In Chapter 91 of The Mirror of Simple Souls, the teaching unfolds a vision of the soul’s perfect union with God’s will, in which her actions flow from a freedom and pleasure that mirror divine love. Love declares that such souls do nothing unless it pleases them-not out of selfishness, but because their pleasure has become inseparable from God’s will. The soul’s journey moves from grace through the works of virtue, into love, into complete self-emptying (Nothingness), and finally into divine clarification where she sees neither herself nor God, but God sees Himself in her. This profound union, described as the sixth and highest state attainable on earth, reveals a divine mystery: that God alone is, loves, and acts, and the soul-having reached this stage through God’s goodness-participates completely in His Being while retaining the free will given to her by God from the beginning.
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1. “They do nothing unless it pleases them and if they do [what does not please them] they take away peace, freeness, and nobility from themselves. For the Soul is not refined until she does what is pleasing to her, and until she experiences no reproach for doing her pleasure.”
Here, Love teaches that the will of the soul perfectly aligned with divine Love is characterized by freedom and inner nobility. This is not selfish indulgence but a purified pleasure, because the soul’s will has been united with God’s will. When she acts contrary to this purified will, she disrupts her own peace and loses her spiritual refinement. This passage highlights the paradox of true spiritual freedom: doing what one pleases, but only after one’s will is wholly conformed to God’s.
2. “This is right, says Love, for her will is ours. She has crossed the Red Sea, her enemies have been drowned in it. Her pleasure is our will, through the purity of the unity of the will of the Deity where we have enclosed her.”
This vivid metaphor of crossing the Red Sea symbolizes the soul’s journey through trials and purifications. Her enemies (attachments, sins, ego) are drowned, and she emerges into the freedom of union with God’s will. Her pleasure and God’s will are indistinguishable, revealing the depth of her purification and transformation.
3. “She has fallen from grace into the perfection of the work of the Virtues, and from the Virtues into Love and from Love into Nothingness, and from Nothingness into clarification by God, who sees Himself with the eyes of His majesty, who in this point has clarified her with Himself.”
This passage outlines the soul’s progressive stages: from grace and virtues into pure love, self-emptying (Nothingness), and ultimately to divine clarification where she is so united with God that even self-awareness disappears. It portrays a mystical ascent toward the highest possible human union with God.
4. “And she is so dissolved in Him that she sees neither herself nor Him, and thus He sees completely Himself alone, by His divine goodness.” He will be of Himself in such goodness which He knew of Himself before she ever was.”
The soul’s union with God reaches a point of complete dissolution, where individual identity and even the distinction between God and soul vanish. This echoes the mystical theme of “seeing God with God’s eyes” and “loving God with God’s love.” The soul becomes a vessel for God’s self-contemplation and love, an idea resonant with apophatic spirituality.
5. “There is no one except Him; no one loves except Him, for no one is except Him, and thus He alone loves completely, and sees Himself completely alone, and praises completely alone by His Being itself. And the limit is at this point, for it is the most noble stage which the Soul might be able to have here below.”
This profound declaration emphasizes divine sovereignty and absolute unity. The soul’s union dissolves into God’s own being, where only God exists, loves, and praises. This is the highest mystical state achievable on earth: a total effacement of the soul into God’s love and knowledge, leading to a state where only God remains.
6. “And so there are five [stages] below this one where it is necessary to unite to the perfection of the demand of each, before the Soul might be able to have this one, which is the sixth, which is the most profitable, the most noble, the most noble of them all. And in paradise is the seventh, and this one is perfect and without any lack.”
Love explains that this highest earthly stage (the sixth) is preceded by five earlier stages, each requiring its own perfection. The seventh, perfect and without lack, belongs to the soul in paradise. This passage offers a roadmap of the soul’s ascent through spiritual maturity to final union with God.
7. “Thus God accomplishes by His goodness His divine works in His creatures. The Holy Spirit breathes there wherever He is, and so He is in His creatures marvelously.”
The chapter concludes by affirming that all of this-the soul’s transformation, purification, and union-is God’s work, done through His infinite goodness and the action of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit breathes life and love into the soul, filling creation with God’s presence.
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1. What does Love mean when it says, “They do nothing unless it pleases them and if they do [what does not please them] they take away peace, freeness, and nobility from themselves”?
Love explains that the perfected souls act only in accordance with what pleases them-not out of selfishness, but because their will has become one with God’s will. If they act against this inner alignment, they lose their spiritual peace, freedom, and noble dignity. This indicates a profound state of freedom where one’s pleasure is in perfect harmony with divine love.
2. How has the soul reached this stage where her will is completely united with God’s will?
The soul has journeyed through several stages: she has crossed the “Red Sea,” symbolizing her liberation from attachments and sins; she has progressed from grace to the perfection of the virtues, then into Love, into Nothingness (self-emptying), and finally into divine clarification. In this highest state, her will is no longer separate but enclosed in God’s will, so her pleasure and God’s will are one.
