The Jungle Hike

The Jungle Hike

Dan Burke's Paradigm of Ascent identifies four non-negotiable elements for constant spiritual growth. He uses the analogy of a jungle hike: you need shoes (sacraments), a walking stick (spiritual direction), perseverance (prayer/examen), and a machete (self-denial). Without ANY ONE of these, you get stuck. "Your Yes to God" sits at the centre. (Ep 156)

Historical and Theological Context

The Catholic understanding of "the jungle hike" did not emerge in a vacuum. It represents the fruit of centuries of reflection by the Church's greatest minds and holiest souls. From the earliest Fathers through the medieval Doctors to the great spiritual masters of the Counter-Reformation, this teaching has been received, meditated upon, and handed on with ever-deepening precision.

The significance of this teaching within the broader framework of Catholic spiritual theology cannot be overstated. It touches on fundamental questions about the nature of the spiritual life, the action of grace in the soul, and the concrete path by which ordinary Christians can grow in holiness. The Doctors of the Church — particularly Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross, and Francis de Sales — devoted extensive treatment to this subject, and their insights remain authoritative guides for the spiritual life today.

Voices from Tradition

The richness of the Catholic tradition on this point becomes apparent when we listen to the diverse voices that have addressed it across the centuries. Each brings a distinctive perspective — Aquinas his systematic rigour, Teresa her experiential wisdom, John of the Cross his penetrating analysis of the soul's journey — yet all converge on the essential truth.

The Angelic Doctor brings his characteristic precision to this question. Drawing on both Scripture and the accumulated wisdom of the Fathers, Aquinas provides a systematic account that illuminates the underlying principles:

St. Thomas Aquinas:

The event, He says, is now at hand, it is approaching your very doors. The words, true worshipers, are by way of distinction: for there are false worshipers, who pray for temporal and frail benefits, or whose actions are ever contradicting their prayers. CHRYS. Or by saying, true, he excludes the Jews together with the Samaritans. For the Jews, though better than the Samaritans, were yet as much.

(Source: catena_aurea_john.txt)

The Angelic Doctor brings his characteristic precision to this question. Drawing on both Scripture and the accumulated wisdom of the Fathers, Aquinas provides a systematic account that illuminates the underlying principles:

St. Thomas Aquinas:

But why when He is going to heal the impotent, to raise the dead, to calm the sea, does He not pray, but here does give thanks? To teach us to give thanks to God, whenever we sit down to eat. And He prays more in lesser matters, in order to show that He does not pray from any motive of need.

(Source: catena_aurea_john.txt)

St. Teresa of Avila, Doctor of the Church and master of the interior life, writes from direct experience of the realities she describes. Her practical wisdom, forged in prayer and tested in community, offers this insight:

St. Teresa of Avila, Doctor of the Church and master of the interior life, writes from direct experience of the realities she describes. Her practical wisdom, forged in prayer and tested in community, offers this insight:

St. Teresa of Avila:

The Saint was so much pleased with the account of him given her by Fray Pedro that she longed to see him, being fully persuaded that he was the very man whom our Lord had destined for her work. She spent the night in prayer, earnestly beseeching our Lord to give her Fray Juan, like Rachel who prayed for children. XV1 INTRODUCTION Fray Pedro asked his companion to visit the Saint in her monastery,.

(Source: book_of_foundations.txt)

St. John of the Cross, the Mystical Doctor, provides a penetrating analysis rooted in his own contemplative experience and his careful reading of the tradition. His teaching on this point is both demanding and deeply consoling:

St. John of the Cross:

: 2 * . . 156 Proofs from Scripture that the divine locutions, sa gah, se are not always certain in their causes - “ - 166 God is at times displeased with certain prayers, though He answers them. Illustrations of His anger with such prayers. . : “072 It is not lawful, under the new law, as it was under the old, to enquire of God by supernatural ways.

(Source: ascent_of_mount_carmel.txt)

St. John of the Cross, the Mystical Doctor, provides a penetrating analysis rooted in his own contemplative experience and his careful reading of the tradition. His teaching on this point is both demanding and deeply consoling:

St. John of the Cross:

Proofs from Scripture that the divine locutions, sa gah, se are not always certain in their causes - “ - 166 God is at times displeased with certain prayers, though He answers them. Illustrations of His anger with such prayers. . : “072 It is not lawful, under the new law, as it was under the old, to enquire of God by supernatural ways.

