Haas - Reading Mystical Texts

8/10/2019 Haas - Reading Mystical Texts

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R E D I N G M Y S T I C L T E X T S 145

absolute. That constitutes its freedom. Whatever else it does, the

mystical text is a text about union (union between humani ty and God,

between humanity and the absolute), despite - or rather through - all its

apophatic negations. And sometimes this union can be expressed only

at the cost of clarity and comprehensibility.

T he m yst ica l a t trac t ion of eop la ton i sm

It is the idea of union, then, which governs the grammar and the

dialectics, the content and the imagery, the poetry and the structure of

mystical discourse. And therefore what the Neoplatonists wrote about

union has had a decisive formative influence on Christian mysticism.

Here we find philosophical reflection on what the One is - reflection at

once ethical, speculative and experiential. They also offer some

thoughts on how this union is to be attained, for example by means of

distinctive exercises .4

To illustrate the point, let us take a text from the

S e n t e n t i a a d

in teUig ib i l ia ducen tes

of Porphyry (c. 232-305), a work that can be

taken as a compendium of Neoplatonic philosophy and mysticism.5

Moreover, the fact that the great humanist, Marcello Ficino (1433-

1499) translated this small work into Latin, shows the theological

relevance o f this work:

About the virtues. One set of virtues belongs to the citizens, another to

the person who is ascending to contemplation, who is thus called a

contemplative. A third set is the virtues of people who are already

perfect contemplatives, who have already contemplated. Another sort

are the virtues of the spirit within the self, in so far as it is purified from

the soul.

While citizens strive for a moderat ion Of passion through the

virtues of prudence, courage, temperance andjusttice, the contempla-

tive aims at a purification and at a separation from~he~things of here

in body and soul. The goal of these practices and exercises is freedom

from affection a p a th e ia ) and becoming like to God , for through

them the soul can purify itself for uniting with the begetter . At the

third stage, wisdom and prudence , the fruit of mental activity, build

on the political and contemplative virtues. Regarding the fourth sort of

virtues, Porphyry affirms:

The fourth sort of virtues is that of the paradigm virtues, which are to

be found in the

nous

(the mind or spirit). Superior to the virtues of the


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146

R E D I N G M Y S T I C L T E X T S

soul, they are the pattern of those things to which the virtues of the soul

are likenesses. It is

n o u s

in which they are all at once, as it were,

models: wisdom is

n o u s

as it knows; self-attention is temperance; the

fulfilling of one s own duty (i.e. justice) is the performance of one s

own activity; courage is sameness, and a remaining pure of self-

dependence, through abundance of power.

Porphyry wrote a text against the Christians, in which he

comprehensively attacked key figures, teachings and doctrines of

Christianity such as the divinity of Jesus Christ, the integrity of the

apostles, the Christian doctrine of God and the resurrection of the dead.

Moreover, he called the gospels the work of charlatans and regarded

6

Jesus as a criminal. But none of this negates that claim that Christians

may have adopted his fundamental thought-forms.7

The energy behind this text of Porphyry s, and indeed behind a whole

range o f other Neoplatonic texts, is pedagogical: it is aiming to initiate

the reader into non-discursive thought. The texts of the tradition are

dominated by the ideas of self-knowledge and contemplative asceti-

cism - ideas which the practitioners of this way of life appropriate not

just through the intellectual effort of reading texts, but also existen-

tially, through themselves trying to become what the texts speak of.

Thus the four sorts of virtue referred to in Porphyry s text - civic,

cathartic, noetic and paradigmatic - are four sorts of training for the

spirit, so that it can become apt actually to assimilate the reality of

which the text speaks. What is at stake is a practice of contemplat ion in

four steps. On the first step, one learns how emotions can be control led

and how the personality can somehow be integrated towards the goal of

contemplation. The cathartic stage ends in

a p a t h e i a ,

in the full

detachment of the self from its bodily constitution, a self that identifies

itself as not identical with the body. The third stage, of noetic virtue,

allows the soul a still deeper level of self-discovery: without that

which takes precedence over the soul (the

n o u s ,

the soul cannot see

what belongs to it . Behind all three kinds o f virtue lies the soul s

capacity for introversion, its ability to remain in contemplation and to

become one with the object of contemplation. Attention, concentration,

control of thoughts, absorption into the reality presented to the soul, are

all states fostered by these three sorts of virtue. Porphyry thus develops

a systematic account of the self in contemplative terms, in terms of a

staged progression in inner transformation. In this, the self s capacities

for self-awareness, for purification of consciousness, and for the

concentration of attention, are extensively developed. The goal is the


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f o r m a t i o n o f w i s d o m , w h i c h i s t a k e n t o b e t h e m o s t f u n d a m e n t a l

e x p r e s s i o n o f t h e s e c a p a c i t ie s .

