In Order

This is a poem written by St. John of the Cross which tells of the transformation of the soul towards Divine Union.
It consists in the understanding of the denial of self and the attainment it brings.

"In order to arrive at pleasure in everything,
Desire to have pleasure in nothing.

In order to arrive at possessing everything,
Desire to possess nothing.

In order to arrive at being everything,
Desire to be nothing.

In order to arrive at knowing everything,
Desire to know nothing.

In order to arrive where you have no pleasure,
You must go by a way where you have no pleasure.

In order to arrive at that which you know not,
You must go by a way which you know not.

In order to arrive at that which you possess not,
You must go by a way that you possess not.

In order to arrive where you are not,
You must go through that which you are not.

When the mind dwells upon anything,
You are ceasing to cast yourself upon the All.

For, in order to pass from the all to the All,
You must deny yourself wholly in all.

And when you come to possess it wholly,
You must possess it without desiring anything.

For, if you will to have anything in having all,
You have not your treasure purely in God."

These are spiritual things which appeal to the senses for the beginning of understanding and going through the "night".

This comes from a book called the Ascent Of Mount Carmel wherein the journey of the soul is explained and guided.

your post contains more personalized synchronicity than I was prepared for.

the quoted text is truly remarkable, and speaks directly to me.

this book is available in PDF for free...first hit on Google...awesome.

From a place where you are not conceptualizing, just look, listen, be in the now, and do not judge. Then you see not what you want to see for at that point, there is nothing you want to see, but you see what God wants you to see. The same objects that have been there the whole time will be what you see, only your attention will be directed to look in the right direction, in the right way, at the right time. That's when you know there is a higher power involved with your life.

reply to post by smithjustinb


Well I like to read from the words of the virtuous who have learned from the Holy Spirit. God knows I cannot meditate all day long, and I must do something from keeping idle and sinning.

Peace to you

reply to post by tgidkp


good to hear, be prepared to find yourself by losing yourself.

Peace to you

reply to post by backcase


If you like that then you would like this as well. Great book.

reply to post by BlueMule


I prefer catholic mysticism, and set of terms when I read. I like to read out of what the saints have written, but thanks