the doctor of his own soul, because as it were a by a strong wind from is heart he drives out the darkness of the passions.

If you cannot close the mouth of one who reviles his brother, at least avoid conversation with him.

Do not waste this life in vain pursuits.

God requires not the doing of the commandments for their own sake, but the correction of the soul, for whose sake He established the commandments.