For Contemplation is to have drawn forth this spark: I mean to have now found this affection and feeling which were sought for, and to be in peace and silence enjoying them; not with many discursive and intellectual speculations but with simple gaze upon the truth.
Wherefore, says a holy teacher. Meditation goes its way and brings forth fruit, with labour, but Contemplation bears fruit without labour. The one seeketh, the other findeth; the one consumeth the food, the other enjoys it; the one discourseth, and maketh reflections, the other is contented with a simple gaze upon the things, for it hath in posses- sion their love and joy. Lastly, the one is as the means, the other as the end; the one as the road and journeying along it, the other as the end of the road and of the journeying.
From this is to be inferred a very common thing, which all masters of the spiritual life teach, although it is little (p. 119) understood of those who learn it; which is this, that, as the means cease when the end has been attained, as the voyaging is over when the port has been touched, so when, through the working out of our Meditation, we have come to the repose and sweet savour of Contemplation, we ought then to cease from that pious and laborious searching; and being satisfied with the simple gaze upon, and thought of, God — as though we had Him there present before us — we should rest in the enjoyment of that affection then given, whether it be of love, or of admiration, or joy, or other like sentiment.
The reason why this counsel is given is this, that as the aim of this devotion is love and the affections of the will rather than the specu- lations of the understanding, when the will has been caught and taken no THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap. hi.
should make our petitions like beggars before a powerful and rich Emperor; then, with downcast eyes, humbly wait. When He secretly shows us He hears our prayers, it is well to be silent, as He has drawn us into His presence; there would then be no harm in trying to keep our minds at rest (that is to say, if we can). If, however, the King makes no sign of listening or of seeing us, there is no need to stand inert, like a dolt, which the soul would by this affection, we should put away all those discursive and intellec- tual speculations, so far as we can, in order that our soul with all its forces may be fastened upon this affection without being diverted by the action of other influences. A learned teacher, therefore, counsels us that as soon as anyone feels himself fired by the love of God, he should first put aside (p. 120.) all these considerations and thoughts — however exalted they may seem — not because they are really not good in themselves, but because they are then hindrances to what is better, and more important. For this is nothing else than that, having come to the end and purpose of our work, we should stay therein, and leave Meditation for the love of Contemplation. This may especially be done at the end of any exercise, that is, after the petition for the Divine love of which we have spoken, for one reason, because then it is supposed that the labour of the exercise we have just gone through has produced some divine devotion and feeling, since, saith the wise man, * Better is the end of prayer than the beginning': and for another reason, that, after the work of Prayer and Meditation, it is well that one should give his mind a little rest, and allow it to repose in the arms of Con- templation. At this point, then, we should put away all other thoughts that may present themselves, and, quieting the mind and stilling the memory, fix all upon our Lord; and remembering that we are then in His presence, no longer dwell upon the details of divine things.
Ibidem p. 121. And not only at the end of the exercise but in the midst of it, and at whatever part of it, this spiritual swoon should come upon us, when the intellect is laid to sleep, we should make this pause, and enjoy the blessing bestowed; and then, when we have finished the digestion of it, turn to the matter we have in hand, as the gardener does, when he waters his garden-bed; who, after giving it (p. 122) a sufficiency of water, holds back the stream, and lets it soak and spread itself through the depths of the earth; and then when this hath somewhat dried up, he turns down upon it again the flow of water that it may receive still more, and be well irrigated.'
CHAP. III.] FOURTH MANSIONS in resemble if it continued inactive. In this case its dryness would greatly increase, and the imagination would be made more restless than before by its very effort to think of nothing. Our Lord wishes us at such a time to offer Him our petitions and to place ourselves in His presence; He knows what is best for us.
6. I believe that human efforts avail nothing in these matters, which His Majesty appears to reserve to Himself, setting this limit to our powers. In many other things, such as penances, good works, and prayers, with His aid we can help ourselves as far as human weakness will allow. The second reason is, that these interior operations being sweet and peaceful,' any painful effort does us more harm than good. By * painful effort ' I mean any forcible restraint we place on ourselves, such as holding our breath. '° We should rather abandon our souls into the hands of God, leaving Him to do as He chooses with us, as far as possible forgetting all self-interest and resigning ourselves entirely to His will. The third reason is, that the very effort to think of nothing excites our imagination the more. The fourth is, because we render God the most true and acceptable service by caring only for His honour and glory and forgetting ourselves, our advantages, comfort and happiness. How can we be self-oblivious, while keeping ourselves under such strid: control that we are afraid to move, or even to think, or to leave our minds enough liberty to desire God's greater glory and to rejoice in the " Sfl/). viii. I: 'Disponit omnia suaviter. ' "Ij/^, ch. XV. I.
