Cultivating Inner Life in the Christian Tradition: Quotes...

Cultivating one’s inner life. Why not… But what exactly is inner life, and how can we cultivate it? This focus on our inner life is far from a new concern, even if our hyperconnected age makes this need even more pressing. In the Christian tradition, the inner life is first and foremost the realm of the heart, in the sense ofthe “center of being.” It is there that our fundamental freedom and our relationship with God are played out. Cultivating one’s inner life means opening up a space to welcome and foster an encounter. Through excerpts from the Bible, sayings of the Desert Fathers, and quotes from the saints… discover what lies deep within each of us and find practical advice for better exploring this rich and fruitful inner world.

What can we discover by cultivating our inner life?

Cultivating one’s inner life brings many benefits: peace, serenity, self-knowledge… But beyond the psychological and emotional benefits, it is also a way to nourish one’s spiritual life. Inner life fosters a sense of stillness that opens the door to prayer, listening, and acceptance… 

A treasure

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure buried in a field, which a person finds and hides again, and out of joy goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” (Matthew 13:44)

Divine Law

"Deep within his conscience man discovers a law which he has not laid upon himself but which he must obey. Its voice, ever calling him to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil, sounds in his heart at the right moment.... For man has in his heart a law inscribed by God.... His conscience is man's most secret core and his sanctuary. There he is alone with God whose voice echoes in his depths.” (GS 16) (CCC 1776)

God Himself

“How late I have loved you, O Beauty so ancient and so new, how late I have loved you!

And behold, you were within, and I was without, and that is where I sought you,
 and I threw myself upon the grace of those things you had done, poor, disgraced one!

You were with me, and I was not with you;
 they held me back from you, these things which, yet,
 if they did not exist within you, would not exist at all!

You called, you cried out, and you shattered my deafness;
 you shone, you radiated, and you dispelled my blindness;
 you have perfumed me; I have breathed, and gasping, I long for you;
 I have tasted, and I am hungry and thirsty;
 you have touched me, and I have been set ablaze with a longing for your peace.” (St. Augustine)

Some Tips for Turning Inward and Opening Yourself to Contemplation

While meditation and prayer are accessible to everyone, a few tips on how to prepare yourself are necessary to make the process easier. Here are three offered by the Desert Fathers, those hermit monks from the early days of Christianity.

Withdrawing from the world… physically and/or mentally

“God knows that I love people, but I cannot be with God and with people at the same time. For the multitudes and the heavenly powers have but a single will, whereas people have many and varied wills.” (Abba Arsenius)

“Many of those who were on the mountain perished, for their actions were those of the world. It is better to live among many and lead a solitary life in spirit than to be alone and live in your heart with the crowd.” (Syncletica of Alexandria)

Settling Down

“Sit down, be still, and calm your thoughts.” (Abba Arsenius)

Listen to your inner movements

“Be attentive to yourself; be the gatekeeper of your heart, and do not let any thought enter without questioning it.” ( Evagrius)

(Learn more about what the Desert Fathers called “guarding the heart”)