St. John Climacus: On undistracted prayer

 It is not proper for anyone to engage in any accessory work, or rather distraction, during the time of prayer. For the angel who attended Anthony the Great taught him this clearly.

+St. John Climacus, from The Ladder of Divine Ascent, Step 19 On sleep, prayer, and psalm-singing in the chapel, #7

St. John Climacus: On simplicity and meekness

 Let all of us who wish to attract the Lord to ourselves draw near to Him as disciples to the Master, simply, without hypocrisy, without duplicity or guile, not out of idle curiosity. He Himself is simple and absolute, and He wants souls that come to Him to be simple and innocent. For you will surely never see simplicity separated from humility.

+St. John Climacus, from The Ladder of Divine Ascent, step 24, #16