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spiritual； and supersensible it is； the more does it exceed the
senses； both inner and outer； and impose silence upon them。 。 。 。
The soul then feels as if placed in a vast and profound solitude；
to which no created thing has access； in an immense and boundless
desert； desert the more delicious the more solitary it is。 There；
in this abyss of wisdom； the soul grows by what it drinks in from
the well…springs of the comprehension of love； 。 。 。 and
recognizes； however sublime and learned may be the terms we
employ； how utterly vile； insignificant； and improper they are；
when we seek to discourse of divine things by their means。〃＇252＇
＇251＇ M。 ReCeJac； in a recent volume； makes them essential。
Mysticism he defines as 〃the tendency to draw near to the
Absolute morally AND BY THE AID OF SYMBOLS。〃 See his Fondements
de la Connaissance mystique； Paris； 1897； p。 66。 But there are
unquestionably mystical conditions in which sensible symbols play
no part。
＇252＇ Saint John of the Cross： The Dark Night of the Soul； book
ii。 ch。 xvii。； in Vie et Oeuvres； 3me edition； Paris； 1893； iii。
428…432。 Chapter xi。 of book ii。 of Saint John's Ascent of Carmel
is devoted to showing the harmfulness for the mystical life of
the use of sensible imagery。
I cannot pretend to detail to you the sundry stages of the
Christian mystical life。＇253＇ Our time would not suffice； for one
thing； and moreover； I confess that the subdivisions and names
which we find in the Catholic books seem to me to represent
nothing objectively distinct。 So many men； so many minds： I
imagine that these experiences can be as infinitely varied as are
the idiosyncrasies of individuals。
＇253＇ In particular I omit mention of visual and auditory
hallucinations； verbal and graphic automatisms； and such marvels
as 〃levitation；〃 stigmatization； and the healing of disease。
These phenomena； which mystics have often presented （or are
believed to have presented）； have no essential mystical
significance； for they occur with no consciousness of
illumination whatever； when they occur； as they often do； in
persons of non…mystical mind。 Consciousness of illumination is
for us the essential mark of 〃mystical〃 states。
The cognitive aspects of them； their value in the way of
revelation； is what we are directly concerned with； and it is
easy to show by citation how strong an impression they leave of
being revelations of new depths of truth。 Saint Teresa is the
expert of experts in describing such conditions； so I will turn
immediately to what she says of one of the highest of them； the
〃orison of union。〃
〃In the orison of union；〃 says Saint Teresa； 〃the soul is fully
awake as regards God； but wholly asleep as regards things of this
world and in respect of herself。 During the short time the union
lasts； she is as it were deprived of every feeling； and even if
she would； she could not think of any single thing。 Thus she
needs to employ no artifice in order to arrest the use of her
understanding： it remains so stricken with inactivity that she
neither knows what she loves； nor in what manner she loves； nor
what she wills。 In short； she is utterly dead to the things of
the world and lives solely in God。 。 。 。 I do not even know
whether in this state she has enough life left to breathe。 It
seems to me she has not； or at least that if she does breathe；
she is unaware of it。 Her intellect would fain understand
something of what is going on within her； but it has so little
force now that it can act in no way whatsoever。 So a person who
falls into a deep faint appears as if dead。 。 。 。
〃Thus does God； when he raises a soul to union with himself；
suspend the natural action of all her faculties。 She neither
sees； hears； nor understands； so long as she is united with God。
But this time is always short； and it seems even shorter than it
is。 God establishes himself in the interior of this soul in such
a way； that when she returns to herself； it is wholly impossible
for her to doubt that she has been in God； and God in her。 This
truth remains so strongly impressed on her that； even though many
years should pass without the condition returning； she can
neither forget the favor she received； nor doubt of its reality。
If you； nevertheless； ask how it is possible that the soul can
see and understand that she has been in God； since during the
union she has neither sight nor understanding； I reply that she
does not see it then； but that she sees it clearly later； after
she has returned to herself； not by any vision； but by a
certitude which abides with her and which God alone can give her。
I knew a person who was ignorant of the truth that God's mode of
being in everything must be either by presence； by power； or by
essence； but who； after having received the grace of which I am
speaking； believed this truth in the most unshakable manner。 So
much so that； having consulted a half…learned man who was as
ignorant on this point as she had been before she was
enlightened； when he replied that God is in us only by 'grace；'
she disbelieved his reply； so sure she was of the true answer；
and when she came to ask wiser doctors； they confirmed her in her
belief； which much consoled her。 。 。 。
〃But how； you will repeat； CAN one have such certainty in respect
to what one does not see？ This question； I am powerless to
answer。 These are secrets of God's omnipotence which it does not
appertain to me to penetrate。 All that I know is that I tell the
truth； and I shall never believe that any soul who does not
possess this certainty has ever been really united to God。〃＇254＇
＇254＇ The Interior Castle； Fifth Abode； Ch。 i。； in Oeuvres；
translated by BOUIX； iii。 421…424。
The kinds of truth communicable in mystical ways； whether these
be sensible or supersensible； are various。 Some of them relate
to this worldvisions of the future； the reading of hearts； the
sudden understanding of texts； the knowledge of distant events；
for example； but the most important revelations are theological
or metaphysical。
〃Saint Ignatius confessed one day to Father Laynez that a single
hour of meditation at Manresa had taught him more truths about
heavenly things than all the teachings of all the doctors put
together could have taught him。 。 。 。 One day in orison； on the
steps of the choir of the Dominican church； he saw in a distinct
manner the plan of divine wisdom in the