112 THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap. m.
glory which He possesses? When His Majesty wishes the mind to rest from working He employs it in another manner, giving it a light and know- ledge far above any obtainable by its own efforts and absorbing it entirely into Himself. Then, though it knows not how, it is filled with wisdom such as it could never gain for itself by striving to suspend the thoughts. God gave us faculties for our use; each of them will receive its proper reward. Then do not let us try to charm them to sleep, but per- mit them to do their work until divinely called to something higher."
7. In my opinion, when God chooses to place the soul in this mansion it is best for it to do as I ad- vised, and then endeavour, without force or disturb- ance, to keep free from wandering thoughts. No effort, however, should be made to suspend the imagination entirely from acfting, for it is well to remember God's presence and to consider Who He is. If transported out of itself by its feelings, well and good; but let it not try to understand what is passing within it, for this favour is bestowed on the will which should be left to enjoy it in peace, " 'The whole of the time in which our Lord communicates the simple, loving general attention of which I made mention before, or when the soul, assisted by grace, is established in that state, we must contrive to keep the understanding in repose, undisturbed by the in- trusion of forms, figures, or particular knowledge, unless it were slightly and for an instant, and that with sweetness of love, to enkindle our souls the more. At other times, however, in all pur acts of devotion and good works, we must make use of good recollections and medita- tions, so that we may feel an increase of profit and devotion; most especially applying ourselves to the life, passion, and death of Jesus Christ, our Lord, that our life and conduct may be an imitation of His.' (St. John of the Cross, Ascent of Mount Carmel, bk. ii. ch. xxxii. 7.)
CHAP. III.] FOURTH MANSIONS 113 only making loving aspirations occasionally. Al- though, in this kind of prayer, the soul makes no effort towards it, yet often, for a very short time, the mind ceases to think at all. I explained else- where why this occurs during this spiritual state." On first speaking of the fourth mansions, I told you I had mentioned divine consolations before the prayer of recollecftion. The latter should have come first, as it is far inferior to consolations, of which it is the commencement. Recolledlion does not require us to give up meditation, nor to cease using our intelledl. In the prayer of quiet, when the water flows from the spring itself and not through conduits, the mind ceases to aft; it is forced to do so, although it does not understand what is happening, and so wanders hither and thi- ther in bewilderment, finding no place for rest. Meanwhile the will, entirely united to God, is much disturbed by the tumult of the thoughts: no notice, however, should be taken of them, or they would cause the loss of a great part of the favour the soul is enjoying. Let the spirit ignore these distrad:ions and abandon itself in the arms of divine love: His Majesty will teach it how best to adt, which chiefly consists in its recognizing its unworthiness of so great a good and occupying itself in thanking Him for it.
8. In order to treat of the prayer of recoil ecflion, I passed over in silence the effed:s and symptoms to be found in souls thus favoured by God. Divine consolations evidently cause a dilation or enlarge- ment of the soul that may be compared to water '- Life, ch. XV. 2.
114 THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap. m.
flowing from a spring into a basin which has no outlet, but is so construdled as to increase in size and proportion to the quantity poured into it. God seems to work the same efFe(5l by this prayer, besides giving many other marvellous graces, so preparing and disposing the soul to contain all He intends to give it. After interior sweetness and dilation the soul is not so restrained as formerly in God's service, but possesses much more liberty of spirit. It is no longer distressed by the terror of hell, for though more anxious than ever not to offend God, it has lost servile fear and feels sure that one day it will possess its Lord. It does not dread the loss of health by austerities;'' believing that there is nothing it could not do by His grace, it is more desirous than before of doing penance. Greater indifference is felt for sufferings because faith being stronger, it trusts that if borne for God He will give the grace to endure them patiently. Indeed, such a one at times even longs for trials, having a most ardent desire to do something for His' sake. As the soul better understands the Divine Majesty, it realizes more vividly its own baseness. Divine consolation shows it how vile are earthly pleasures; by gradually withdrawing from them, it gains greater self- mastery. In short, its virtues are increased and it will not cease to advance in perfedtion, unless it turns back and offends God. Should it ad: thus, it would lose everything, however high the state it may have reached.
9. It is not to be supposed that all these effects are produced merely by God's having shown these " Life, ch. xxiv. 2.
CHAP. III.] FOURTH MANSIONS 115 favours once or twice. They must be received con- tinually, for it is on their frequent reception that the whole welfare of the soul depends. I strongly urge those who have reached this state to avoid most carefully all occasions of offending God.'* The soul is not yet fully established in virtue, but is like a new-born babe first feeding at its mother's breast:'* if it leaves her, what can it do but die.? I greatly fear that when a soul to whom God has granted this favour discontinues prayer, except under urgent necessity, it will, unless it returns to the practice at once, go from bad to worse.