3. What is the significance of the soul “falling from grace into the perfection of the work of the Virtues, and from the Virtues into Love and from Love into Nothingness”?
This passage describes the soul’s progressive transformation. Initially living by grace and virtue, she moves beyond active works into a higher stage of pure love, then empties herself into Nothingness-complete surrender of self-will and self-consciousness. This journey culminates in total union and clarification in God, where even self-awareness dissolves into divine Being.
4. Why is it said that “there is no one except Him; no one loves except Him, for no one is except Him”?
This expresses the complete dissolution of the soul into God. In this state, all distinctions between the soul and God vanish. God alone truly exists, loves, and praises. The soul has become so united with Him that she no longer acts as a separate entity; only God remains. This reflects the highest mystical union achievable on earth.
5. What does Love mean by mentioning the “five stages below” and the “sixth and seventh stages”?
The five stages below refer to the necessary preparatory stages in the spiritual ascent (including works of virtue and love). The sixth stage, the most noble and profitable on earth, represents the soul’s complete union with God’s will. The seventh stage, perfect and without lack, is the soul’s final, glorified union with God in paradise. This structure illustrates the path of spiritual growth from virtue to perfect union.
6. How does God’s goodness relate to this entire process?
The entire journey of the soul-from initial purification to final union-is accomplished by God’s goodness. It is through His generosity and love that the soul is transformed and elevated. The Holy Spirit’s breath animates this transformation, and God’s divine works are marvelously accomplished in the soul by His own initiative and grace.
7. What is the role of free will in this union with God?
The text highlights that God gave the soul free will from the beginning, and He does not remove it even in the soul’s deepest union with Him. Instead, her free will becomes so completely aligned with God’s will that she acts out of perfect freedom and love. Her pleasure is God’s pleasure, her will is God’s will, and she experiences this alignment as total freedom and joy.
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Chapter 92 of The Mirror of Simple Souls presents the soul’s ultimate detachment and liberation, where she releases all claims and attachments-to God, to herself, and to her neighbors-into the fullness of divine wisdom, power, and goodness. This surrender is not a rejection but an act of radical trust and abandonment, allowing God to work in her without resistance. The soul’s state of “nothingness” enables her to experience true freedom, where she owes nothing and desires nothing for herself, creating a space where God can manifest Himself fully and freely. The chapter contrasts this liberated state with the limitations of reason and nature, emphasizing that only divine love can lead the soul to such complete union and peace.
1. “Ah, Lord, says this Soul, you have suffered so much from us, and you have worked so much in us, through yourself, of yourself, that these two works, Lord, have found their end in us. But it is too late.”
The Soul expresses a profound realization of God’s immense labor-His suffering and self-giving work-in the soul’s transformation. Yet, there’s a paradoxical sense of arriving too late, as if the soul has finally recognized that God’s work is complete, but only after her own resistance and delay. This highlights the grace of divine action and the humility of the soul’s acknowledgment of God’s primacy.
2. “Now work in us of yourself for our sakes without ourselves, as it pleases you, Lord.”
Here, the Soul surrenders completely, desiring that God’s work continue in her not through her efforts but solely by His will and pleasure. This reflects the teaching of radical self-emptying (kenosis) where even the soul’s cooperation is relinquished into the hands of divine sovereignty.
3. “I unencumber myself from you, and from myself, and from my neighbors, and I will tell you how. I release you, and myself, and all my neighbors, in the knowledge of your divine wisdom, in the outflowing of your divine power, in the governance of your divine goodness, for the sake of your divine will alone.”
The Soul boldly proclaims a threefold detachment: from God, herself, and others. This is not rejection but the deepest form of surrender, entrusting all to the divine will. Her “release” signifies that she no longer clings possessively even to God but trusts fully in His governance and love, transcending human understanding and natural attachments.
4. “And these divine things alone, annihilated, clear, and clarified by the divine majesty, says the Satisfied Soul, have given me freeness from all things without expecting anything in return, for otherwise there would not be this gift if there were a lack.”
The Satisfied Soul describes how divine action-purifying and clarifying-has brought her into a state of perfect freeness. This gift is without any expectation or self-interest; it is a pure, gratuitous liberation from all things, demonstrating the fullness of divine generosity. Any “lack” or attachment would undermine this gift.
5. “Now pay attention, if you will, if you have such a gift, says this Soul to the servants of Reason and Nature in order to make them envious. I owe nothing, otherwise Love would be a slave and otherwise nothingness exists, which cannot be. And when such nothingness is, then God sees Himself in such a creature, without any hindrance from His creature.”
The Soul challenges Reason and Nature, suggesting that their self-justifications and striving fall short of the gift of divine freeness. She proclaims that she “owes nothing” because she has moved beyond the economy of earning and owing; her being is now an expression of divine Love and nothingness. In this radical emptiness, God fully sees Himself reflected in the soul, unobstructed by her former self.
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1. What realization does the Soul express at the beginning of the chapter, and what does it signify?
