Ascending the Heights: A Layman's Guide to The Ladder of Divine Ascent

In the sixth century, a monk named John wrote a book outlining the stages of the spiritual life. He based his entire work on the image of a ladder of thirty rungs, stretching from earth to heaven. Each rung described a step in the pursuit of virtue and the spiritual life. Since it was first written, The Ladder of Divine Ascent has been an essential part of the formation of Orthodox monastics, and a mainstay of Orthodox ascetic spirituality. But it is not just for monks and nuns.