10. I realize the danger of such a case, having had the grief of witnessing the fall of persons I knew through their withdrawal from Him Who sought, with so much love, to make Himself their friend, as He proved by His treatment of them. I urgently warn such persons not to run the risk of sinning, for the devil would rather gain one of these souls than many to whom our Lord does not grant such graces,'^ as the former may cause him severe loss by leading others to follow their example, and may even render great service to the Church of God. Were there no other reason except that he saw the special love His Majesty bears these people, it would suffice to make Satan frantic to destroy God's work in them, so that they might be lost eternally. Therefore they suffer grievous temptations, and if they fall, they fall lower than others.
^^ Way of P erf. ch. xvi. 5. Castle, M. v. ch. i, 2, 3; ii. 4, 5; iii. 2, 6, 12. '* Way of P erf ch. xxxi. 7. Concept, ch. iv. 6.
^* Way ofPerf ch. xl. 3.
ii6 THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap. iii.
11. You, my sisters, are free from such dangers, as far as we can tell: God keep you from pride and vainglory! The devil sometimes offers counter- feits of the graces I have mentioned: this can easily be deted:ed — the effects being exactly contrary to those of the genuine ones.'^ Although I have spoken of it elsewhere,*^ I wish to warn you here of a spe- cial danger to which those who prad:ise prayer are subje(5t, particularly women, whose weakness of constitution makes them more liable to such mis- takes. On account of their penances, prayers, and vigils, or even merely because of debility of health, , some persons cannot receive spiritual consolation ^ without being overcome by it. On feeling any interior joy, their bodies being languid and weak, they fall into a slumber — they call it spiritual sleep — which is a more advanced stage of what I have / described; they think the soul shares in it as well as the body, and abandon themselves to a sort of intoxication. The more they lose self-control, the more do their feelings get possession of them, be- cause the frame becomes more feeble. They fancy this is a trance and call it one, but I call it nonsense; it does nothing but waste their time and injure their health.
12. This state lasted with a certain person for eight hours, during which time she was neither insensible, nor had she any thought of God.'* She was cured by being made to eat and sleep well and to leave off some of her penances. Her recovery ^' Life, ch. XX. 31. '^ Found, ch. vi. " Found, ch. vi. 15.
CHAP. III.] FOURTH MANSIONS 117 was owing to some one who understood her case; hitherto she had unintentionally deceived both her confessor and other people, as well as herself. I feel quite sure the devil had been at work here to serve his own ends and he was beginning to gain a great deal from it. It should be known that when God bestows such favours on the soul, although there may be languor both of mind and body, it is not shared by the soul, which feels great delight at seeing itself so near God, nor does this state ever continue for more than a very short time.*** Although the soul may become absorbed again, yet, as I said, unless already feeble, the body suffers neither exhaustion nor pain. I advise any of you who experience the latter to tell the Prioress, and to divert your thoughts as much as possible from such matters. The Superior should prevent such a nun from spending more than a very few hours in prayer, and should make her eat and sleep well until her usual strength is restored, if she has lost it in this way." If the nun's constitution is so delicate that this does not suffice, let her believe me when I tell her that God only calls her to the ad:ive life. There must be such people in monas- teries: employ her in the various offices and be careful that she is never left very long alone, other- wise she will entirely lose her health. This treat- ment will be a great mortification to her: our Lord tests her love for Him by the way in which she bears His absence. He may be pleased, after a time, to restore her strength; if not, she will make as <^ ii8 THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap. m.
much progress, and earn as great a reward by vocal prayer and obedience as she would have done by contemplation, and perhaps more.
13. There are people, some of whom I have known, whose minds and imaginations are so ad:ive as to fancy they see whatever they think about, which is very dangerous." Perhaps I may treat of this later on, but cannot do so now. I have dwelt at length on this mansion, as I believe it to be the one most souls enter. As the natural is combined with the supernatural, the devil can do more harm here than later on, when God does not leave him so manv opportunities. May God be for ever praised! Amen.
^^ Found, ch. viii. 7-8.
THE FIFTH MANSIONS CHAPTER I.
BEGINS TO TREAT OF THE UNION OF THE SOUL WITH GOD IN PRAYER. HOW TO BE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT DECEIVED IN THIS MATTER.
7. Graces of the fiflh mansions. 2. Conlemplalion to be striven for. 3. Physical effects of the prayer of union. 4. Atnazemenl of the intellect. 5. The prayer of union and of quiet contrasted. 6. Divine and earthly union. 7. Competent directors in these matters. H. Proof of union. 9. Assurance left in the soul. 10. Divine union beyond our power to obtain.
