St. John of the Cross and Emptying the Mind

[Michael_Mayo]

:harp: Harp on, my friend.

 

[DBT]

:harp: Harp on, my friend.

Well, be careful what you wish for

Here’s an example how the term annihilate can take on different meanings depending on the context …

An individual practicing acquired contemplation (the theme of this thread) can be said to annihilate their memory when they actively strive to let go, forget, empty or void their thoughts when at prayer. Their spirit moves them to simply “be” with the Lord in loving attentiveness … nothing more is needed or desired. This is how St. John might use the term annihilate in a work like The Ascent of Mount Carmel.

An individual momentarily placed into a state of infused contemplation, on the other hand, makes no attempt to annihilate their memory for the Lord Himself does this. At such times, the individual becomes forgetful of all things through no work or effort of his own … it is a pure gift. These individuals may even be placed into a state resembling sleep where conscious awareness is temporarily suspended altogether. This annihilation of memory is much deeper and more profound than what the person could ever possibly attain on their own in the loving attentiveness of acquired contemplation. It is nothing less than the loving inflow of God who infuses the soul in the depths of this emptiness - our deepest center - with the grace and virtue required to endure great trials. This is where contemplation and the dark night become one and the same. This is how St. John might use the term annihilate in a work like Dark Night of the Soul.

Both these examples are illustrations of annihilation via prayer states.

Lastly, an individual brought to the unitive way is now living the life of the “new man” St. Paul so often described in his letters. In the process of transformation that occurs over a period of perhaps many years, the individual’s memory is annihilated - no longer temporarily and fleetingly through discrete moments of acquired and infused contemplation - but permanently. The soul is divinized … made god through participation in the likeness of love. Every aspect of his being is now united to the Lord … even the first movements of the sub-conscious. The old memories that previously served up false images to the mind making it forgetful of God no longer trouble it. For the soul can no longer even think thoughts that are not God’s thoughts let alone speak words or perform actions that are not His. This is how St. John might use the term annihilate in works like Spiritual Canticle or Living Flame of Love.

This is an illustration of annihilation in the context of prayer stages.

Dave

 

[Vouthon]

Well, be careful what you wish for

Here’s an example how the term annihilate can take on different meanings depending on the context …

An individual practicing acquired contemplation (the theme of this thread) can be said to annihilate their memory when they actively strive to let go, forget, empty or void their thoughts when at prayer. Their spirit moves them to simply “be” with the Lord in loving attentiveness … nothing more is needed or desired. This is how St. John might use the term annihilate in a work like The Ascent of Mount Carmel.

An individual momentarily placed into a state of infused contemplation, on the other hand, makes no attempt to annihilate their memory for the Lord Himself does this. At such times, the individual becomes forgetful of all things through no work or effort of his own … it is a pure gift. These individuals may even be placed into a state resembling sleep where conscious awareness is temporarily suspended altogether. This annihilation of memory is much deeper and more profound than what the person could ever possibly attain on their own in the loving attentiveness of acquired contemplation. It is nothing less than the loving inflow of God who infuses the soul in the depths of this emptiness - our deepest center - with the grace and virtue required to endure great trials.

Dear brother Dave,

You are seriously one of the wisest and most serenely impressive posters I have ever come across from my years of posting on CAF. Everything you write breathes of depth of knowledge, learning and contemplative experience. I just love what you have written above, it captures so stupendously and eloquently the psycho-spiritual reality underpinning the term “annihilation” which is utilized by many contemplatives from a whole range of different Christian traditions. Your posts are just brilliant, brilliant!

While I cannot possibly hope to supplement your statements with my own information (I have no need ), I would like very much to further buttress your points with ‘evidence’’ from contemplative authors themselves. You are in wonderful harmony with them.

