The Steps of Humility and Pride

Bernard of Clairvaux wrote this treatise around 1124 as an extended meditation on the sixth chapter of the Rule of Saint Benedict, which outlines twelve steps of humility that monks should cultivate. Writing as the influential abbot of Clairvaux during the height of Cistercian reform, Bernard addresses his fellow monks with the practical wisdom of one who has observed both spiritual ascent and descent in monastic life. The work emerged from Bernard's deep engagement with Benedictine spirituality and his role as a spiritual director responsible for guiding souls toward God.

Bernard structures his teaching around a careful psychological analysis of how pride and humility operate in the human heart. He begins by examining the traditional twelve steps of humility from Benedict's Rule, showing how each step represents a deeper surrender of self-will and a greater openness to God's grace. The monk progresses from external behaviors like bodily restraint and silence toward interior dispositions of heart-knowledge and perfect love. Bernard then reverses this ladder, describing twelve corresponding steps of pride that lead the soul away from God. These steps of pride move from curiosity and frivolity through stages of increasing self-assertion, culminating in the complete hardening of the heart against divine grace. Throughout, Bernard demonstrates his keen understanding of human psychology, showing how subtle movements of the will either draw the soul toward or away from its divine calling.

The genius of Bernard's approach lies in his recognition that spiritual progress requires honest self-knowledge. He argues that we can understand humility most clearly by observing its opposite in ourselves and others. This psychological realism, combined with Bernard's elegant Latin prose and deep scriptural knowledge, has made the work a classic of Western spiritual literature. The treatise influenced later medieval writers and continues to offer insight into the dynamics of spiritual formation.

Who should read this: Those engaged in serious spiritual direction, whether as guides or seekers, will find Bernard's psychological insights invaluable, as will readers interested in the intellectual foundations of medieval monasticism. This is not a work for those seeking simple devotional reading, but for those prepared to examine the subtle movements of pride and humility in their own hearts.