The Twelve Degrees of Humility and Pride by St. Bernard of Clairvaux Audiobook

St. Bernard of Clairvaux outlines the "Twelve Degrees of Humility and Pride" in this treatise, describing a spiritual ladder where humility ascends toward holiness and pride descends toward sin. The degrees of humility begin with constant self-examination and obedience to God, progressing through submission to others, patience in suffering, and ultimately, a profound love for God above self. Conversely, the degrees of pride start with curiosity and self-importance, moving through irreverence, presumption, and disobedience, culminating in habitual sin and complete self-absorption. This framework illustrates the soul’s journey, emphasizing humility as the path to divine union and pride as its destructive opposite.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153) was a French abbot, mystic, and influential figure in the Cistercian monastic reform. Born into a noble family in Burgundy, he entered the monastery of Cîteaux at age 22, bringing 30 companions, including his brothers, to join the austere Cistercian order. In 1115, he founded Clairvaux Abbey, where his leadership and eloquence transformed it into a thriving center of monastic life, inspiring the establishment of numerous daughter houses. A key figure in the 12th-century Church, Bernard preached the Second Crusade, mediated ecclesiastical disputes, and advised popes and kings, earning the title "Doctor Mellifluus" for his theological writings, particularly on divine love and the Virgin Mary. His asceticism, charisma, and prolific works, such as sermons on the Song of Songs, left a lasting legacy in Christian spirituality.