Rule of Life

This short little book review brings up an interesting subject.

I was reading this Wikipedia page that has a description of Loyola's spiritual exercises. Doctrine aside, there is alot of 'Work' in them. Scroll to the middle or so of the page.

The need for a rule of life. With the Work, you make your own. Self-remember always and everywhere is the main rule.

Reading the Bible complete seven times is an example of a rule of life.

But getting back to the subject in that little book review above, you can see how Protestants have lost touch with the necessity of spiritual exercises. Calvin seemed to be in touch with certain mystics. Bernard of Clairveux for one. (Mystics are interesting because they appear in all times of church history and sort of ride above branches and denominations, even when they are associated with one or another for worldly or political reasons or necessities.)

I prefer the Work rule of life. It is about increasing level of being. Increasing understanding by increasing capacity for understanding. It is a powerful language. All the mystics of history would be interested in the ideas, practices, and goals of the Work as found in the pure sources. It is not difficult either to see the real goal(s) of faith in them...