The Soul acknowledges that God has worked greatly in her-through suffering and divine action-but recognizes that she has only come to fully understand this after the fact. This signifies a deep humility and awareness of God’s initiative in the soul’s transformation, revealing that human cooperation, while important, is ultimately overshadowed by God’s grace and mercy. The Soul feels that her awakening is belated, but it also shows her readiness to completely surrender to divine action.
2. What does the Soul mean by saying she will let God work “for our sakes without ourselves”?
The Soul expresses a radical surrender in which she no longer claims any part in her own spiritual progress. She entrusts herself entirely to God’s working, asking Him to act “for our sakes” purely by His own initiative. This reflects the mystical teaching of total abandonment, where the soul lets go of even her will to cooperate, trusting solely in the divine will.
3. Why does the Soul “unencumber” herself from God, herself, and her neighbors?
The Soul’s unencumbering is not a rejection of God, self, or others but a profound act of entrustment. She releases all attachments-even spiritual ones-into God’s wisdom, power, and goodness. By unbinding herself from relational claims, she embraces a radical freedom and union with divine will. This detachment signifies a love that is pure, selfless, and unconditioned, mirroring God’s own freedom and love.
4. How does the Satisfied Soul describe the divine work in her, and what is its effect?
The Satisfied Soul says that divine things-purified and clarified by God’s majesty-have given her a perfect freedom from all things without expecting anything in return. This means that the soul has been transformed into a state of disinterested love and detachment, where she no longer desires rewards or outcomes. The effect is complete spiritual liberation and peace, achieved solely by God’s action.
5. Why does the Soul say she “owes nothing,” and what does this reveal about the nature of her union with God?
By saying she “owes nothing,” the Soul emphasizes that her relationship with God has transcended any notion of obligation, merit, or exchange. Love, to remain pure, cannot be enslaved to debt or expectation. Her state of “nothingness” allows God to fully manifest Himself in her without obstruction. This reveals that the soul’s union with God is total, selfless, and unmediated-rooted in divine goodness alone.
6. What is the significance of the Soul addressing the “servants of Reason and Nature,” and what message is she conveying?
The Soul addresses the “servants of Reason and Nature” to contrast her liberated state with the limitations of rationality and natural inclinations. She suggests that those governed by reason and nature cannot comprehend or attain the level of freedom and love she experiences. Her challenge conveys that true spiritual liberation transcends rational calculation and natural desires, achieved only by surrendering into divine love and nothingness.
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The central teaching of Chapter 93 in The Mirror of Simple Souls is that the peace of divine life transcends human comprehension, being a state of total surrender where the soul ceases striving and is overtaken by God’s love. The soul finds this peace not through effort, but through the annihilation of self and complete alignment with the divine will, exemplified most perfectly by the Virgin Mary. While figures like Mary Magdalene sought Christ with longing, they lacked the full realization that God is already present everywhere. True peace comes not from seeking but from resting in the divine presence, where love acts in and through the soul without her own involvement, and where activity and rest become one in union with God’s will.
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1. “The peace of such a life by divine life cannot be thought or spoken or written, as long as the Soul is in such love without the work of the body, without the work of the heart, without the works of the spirit: through divine work the law is fulfilled.”
The peace of divine life surpasses human understanding, transcending the limitations of thought, speech, and writing. This peace emerges not from active effort-whether of the body, heart, or spirit-but from complete union with divine action. The “law” (possibly the law of love or the divine law) is fulfilled when God acts through the soul without her interference.
2. “Reason esteems the Magdalene well in that she sought Jesus Christ, but Love is silent about her. Note this well and do not forget it, for when [the Magdalene] sought Him, she lacked the divine life which Truth names the glorious life.”
Here, the text contrasts Reason’s admiration for Mary Magdalene’s seeking of Christ with Love’s silence, indicating that active seeking belongs to a lower stage. While Reason values Magdalene’s effort, Love sees that true union is not found in seeking but in surrender and being overtaken by God. Seeking indicates a lack-something still desired and not possessed-whereas the glorious life is characterized by fullness and rest in divine presence.
3. “But when she was in the desert, Love overtook her, which annihilated her, and thus because of this Love worked in her for her sake, without her, and so she lived by divine life which made her have glorious life.”
Magdalene’s transition from seeker to one overtaken by Love marks the move from human effort to divine operation. Love “annihilated her”-a reference to self-emptying and detachment from personal striving. Divine Love, acting without her involvement, grants her participation in the “glorious life,” a life characterized by complete rest and unity in God.
4. “She did not know when she sought Him that God was completely everywhere, so that she might not seek Him.”
This insight reveals the futility of seeking God through human effort when He is already omnipresent. The soul’s search for God often arises from ignorance of His pervasive presence. True peace comes from realizing that God is already here, everywhere, and there is no need to seek Him outside or with striving.
5. “I have found no one who always knew this, except for the Virgin Mary. She never willed through sensuality, nor worked in the spirit outside the will of the Deity by the divine work.”
