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SPIRITUAL DIRECTION

channels of communication no longer flow through Teresa constantly tested the sincerity and genuineness
natural means, but now come straight from the source of spiritual experiences of people in the fourth mansion.
with God doing the work (Burrows, 57): “we now begin She saw a need for them to have access to “seers” who
to touch the supernatural” (Teresa [a], 72). This is the had experienced this stage so they could learn from them
stage of infused or mystical contemplation, pure gift that what they could not know from their own efforts. These
we cannot achieve ourselves. Yet it is offered to all if we spiritual directors assist their spiritual directees in con-
have the capacity to receive it. It purifies and transforms stant discernment. They guide them towards sacrificing
us. Teresa writes: “Spiritual consolations, on the contrary, their desire to know if they really have received mystical
arise from God, and our nature feels them and rejoices as grace, and their longing to know where they are on the
keenly in them, and indeed far more keenly, than in the spiritual journey (Burrows, 62)—the “having nothing
others I described” (Teresa [b], 4.I: 4, 91). and wanting nothing.” Yet desire remains, so spiritual
Prayer changes to what Teresa calls the Prayer of Quiet, directors can do a number of things to assist spiritual
a deepening of the recollection of the senses and facul- directees: clarify illusory desires from authentic desires;
ties which brings peace, quiet and humility (Giles, 4), explore their sense of intensity, comfort, or discomfort
and also a sense of deep joy, love and awe “as if in these in their growing closeness to God; explore their feelings
interior depths there were a brazier on which were cast in response to this unitive experience and whether they
sweet perfumes” (Teresa [b], 4.II: 6, 101). Some begin are willing to embrace the changes that bring them what
to have what Teresa calls the “light on” experience of they desire (Ruffing, 99, 113, 115). The spiritual director
an overwhelming sense of the reality of God (Burrows, encourages spiritual directees to move from structured
48–49) while others at this stage continue with a more forms of prayer to more spontaneous, personalised prayer
usual “light off” experience. Even the “light off” experi- (Michael, 112).
ence of lack of “events” in prayer, when combined with
deep, authentic desire for God, indicates the beginnings Stage 5
of infused contemplation (Ruffing, 114). In Teresa’s own The fifth Sufi station of the heart is sabr (patience) in
words, “contemplation is Divine union, in which the the Valley of Unity (Attar, 191). Al-Ghazālī (d. 1111),
Lord takes His delight in the soul, and the soul takes its the Sufi philosopher who played a major role in integrat-
delight in Him” (Smith, XVI, 60). In this fourth stage, ing Sufism with the Shari’ah (the religious law and moral
the Sufis and Teresa emphasise different sides of the same code of Islam), divided sabr into two kinds—patience
coin: faqr is the predisposition for the Prayer of Quiet to with physical pain and the patience of self-control.
occur. Spiritual seekers at this stage remain steadfast in their
certainty of faith, whether it is in times of disaster or
Spiritual Direction for Stage 4 times of love. Both negative and positive experiences are
Sufi Shaykhs, aware that their spiritual directees could met with the same unity and equilibrium of patience.
be experiencing fear, even terror at this stage, remind “Difference and diversity dissolve through interior
them of the saying of Jalaluddin Rumi, the Sufi poet renunciation and interior transformation” (Attar, 191).
and mystic: “Having nothing and wanting nothing.” They have acquired Divine proximity and have “arrived
They are encouraged to let go of all their expectations, at the truth” (Al Azhari). The murid (spiritual directee)
even spiritual ones, and remain totally open, not ask- learns patience “swallowing something bitter without
ing for anything or refusing anything, resisting nothing. showing distaste” (Antonov). A Sufi saying captures the
Vaughan-Lee (2009) explains that this is not being a patience required: “For thirty years I sought God. But
doormat but rather “learn[ing] to say yes to what is high- when I looked carefully, I saw that in reality God was
er in yourself and life.” It is stepping out of the ego and the Seeker and I was the sought” (Cragg, LX 48, cited in
into one’s true self, the “gateway to the divine” (Hadian Ruffing, 95). The ninth-century Sufi mystic Mansur Al
[a], 2). Spiritual seekers are guided towards welcoming Hallaj (858–922) wrote a treatise on the heart in which
God back into their hearts. he spoke about what has been translated by others as le

22 Presence: An International Journal of Spiritual Direction