T h i s i s t h e f o r c e o f t h e c l a i m m a d e b y S a r a R a p p e : t h a t t h e

N e o p l a t o n i s t s g a v e t o th e i r s u c c e s s o r s a d e v e l o p e d s t r u c tu r e o f t h o u g h t ,

a r t i c u l a t e d w i t h a q u i t e r a re i n s i s t e n c e - a st r u c t u r e o f t h o u g h t c e n t r e d

o n a f u n d a m e n t a l h u m a n c a p a c i t y fo r u n i t i v e i n tu i ti o n , g r o u n d e d i n

l i v e d s e l f - a w a r e n e s s , s S i n c e s e l f - a w a r e n e s s i s a l w a y s m o v i n g t o w a r d s

a c t u a l s e l f - k n o w l e d g e , a n d s i n c e th e p u l l to w a r d s t h e a b o l i t i o n o f th e

d i f fe r e n c e b e t w e e n s u b j e c t a n d o b j e c t i n th is m o d e l o f k n o w l e d g e i s s o

s e l f - e v i d e n t l y n o n - d i s c u r s i v e , t h e o n l y t h i n g t o b e e x p l a i n e d is t h e

p r o c e s s b y w h i c h o n e a r r i v es a t t h is p o i n t. T h e u n d e r l y i n g p o i n t i s t h a t

w i s d o m i s n o t to b e a t ta i n e d s t r a i g h t f o r w a r d l y a n d w i t h o u t e f f o r t; r a t h e r

i t r e q u i r e s a p r o c e s s o f i n i ti a t io n l e a d i n g i n t o t h e n e c e s s a r y d i s p o s i t i o n s ,

a n d t h e n a m y s t a g o g y i n t h e p r o p e r s e n s e, s o t h at t hi s n e c e s s a r y a s c e s i s

c a n a r r i v e a t i t s g o a l i n a n a p p r o p r i a t e f a s h i o n . On l y t h e n i s n o n -

d i s c u r s i v e , i n t u i t i v e , c o n t e m p l a t i v e k n o w l e d g e ( i . e . k n o w l e d g e t h a t

h a p p e n s w i t h o u t r e f e r e n c e t o a n o b j e c t ) p o s s i b l e .

T h e

Chris t ian transposi t ion

I n C h r i s t ia n w r i t i n g a b o u t th e h i s t o r y o f s p ir i tu a l it y , t h e c h a n g e f r o m

a d i s c u r s i v e t o a n o n - d i s c u r s i v e , o r u n i f i v e , d i s c o u r s e i s i n t e r p r e t e d a s

a n a c t iv e p r o c e s s b y w h i c h t h e u n d e r s t a n d in g i s c h a n g e d . T h e p r o c e s s i s

e x p r e s s e d i n t e rm s o f th e d i f f e r e n c e b e t w e e n

meditat io

a n d

contem

platio.

T h u s t h e N e o p l a t o n i c t h o u g h t - fo r m s , w i t h t h e ir s i g n if i c a n c e r i p e

f o r f u tu r e d e v e l o p m e n t , c a m e t o o p e r a t e i n t h e c o n t e x t o f a C h r is t ia n

t e n s i o n b e t w e e n a c t i o n a n d c o n t e m p l a t i o n . T h e a n c i e n t q u e s t i o n s li v e d

o n f r u i t f u l l y i n C h r i s t i a n s p i r i t u a l p r a c t ic e , b e c a u s e a l r e a d y i n a n t i q u i t y

t h e t e n s i o n b e t w e e n a c t i o n a n d c o n t e m p l a t i o n g a v e r i s e t o a h o s t o f

p r o b l e m s t h a t c o u l d n o t b e r e s o l v e d i n a n y s i m p l e w a y . C h r i s t i a n

v a r i a n t s o n c l a s s i c a l d i s c u s s i o n s a b o u t

theoria

a n d

prax is

h a v e d o n e

m u c h t o s h a p e C h r i s t i a n l i f e a t l a r g e , e s p e c i a l l y t h e h i s t o r i c a l

d e v e l o p m e n t o f c o n s e c r a t e d li fe . T h e g r e a t p r o b l e m s o f a n t i q u it y

h a v e l e f t a r ic h a n d s i g n i f ic a n t l e g a c y f o r s u b s e q u e n t p e r i o d s .