The Virgin Mary is presented as the exemplar of divine peace, never acting out of personal desire but always perfectly aligned with God’s will. Her life embodies the peace of divine union-her will and God’s will were always one. This perfect surrender and harmony allowed her to live, even in her mortal body, the “glorious life of the Trinity.”
6. “This was and is and will be [the Virgin’s] divine aspect, her divine feast, her divine love, her divine peace, her divine praise, her full labor and her full rest-to will only the divine will.”
Mary’s entire life, both labor and rest, praise and love, was rooted in one thing: to will only God’s will. This simplicity and purity of intention brought her into full participation in the life of the Trinity, even during her earthly life. The Virgin is the ideal of divine peace, not through effort but through complete conformity and surrender to God.
This analysis highlights the progression from human seeking to divine union, where peace arises from ceasing to strive and from being overtaken by Love. Mary Magdalene represents the transition, and the Virgin Mary the consummate model of divine peace.
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1. What does the text mean when it says the peace of divine life “cannot be thought or spoken or written”?
The text emphasizes that the peace which comes from the divine life is so profound and transcendent that human faculties-thinking, speaking, and writing-are incapable of fully capturing or expressing it. This peace surpasses all ordinary human comprehension and is realized not through intellectual or emotional striving but through complete union with God’s action. It is an ineffable state beyond the grasp of the mind and heart, attained when the soul surrenders its own will and allows God to act in and through it.
2. Why does Love remain silent about Mary Magdalene’s seeking of Jesus Christ, while Reason esteems her?
Reason admires Magdalene’s active seeking of Christ as a sign of devotion and effort, reflecting the human tendency to value visible, deliberate acts of faith. However, Love remains silent because true divine life is not about seeking or desiring from a place of lack; it is about resting in God’s presence, realizing that He is already everywhere. Magdalene’s seeking, though admirable from a human perspective, indicates that she had not yet attained the fullness of divine life, which is characterized by complete union and the cessation of seeking.
3. What transformation occurs in Mary Magdalene when she is “in the desert” and Love “overtakes” her?
In the desert, Magdalene’s human striving is replaced by divine action. Love overtakes her, leading to her self-annihilation-the death of her ego and self-will. As a result, God begins to work in her for her own sake, without her personal involvement or striving. This marks her entrance into divine life, where she no longer seeks God because she realizes His all-encompassing presence. Her existence becomes one of being lived by God, not merely living for God.
4. Why is seeking God considered unnecessary once one realizes His complete presence everywhere?
Seeking God stems from a sense of distance or separation, but when one realizes that God is present everywhere-immanent in all things-the need to seek Him as though He were absent becomes obsolete. The soul learns to rest in the divine presence, abandoning the effort of seeking and instead embracing the peace of being overtaken by Love. This shift from seeking to resting is essential for entering the “glorious life,” where the soul lives in union with God’s presence.
5. How is the Virgin Mary presented as the supreme model of divine peace and life?
The Virgin Mary is portrayed as uniquely embodying the perfect peace of divine life. Unlike others, she never willed through sensuality or spiritual striving but was entirely aligned with the divine will. Her life was one continuous act of union with God, with no self-interested actions or desires. Because of this, she experienced the glorious life of the Trinity even in her mortal body. Her existence was wholly defined by willing only the divine will, making her the model of perfect surrender, rest, and divine peace.
6. What is meant by “Love worked in her for her sake, without her”?
This phrase highlights the idea that true divine love operates independently of the soul’s own efforts. When the soul surrenders itself completely, Love (God) begins to act directly within and through the soul, for her own ultimate good, without her active participation or striving. It signifies a shift from human effort to divine initiative-the soul no longer tries to reach God but is instead moved and transformed by God’s own love and will.
7. What does the text imply by saying that the peace of divine life includes both “full labor and full rest”?
This phrase illustrates the paradox of divine life: it involves complete rest from self-driven effort and yet is fully active through God’s work within the soul. For the Virgin Mary, her life was simultaneously filled with divine praise, love, and activity (“full labor”) while being marked by perfect surrender and peace (“full rest”). This unity of action and rest reflects the divine operation where the soul, while physically active, is inwardly at peace and wholly united with God’s will.
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Chapter 94 teaches that the “language” of divine life is an inner silence born of divine love, where the soul wills nothing but the divine will. This silent love transcends human words and expresses a profound alignment with God. Entry into divine rest requires the soul’s prior labor-virtues and self-denial sharpen the will, enabling the soul to repay her debt to Christ and attain harmony with God. The “glorious life” is a restoration of Adam’s original innocence through divine obedience, mirroring Christ’s redemptive work. Only when the soul is entirely transparent and free from the false self-completely “naked” before God-can she fully enter divine life, experiencing peace, sufficiency, and the fulfillment of her being.
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1. “The language of such a life of divine life is a hidden silence of divine love. She has had this for a long time, and so she has willed this for a long time. There is no greater life than always to will the divine will.”