(Source: ascent_of_mount_carmel.txt)

St. Francis de Sales, the gentle Doctor of the spiritual life, was renowned for making the highest truths of the interior life accessible to ordinary Christians. His characteristic warmth and clarity shine through in this passage:

St. Francis de Sales:

It is enough here to say that these passages are taken from the grand and most religious essay " On Prayer," near the beginning of which Montaigne speaks as follows of what he calls his fantaisies informes et irresolues.

(Source: 03_catholic_controversy.txt)

St. Francis de Sales, the gentle Doctor of the spiritual life, was renowned for making the highest truths of the interior life accessible to ordinary Christians. His characteristic warmth and clarity shine through in this passage:

St. Francis de Sales:

Of another passage out of the New Testament to this effect. [Part of LXXV.] 372 V. — Of some other passages by which prayer, alms-deeds, and holy actions for the departed are authorised. [LXXVL] 376 VI.

(Source: 03_catholic_controversy.txt)

St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus and author of the Spiritual Exercises, approaches this teaching with the practical discernment for which he is renowned. His experience of spiritual combat and consolation informs this reflection:

St. Ignatius of Loyola:

When he arrived at Montserrat, he passed a long time in prayer, and with the consent of his confessor he made in writing a general confession of his sins. Three whole days were employed in this undertaking.

(Source: autobiography_oconor_1900.txt)

St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus and author of the Spiritual Exercises, approaches this teaching with the practical discernment for which he is renowned. His experience of spiritual combat and consolation informs this reflection:

St. Ignatius of Loyola:

Shortly after the temptation just spoken of, he began to experience great changes in his soul. At one time he was deprived of all consolation, so that he found no pleasure in vocal prayer, in hearing Mass, or in any spiritual exercise. At another, on the contrary, he suddenly felt as if all sorrow and desolation were taken from him, experiencing the relief of one.

(Source: autobiography_oconor_1900.txt)

The Church Fathers, those early witnesses to the apostolic tradition, provide the foundational understanding upon which later development rests. Their closeness to the apostolic age gives their testimony particular weight:

The Church Fathers:

The Talmud relates of a rabbi, who did not consider the terms, ‘the great, mighty, and fearful God,’ which occur in the daily prayer, as being sufficient, but added some more attributes—‘What!’ exclaimed another rabbi who was present, ‘imaginest thou to be able to exhaust the praise of God?

(Source: Confessiones_english.txt)

The Church Fathers, those early witnesses to the apostolic tradition, provide the foundational understanding upon which later development rests. Their closeness to the apostolic age gives their testimony particular weight:

The Church Fathers:

Exaggerated statements have been made as to Augustin’s deficiency in the knowledge of Greek. In this Chapter XV.—He Entreats God, that Whatever Useful Things He Learned as a Boy May Be Dedicated to Him. 24.

(Source: Confessiones_english.txt)

The traditional catechetical teaching of the Church distils these truths into a form suitable for the instruction of the faithful. This formulation has formed generations of Catholic understanding:

The Catechism (PD):

"I consider it a most useful if not necessary book, not only for Sunday school teachers and for advanced classes, but for all who may desire to have a clear, definite knowledge of Christian doctrine."

(Source: baltimore_catechism.txt)

The traditional catechetical teaching of the Church distils these truths into a form suitable for the instruction of the faithful. This formulation has formed generations of Catholic understanding:

The Catechism (PD):

"I consider it a most useful if not necessary book, not only for Sunday school teachers and for advanced classes, but for all who may desire to have a clear, definite knowledge of Christian doctrine."

(Source: baltimore_catechism.txt)

Living the Teaching

Understanding "the jungle hike" is not merely an intellectual exercise but an invitation to transformation. The spiritual masters consistently emphasise that authentic knowledge of the spiritual life must be translated into daily practice through prayer, self-examination, and generous response to grace.

The tradition teaches that growth in holiness comes through the combination of doctrinal understanding, faithful prayer, and the willingness to cooperate with God's purifying action in the soul. This cooperation is not a matter of extraordinary effort but of humble, consistent fidelity to the ordinary means of grace — the sacraments, mental prayer, spiritual reading, and examination of conscience.

As the saints cited above demonstrate, this teaching has been lived and verified across centuries by men and women in every state of life — contemplatives and active religious, married couples and single persons, scholars and simple faithful. The path is open to all who desire it and are willing to persevere in the daily practice of the interior life.

Extended Source Analysis

A deeper engagement with the primary sources reveals nuances that a summary treatment cannot capture. The following extended passages allow the reader to encounter the teaching in the words of the masters themselves, preserving the texture of their thought and the specific context in which they addressed this subject.

