Know that there are eight evil thoughts that bring about all that is vile: those of sensuality, lechery, love of money, anger, inappropriate grief, despondency, vainglory, and pride. All these conduct warfare with every man.

If you want to conquer sensuality, cherish restraint, have fear of God; and you will conquer it.

If you want to conquer lechery, cherish wakefulness and thirst, ever contemplate death, never converse with women; and you will conquer it. If you want to conquer love of money, cherish non-acquisitiveness and frugality.

If you want to conquer anger, acquire meekness and generosity, and keep in mind how much evil the Jews did to our Lord Jesus Christ; yet He, the man-befriending God, did not become angry with them; but on the contrary He prayed for them, saying: Father, forgive them this sin, for they know not what they do.

If you want to overcome inappropriate grief, never grieve for anything that is transient. If people injure you with words or upset you or dishonor you, do not grieve; but, on the contrary, rejoice. Grieve only when you sin, and even in this case do not go to extremes, that you might not fall into despair and perish.

If you want to overcome despondency, take up some handiwork for a short while, or read, or pray frequently.

If you want to conquer vainglory, love not praise, nor honor, nor fine clothes, nor precedence, nor favor; but on the contrary, cherish occasions when you are reprimanded and dishonored, when false charges are brought against you; and reproach yourself for being more sinful than any sinner.

If you want to conquer pride, then whatever you do, say not that you do it by your own labors, or with your own strength. But if you fast, or stand vigil, or sleep on the bare ground, or sing psalms, or serve in the altar, or do a great number of prostrations, say that it was done with God’s help and protection, not by your own strength and effort.