This passage expresses how the language of divine life is not articulated with words, but rather with a deep, hidden silence that stems from divine love. This “hidden silence” signifies a profound inner stillness where the soul’s will is perfectly aligned with God’s will. The will’s continual alignment with divine love forms the essence of the highest life.
2. “You have nothing to delay in giving up yourselves, for no one can rest in the highest restful repose if he is not fatigued first-of this I am certain.”
Here the soul acknowledges that surrender to God requires first experiencing the fatigue of effort and struggle. This paradox highlights that rest in God-the highest repose-comes after the weariness of striving for perfection. The call to “give up yourselves” urges the reader toward total surrender and detachment from self.
3. “Let the Virtues have what is theirs in you by sharpening the will in the core of the affection of your spirit until they have acquitted you of what you owe Jesus Christ.”
This passage indicates that the soul must allow the virtues (such as humility, charity, obedience) to sharpen and purify the will, aligning it with God’s love. The “debt” owed to Christ is repaid by the transformation of the will through virtuous living, preparing the soul for divine union.
4. “Did He not say in the Gospel that ‘whoever will believe in me will do works as I do, and even greater ones will he do’?”
This Gospel reference underscores that believers, in full union with God, are called to continue Christ’s works-and even surpass them-through divine grace. This is not about personal greatness but about God working through the soul, once it is surrendered and purified.
5. “God gives you briefly the accomplishment of your natural perfection, concord of the powers of the soul, and sufficiency in all things. It is necessary that you have this, for it is the way of divine life, which we call the glorious life.”
The soul affirms that natural perfection-the harmony of soul and sufficiency-prepares one for the divine life. This state, called “the glorious life,” involves the restoration of the soul’s original innocence, aligning with the divine will and participating in divine sufficiency and peace.
6. “That one restores today the first day who attains on earth the innocence through divine obedience which Adam lost in terrestrial paradise through disobedience.”
This highlights a return to original innocence, where obedience to God’s will restores the lost unity of the soul with God, akin to Adam’s original state before the Fall. The “first day” symbolizes a new creation and rebirth of divine life within the soul.
7. “Pain remained in [humanity], for Jesus Christ took it [upon Himself], and so it is just that it remain with us. The truly innocent never possess a regulation, [and] no one ever makes them unjust. They are completely naked; they have nothing to hide.”
Even in innocence, pain remains as part of humanity’s participation in Christ’s suffering. However, the “truly innocent” live transparently, with no deceit or self-justification. They are completely surrendered to divine truth and love, and thus “naked” before God, restored to pure innocence.
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1. What is meant by the “language” of divine life in this chapter?
The language of divine life is described as “a hidden silence of divine love,” meaning it transcends spoken or written words. It is an inner, silent communication where the soul wills nothing but God’s will. This silence expresses divine love most profoundly, beyond human articulation.
2. Why does the soul emphasize that there is no greater life than always to will the divine will?
Because total alignment of the soul’s will with God’s will represents the highest state of spiritual life. It embodies perfect union with God’s love and divine purpose, freeing the soul from self-centeredness and allowing her to rest in the fullness of divine peace and life.
3. Why does the text insist that one must experience fatigue before entering the “highest restful repose”?
Fatigue here symbolizes the soul’s labor of purification and surrender. One cannot enter into the restful peace of divine union without first struggling against the self, detaching from worldly attachments, and embracing divine will through virtuous living. The “fatigue” is the necessary process of self-emptying.
4. What is the significance of the Virtues in sharpening the will and acquitting the soul’s debt to Jesus Christ?
The Virtues (such as charity, humility, obedience) help purify and strengthen the soul’s will, aligning it with divine love. By embracing these virtues, the soul fulfills its “debt” to Christ-living out His example of self-giving love and obedience. This prepares the soul for participation in divine life.
5. How does the soul interpret Jesus’s words about doing greater works than He did?
The soul sees these words as a promise that those who fully surrender to God will be instruments of divine love and grace, accomplishing even greater works because they act entirely by God’s will, not their own. This highlights the soul’s potential for extraordinary divine action once self-will is renounced.
6. What is described as the “glorious life” and how does one attain it?
The “glorious life” is the divine life marked by natural perfection, harmony within the soul, and sufficiency in all things. It is attained through divine grace, virtuous living, and perfect obedience to God’s will. This life restores the soul’s original innocence, mirroring Adam’s state before the Fall.
7. What does the text mean by “restoring today the first day”?
It refers to the restoration of the soul to the original innocence and divine harmony that existed in creation’s first day before the Fall. This restoration is achieved through divine obedience, mirroring Christ’s redemptive obedience, which reverses Adam’s disobedience and reestablishes humanity’s original union with God.
8. Why does the text emphasize that the truly innocent are “completely naked” and have nothing to hide?
Innocence here represents complete transparency and openness before God, free from the guilt and concealment introduced by sin. The “nakedness” signifies the soul’s surrender of all pretense and self-will, living fully in divine truth and love, as Adam and Eve did before the Fall.