J o h n o f t h e r o ss

t

i s t im e t o t u r n t o a s p e c i f ic e x a m p l e , t h e f i gu r e o f J o h n o f t h e C r o s s

( 1 5 4 2 - 1 5 9 1 ) . 9 J o h n s w h o l e l if e a n d w o r k b e a r w i t n e s s t o a n o p t io n f o r

c o n t e m p l a t i o n t h a t h e n e v e r r e n o u n c e d , e v e n a m i d a l l t h e c o n f u s i o n

a r i s in g f r o m t h e a c t i v i t y t h a t wa s t h r u s t u p o n h i m . I t i s a g r e a t p i t y t h a t

w e h a v e n o n e o f J o h n s ju v e n i l ia , w h i c h m i g h t h a v e g i v e n u s s o m e

s e n s e o f h i s e a rl y k n o w l e d g e a n d e x p e r i e n c e r e g a r d in g m y s t i c a l


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148 R E D I N G M Y S T I C L T E X T S

t h e o lo g y . H o w e v e r , h is m a j o r w o r k s h a v e s u r v i v e d - i n t w o c a s e s , t h e

Spiritual canticle

a n d t h e

Living f lame

i n a u t h e n t i c v e r s i o n s , a n d t h e y

g i v e u s a v e r y c o m p r e h e n s i v e a n d a c c u r a t e s e n s e o f h i s t ea c h in g .

J o h n l i v e d in a c ir c l e o f p e o p l e w h o w e r e s t r u g g l i n g t o r e s t o r e a n

anc i en t o rde r , w i t h s t rong e rem i t i ca l i dea l s , t o i t s fo rm er r ad i ca l i t y .

L i k e t h e h e r m i t s l i v i n g o n M o u n t C a r m e l i n P a l e s t i n e s i n c e t h e

t h ir t e e n th c e n t u r y , t h e d i s c a l c e d C a r m e l i t e s a i m e d t o li v e a c o n t e m p l a -

t iv e l if e in c o m m u n i t y , w i t h t h e o b l i g a t i o n t o k e e p m y s t i c a l s i l e n c e , a n d

t o re s tr ic t c o n t a c t w i t h t h e o u t s i d e w o r l d t o a m i n im u m . S u c h a f o r m o f

l if e h a s i m p l i c a t io n s f o r t h e r h e t o r i c o f a n y m y s t a g o g i c a l t e x t s a i m e d a t

i n i t i a t i n g p e o p l e i n t o i t . O b v i o u s l y s p i r i t u a l l e a d e r s w o u l d w a n t t o s e t

o u t t h e i r t e a c h i n g s a n d e x p e r i e n c e s f o r o t h e r r e l i g i o u s , f r i e n d s a n d

a s s o c i a t e s , i n a s y s t e m a t i c t r e a t i s e t h a t w o u l d t h e n s t i m u l a t e f u r t h e r

s p i r i t u a l e x p e r i e n c e . I t i s i n t h i s f o r m t h a t e s o t e r i c k n o w l e d g e a n d

b e l i e f s a r e h a n d e d o n , w h a t i n d e e d is n a m e d m y s t i c i s m . Mystikos

o r ig i n a ll y m e a n s s e c r e t o r h i d d e n , s o m e t h i n g s o m e h o w e m a n c i -

p a t e d f r o m t h e p u b l i c p r e s s u r e s o f n o r m a l m e a n s o f c o m m u n i c a t io n .

S u c h k n o w l e d g e is n o r m a l l y d i s s e m i n a t e d o n l y in a s m a l l g ro u p , n o t t o

p e o p l e a t l a r g e . E a r l y C h r i s t i a n m y s t i c i s m w a s s t i l l v e r y c o n s c i o u s o f

t h e s e c r e t q u a l i ty o f t h e f ai th , a n d o f t h e n e e d t o p r o t e c t i t f r o m t o o

c r u d e a n e x p o s u r e i n p u b l i c , e v e n i f th e r e i s a l so a l a te n t s e n s e t h a t th e

m a t e r i a l d o e s h a v e r e l e v a n c e m o r e w i d e l y .

I t w a s n o t , h o w e v e r , t h e s e n s e t h a t t e a c h e r s s h o u l d s e t o u t t h e i r

d o c t r in e s y s t e m a t i c a l ly w h i c h m o v e d J o h n o f t h e C r o s s t o w r it e. T h e

d e c i s i v e l y f o r m a t i v e e v e n t f o r h i s w r i t i n g s w a s h i s s p e l l i n p r i s o n i n

T o l ed o , f o r m o r e t h an e i g h t m o n t h s ( 1 5 7 7 - 1 5 7 8 ) , t h e c o n s e q u e n c e o f

h i s c o m m i t m e n t t o t h e T e r e s i a n r e f o r m . I n s o l i t a r y c o n f i n e m e n t w i t h i n

a c e l l t h a t w a s v e r y c o l d i n w i n t e r a n d s w e l t e r i n g i n th e s u m m e r , h e w a s

t o r tu r e d b y c o n f r e r e s w h o o b j e c t e d t o h is r e f o r m m o v e m e n t . I t w a s

h e r e , to o c c u p y h is m i n d d u r in g t h e m a n y h o u r s o f f o r c e d i na c ti vi ty ,

t h a t J o h n w r o t e p o e m s , i n s p i r e d b y b i b l i c a l p a s s a g e s t h a t h e k n e w b y

h e a r t . T h e J o h a n n i n e p r o l o g u e i n s p i r e d h i m t o w r i t e R o m a n c e s a b o u t

t h e T r i n i t y , t h e I n c a r n a t i o n a n d t h e s a l v a t i o n b r o u g h t b y C h r i s t ; P s a l m