Consider St. John of Dalyatha, an 8th century AD Syrian monastic (of the Nestorian Church) who exerted a very profound, if oft unrecognised, influence upon the Eastern Christian mystical tradition and also on the early Sufis. His belonging to the Nestorian Church led his writings to be distributed in the Eastern Orthodox world under various pseudonyms (which for some reason his fellow Nestorian contemporary St. Isaac of Nineveh didn’t have to do). There have been academic peer-reviewed papers written on the linguistic/epistemological affinities between his pre-Islamic mysticism and that of the somewhat later development of Sufism. Here is his description, from his translated letters (originally in Syrian Aramaic) of an experience of what we Latin Catholics would call “infused contemplation”:

“…The ground on which I have been proceeding has been altered before me. My intelligence has been astonished by the marvel which You provoke and henceforth I know myself as not existing…My soul from then on was remaining as if in annihilation but without passing away. Friends were blotted out of my heart, unloved as enemies from of old. When I became weak, for a time He left me like this, amazed at Him and what is His. From that time I was existing without mind as non-existing, without perception, without vision, and without hearing, but in amazement and great stillness. There is no movement or knowledge there since in the experienced one knowledge has forgotten itself and even how to know…[The soul] is supremely illumined again and penetrates into the holy and greatly resplendent light. It gets absorbed in the glory of vision and is amazed. [Then] everything is lifted from its sight as being non-existent, and [the soul] forgets itself, being united to the light of the glory of the Majesty. It is captivated by its beauty and sees the glorious Hypostases [of the Trinity] through knowledge, that is, through unknowing, which is higher than all knowledge and all those who know…”

- Saint John of Dalyatha (8th century), Letter 4,16; Discourse 8

This is where the Sufi concept of fana (self-annihilation) first made its appearance, in the work of a Christian monk describing his contemplative experience of “imageless prayer”. There are plenty of similar experiences recorded by other Nestorian saints and monastics I will quote some later on, time allowing.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Funny how just today in the meditation by Fr Rohr on the Cloud of Unknowing.

As James Finley would say, “It was before they knew better.”) Throughout The Cloud, the author offers practices to quiet the mind, breaking our attachments to our thoughts and senses, so we can experience our “naked being,” the core of our own self and of God. Finley reminds us that “We can’t make [union with God] happen, but we can actively choose to be as vulnerable as possible to opening ourself to what we can’t make happen.”

When God works in the soul, we are unaware, for if we knew, there would be a danger of becoming puffed up with the knowledge and using it for ego-centered purposes.

Jim

 

[DBT]

Hello Vouthon -

Thank you for your words and sentiments but you are far too kind! In keeping with the theme of this thread I will “empty my mind” of such compliments lest my head get to big to make it through the door.

Seriously though, I really appreciated your quote from St. John of Dalyatha for I never heard of him before. You are such a wonderful source for passages like this!! Is there a book you can recommend that would have samples of his writing and perhaps others from this same period?

His description of infused contemplation made me immediately think of St. Teresa … and how very personal the expression of this type of prayer can be. The passages below speak of the same experience … but it is described in a very different way. How wonderful it is that the Lord touches us as unique individuals in this most intimate way of prayer! We are all differing flowers in the same lovely field.

It is interesting too that St. Teresa does not use the term annihilation … preferring instead expressions like sleep, suspension and absorption to convey the same meaning. Here we go …
Interior Castle:

There is no need here to use any technique to suspend the mind since all the faculties are asleep in this state - and truly asleep - to the things of the world and to ourselves. As a matter of fact, during the time that the union lasts (which is brief) the soul is left as though without its senses, for it has no power to think even if it wants to. In loving, if it does love, it doesn’t understand how or what it is it loves or what it would want. In sum, it is like one who in every respect has died to the world so as to live more completely in God. Thus the death is a delightful one, an uprooting from the soul of all the operations it can have while being in the body. The death is a delightful one because in truth it seems that in order to dwell more perfectly in God the soul is so separated from the body that I don’t even know if it has life enough to breathe.