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In Chapter 95, the teaching centers on the profound contrast between the striving of those still bound by the Virtues in the “land of the sad” and the serene freedom of the “naked annihilated ones” in the land of divine union. Love reveals that the highest spiritual state is characterized by the soul’s complete surrender, where even knowing, loving, or praising God is transcended, for these actions become unnecessary in the face of God’s boundless being. The soul rests in a state of pure divine love and freedom, where her will is united with God’s will, enabling her to act without error or loss of divine gifts. In this union, fear, discretion, and reason no longer restrain her, and she is fully transparent to God, who sees her intellect and her being in the fullness of their divine transformation. This state reflects the culmination of the soul’s journey, where selfhood is dissolved into divine love and peace.
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1. “It is a very long road from the land of the Virtues, who hold the sad, to the land of the forgotten ones, the naked annihilated ones, the clarified ones, who are in the highest stage, where God is relinquished by them in themselves.”
This opening contrasts the realm of virtue (where souls are burdened with sadness) with the transcendent realm of the “naked annihilated ones,” those who have relinquished everything, even God Himself, within themselves. It suggests that the highest stage of union with God involves a radical detachment, even from the self’s concepts of God, love, and praise.
2. “Thus He is neither known, nor loved, nor praised by such creatures, except only in this, that one cannot know Him, nor love, nor praise Him.”
Here, Love introduces the paradox of divine union: the soul, having transcended all images and understandings, “loves” by acknowledging that God cannot be comprehended or contained. The ultimate love is an unknowing, a surrender to mystery beyond all faculties.
3. “This is the summation of all their love, the last course of their way: the last accords with the first, for the middle is not discordant.”
This summarizes the entire spiritual journey: the soul’s path ends where it began-in total surrender to God’s unknowable reality. The journey is harmonious, where even the struggles (“the middle”) fit within the unity of God’s will.
3. “It is right, since [the Soul] has finished the course, that she repose in Him who is able [to do] whatever He wills by the proper goodness of His divine being.”
The soul, having relinquished all attachments and completed her journey, now rests in God’s perfect will. God’s own goodness is the source of this rest, where human will is no longer in tension with divine will.
4. “And this Soul is able to do whatever she wills without loss of the gifts of Him who possesses His own being.”
Union with God transforms the soul into His likeness, enabling her to act freely without losing grace. Her will becomes so aligned with God’s that it expresses divine freedom, mirroring the unbounded generosity of Love itself.
5. “This is Love Herself, and Love is able to do whatever She wills. And thus neither Fear, nor Discretion, nor Reason can say anything contrary to Love.”
Here, Love is personified as the ultimate authority, beyond human constraints like fear or prudence. When the soul is fully immersed in Love, she transcends all natural limitations and judgments, experiencing true freedom and fulfillment.
6. “This [Soul] sees the fullness of her intellect; but God sees it in her without impediment from her, and thus the Virtues have nothing with which to shame her.”
The soul, now illuminated, perceives her intellect’s fullness, but it is God who beholds it perfectly without hindrance. The “Virtues” (representing moral constraints) can no longer accuse her because she has moved beyond the moral stage into the pure realm of divine union.
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1. What contrast does Love draw between the “land of the sad” and the “land of the annihilated”?
Love contrasts two spiritual states: the land of the sad, inhabited by souls burdened with striving and governed by Virtues, and the land of the “naked annihilated ones,” those who have relinquished not only earthly attachments but even their own notions of God, love, and praise. While the Virtues keep souls laboring under the weight of moral and spiritual striving, the annihilated ones dwell in a clarified state where they have let go of everything, resting in God’s unknowable reality.
2. Why does Love say that in the highest state, God is “neither known, nor loved, nor praised”?
In the highest state of union, the soul acknowledges that God transcends all human faculties, including knowledge, love, and praise. Love explains that true union involves surrendering even the soul’s own capacities to “know, love, or praise” God, recognizing instead that these faculties are inadequate before divine mystery. The soul loves by acknowledging its unknowing and inability, surrendering fully to God’s transcendence.
3. What does Love mean by saying “the last accords with the first, for the middle is not discordant”?
This phrase suggests that the spiritual journey is coherent from beginning to end. The soul’s initial longing for God, the trials and struggles in the middle (the “middle” stages of virtue and growth), and the final resting in God’s being all form a harmonious journey. The soul’s end state-a total surrender to God-mirrors her original desire for union, and everything in between is part of this divine harmony.
4. How does Love describe the soul’s ability to act in the highest state?
Love reveals that the soul, having fully surrendered and been transformed by divine Love, can now act with complete freedom, mirroring God’s own freedom. This soul can “do whatever she wills” without losing grace or divine gifts because her will is so united with God’s will that she shares in His divine freedom. This transformation reflects God’s perfect generosity and the soul’s perfect alignment with Him.