1 3 7 , a b o u t t h e I s r a e l i t e s i n B a b y l o n , i n s p i r e d i n h i m a R o m a n c e o f

c o n s o l a t i o n r e g a r d i n g h i s o w n p l i g h t ; t h e r e w e r e r e f l e c t i o n s a b o u t t h e

d a r k n i g h t o f fa i th . M o s t s i g n if ic a n tl y , h e w r o t e m o s t o f t h e

Spiritual

canticle h e r e , i n sp i r e d b y t h e S o n g o f S o n g s , in w h i c h t h e e x p e r i e n c e s

o f c l o s e n e s s to G o d a n d d i s t a n c e f r o m G o d a r e i n t e r p re t e d i n te r m s o f a

l o v e a f fa ir . E i g h t y e a r s l at er , in 1 5 8 6 , h e w o u l d v e r y c a r e f u l l y c o m p l e t e

t hi s p o e m , w i th n i n e n e w s t a n z a s ) A f t e r h is i m p r i s o n m e n t , h e w o u l d


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149

a l s o w r i t e e x t e n s i v e p r o s e c o m m e n t a r i e s o n h i s p o e t r y , i n a n a u s t e r e ,

s c h o l a s t i c i d i o m .

J o h n w a s a r t i s t ic a l l y g i f t e d , a n d a w a r e o f h i s c u l tu r e . I t is n o t

su rpr i s ing , then , tha t ly r i c poe t ry in i t i a l ly sa t i s f i ed h im as a l ingu i s t i c

m e d i u m f o r h i s e x p e r i e n c e o f G o d , a n d i n d e e d t h a t i t f a s c i n a t e d h i m .

T h e s u g g e s t i v e , e v o c a t i v e f o r m s o f p o e t r y a re c l o s e to t h e m y s t i c a l

f o r m o f e x p e r i e n c e , a n d e s p e c i a l l y s u it e d t o c o n v e y r e a l it i es t h a t a r e

i n d i v i d u a l , a n d o n l y t o a s m a l l e x t e n t m o r e g e n e r a l l y a p p l i c a b l e . T h e

m y s t i c a l i s t ie d t o f ig u r a ti v e l an g u a g e , a l le g o r y , s y m b o l , r h y m e , r h y t h m

f o r m s t h a t l e a v e th i n g s u n s a id . A p o e m l e a v e s a s e n s e o f s o m e t h i n g

i n e f f a b l e b e h i n d w h a t is sa id , s o m e t h i n g t h a t c o m e s in t o la n g u a g e o n l y

a s y m p t o t i c a ll y , to a c e r ta i n e x t e n t i n t h e f o r m o f m e r e d e s ir e . W h a t i s

s a i d i n t h e p o e m s h a r e s e s s e n t i a l l y i n t h e i n e f f a b i l i t y o f w h a t i s t o b e

s a i d , b u t i n s u c h a w a y t h a t , o v e r a n d a b o v e a n y i m a g e r y , t h i s

s o m e t h i n g m o r e i n w h a t is b e i n g s a id c a n n e v e r th e l e ss s o m e h o w b e

s e n s e d .

J o h n s l i fe - o p t io n , t a k e n w h e n t h e C o u n c i l o f T r e n t w a s c l o s i n g i n

1 5 6 3 , w a s f o r a c o n t e m p l a t i v e l i f e . J o h n d e s c r i b e s c o n t e m p l a t i o n a s

f o l l o w s : a lo v i n g a n d p e a c e f u l a t t e n t iv e n e s s t o G o d , r a p t u r o u s

c o m m u n i c a t i o n , u n e n d u r a b l e t o n a tu r e , i n t h e im p a r t in g o f G o d s

s p ir it , a s e cr e t a n d p e a c e f u l an d l o v i n g i n fl o w o f G o d . . . w h i c h fir es

the sou l in the sp i r i t o f lov e . 21 Mfs t i ca t eo log fa a n d d a r k n i g h t a r e

s y n o n y m o u s w i t h t h e s e e x p r e s s i o n s . W h a t i s m e a n t i s l e s s a s e t o f

t e a c h i n g s t h a n a li v in g r e a l i ty w i t h a d y n a m i c o f c h a n g e . T h r o u g h o u t

h is l if e, J o h n w a s c o n c e r n e d w i t h t h e li v in g c o m m u n i o n o f lo v e

