From The Paradise of the Soul
A Treasury of Christian Character
For centuries, the saints have understood that virtue is not merely about avoiding sin — it's about becoming fully alive, fully human, fully the person God designed you to be. These 42 virtues reveal the landscape of a soul flourishing in grace.
These virtues come from The Paradise of the Soul, a spiritual classic by St. Albert the Great (Albertus Magnus), the great 13th-century Doctor of the Church and teacher of St. Thomas Aquinas. His wisdom offers us a map for the interior life — showing us not just who we should be, but who we already are in Christ.
The theological virtue by which we believe in God and all He has revealed, trusting completely in His word.
Tap to see the extremes →
Faith
Too Little
Unbelief
Rejection or suppression of divine revelation; skepticism that closes the soul to God
Too Much
Credulity / Fanaticism
Believing anything without discernment; rigid extremism that distorts the faith
← Tap to flip back
The theological virtue by which we desire and confidently expect eternal life and the grace needed to attain it.
Tap to see the extremes →
Hope
Too Little
Despair
Giving up on God’s mercy; believing one is beyond redemption
Too Much
Presumption
Assuming salvation without effort or repentance; taking God’s mercy for granted
← Tap to flip back
The foundation of all Christian life, whereby we love God above all things and our neighbor as ourselves, seeking the eternal good of souls.
Tap to see the extremes →
Love of God & Neighbour
Too Little
Selfishness
Indifference to God and others; living only for oneself
Too Much
Sentimentalism
Emotion without sacrifice or truth; love that enables rather than seeks the true good
← Tap to flip back
The mother of virtues that guides right judgment, enabling us to choose fitting means to achieve good ends and avoid evil.
Tap to see the extremes →
Prudence
Too Little
Imprudence
Recklessness, poor judgment; acting without foresight or wisdom
Too Much
Cunning / Craftiness
Using wisdom for selfish ends; shrewdness without integrity
← Tap to flip back
The virtue that renders to God and neighbor what is due, maintaining right order in all relationships and obligations.
Tap to see the extremes →
Justice
Too Little
Injustice
Withholding what is due; failing to render right to God or neighbor
Too Much
Scrupulosity
Rigid, joyless over-exactness that burdens rather than restores right order
← Tap to flip back
Spiritual strength that enables the soul to undertake and endure difficult tasks for God without yielding to fear or adversity.
Tap to see the extremes →
Fortitude
Too Little
Cowardice / Pusillanimity
Shrinking from what is right out of fear of cost or conflict
Too Much
Recklessness / Foolhardiness
Charging forward without wisdom, mistaking impulsiveness for courage
← Tap to flip back
The guardian of all virtues that moderates our inclinations and pleasures, keeping us from excess in temporal goods.
Tap to see the extremes →
Temperance
Too Little
Intemperance
Excess and lack of self-control; giving the appetites free reign
Too Much
Insensibility
Unnecessary austerity; refusing legitimate goods God intended for our good
← Tap to flip back
True humility fears receiving glory and contemns it when given, always preferring to be unknown rather than celebrated.
Tap to see the extremes →
Humility
Too Little
Pride / Vainglory
Seeking recognition and honor; believing oneself more than one is
Too Much
Self-Deprecation
False humility that denies God’s gifts; refusing to receive what He has given
← Tap to flip back
The virtue by which we submit our will to God and His representatives, dying to self-will and embracing divine providence.
Tap to see the extremes →
Obedience
Too Little
Self-Will / Contumacy
Defiance of legitimate authority; pride of opinion that resists God’s will
Too Much
Servility
Blind compliance without conscience; following what should not be followed
← Tap to flip back
Voluntary poverty of spirit that liberates the soul from attachment to created things, making room for God alone.
Tap to see the extremes →
Poverty of Spirit
Too Little
Avarice / Greed
Attachment to material things; allowing possessions to possess the soul
Too Much
Negligence
Failing to steward what God has entrusted; neglect disguised as detachment
← Tap to flip back
The angelic virtue that keeps the soul pure and undivided, directing all love toward God and spiritual goods.
