Ir-Ratio Institutionis Vitae Carmelitanae huwa dokument importanti għall-Ordni Karmelitan għaliex jispjega f’lingwaġġ ħafif u kontemporanju dak li huwa l-essenzjal tal-kariżma karmelitana. L-ewwel edizzjoni ħarġet fis-sena 1988, it-tieni edizzjoni fis-sena 2000, u l-aħħar edizzjoni (li tista’ taqraha iktar ’l isfel) fis-sena 2013. Huwa d-dokument l-aktar użat għall-formazzjoni ta’ dawk il-kanididati li jixtiequ jissieħbu fil-ħajja reliġjuża Karmelitana.
Il-Pirjol Ġenerali P. Fernando Millán Romeral O.Carm. kellu dan xi jgħid dwar ir-Ratio:
“I believe that, among many other values, the Ratio brings together a series of values in a balance that is not always easy to achieve, values that have to be complementary to one another in the process of formation in an Order like ours. On the one hand, the RIVC brings together realism and idealism, in order not to fall either into a kind of formation that might be too abstract and theoretical, and far removed from the human situation of our candidates and our context, or into an absence of lofty and noble ideals that allow us to dream and to grow. Similarly, it brings together international and local culture in such a way that we can know that we are part of a universal Order sharing processes, values, and symbols that are common while at the same time respecting the diversity of local cultures. In this way, the RIVC integrates different nuances and expressions of the charism in a common project that includes a formation that preserves the fundamental values of our identity and of our spirituality. Lastly, the RIVC brings together the value of tradition (our history, our past, our symbols, our identity) and the creativity that is necessary in order to respond properly to the challenges of our time and to ensure that our charism is meaningful in the world of today.”