The Angelic Doctor brings his characteristic precision to this question. Drawing on both Scripture and the accumulated wisdom of the Fathers, Aquinas provides a systematic account that illuminates the underlying principles:

St. Thomas Aquinas:

The event, He says, is now at hand, it is approaching your very doors. The words, true worshipers, are by way of distinction: for there are false worshipers, who pray for temporal and frail benefits, or whose actions are ever contradicting their prayers. CHRYS. Or by saying, true, he excludes the Jews together with the Samaritans. For the Jews, though better than the Samaritans, were yet as much inferior to those who were to succeed them, as the type is to the reality.

(Source: catena_aurea_john.txt)

The Angelic Doctor brings his characteristic precision to this question. Drawing on both Scripture and the accumulated wisdom of the Fathers, Aquinas provides a systematic account that illuminates the underlying principles:

St. Thomas Aquinas:

But why when He is going to heal the impotent, to raise the dead, to calm the sea, does He not pray, but here does give thanks? To teach us to give thanks to God, whenever we sit down to eat. And He prays more in lesser matters, in order to show that He does not pray from any motive of need. For had prayer been really necessary to supply His wants, His praying would have been in proportion to the importance of each particular work.

(Source: catena_aurea_john.txt)

St. Teresa of Avila, Doctor of the Church and master of the interior life, writes from direct experience of the realities she describes. Her practical wisdom, forged in prayer and tested in community, offers this insight:

St. Teresa of Avila, Doctor of the Church and master of the interior life, writes from direct experience of the realities she describes. Her practical wisdom, forged in prayer and tested in community, offers this insight:

St. Teresa of Avila:

The Saint was so much pleased with the account of him given her by Fray Pedro that she longed to see him, being fully persuaded that he was the very man whom our Lord had destined for her work. She spent the night in prayer, earnestly beseeching our Lord to give her Fray Juan, like Rachel who prayed for children.

(Source: book_of_foundations.txt)

St. John of the Cross, the Mystical Doctor, provides a penetrating analysis rooted in his own contemplative experience and his careful reading of the tradition. His teaching on this point is both demanding and deeply consoling:

St. John of the Cross:

: 2 * . . 156 Proofs from Scripture that the divine locutions, sa gah, se are not always certain in their causes - “ - 166 God is at times displeased with certain prayers, though He answers them. Illustrations of His anger with such prayers. . : “072 It is not lawful, under the new law, as it was under the old, to enquire of God by supernatural ways.

(Source: ascent_of_mount_carmel.txt)

St. John of the Cross, the Mystical Doctor, provides a penetrating analysis rooted in his own contemplative experience and his careful reading of the tradition. His teaching on this point is both demanding and deeply consoling:

St. Francis de Sales, the gentle Doctor of the spiritual life, was renowned for making the highest truths of the interior life accessible to ordinary Christians. His characteristic warmth and clarity shine through in this passage:

St. Francis de Sales:

It is enough here to say that these passages are taken from the grand and most religious essay " On Prayer," near the beginning of which Montaigne speaks as follows of what he calls his fantaisies informes et irresolues.

(Source: 03_catholic_controversy.txt)

St. Francis de Sales, the gentle Doctor of the spiritual life, was renowned for making the highest truths of the interior life accessible to ordinary Christians. His characteristic warmth and clarity shine through in this passage:

St. Francis de Sales:

Of another passage out of the New Testament to this effect. [Part of LXXV.] 372 V. — Of some other passages by which prayer, alms-deeds, and holy actions for the departed are authorised. [LXXVL] 376 VI.

(Source: 03_catholic_controversy.txt)

St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus and author of the Spiritual Exercises, approaches this teaching with the practical discernment for which he is renowned. His experience of spiritual combat and consolation informs this reflection:

St. Ignatius of Loyola:

When he arrived at Montserrat, he passed a long time in prayer, and with the consent of his confessor he made in writing a general confession of his sins. Three whole days were employed in this undertaking.

(Source: autobiography_oconor_1900.txt)

St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus and author of the Spiritual Exercises, approaches this teaching with the practical discernment for which he is renowned. His experience of spiritual combat and consolation informs this reflection:

St. Ignatius of Loyola:

Shortly after the temptation just spoken of, he began to experience great changes in his soul. At one time he was deprived of all consolation, so that he found no pleasure in vocal prayer, in hearing Mass, or in any spiritual exercise.