Tap to see the extremes →
Chastity
Too Little
Lust
Disordered sexual desire; love directed away from God and true good
Too Much
Insensibility
Rejecting legitimate love and affection; coldness that is not holiness
← Tap to flip back
Temperance in food and drink that keeps the body subject to the spirit and maintains clarity of mind for divine contemplation.
Tap to see the extremes →
Abstinence
Too Little
Gluttony
Overindulgence in food and drink; the body ruling the spirit
Too Much
Excess Austerity
Harming the body God gave you; austerity that becomes its own form of pride
← Tap to flip back
The practice of dying to self through voluntary self-denial, subduing the flesh to liberate the spirit.
Tap to see the extremes →
Mortification
Too Little
Sensuality
Slavery to comfort and pleasure; refusing to deny the flesh anything
Too Much
Scrupulosity
Self-punishment mistaken for holiness; penance driven by anxiety rather than love
← Tap to flip back
Holy sorrow for sin that arises from love of God, grieving that we have offended infinite goodness and wounded others.
Tap to see the extremes →
Sadness for Sin
Too Little
Impenitence / Hardness of Heart
Indifference to sin; a closed conscience that feels no sorrow for offending God
Too Much
Despair
Sorrow without hope of mercy; grief that turns inward rather than toward God
← Tap to flip back
Perfect sorrow for sin arising from love of God, grieving that one has offended the Supreme Good.
Tap to see the extremes →
Contrition
Too Little
Impenitence
Minimizing or dismissing sin; refusing to grieve what truly grieves God
Too Much
Scrupulosity
Excessive guilt that paralyzes rather than heals; sorrow that forgets mercy
← Tap to flip back
The virtue of openly acknowledging one’s sins and faults before God, leading to healing and restoration.
Tap to see the extremes →
Honest Confession
Too Little
Dissimulation
Concealment and rationalization; hiding sin rather than bringing it to the light
Too Much
Scrupulosity
Confessing what is not sin out of anxiety; fear rather than love driving the sacrament
← Tap to flip back
The virtue of openly acknowledging one's sins and faults before God, leading to healing and restoration.
The virtue of making satisfaction for sins through prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and willingly accepted suffering.
Tap to see the extremes →
Penance
Too Little
Impenitence
Avoiding all reparation; accepting forgiveness without willingness to make amends
Too Much
Excess Mortification
Self-punishment beyond what is fitting or asked; penance as self-harm rather than love
← Tap to flip back
The virtue of suffering with others, moved by their misery to alleviate their distress through works of mercy.
Tap to see the extremes →
Compassion
Too Little
Hardness of Heart / Cruelty
Indifference to others’ suffering; closing the heart to those in need
Too Much
Enabling
Removing all consequences; pity that prevents growth rather than supporting it
← Tap to flip back
The virtue by which we are moved with pity for another’s distress and seek to relieve it, imitating God’s infinite mercy.
Tap to see the extremes →
Mercy
Too Little
Harshness / Cruelty
Withholding forgiveness; demanding justice without room for grace
Too Much
Laxism
Excusing sin rather than the sinner; mercy that does not seek the true good
← Tap to flip back
The tranquility of order that arises from union with God, bringing serenity to the soul and harmony to relationships.
Tap to see the extremes →
Peacefulness
Too Little
Contentiousness
Agitation and conflict-seeking; a soul that stirs rather than settles
Too Much
Appeasement
False peace by avoiding all truth; keeping the peace at the cost of what is right
← Tap to flip back
Unity of hearts and minds that binds people together in mutual goodwill, reflecting the unity of the Blessed Trinity.
Tap to see the extremes →
Concord
Too Little
Factionalism / Discord
Division and strife; choosing sides over seeking unity in truth
Too Much
Human Respect
Unity at the cost of truth or conscience; agreeing to avoid conflict
← Tap to flip back
Gentleness of spirit that moderates anger and maintains tranquility in the face of injury, following Christ’s example.
