Greco-Christian stream·Rhineland Mystics·Heinrich Suso·Chapter III.
Source context
- Theme
- Suso's early mystical encounter with Eternal Wisdom and the soul's initial turning toward divine union
- Soul-faculty
- Sentient Soul
Steiner
not engaged in the GA corpus
Cross-tradition
- Rhineland mysticism (Eckhart / Tauler lineage)The soul's preliminary turning toward an encounter with divine ground — as distinct from sustained contemplative ascent — shows cross-tradition congruence with Eckhart's teaching on the soul's spark (Fünklein) as the point of contact with the Godhead, a structural parallel Steiner situates in GA 7 when grouping Suso with Eckhart and Tauler as practitioners of inward, non-authoritative path-work.
- Bridal mysticism (Bernard of Clairvaux tradition)Suso's characteristic address to Eternal Wisdom as a beloved figure shows cross-tradition congruence with the affective Bernardine tradition of the soul as bride, situating devotional desire as a cognitive instrument rather than mere sentiment.
Chapter III.
Of a supernatural rapture which befell him.
It happened once in the time of his begin- nings, that he came into the choir on St. Agnes' day, after the midday meal of the convent was ended. He was there alone, and he stood at the lower stalls, on the right-hand side of the choir. It was, moreover, a time at which he was more than usually crushed down by a heavy weight of sorrow. Now it came to pass, that as he stood there all desolate, and with none to help or shield him, his soul was caught up in ecstasy, whether in the body or out of the body, and he saw and heard what no tongue can tell. It was without form or mode, and yet it con- tained within itself the entrancing delightful- ness of all forms and modes. His heart was athirst, and yet satisfied; his mind was joyous and blooming ; wishes were stilled in him, and desires had departed. He did but gaze fixedly on the dazzling effulgence, in which he found oblivion of himself and all things. Was it day or night, he knew not. It was a breaking forth of the sweetness of eternal life, felt as present in the stillness of unvarying contemplation.
12LIFE OF BLESSED HENRY SUSO.
He said afterwards : — If this be not heaven, I know not what heaven is ; for not all the suffer- ings, which a man could suffer here below, could ever merit for him in justice to possess a joy like this throughout eternity. This overpower- ing rapture lasted about an hour and a half; but whether his soul stayed in his body, or was parted from it, he knew not. When he came to himself again, he was altogether like a man who has come from another world. His body was in such anguish from the brief moment, that he had never deemed it possible to suffer so much in so short a time, even at death. He came to himself with a deep groan, and his body sank to the ground, in spite of him, as if he were in a faint. He cried aloud piteously, and, deeply groaning, exclaimed : — Woe is me, my God ! Where was I ? Where am I now ? Adding : — Ah, Thou, who art my heart's good ! never can this hour pass from my heart ! He went on his way in body, and no one saw, or took note of any thing in him outwardly ; but his soul and mind were full within of heavenly marvels. The heavenly glances came again and again in his innermost interior, and it seemed to him as if he were floating in the air. The powers of his soul were filled full SPIRITUAL ESPOUSALS. 13 of the sweet taste of heaven ; just as, when a choice electuary has been poured out of a box, the box still keeps the good flavour of it. This heavenly taste remained with him for a long time afterwards, and gave him a heavenly yearning and longing after God.
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