The real servants of Christ, using the help of the spiritual fathers and also their own self-understanding, will make every effort to select a place, a way of life, an abode, and the exercises that suit them. Community life is not for everyone... and the solitary life is not for everybody... Let each seek out the most appropriate way. (John Climacus)

John is writing of the various forms of monastic life. But the same is true for those of us still in the world.

If we seek to serve Christ we must give close attention to the spiritual fathers. We are by no means the first to make this journey. There is much to learn from those who came before us.

We need self-understanding. Given the goal to serve Christ, and the experience of others, how can we understand ourselves in relationship to our context? I expect John may be pointing us toward the classical notion of φρόνησις or phronesis.

We must make practical choices. Where are we to live? How are we to live? How will we organize our time? What will we eat? These are - or can be - profoundly spiritual questions.

God has given us and all creation great freedom. The questions we ask and the answers we seek as we engage this freedom will largely determine our outcomes.