b e t w e e n G o d a n d t h e s ou l. H o w e v e r , it w a s n o t th a t h e s a w h i m s e l f as

c o m p e l l e d , i n h i s s it u a t io n , t o g i v e a r e p o r t o f t h e s e a r i n g e v e n t s o f h i s

o w n s o u l . W h a t J o h n s a y s a b o u t h i m s e l f a n d h i s p e r s o n a l l o v e -

r e l a t i o n s h i p w i t h G o d i s e x t r e m e l y s c a n t y . H e s p e a k s a l w a y s i n t h e

f o r m o f a n o b j e c t i v e r e p o r t o r o f a p e d a g o g i c a l e x p o s i t i o n - i n o t h e r

w o r d s , l i ke a n y m y s t ic , h e k e e p s t h e l iv e d m y s t e r y o f h is l o v e f o r G o d

s e c r e t . N o w h e r e i n h i s w r i t i n g d o e s h i s p e r s o n a l i t y o b t r u d e , a s t h o u g h

h e w a n t e d t o r e c o u n t h i s p e r s o n a l s u c c e s s e s a n d f a i l u r e s , h i s

e n c o u n t e r s , t h e d e t a i ls o f h i s li fe . Q u i t e u n l i k e T e r e s a , h e k e e p s h i s

l i fe a n d h is v o c a t i o n h i d d e n f r o m u s , e v e n i f h i s c o n t e m p l a t i v e v o c a t i o n

i s in a n o t h e r s e n s e u n m i s ta k a b l e .

W h a t J o h n c a l ls c o n t e m p l a t i o n i s o f t e n t o d a y c a l l e d m e d i t a t i o n .

J o h n , h o w e v e r , f o l l o w s C h r i s t i a n t r a d i t i o n i n m a k i n g a n e x a c t

d i s ti n c t io n b e t w e e n m e d i t a t i o n a n d c o n t e m p l a t i o n , w h e r e a s w e t o d a y ,

i n f l u e n c e d b y A s i a n p r a c ti c e s , i d e n t i f y m e d i t a t io n w i t h t r an s p e r s o n a l,

n o n - c o n c e p t u a l c o n t e m p l a t i o n . F o r Jo h n m e d i t a ti o n i s p r i m a r i l y a


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1 5 0 R E D I N G M Y S T I C L T E X T S

m a t t e r o f h u m a n a c ti v it y , s o m e t h i n g p r e p a r a t o r y t o a c o n t e m p l a t io n i n

w h i c h h u m a n a c ti v it y r e c e d e s a n d G o d s s e l f - c o m m u n i c a t io n b e c o m e s

c e n tr a l. J o h n c a n n a m e c o n t e m p l a t i o n a t o n c e d a r k a n d s i m p l e , a

s e c r e t w i s d o m , a k n o w l e d g e a r is in g o u t o f l o v e . A r e a d e r a w a r e o f t h e

h i s to r y o f C h r i st ia n m y s t i c i s m w i l l r e c o g n i z e t h e c l o s e n e s s t o D e n y s

t h e A r e o p a g i t e ( c . 6 0 0 ) , w h o d e f i n e s

t heor ia

o r

c o n t e m p l a t i o

a s a n

e x p e r i e n c e o f G o d e x t e n d i n g t o s ta te s o f u t m o s t r e c e p t i v i ty t o G o d ;

s e c r e t a n d h i d d e n o b j e c t s a r e a p p r e h e n d e d , b u t i n a w a y t h a t s t r i c t l y

e x c l u d e s s e n s o r y o r c o g n i t i v e p e r c e p t i o n s o f i n d i v i d u a l r e a l i t i e s .

A l r e a d y i n h i s w o r k t h e r e i s a c o m p l e x d i a l e c t i c b e t w e e n

theos eros

( d i v i n e lo v e ) a n d n o e ro n p h o s ( th e l ig h t k n o w l e d g e ) , b o t h o f w h i c h a r e

e s s e n t ia l t o th e a p p r e h e n s i o n i n q u e s ti o n . N e v e r t h e l e s s , J o h n s i n t e r e s t

i n t h e t r a n s i t i o n f r o m m e d i t a t i o n t o c o n t e m p l a t i o n r e p r e s e n t s a n

a d v a n c e o n D e n y s , w h o p r e s e n t s t h e m a t t e r s y s t e m a t i c a l l y . J o h n

p r e s e n t s t h e t r a n s i t i o n f r o m o b j e c t i v e t o n o n - o b j e c t i v e a t t e n t i o n a s a

l i v e d e v e n t , p s y c h o l o g i c a l l y o b s e r v a b l e , t h a t h a p p e n s a t a p a r t i c u l a r

p o i n t a l o n g t h e s p i ri tu a l p a th . I n t h e c o u r s e o f th e r e la t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n

G o d a n d t h e h u m a n p e r s o n , t h e p e r s o n s e e k i n g G o d w i t h l o v i n g

a t te n t i o n r e c e i v e s a

not ic ia

a n in t im a t i o n o f G o d , w h i c h th e n b e c o m e s

a l o v i n g i n w a r d n e s s w i t h a ll t h e c h a r a c t e r i s ti c s o f a n e r o t i c r e l a ti o n -

s h ip , i n c l u d i n g a u n i o n w i t h G o d c o n c e i v e d i n b r i d a l t e rm s , e x u l ta n t ,

v e h e m e n t , p a s s i o n a t e .