5. Why are Fear, Discretion, and Reason powerless against Love in this highest stage?
Fear, Discretion, and Reason represent the constraints of moral judgment, caution, and human understanding. However, in the highest stage of union, Love is supreme and unbounded. The soul’s actions, now governed solely by Love, transcend these limitations. Love’s absolute freedom makes her beyond reproach, so neither moral fear, cautious discretion, nor rational deliberation can limit or contradict her.
6. How does Love describe the soul’s intellect in this state of union?
The soul’s intellect, now fully illuminated by divine union, perceives the fullness of its capacity. However, God perceives this intellect even more perfectly and directly, without any impediment from the soul. In this state, the Virtues have nothing to accuse her of, as the soul’s being has been purified and aligned with God’s own being. This indicates total innocence and transparency before God.
7. What is the ultimate teaching of this chapter about the soul’s journey?
The chapter teaches that the soul’s journey moves from striving under the weight of Virtues and sadness to the complete surrender and freedom of divine union. This union is characterized by annihilation of self, transcendence of moral and rational constraints, and immersion in divine Love. The soul’s love becomes a pure surrender to God’s unknowability and freedom, where she no longer seeks to know, love, or praise by human means but simply rests in God’s being.
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In Chapter 96, the Soul speaks directly to the Trinity, expressing profound humility, surrender, and desire for total detachment from self and from external distractions. Recognizing that she can do, know, and claim nothing of her own, she abandons her will entirely to the divine will. The story of the mendicant creature illustrates the soul’s initial misguided efforts to find God through external, creaturely means, which result only in spiritual hunger and frustration. This prompts a deeper realization: true encounter with God occurs not through external seeking or self-willed effort, but through interior purity, surrender, and self-emptying. Even the desire to guide others to God can become tainted by hidden self-will. Ultimately, the chapter teaches that true union with God requires complete interior detachment and humble acknowledgment of one’s dependence on His grace and love.
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1. “Ah, Lord, who can do all things; ah, Master, who knows all things; ah, Lover, who is worthy of all things, do whatever you will. Sweet Father, I can do nothing. Sweet Son, I know nothing. Sweet Lover, I am worthy of nothing. And therefore I will nothing.”
Here, the Soul addresses the Trinity with profound humility and surrender. By calling on God as Father, Son, and Lover, she acknowledges His power, wisdom, and worthiness, while confessing her own incapacity, ignorance, and unworthiness. This deep act of self-emptying expresses her willingness to let go of all self-will, entrusting herself entirely to God’s will. It is a prayer of annihilation of self, where the soul desires to be so empty of herself that nothing, even of her own desire, stands between her and God’s action.
2. “Ah, for the sake of God! Let us not allow anything of ourselves or of another ever to enter within us for which it would be necessary that God place us outside His goodness!”
This plea highlights the soul’s vigilant desire for purity of heart and complete union with God. She fears anything-be it her own thoughts or the influence of others-that might separate her from God’s goodness. It underscores the importance of interior integrity and the rejection of anything that disrupts the soul’s openness to divine love. This reflects a radical commitment to spiritual poverty and detachment, a hallmark of the highest mystical state.
3. “Once upon a time, there was a mendicant creature, who for a long time sought God in creatureliness, in order to see if she would find Him thus as she willed Him, and as He Himself would be, if the creature allowed Him to work His divine works in her, without impediment from her.”
The text introduces a parable-like story of a soul (likely a reflection of Porete herself) who tried to find God in creatureliness-that is, through created things or by shaping God into her own image. The story illustrates the futility of such efforts. Even though the creature (the soul) willed to find God as she imagined, she found nothing and remained hungry. This reveals the core mystical teaching: God is not found in self-made images or external forms but only in surrender to His divine work within.
4. “And when she saw that she found nothing, she pondered. And her thought about Him told her to seek Him, as she asked, at the depth of the core of the intellect of the purity of her sublime thought.”
Realizing her failure, the soul is prompted to turn inward, seeking God not through external realities but within the deepest core of her own being, where thought is purified. This shift from outward to inward signals the contemplative path of interior union. The “purity of her sublime thought” points to a purified intellect that, freed from distractions and desires, can begin to perceive God’s hidden presence.
5. “And there this mendicant creature went to seek Him, and so she thought that she would describe God such as she desired to find Him in His creatures.”
The soul attempts to articulate God based on her personal search and perceptions, hoping to provide a path for others to find Him too. However, this effort is marked by limitation: the desire to define or describe God ultimately stems from her own will and longing rather than from divine illumination.
6. “And she desired that her neighbors might find God in her, through writings and words; that is to say and mean, that she wished that her neighbors become the perfect ones she described (at least all those to whom she desired to say this).”
This passage reveals a noble but flawed motive. The soul desires to inspire others toward perfection through her writings and teachings. Yet, her ambition is tinged with self-consciousness and self-importance. It highlights the delicate balance between sharing spiritual insight and the danger of subtly centering oneself rather than God. Her intention is good, but it underscores the soul’s continued struggle with ego and self-will.