Tap to see the extremes →
Gentleness
Too Little
Wrath / Harshness
Unmoderated anger; severity that wounds rather than corrects
Too Much
Pusillanimity
Never holding a firm position; gentleness become spinelessness
← Tap to flip back
Proper use of material goods, giving freely without attachment while avoiding both miserliness and prodigality.
Tap to see the extremes →
Generosity
Too Little
Avarice / Miserliness
Hoarding and withholding; clinging to what was given to be shared
Too Much
Prodigality
Giving without wisdom or responsibility; squandering what was entrusted
← Tap to flip back
The virtue of recognizing benefits received and making due acknowledgment and return for them.
Tap to see the extremes →
Gratitude
Too Little
Ingratitude
Taking blessings for granted; failing to acknowledge the Giver behind every gift
Too Much
Obsequiousness
Excessive indebtedness; unable to receive freely without feeling crushed by obligation
← Tap to flip back
The virtue of rejoicing with those who rejoice, sharing in the happiness of others without envy or resentment.
Tap to see the extremes →
Sharing Joy
Too Little
Envy
Resentment of others’ blessings; sorrow at another’s good
Too Much
Flattery
Empty congratulation without sincerity; celebrating to be liked rather than to love
← Tap to flip back
Ardent desire for the salvation of souls, moved by charity to seek the eternal good of all people.
Tap to see the extremes →
Zeal for Souls
Too Little
Indifference / Sloth
No care for others’ eternal good; keeping faith private when it was meant to be shared
Too Much
Intrusiveness / Proselytism
Imposing faith without respect for freedom; zeal that forgets love
← Tap to flip back
The virtue by which the soul consciously governs the flesh — preferring spiritual nourishment over physical indulgence, and ordering all of life toward God rather than toward the comfort and pleasure of the body.
Tap to see the extremes →
Religion / Spiritual Living
Too Little
Carnality
Living according to the flesh; physical comfort and pleasure ruling the interior life
Too Much
Excess Austerity
Neglecting the body God created; contempt for the physical that becomes its own disorder
← Tap to flip back
Filial fear that reverences God’s greatness and dreads offending Him, the beginning of wisdom and foundation of devotion.
Tap to see the extremes →
Holy Fear
Too Little
Presumption
No reverence or awe of God; treating the Holy as familiar or trivial
Too Much
Servile Fear
Fearing punishment rather than loving God; a slave’s relationship rather than a child’s
← Tap to flip back
The virtue that guards the tongue and creates space for contemplation, speaking only what is necessary and good.
Tap to see the extremes →
Holy Silence
Too Little
Loquacity / Garrulousness
Idle talk and gossip; filling every space with words that crowd out God
Too Much
Misanthropy
Using silence to avoid all relationship; withdrawal that becomes coldness
← Tap to flip back
The grace of withdrawing from external distractions to commune with God in the hidden sanctuary of the heart.
Tap to see the extremes →
Solitude
Too Little
Dissipation
Inability to be alone with God; constant distraction that prevents interior life
Too Much
Isolation
Withdrawing from legitimate human communion; solitude become an escape
← Tap to flip back
The loving gaze upon divine truth, resting in God’s presence and perceiving spiritual realities with the eyes of the soul.
Tap to see the extremes →
Contemplation
Too Little
Acedia
Restlessness and inability to be still before God; spiritual sloth that avoids depth
Too Much
Quietism
Passivity that avoids all action and duty; contemplation used to escape responsibility
← Tap to flip back
The strength to bear adversity, tribulation, and injury with tranquility of spirit, knowing that all comes from God’s hand.
Tap to see the extremes →
Patience
Too Little
Impatience / Wrath
Irritability and resistance to suffering; demanding circumstances conform to our timeline
Too Much
Passivity
Tolerating what should be addressed; patience become an excuse for inaction
← Tap to flip back
Firmness of spirit that maintains virtue in the face of changing circumstances and ongoing challenges.
