Virtues are one of the perhaps less understudied topics that are certainly of significant importance for spiritual enlightenment/growth.

Perhaps a lot of the knowledge in circulation today are influenced by the ancient knowledge of the nine choirs of angels and remarkably also work of Dionysius the Areopagite which describe Virtue as angels/spirit energies which being close to God; and able to fully assimilate an aspect of God who from which all virtues flow. This is to say that if we seek Wisdom, which is certainly one of the greatest virtues, and we were to be touched by Wisdom, we are granted wisdom but only according to the extent we can receive it. Being that all good things flow to those who seek/ask, perhaps it’s also important to understand better how to prepare oneself better to receive these virtues.

Virtues in the context of something receivable/attainable may be likened to attributes. For simplicity, we will look at them as nutrients; the difference being that they’re revelations/illuminations of God’s nature/aspects to one’s spirit/soul since the spirit is eternal. When we grow spiritually/consume and digest the word of God, what we essentially obtain are virtues. We are illumined in our soul of an aspect of God and being illumined rightly, we begin to exhibit a little bit of what we now know. When we suffer/are chastised, we reshape the soul to discard vices and refill with virtues.

Perhaps one of the most tricky questions then in this manner is whether there are primary virtues the same way there are primary nutrients (Protein, Carbohydrate, Fat, Vitamins/Minerals).

St Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:13 in talking about spiritual gifts suggests that only 3 gifts are eternal – Faith, Hope and Love. These are the only virtues which when received will be eternally useful, things like knowledge or prophecies or discernment in the eternal sense are no longer useful. The intention was not to be exhaustive but to admonish the people of Corinthians about the greater gifts to long after. Furthermore, the missing piece in all this is Wisdom which is the source of all Truth. Wisdom and Faith will yield hope. John 7:8 says: “Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'” Jesus is the truth – the revealed wisdom of God and truly believing in Jesus is a guarantee to eternal life being. In a humble attempt to find the primary/foundational/cardinal virtues, we must seek out from the perspective of a soul, those virtues from which the other virtues can be derived.

Permit me then to say that in this sense one could say that Truth/Wisdom/Knowledge is like the water, the fabric of all nourishment. And Love is like the protein, and Faith the carbohydrate. Humility and Charity is a subset of Love and Faith. But being as men and being the first and primary source of downfall, is worth recognizing distinctly as that which the lack of easily leads to disease (a vitamin). Same as faith and love brings about zeal/courage, yet being as men, should be recognized distinctly as it fortifies us to do the works of faith (a mineral). Therefore for the purposes of a spiritual foundational/education system, one could suggest that Faith, Love, Wisdom, are Carbohydrate, Protein and Water while Humility/Charity and Courage/Zeal among others are Vitamins and Minerals. However keep in mind that these revelations/illuminations are all still aspects of one indivisible God and therefore are almost like spiritual flavours.

When a human being is sick at times, there’s something we do which is called detoxification. In this process we fast from most food and we drink a lot of water to rid the system of toxins. It is healthy to suggest that this same process apply to spiritual matters. In order to receive virtues at a greater portion, we should follow the process of spiritual detoxification. This in essence will imply fasting from the things that cause us harm – bad thoughts, bad friends, bad locations, lies, self-deceit, stubbornness, pride and lust. When we make a true fast in this manner, fasting from food will automatically follow as we’ll truly not feel the need for it. This is the only way and manner one can fast for 40 days — the spirit being put first and in full health truly becomes the primary sustainer of the soul.

Nevertheless, when Jesus was talking about giving good gifts, and how the Fathers of the world give good gifts to their children, he suggested that the best thing we can ask for from the Father is the ‘Holy Spirit’. In essence this means that the Holy Spirit is something we can always and continually ask for and is the greatest of all gifts. It is so lovingly and thrillingly marvelous that God will give his very pure and holy self/essence as a gift to us, renewing us each time again and again. In receiving the Holy Spirit, we receive God himself; the source of all virtues. No such food or medical treatment or thing by such measure exists in the material world. And furthermore, the word of God contains the truth of God and is capable of reanimating our very soul just like the disciples at Emmaus.

Since all medications come with a prescription and a period of time in which one must take them; thus if one sees themselves as spiritually deficient or lacking some virtue, spiritual detoxification – fasting from vices so that the debris which is already deposited within us can be flushed, followed with praying for and studying the scriptures towards extinguishing the vice and gaining the virtues to replace the vice over a set period of time will certainly prove a spiritual medication for a permanent solution. For the Father does not deny his children good things.