The Evergetinos is a beginner's handbook on the spiritual life, the spiritual primer which lays the basic foundations for all meaningful spiritual struggle. The monastic life is modeled after the life of the Angels and monks are supposed to set the example of good spiritual life for lay people. This life is often compared to the image of climbing a mountain. When we start our spiritual lives at the base of the mountain, the going is easy and relatively flat. When we stumble and fall here, we simply get up and go on.
Nothing is lost.
As we progress, the slope becomes steeper and when we slip we might even slide a step or two back and have to regain lost ground. Very few people progress beyond this level. Those few who continue find the climb steep and treacherous. As you scale the face of a cliff, one slip might cost you a couple hundred feet. The way back is painful and extremely difficult.