The 7 Steps to Heaven

Saint Augustine's spiritual roadmap

Saint Augustine’s Confessions begins with one of the most famous lines in Christian thought:

“You have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.”

This restlessness serves as the basis for the soul’s journey to God — a journey that unfolds in seven distinct stages. In De Quantitate Animae (On the Greatness of the Soul), Augustine systematically outlines these stages, showing how the soul progresses toward union with God.

At first glance, this schema seems like a simple roadmap for spiritual growth. But it goes deeper than that — Augustine’s framework directly corresponds to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, as well as the seven days of creation.

What’s more, Augustine’s stages mirror his own deeply personal journey. In his Confessions, Augustine recounts everything from his indulgence in material pleasures to his moral struggle, and his final surrender to divine grace.

Augustine’s framework reveals the spiritual journey of history’s greatest theologian. More importantly, it provides a roadmap that you too can follow — to guide the ascent of your own mind and soul.

In which stage of the soul’s journey are you? Keep reading to find out…