H o w s h o u l d w e r e a d m y s t i c s ?

T h e e x a m p l e o f J o h n o f th e C r o s s s h o w s th a t n o m y s t i c i s m c a n e x i s t

i n d e p e n d e n t l y o f t h e s t ru c t u r e s a n d i d e a s p r e s e n t i n th e re l i g i o u s

Ze i tge i s t

a n d c u l tu r e . J o h n s s h a r p d i s ti n c t io n b e t w e e n m e d i t a t i o n a n d

c o n t e m p l a t i o n , a n d h i s i d e n t i fi c a ti o n o f th e m y s t i c a l w i t h t h e tr a n s i ti o n

b e t w e e n t h e t w o a t o n c e r e v e a l s h i s d e p e n d e n c e o n a N e o p l a t o n i c

c o n c e p t u a l l e g a c y , a n d a l i f e l i v e d o u t o f a n a u t h e n t i c C h r i s t i a n

h e r i ta g e . I n o t h e r w o r d s , l i n g u i st ic s t r at e g ie s s u c h a s t h o s e o f t h e

N e o p l a t o n i s t s c a n s u r v i v e a c r o s s c e n t u r i e s a n d a c r o s s d i f f e r e n t c u l -

t u r e s . W h a t i s a t s t a k e h e r e o n l y b e c o m e s c l e a r i f o n e r e a d s t h e t e x t s

g e n e ti c al ly , i n o t h e r w o r d s w i t h a s e n s e o f th e h i s to r y o f h o w t h e y c a m e

t o b e . a2 A n y r e a d i n g o f a m y s t i c a l t e x t m u s t r e f e r t o i t s m a n i f o l d

r e l i g i o u s a n d c u l t u r a l c o n t e x t s , a p o i n t t h a t i s p r o b a b l y g e n e r a l l y

r e c o g n i z e d t o d a y . B a r o n v o n H t i g e l s p l e a , in h is c l a s s i c

T h e m y s t i c a l

e l emen t i n r e l ig ion

f o r a n i n c l u s iv e m y s t i c i s m ( as o p p o s e d t o a n

e x c l u s i v e m y s t i c i s m u n d e r s t o o d as p u r e a n d a b s o l u t e ) n e e d s t o b e

r e a d i n te r m s o f t h e f a c t t h a t h i s t o r y i s o n l y e v e r m i x e d .


8/9


151

A t t h e s a m e t im e , o v e r a g a i n s t a r e a d i n g o f m y s t i c s o r i e n t a te d

t o w a r d s s c h o l a r l y k n o w l e d g e , t h e r e s t a n d s a l w a y s , p r o v o c a t i v e l y a n d

p e r s i s te n t l y , a n o t h e r k i n d o f r e a d i n g - a n a i v e r e a d i n g a s i t we r e ,

d i re c t ly c o n c e r n e d w i th w i s d o m , w i t h p e r c e i v i n g a n d i d e n t i fy i n g w h a t

i s sp i rt it u al . I t i s a l w a y s b e l y i n g t h e c o m p l e x i t y o f s c h o l a rl y r e a d i n g b y

t a k i n g f r o m t h e t e x t s a m e s s a g e t h a t c a n b e l iv e d o u t d e v o u t l y h e r e a n d

n o w . T h e n p e o p l e s p e a k s p o n t a n e o u s l y in t h e i d io m s o f m e t a p h y s i c s

a n d m y s t i c i s m : Go d , t h e wo r l d , i n f i n i t y , s o u l , b e i n g , c o n t e m p l a t i o n .

E n l i g h t e n m e n t a n d p o s t m o d e r n e p i s t e m o l o g i e s c a n n o t a v o i d t h i s

h u m a n r e a l i t y - a r e a l i t y t h a t i s m o r e t o d o w i t h h o w w e s h a p e o u r

l i v e s t h a n w i t h h o w w e u n d e r s t a n d t h e m .