She describes this experience a slightly different way here …
Spiritual Testimonies #59:

When there is union of all the faculties, things are very different (from all other types of prayer) because none of them is able to function. The intellect is as though in awe; the will loves more than it understands, but it doesn’t understand in a describable way whether it loves or what it does; there is no memory at all, in my opinion, nor thought; nor even during that time are the senses awake, but they are as though lost, that the soul might be more occupied in what it enjoys.

IMO, the comparison to sleep is very appropriate … for it provides a rudimentary way to communicate the experience of infused prayer to those who have not yet tasted it.

I like to use this little explanation to describe St. Teresa’s infused prayer states: Passive recollection is “like” when we start to doze off so we get into bed for the night. The prayer of quiet is “like” when we’ve actually gone to sleep … but our rest is very light and we toss and turn. The prayer of union is “like” a deep, sound slumber where we’re completely down for the count. Extraordinary phenomena such as imaginative visions are “like” our sleep when we are very vividly dreaming.

In this short paragraph, we have taken a little tour through the outer edges of mansion 3 (where acquired contemplation begins to give way to the infused) through meat of mansion 6 of her classic work, Interior Castle. Hopefully we can visualize the progressive annihilation of our memory (will and intellect too) as our prayer deepens.

The import ant point is this: Just as it is possible for us to pass through all these varying sleep states in a single night … so too may we pass through each of these infused prayer states (God willing) at a single time of prayer.

Blessings to all,
Dave

 

[DBT]

I know, I talk too much! But here’s more on St. Teresa’s prayer states from a Carmelite formation talk I gave. Again, hopefully, the progressive annihilation of memory should be apparent:

THE CULMINATION OF ST. TERESA’S TEACHING
St. Teresa’s teaching on infused prayer reached its pinnacle in “The Interior Castle;” a treatise on “the kingdom of God is within.” She teaches that our soul is like a castle containing many rooms and Christ is to be found in the innermost chamber. Her depictions of prayer states neatly fit this analogy … we move from room to room until we find Christ in true union.

The following illustration was inspired by Susan Muto’s “Where Lovers Meet.” It’s not meant to be a comprehensive description of the mansions; rather an illustration of one just aspect of it. Specifically, how Teresa’s prayer states flow from one another and how the prayer of the higher mansions is simply deeper experience of what came before.

When the soul prays with vocal prayers we are said to be in the first mansion. When we work our minds and hearts discursively, as in lectio or meditating on the mysteries of the rosary, we have moved to the second.

With time and grace we move beyond set prayer for a more continuous recollection in the manner of Francisco de Osuna (who’s work Spiritual Alphabet taught her about acquire contemplation) and we find ourselves talking to God in the silence of our hearts in all we do. We have entered the third mansion. Our cup being continually full, we have done what we can to prepare ourselves for the infused graces St. Teresa shows. Thus, at some point during prayer the individual might begin to feel the inner call to contemplation. The soul no longer feels any desire to ponder on the Lord, His mysteries and so on. He feels drawn to let it go … to simply “be” … to rest in His presence as the Cure of Ars says … “I look at Him while He looks at me.” This is the recollection of Osuna giving way to that of Teresa. Our activity may be greater or lesser, affective or simplified … depending on how God can best work in the soul.

Perhaps this stillness deepens. The senses “notice a gentle drawing inward like a hedgehog curling up or a turtle drawing into its shell" (Interior Castle, IV). This is recollection moving from the active to passive and becoming the prayer of quiet. We’re now entering the fourth mansion. Here our will is completely captivated by our Lord but not in a way that is considered or analyzed. We’re not thinking “I love Him because … or for this or that reason.” We simply love in a silent, non-conceptual way. All the while our intellect and memory might roam free like so many “wild horses.” But we have no desire to pay attention to them … we let them go. To latch on is to resist the grace being given … to bring passive prayer back to active ways. This is what St. John warns against.

