The Scale of Perfection, Book 1, Part 1 – Chapter 15 – Section 1 and 2
Section 1: What a Man should use and refuse by the Virtue of Humility
Section 2: How Hypocrites and Heretics, for want of Humility, exalt themselves in their Hearts above others
Our text covers 5 chapters of the Medieval text, these are:
What a man schal use and refuse bi vertu of mekenes
Who schulde blame mennys defautis and deme hem, and who not
Whi meke men schal worschip othere, and lowe hemself in her owen herte undir alle othere
Hou men schullen don that wanten the feelynge of mekenes in affeccioun, not dredynge over mykil therof
Hou heretikes and ypocrites, for wantynge of mekenesse, highen hemself in herte bifore alle othere - Chapter titles from chapter 16 to 20 of The Scale of Perfection – Book 1 in Middle English
humility by fiesta
Dear Fiesta,
In response to your statement: "I wonder how far we can expect to progress in developing the virtue of humility? At times I think I have made some progress but then I suffer some sort of humiliation and it seems that I have never really changed at all. The image I have at the moment is of walking through the dark of a storm, head down against the pelting rain, just knowing I must keep going even though I have no sight of the destintion and have almost forgotten that it exists. All the best mystics seem to say that we must overcome without joy if that it our calling - and that the overcoming includes our own failings such as pride. But how realistic is this?"
My experioence has been that we do it in little bits for as long as we can hold that surrendered consciousness. Over time and with practice it increases in length and strength mostly unaware to us until we fall back into the pride of ego and feel its lack.