Q. What is the fundamental virtue to be cultivated to prepare oneself for the spiritual life?
A. I have told you many times, but it is an occasion to repeat it. It is sincerity.
A sincerity that must become total and absolute, because sincerity alone is your protection for the spiritual part. If you are not sincere, even at the very second step you are sure to fall and break your nose. There are all kinds of forces and wills and influences and entities that are lying in wait for the least breach in this sincerity and they immediately rush through this breach and begin to disorganise you.
Therefore, before doing anything, beginning anything, trying anything be sure first of all that you are not only as sincere as you can be, but you intend to become still more sincere.
Questions and Answers (November 1956 – November 1962)