Perhaps this inner silence deepens even further. Distractions cease entirely and intellect, will and memory are all completely stilled by God. This is the “pure” contemplation of the prayer of union which is no longer human but entirely supernatural. We’re brought to the “sleep of the faculties” … the silent wonder and awe of the fifth mansion where the Lord is tasted in an experiential way.

This deepening silence falls in the “ordinary way” … the path of contemplation that’s a possibility to all. For some, though, the “extraordinary way” beckons … where the profound silence of the prayer of union becomes the environment where imaginative visions and locutions are inwardly experienced. The soul has now entered the sixth mansion. This phenomena, though, is really just a spiritual type of imperfection that ultimately needs to be purged. And so we also find St. Teresa’s version of the Dark Night in this mansion where all remaining imperfections are purified.

These trials lead to the seventh mansion where the soul finds itself gloriously transformed into a likeness in love with Christ. Here the soul still continues to pray as before … only in a more mature way. If praying vocally or discursively, the soul is quick to hear and answer the Master’s call to infused contemplation. And its prayer never ceases; the recollection of Osuna no longer being a struggle but has become internalized to the point of being second nature … as easy and effortless as breathing.

Dave

 

[Pat_Albertson]

I am reading this thread. I don’t think that in my entire life I have ever gotten beyond level 2:

1. *]vocal
   *]meditation
   *]affective
   *]Prayer of Simplicity (Level 4 is as far as you can go on your own. God’s help is needed to go any farther.)
   *]Infused Contemplation
   *]Prayer of the Quiet
   *]Prayer of Union
   *]Prayer of Conforming Union
   *]Prayer of Transforming Union
   
   From: St. Teresa’s Nine Grades of Prayer
   
   I have very sincere doubts that I can go much beyond level 2. It’s just not something I’m capable of.
   
   I think most of these levels are the sole prerogative of INFJs and INFPs, but not of people like me. Reference: The 16 MBTI types
   
   (Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)

 

[DBT]

Hi Pat -

A couple of quick comments …

First, the “level” of prayer doesn’t matter. The important thing is to simply pray. Second the higher the “level” on your chart doesn’t mean better by any stretch of the imagination. Schema’s like that are used to show degrees of contemplation. Lastly, the highest level you showed (transforming union) is simply another way of describing someone who is living the life of a saint while still in this world. And there are plenty of non-contemplative saints. St. Teresa herself often said some of the holiest people she knew where those faithful to vocal prayer.

Pray as you can, mortify yourself, avoid sin, do your best to practice virtue, strive to do God’s will in all things, faithfully participate in the sacramental life of the Church … these are things we’re all capable of doing. They’re all we need to do to become holy. Anything else (prayer-wise) is up to Him.

Hope this helps … and I’m sure others will have more to add.

Dave

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Hello Pat,
As Dave says, it doesn’t matter which level you think you are at, in fact, we shouldn’t even try to figure it out. If we knew, we’d probably start giving commentary to our progress and destroy what God accomplished in us.

St Teresa in the Interior Castle wrote that souls will often proceed into higher mansions on some areas , while remaining at lower ones on other areas of our lives.

We humans tend to want a linear chart to measure or progress against, but the spiritual life doesn’t work that way.

We’re constantly being purged of imperfections, while overcoming others at the same time.

Prayer is the only path we need to be on.

Jim

 

[Pat_Albertson]

Thank you both Dave and Jim. I will try to keep that in mind. It’s just that I’m very very unsure of my own salvation, and tend to think I’ll end up in hell no matter what I do.

I look at people who can achieve those upper levels of prayer as people who are bound for heaven no matter what. I wish I was one of those, but I’m not. I seldom feel any love for God, and I virtually never feel any love for me on His part. Again, I wish that was not the case, but it’s just the way things are for me.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Thank you both Dave and Jim. I will try to keep that in mind. It’s just that I’m very very unsure of my own salvation, and tend to think I’ll end up in hell no matter what I do.

