Demons appear as angels of light

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 3 ~ On Exile

¶29. Demons often transform themselves into angels of light and take the form of martyrs, and make it appear to us during sleep that we are in communication with them. Then, when we wake up, they plunge us into unholy joy and conceit. But you can detect their deceit by this very fact. For angels reveal torments, judgments and separations; and when we wake up we find that we are trembling and sad. As soon as we begin to believe the demons in dreams, then they make sport of us when we are awake too. He who believes in dreams is completely inexperienced. But he who distrusts all dreams is a wise man. Only believe dreams that warn you of torments and judgments. But if despair afflicts you, then such dreams are also from demons.
This is the third step, which is equal in number to the Trinity. He who has reached it, let him not look to the right hand nor to the left.

Demons know nothing about the future from foreknowledge

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 3 ~ On Exile

¶28. The demons of vainglory prophesy in dreams. Being un­scrupulous, they guess the future and foretell it to us. When these visions come true, we are amazed; and we are elated with the thought that we are already near to the gift of foreknowledge. A demon is often a prophet to those who believe him, but he is always a liar to those who despise him. Being a spirit, he sees what is happening in this lower air, and noticing that someone is dying, he foretells it through dreams to the more light-minded. But the demons know nothing about the future from foreknowledge. For if they did, then the fortunetellers would also be able to foretell our death.

A phantasy is an illusion

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 3 ~ On Exile

¶26. A dream is a movement of the mind while the body is at rest. A phantasy is an illusion of the eyes when the intellect is asleep. A phantasy is an ecstasy of the mind when the body is awake. A phantasy is a vision of something which does not exist in reality.

Evil conversation corrupteth good habits

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 3 ~ On Exile

¶24. By much labour and effort a good and stable character is developed in us. But what is achieved with great labour can be lost in a single moment, for 'Evil conversation corrupteth good habits,' being at once worldly and disorderly. The man who associates with people of the world or approaches them after his renunciation will certainly either fall into their traps or will defile his heart by thinking about them; or if he is not defiled himself, yet by condemning those who are defiled, he himself will be defiled.

Think of Him Who for our sake was exiled from Heaven to earth

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 3 ~ On Exile

¶22. When men or demons praise us for our exile, as for some great exploit or achievement, then let us think of Him Who for our sake was exiled from Heaven to earth, and we shall find that throughout all eternity it is impossible for us to make return for this.

Abraham the greatest exile

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 3 ~ On Exile

¶20. No one has surrendered himself to exile to such an extent as that great man who heard: 'Go forth out of thy land, and out of thy kindred, and out of the house of thy father.' And then he was called into a barbarous land that spake another tongue.
¶21. Sometimes the Lord has brought more glory to the man who has separated after the manner of this great patriarch, but even if glory is God-given, yet it is excellent to divert it from oneself with the shield of humility.

This is the generation of them that seek the Lord

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 3 ~ On Exile

¶15. Let him be your father who is able and willing to labour with you in bearing the burden of your sins; and your mother—contrition, which can cleanse you from impurity; and your brother—your comrade who toils and fights side-by-side with you in your striving toward the heights. Acquire an inseparable wife—the remembrance of death. And let your beloved children be the sighs of your heart. Make your body your slave; and your friends, the holy powers (angels) who can help you at the hour of your death, if they become your friends. This is the generation of them that seek the Lord.

Exile is not from hatred

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 3 ~ On Exile

¶14. It is not from hatred that we separate ourselves from our own people or places (God forbid!), but to avoid the harm which might come to us from them. In this, as in everything else, it is Christ who teaches us what is good for us. For it is clear that He often left His parents according to the flesh. And when He was told, 'Thy Mother and Thy brethren are seeking for Thee,' our good Lord and Master at once showed us an example of dispassionate hatred when He said, 'My mother and My brethren are they who do the will of My Father who is in Heaven.'

An exile conceals his knowledge

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 3 ~ On Exile

¶13. He is an exile who, having knowledge, sits like one of foreign speech amongst people of another tongue.

Run from places of sin as from the plague

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 3 ~ On Exile

¶9. Run from places of sin as from the plague. For when fruit is not present, we have no frequent desire to eat it.

The monk is a willing exile from his home

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 3 ~ On Exile

¶8. Eve was exiled from Paradise against her will, but the monk is a willing exile from his home. She would have liked the tree of disobedience again; and he would certainly expose himself daily to frequent danger from relatives according to the flesh.

Do not touch the world any more

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 3 ~ On Exile

¶7. Have you become an exile from the world? Do not touch the world any more; because the passions desire nothing better than to return.

We must most certainly teach ourselves

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 3 ~ On Exile

¶4. In hastening to solitude and exile, do not wait for world-loving souls, because the thief comes unexpectedly. In trying to save the careless and indolent along with themselves, many perish with them, because in course of time the soul's fire goes out. As soon as the flame is burning within you, run; for you do not know when it will go out and leave you in darkness. Not all of us are required to save others. The divine Apostle says: 'Everyone of us shall give account of himself to God.' And again he says: 'Thou therefore that teachest another, dost thou not teach thyself?' This is like saying: I do not know whether we must all teach others; but we must most certainly teach ourselves.

Exile requires great discretion

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 3 ~ On Exile

¶2. Those who have come to love the Lord are at first unceasingly and greatly disturbed by this thought, as if burning with divine fire. I speak of separation from their own, undertaken by the lovers of perfection so that they may live a life of hardship and simplicity. But great and praiseworthy as this is, yet it requires great discretion; for not every kind of exile, carried to extremes, is good.

Exile to reach the goal of piety

Venerable John Climacus ~ The Ladder of Divine Ascent
Step 3 ~ On Exile

¶1. Exile means that we leave forever everything in our own country that prevents us from reaching the goal of piety. Exile mean modest manners, wisdom which remains unknown, prudence not recognized as such by most, a hidden life, an invisible intention, unseen meditation, desire for humiliation, longing for hardship, constant determination to love God, abundance of love, renunciation of vainglory, depth of silence.