Tap to see the extremes →
Constancy
Too Little
Inconstancy / Fickleness
Wavering and instability; commitments that dissolve under pressure
Too Much
Rigidity / Obstinacy
Refusing to adapt even when wisdom requires it; constancy become stubbornness
← Tap to flip back
Steadfast continuance in good, remaining constant in virtue despite trials, temptations, and the passage of time.
Tap to see the extremes →
Perseverance
Too Little
Pusillanimity
Giving up; abandoning what is good because it has become difficult or slow
Too Much
Obstinacy / Stubbornness
Continuing what should be surrendered; persisting in error or pride
← Tap to flip back
The virtue of conforming one’s words and deeds to reality, manifesting oneself truthfully to others.
Tap to see the extremes →
Truthfulness
Too Little
Lying / Duplicity
Deception and false presentation of self; hiding what is real
Too Much
Bluntness / Brutality
Truth without charity or prudence; honesty used as a weapon
← Tap to flip back
The virtue of being single in intention and transparent in action, without guile or divided heart.
Tap to see the extremes →
Simplicity
Too Little
Duplicity / Guile
Hidden agendas and manipulation; presenting one face while intending another
Too Much
Naivety
Simplicity without wisdom or discernment; innocence that cannot recognize wolves
← Tap to flip back
The virtue of right judgment that enables one to distinguish between good and evil, appropriate and inappropriate.
Tap to see the extremes →
Discretion
Too Little
Imprudence / Rashness
Acting without judgment; speaking or deciding before truly discerning
Too Much
Scrupulosity
Paralysis by analysis; so much discernment that nothing is ever decided or done
← Tap to flip back
A holy seriousness of soul — all affections and powers directed unanimously toward God, restrained from vanity and flippancy. Not the absence of joy, but the absence of the disordered levity that closes the heart to grace.
Tap to see the extremes →
Maturity / Gravity
Too Little
Levity / Buffoonery
Flippancy and disordered jocularity; excessive merry-making that closes the heart to grace
Too Much
Austerity / Severity
Joylessness and harshness; no capacity for delight in the goodness God created
← Tap to flip back
The spiritual gladness that arises from union with God and the contemplation of divine goodness, even amid trials.
Tap to see the extremes →
Spiritual Joy
Too Little
Acedia / Sadness
Spiritual sadness and joylessness; a soul that cannot receive the goodness God offers
Too Much
Levity
Forced cheerfulness that avoids suffering; joy that cannot sit with the cross
← Tap to flip back
Spiritual freedom that comes from detachment, liberating the soul from bondage to sin and created things.
Tap to see the extremes →
Liberty
Too Little
Servility
Slavery to passions, fear, and worldly opinion; a soul that cannot move freely toward God
Too Much
Licentiousness
Freedom as license; no accountability, no structure, no reverence for the good
← Tap to flip back
Filial trust in God’s goodness and providence, approaching Him with the confidence of beloved children.
Tap to see the extremes →
Confidence
Too Little
Anxiety / Scrupulosity
Distrust of God’s goodness; approaching Him as a judge rather than a Father
Too Much
Presumption
Approaching God without reverence or humility; confidence become entitlement
← Tap to flip back
Holy indifference to worldly honors and goods, valuing eternal treasures above temporal vanities.
Tap to see the extremes →
Disdain for Worldly Things
Too Little
Worldliness / Avarice
Attachment to status, comfort, and earthly goods; the world holding what only God should hold
Too Much
Contempt for Creation
Rejecting the goodness of the material world God made and called good
← Tap to flip back
These 42 virtues are just one facet of how God fearfully and wonderfully made you. The free 3-Day Prelude will guide you deeper into your identity as His beloved daughter.
📖 Scripture & Reflection 🕊️ Guided Prayer ✨ Daily Practices
Start the Free 3-Day PreludeNo cost. No commitment. Just an open heart.