I look at people who can achieve those upper levels of prayer as people who are bound for heaven no matter what. I wish I was one of those, but I’m not. I seldom feel any love for God, and I virtually never feel any love for me on His part. Again, I wish that was not the case, but it’s just the way things are for me.

As long as you love God with your entire heart, mind and soul and your neighbor as yourself, you will not end up in hell.

The joy of Jesus Christ is knowing we are saved.

Jim

 

[houston1]

As long as you love God with your entire heart, mind and soul and your neighbor as yourself, you will not end up in hell.

The joy of Jesus Christ is knowing we are saved.

Jim

I agree. God wills that all persons be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). So, you have God on your side and there is nothing that can separate you from His love (see Romans 8:37-39). Only YOU can decide to turn away from Him. No one inadvertently ends up in hell. One must deliberately and knowingly choose to do a grave evil to lose the grace of God.

The key requirement is perseverance to ensure your salvation (see Matthew 24:13)…so, just don’t give up and, like Jim said, keep trying to love God and neighbor.

houston1

 

[Robert_Sock]

As long as you love God with your entire heart, mind and soul and your neighbor as yourself, you will not end up in hell.

The joy of Jesus Christ is knowing we are saved.

Jim

In respect to the first commandment, I think most of us fail here, although varying in degree. It’s a commandment worthy of much reflection.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

In respect to the first commandment, I think most of us fail here, although varying in degree. It’s a commandment worthy of much reflection.

Do we fail, or is our love for God proportional to the level he reveals Himself to us ?

Jim

 

[Robert_Sock]

Do we fail, or is our love for God proportional to the level he reveals Himself to us ?

Jim

Given the face value of the first commandment, I feel I’m failing God and I always confess it as sin. Love may change qualitatively as God reveals more to us, but our worship of God should always be 100% in effort.

 

[Michael_Mayo]

Do we fail, or is our love for God proportional to the level he reveals Himself to us ?

Jim

And is the level he reveals himself proportional to our paying attention (i.e., listening)?

 

[JimR-OCDS]

And is the level he reveals himself proportional to our paying attention (i.e., listening)?

I think we first have to be open to God.

But why God reveals Himself to a person and not to another, or perhaps he does but they don’t hear, is a mystery.

Perhaps in the end, a person is judged according to the proportion God revealed himself to the individual ?

I don’t know, just thinking out loud.

Jim

 

[Michael_Mayo]

I think we first have to be open to God.

But why God reveals Himself to a person and not to another, or perhaps he does but they don’t hear, is a mystery.

Perhaps in the end, a person is judged according to the proportion God revealed himself to the individual ?

I don’t know, just thinking out loud.

Jim

There is plenty of room for mystery. And we all are so different, introvert/extrovert, active /contemplative. All doing the best we can? In spite of our long entrenched habits.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

There is plenty of room for mystery. And we all are so different, introvert/extrovert, active /contemplative. All doing the best we can? In spite of our long entrenched habits.

Yup, which is why our transformation takes divine grace and we’re most often not aware it’s happening.

Jim

 

[Sirach2]

I think we first have to be open to God.

But why God reveals Himself to a person and not to another, or perhaps he does but they don’t hear, is a mystery.

Perhaps in the end, a person is judged according to the proportion God revealed himself to the individual ?

Jim

I was reading St. Faustina’s Diary last evening, and really took in deeply her words about God choosing certain souls.

1556 When I had gone to the chapel for a moment, the Lord gave me to know that, among His chosen ones, there are some who are especially chosen, and whom He calls to a higher form of holiness, to exceptional union with Him. There are seraphic souls, from whom God demands greater love than He does from others. Although all live in the same convent, yet He sometimes demands of a particular soul a greater degree of love. Such a soul understands this call, because God makes this known to it interiorly, but the soul may either follow this call or not. It depends on the soul itself whether it is faithful to these touches of the Holy Spirit, or whether it resists them.

This may be what underlied St. Paul’s words about working out his salvation in fear and trembling, for he, too, knew how much he had received from God.