I t i s v e r y s u r p r i s i n g t h a t i n a l l r e l i g i o n s t h e g r e a t m a j o r i t y o f r e l i g i o u s

t e x t s a r e c o m m e n t a r i e s . T h e p o i n t n e e d s t o b e m a d e , b e c a u s e i t i s n o t

g e n e r a l l y r e c o g n i z e d . 13 T h e p r o p o r t i o n s a r e n o t d i f f e r e n t w h e n i t c o m e s

t o m y s t i c a l t e x t s . P r e c i s e l y t h o s e w h o s p e a k m o s t a b o u t

experience

r e f e r t o t e x ts o n w h i c h t h e y c o m m e n t . P e r h a p s a f u n d a m e n t a l r e t i c e n c e

p r e v e n t s m y s t i c s f r o m g i v i n g w i t n e s s d i r e c t l y t o t h e i r e x p e r i e n c e , a n d

l e a d s t h e m t o ta k e a t e x t a s a k i n d o f in t e r m e d i a r y b e t w e e n t h e i r

e x p e r i e n c e a n d t h e i r r e p o rt . I n J o h n s c a s e , t h is p r o c e d u r e b e c o m e s

e x t r a o r d i n a r i l y c o m p l e x , s i n c e h e i s a t o n c e t h e p e r s o n w h o w r o t e t h e

o r i g in a l t e x t s b e i n g c o m m e n t e d o n - t h e p o e m s t h at r e p o r t d i re c t l y o n

t h e h u m a n e x p e r i e n c e o f l o v e w i t h G o d - a n d w h o a t t h e s a m e t i m e is

w r i t i n g a c o m m e n t a r y o n t h e m . M o r e o v e r , t h e r e i s a f u r t h e r c o m p l i -

c a t i o n . I n s o m e c a s e s , f o r e x a m p l e t h e

Sp iritual canticle

the re l i e s

b e h i n d t h e w h o l e y e t a t h i rd t e x t , in t h is c a s e t h e S o n g o f S o n g s , a n d t h is

i s t h e f a c t w h i c h f u r t h e r c o m p l i c a t e s t h e i ss u e . I n o t h e r w o r d s , w h a t w e

c u s t o m a r i l y c a l l a n e x p e r i e n c e o f u n io n c a n b e r e p r o d u c e d l in g u i s ti -

c a l l y o n l y th r o u g h c o m p l e x l i t e ra r y p ro c e d u r e s . S o m e a r e t e m p t e d i n

t h e c a s e o f J o h n t o r e g a r d t h e c o m m e n t a r y a s l e s s i m p o r t a n t t h a n t h e

o r i g i n a l p o e t i c t e x t, w r i t in g i t o f f a s t o o T h o m i s t o r t o o s c h o l as t ic .1 4 B u t

t h is i n n o w a y d e t r a ct s f r o m t h e c o m p l e x i t y o f th e m a tt er . I n t h e e n d a ll

w e h a v e a r e th e t e xt s , n o t t h e p e o p l e w h o w r o t e t h e m . P r e c i s e l y f o r t h is

r e a s o n , t e x t s - a n d e s p e c i a l l y m y s t i c a l t ex t s , w h i c h b y t h e ir n a t u re h a v e

a t e n d e n c y t o f u s e w i t h th e r e a d e r s e x p e r i e n c e - a r e t h u s n e v e r j u s t

t e x t s i n i s o l a t i o n , b u t r a t h e r p a r t o f s o m e t h i n g f a r m o r e . W h a t i s t h i s

m o r e ? W h a t m i g h t it b e ? A n y o n e w h o i s in a n y w a y c a p t iv a t ed b y

t h e s e q u e s t i o n s c a n o n l y r e m a i n b a f f l e d b y t h e m .


9/9

52

R E A D I N G M Y S T I C A L T E X T S

A l o i s M H a as t a u g h t a s p r o f e s s o r fo r m a n y y e a r s i n t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f Z ii ri ch

a n d h a s a l s o t a ug h t in C a n a d a . H e h a s p u b l i s h e d e x t e n s i v e l y o n t o p i c s i n

m e d i a e v a l G e r m a n l it er a tu r e a n d in p a r t ic u la r o n g r e a t m y s t i c a l w r i t er s s u c h

a s T a u l e r a n d E c k h a r t .

N O T E S

1 S e e t h e m a g i s t e r i a l a r ti c le , C o n t e m p l a t i o n ( 1 9 5 3 ) , i n Dictionnaire de spiri tuali td, v o l 2 , co l l

1 6 4 3 - 2 1 9 3 .

2 S e e A l o i s M . H a a s , 'Unio mystica: H i n w e i s e z u r G e s c h i c h t e e i n e s B e g f i f f s , in E r k e n n e n u n d

E r i n n e r n in K u n s t u n d L e r a t u r ( T i ib in g en , 1 9 9 8 ) , p p 1 - 1 7 .

3 O n t h e b a c k g r o u n d i s s u e s h e r e, s e e M i c h e l d e C e r t e a u ,

Th e m ys t i c f a b l e ,

vol 1 ,

The s ix teen th

an d seventeen th cen turies ,

t r a n s l a t e d b y M i c h a e l B . S m i t h ( C h i c a g o , 1 99 2) .