(Source: autobiography_oconor_1900.txt)

The Church Fathers, those early witnesses to the apostolic tradition, provide the foundational understanding upon which later development rests. Their closeness to the apostolic age gives their testimony particular weight:

The Church Fathers:

The Talmud relates of a rabbi, who did not consider the terms, ‘the great, mighty, and fearful God,’ which occur in the daily prayer, as being sufficient, but added some more attributes—‘What!’ exclaimed another rabbi who was present, ‘imaginest thou to be able to exhaust the praise of God?

(Source: Confessiones_english.txt)

The Church Fathers, those early witnesses to the apostolic tradition, provide the foundational understanding upon which later development rests. Their closeness to the apostolic age gives their testimony particular weight:

The Church Fathers:

Exaggerated statements have been made as to Augustin’s deficiency in the knowledge of Greek. In this Chapter XV.—He Entreats God, that Whatever Useful Things He Learned as a Boy May Be Dedicated to Him. 24.

(Source: Confessiones_english.txt)

The traditional catechetical teaching of the Church distils these truths into a form suitable for the instruction of the faithful. This formulation has formed generations of Catholic understanding:

The Catechism (PD):

"I consider it a most useful if not necessary book, not only for Sunday school teachers and for advanced classes, but for all who may desire to have a clear, definite knowledge of Christian doctrine."

(Source: baltimore_catechism.txt)

The traditional catechetical teaching of the Church distils these truths into a form suitable for the instruction of the faithful. This formulation has formed generations of Catholic understanding:

The Catechism (PD):

"I consider it a most useful if not necessary book, not only for Sunday school teachers and for advanced classes, but for all who may desire to have a clear, definite knowledge of Christian doctrine."

(Source: baltimore_catechism.txt)

Systematic Theological Analysis

Within the broader framework of Catholic systematic theology, the teaching on "the jungle hike" occupies a significant place. It intersects with several major theological loci: the theology of grace (how God acts in the soul), theological anthropology (the nature and destiny of the human person), and mystical theology (the stages and dynamics of the soul's journey to God).

St. Thomas Aquinas provides the foundational metaphysical framework within which this teaching is to be understood. His analysis of the virtues, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the operation of grace establishes the systematic categories that later spiritual writers presuppose even when they do not explicitly cite them. The Thomistic synthesis remains the normative theological backdrop against which the experiential accounts of Teresa and John of the Cross are to be read.

The Carmelite Doctors — Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross — contribute a phenomenological dimension that complements Aquinas's speculative analysis. Where Aquinas analyses the metaphysics of grace, Teresa and John describe what it is like to undergo the transformations that grace effects. Their accounts are not alternatives to Aquinas but experiential verifications of his theoretical framework.

St. Francis de Sales adds a pastoral dimension, showing how these high truths apply to Christians living in the world — married persons, professionals, and those without access to monastic structures. His Introduction to the Devout Life and Treatise on the Love of God demonstrate that the universal call to holiness is not merely a theological abstraction but a concrete possibility for every state of life.

Synthesis and Formation Implications

The convergence of these sources on "the jungle hike" reveals a consistent thread running through the entire Catholic spiritual tradition. From the Fathers of the Church through the great medieval Doctors to the Counter-Reformation masters and beyond, the teaching has been received, refined, and transmitted with remarkable continuity. What may appear as abstract doctrine is in fact the distillation of centuries of lived spiritual experience, tested in the crucible of authentic holiness.

For the serious student of the spiritual life, this teaching provides both the doctrinal framework and the practical orientation needed for authentic spiritual growth. The propositions of systematic theology are not merely intellectual categories but maps of the territory that the saints have traversed. Understanding them deepens one's capacity to cooperate with grace and to recognise the movements of the spiritual life as they unfold in one's own experience.

The formation director will find in these sources a rich foundation for guiding souls through the stages of spiritual development. The key principle that emerges is that authentic growth in the spiritual life requires both doctrinal understanding and experiential engagement — neither alone suffices. The intellect must be formed by sound teaching (hence the importance of the propositions and the catechetical tradition), while the heart must be opened through prayer and the sacraments to the transforming action of grace.

This integration of doctrine and experience, of theological precision and pastoral sensitivity, is the hallmark of the Catholic spiritual tradition at its best. It is what distinguishes authentic Catholic spiritual formation from approaches that are merely intellectual on the one hand or merely experiential on the other. The sources gathered here provide the foundation for precisely this kind of integrated formation, always anchored in the authoritative teaching of the Church and illuminated by the hard-won wisdom of the saints.