Sayings of Saint John of the Cross

To mortify the four natural passions, which are: joy, sorrow, fear, and hope, the following is useful:

Always incline not to what is easier, but to what is harder;
Not to what is more pleasant, but to what is tasteless;
Not to what is more delightful, but to what gives no delight;
Do not incline to what is rest, but to what is more toilsome;
Not to what is consolation, but to what is no consolation;
Not to what is more, but to what is less;
Not to what is higher and more precious, but to what is lower and more despised;
Not to what is to want something, but to what is to want nothing;
Do not go about seeking the best in things, but the worst; and for Jesus Christ, to have, in regard to all the things of the world, nakedness, emptiness, and poverty.