4 S e e P i e rr e H a d o t , Phi loso phy a s a way o f l if e : sp ir i tua l exercises f ro m S ocra tes to Fou caul t ,

e d i t e d b y A r n o l d I. D a v i d s o n , t r a n s l a t e d b y M i c h a e l C h a s e ( C h i c a g o , 1 9 9 5 ).

5 T h e w o r k h a s b e e n e d i t e d b y E r i c h L a m b e r z ( L e i p z i g , 1 9 75 ); t h e e x t r a c t d i s c u s s e d h e r e i s

sen ten t ia 3 2 , 1 1 2 2 - 3 5 . O n t h e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e q u a l it y o f th i s te x t , s e e S a r a R a p p e , R e a d i n g

Neo pla tonism : no n-d iscursive th ink ing in the tex ts o f Plo t inus , Proclus, an d Da ma scius

( C a m b r i d g e , 2 0 0 0 ), p 1 7 , n 9 4 . T h e r e i s a n o l d e r E n g l i s h t r a n s la t i o n b y T h o m a s D a v i d s o n i n

Jo u rn a l o f S p ecu la t ive P h i l o so p h y

3 ( 1 8 6 9 ) , p p 4 6 - 7 3 , i n w h i c h t h i s t e x t a p p e a r s a s

sen ten t ia

3 4

a n d w i t h d i f fe r e n t l i ne n u m b e r i n g . T h i s p r e s e n t t r a n s la t i o n h a s d r a w n o n J o s h u a E H o c h s c h i l d ,

P o r p h y r y , B o n a v e n t u r e a n d T h o m a s A q u i n a s : a N e o p l a t o n i c h i e r a r c h y o f v a l u e s a n d t w o

C h r i s t ia n a p p r o a c h e s ( w w w . n d . e d u / - n d p h il o / p a p e r s /D a y t o n . h t m l ) , a n d o n t h e t r a n s c ri p t io n s o f

t h e G r e e k i n h i s f o o t n o t e s .

6 Po r p h y r y , Ag ain st the Chris t ians , e d i t e d b y R . J o s e p h H o f f m a n ( A m h e r s t r 1 99 4 ).

7 R a p p e , Rea d in g Neo p la to n i sm , p p 1 7 - 2 1 .

8 R a p p e ,

Rea d in g Neo p la to n i sm ,

p p 1 9 - 2 1 .

9 F o r f u r t h e r g e n e r a l i n f o r m a t i o n o n J o h n , s e e s u c h r e s o u r c e s a s t h e i n t r o d u c t o r y m a t e r i a l t o t h e

t w o s t a n d a r d t ra n s l a t i o n s (E . A l l i s o n P e e r s , K i e r a n K a v a n a u g h a n d O t i l i o R o d r l g u e z ) ; E . A l l i s o n

P e e r s ,

A h a n d b o o k t o t h e l if e a n d t im es o f S t. Te re sa a n d S t. Jo h n o f t h e Cro ss

( L o n d o n , 1 9 5 4 ) ; I a i n

M a t t h e w ,

Th e im p a c t o f G o d : so u n d in g s f ro m S t. Jo h n o f t h e Cro ss

( L o n d o n , 1 9 9 5 ) .

1 0 S e e K e v i n C u l l ig a n , F r o m i m p r i s o n m e n t t o t ra n s f o r m a t io n : J o h n o f t h e C r o s s in T o l e d o ,

Ca rm e l i t e S tu d i e s 8 ( 2 0 0 0 ) , p p 2 0 9 - 2 3 9 .

11 D a r k N i g h t , 1.10 .4 ; Canticle, 14/15 .8 ; D a r k N i g h t 1 . 1 0 . 6 ( t r a n s K a v a n a u g h / R o d r f g u e z ) .

1 2 S e e K u r t F l a s c h , Niko la u s yo n Ku es : G esch i ch t e e i n er En tw ick lu n g ( F r a n k f u r t a m M a i n ,

1 9 98 ), e sp ec i a l ly p 3 4 4 .

1 3 See Pau l J . Gr i f f i t h s , Re l ig ious reading: the p lac e o f reading in the pract ice o f re lig ion

( O x f o r d , 1 9 9 9 ) , p p 7 7 - 1 0 9 .

1 4 S e e , fo r e x a m p l e , H a n s U r s y o n B a l th a s a r, J u a n d e l a C r u z , i n Jo h a n n es vo n Kreu z , Leh rer

des 'Neue n De nken s ' : San juanis t ik im deutschen Sprachraum, e d i t e d b y U l r i c h D o b h a n a n d

R e i n h a r d K ~ S rn er ( W i i r z b u r g , 1 9 9 1 ), p p 4 1 - 9 8 .

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