I. Oh, my sisters, how shall I describe the riches, treasures, and joys contained in the fifth mansions! Would it not be better to say nothing about them? They are impossible to depidl, nor can the mind conceive, nor any comparisons portray them, all earthly things being too vile to serve the purpose. Send me, O my Lord, light from heaven that I may give some to these Thy servants, some of whom by Thy good will often enjoy these delights, lest the devil in the guise of an angel of light should deceive those whose only desire is to please Thee. 2. I said 'some,' but in reality there are vtvyfew^ who never enter this mansion: some more and some less, but most of them may be said at least ' Found, ch. iv, 8.
119 I20 THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap. i.
to gain admittance into these rooms. I think that certain graces I am about to describe are bestowed on only a few of the nuns, but if the rest only arrive at the portal they receive a great boon from God, for 'many are called, but few are chosen.'* All we who wear the holy habit of the Carmelites are called to prayer and contemplation. This was the objed: of our Order,' to this lineage we belong. Our holy Fathers of Mount Carmel sought in perfed: solitude and utter contempt of the world for this treasure, this precious pearl,"^ of which we speak, and we are their descendants. How little do most of us care to prepare our souls, that our Lord may reveal this jewel to us! Outwardly we may appear to pradise the requisite virtues, but we have far more to do than this before it is pos- sible to attain to contemplation, to gain which we should negled no means, either small or great. Rouse yourselves, my sisters, and since some fore- taste of heaven may be had on earth, beg our Lord to give us grace not to miss it through our own fault. Ask Him to show us where to find it — ask Him to give us strength of soul to dig until we find this hidden treasure, which lies buried within our hearts, as I wish to show you if it please God to enable me. I said 'strength oi soul^ that you might understand that strength o^ body is not indispensable when our Lord God chooses to withhold it. He makes it impossible for no one to gain these riches, " St. Matt. XX. i6: ' Multi enim sunt vocati, pauci vero electi.' ^ Maneant singuli in cellulis suis, vel juxta eas, die ac nocte in lege Domini meditantes et in orationibus vigilantes.' {Carmelite Rule). * St. Matt, xiii. 46.
CHAP. I.] FIFTH MANSIONS 121 but is content that each should do his best. Blessed be so just a God!
3. But, daughters, if you would purchase this treasure of which we are speaking, God would have you keep back nothing from Him, little or great. He will have it all;^ in proportion to what you know you have given will your reward be great or small. There is no more certain sign whether or not we have reached the prayer of union. Do not imagine that this state of prayer is, like the one preceding it, a sort of drowsiness ( I caliJt*drQWsi- ness' because the soul seems to slumber, being neither quite asleep nor wholly awake). In the prayer of union the soul is asleep, fast asleep, as re- gards the world and itself: in fad:, during the short time this state lasts it is deprived of all feeling what- ever, being unable to think on any subject, even if it wished. No effort is needed here to suspend the thoughts: if the soul can love — it knows not how, nor whom it loves, nor what it desires. In fad:, it has died entirely to this world, to live more truly than ever in God. This is a delicious death, for the soul is deprived of the faculties it exercised while in the body: ^ delicious because, (although not really the case ), it seems to have left its mortal covering to abide more entirely in God. So completely does this take place, that I know not whether the body retains sufficient life to continue breathing; on ' *The reason why there are so few contemplatives is that there are so few persons who wholly withdraw themselves from transitory and created things' [Imitation, bk. iii. ch, xxxi. i). See also Way of Per/, ch, xvi. 5. Life, ch. xi. 2-4; xxii. 18, 19.
* Way ofPerf ch. xxv. i. Life^ ch. xvi. Rel. I. i; viii, 7.
9 122 THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap. i.
consideration, I believe it does not; at any rate, if it still breathes, it does so unconsciously. 4. The mind entirely concentrates itself on trying /to understand what is happening, which is beyond its power; it is so astounded that, if consciousness is not completely lost, at least no movement is possible: the person may be compared to one who falls into a dead faint with dismay.' /^5. Oh, mighty secrets of God! Never should I weary of trying to explain them if I thought it possible to succeed! I would write a thousand foolish things that one might be to the point, if only it might make us praise God more. I said this prayer produced no drowsiness in the mind; on the other hand, in the prayer (of quiet) described in the last mansion, until the soul has gained much experience it doubts what really happened to it. *Was it nothing but fancy, or was it a sleep? Did it come from God or from the devil, disguised as an angel of light?' The mind feels a thousand misgivmgs, and well for it that it should, because, at I said, nature may sometimes deceive us in this case. Although there is little chance of the poison- ous reptiles entering here, yet agile little lizards will try to slip in, though they can do no harm,