7. “And in doing this, and in saying this, and in willing this she remained, as you know, a beggar and encumbered with herself. And thus she would beg, because she willed to do this.”
The final lines return to the theme of spiritual poverty and self-emptying. The soul realizes that despite her efforts to teach and inspire, she remains burdened by her own will and desire. Her “begging” symbolizes the state of dependence and humility that the true mystic embraces. True union with God comes not through striving or teaching others but through total surrender and the abandonment of self-will. This recognition marks the threshold of the soul’s final letting go into divine love.
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1. What does the Soul express when she addresses the Trinity as Lord, Master, and Lover?
The Soul expresses complete humility and surrender before the Trinity. By calling God “Lord, Master, and Lover,” she acknowledges His power, knowledge, and worthiness. She recognizes her own incapacity, ignorance, and unworthiness by saying “I can do nothing,” “I know nothing,” and “I am worthy of nothing.” This profound humility leads her to abandon her own will, stating, “I will nothing.” This represents the soul’s total abandonment of self and radical openness to God’s will and love.
2. Why does the Soul plead that “nothing of ourselves or of another” should enter within her?
The Soul is deeply aware of the subtle dangers of attachment to self-will or the influence of others, which could separate her from God. Her plea is for complete purity and emptiness so that nothing within her would necessitate God “placing her outside His goodness.” This reflects a profound desire for interior sanctity and detachment, where the soul remains fully open and receptive to God’s transforming presence without any self-imposed barriers.
3. What is the significance of the story of the “mendicant creature”?
The mendicant creature symbolizes the human soul (possibly representing Porete herself) searching for God within the realm of created things, or seeking to find God as she wishes Him to be. This attempt results in failure and spiritual hunger, highlighting the futility of trying to grasp God on human terms. The story teaches that true discovery of God happens not through outward searching or self-willed effort, but through interior openness and surrender to God’s working within.
4. How does the mendicant’s realization transform her understanding of the path to God?
Upon realizing she could not find God through external search or by her own efforts, the mendicant shifts her focus inward, to the “core of the intellect” and the “purity of her sublime thought.” This represents the movement from an outward, creaturely search to a contemplative interior approach, where God can be encountered in the purified depths of the soul. This transformation emphasizes the contemplative journey of purification, self-emptying, and detachment from both self and external distractions.
5. Why does the Soul’s desire to guide others remain flawed?
Although the Soul desires to guide her neighbors toward perfection through her writings and words, her efforts are subtly compromised by her own will and attachment. She wishes for others to see God in her and to become the “perfect ones she described,” but this reveals a lingering attachment to her own ideas and influence. This exposes the tension between genuine spiritual charity and the ego’s tendency to claim credit, even in acts of apparent humility.
6. What lesson does the Soul’s final self-awareness teach about the path to union with God?
The Soul’s final realization-that she remains a “beggar” and “encumbered with herself”-illustrates the necessity of total self-emptying for union with God. Despite her noble intentions and spiritual efforts, her will and self-reliance remain obstacles. True spiritual poverty is marked by the soul’s deep recognition of her own limitations and by surrendering completely to God’s will. This humility and detachment are essential steps on the mystical path.
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In chapter 97, the author teaches that paradise is nothing other than the soul’s direct and unmediated vision of God. This profound experience of seeing God is not contingent on physical location, time, or bodily glorification, but is realized in the soul’s complete detachment from self and creatureliness. Even the thief crucified alongside Christ attained paradise upon his death, because he beheld God, fulfilling Jesus’ promise. The text underscores the paradox that while the soul can glimpse this vision even in this life through surrender, the body remains a barrier to its full glorification. The author humbly acknowledges the limitations of human words and understanding to describe such divine mysteries, likening her attempts to enclose the sea in an eye or to illuminate the sun with a torch. Ultimately, the soul’s perfection is found in pure nothingness, without thought or self, where it is wholly united to God.
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1. “Paradise is nothing other than to see God only.”
This simple yet profound statement distills the essence of paradise as vision of God. The Supreme Lady of Peace explains that the ultimate joy of paradise is not an external reward or glorification but the direct, unmediated seeing of God’s divine being. This vision is itself the glory and fulfillment of human desire, an experience transcending all worldly measures of happiness or status.
2. “The thief was in paradise the same day as Good Friday… Because he saw God, he was in paradise, for paradise is nothing other than to see God.”
Here, the text draws on the Gospel account of the repentant thief crucified alongside Jesus, who was promised paradise that very day. Even though Jesus had not yet ascended, the thief’s soul immediately experienced the vision of God, which constitutes paradise. This underscores the immediacy and intimacy of divine union that transcends temporal and bodily constraints.
3. “Every and however many times one is unencumbered of oneself. But [this does] not happen gloriously, for the body of such a creature is too heavy.”
This passage clarifies that while the full, glorious vision of God belongs to the final state of beatitude, souls can experience a taste of paradise here and now whenever they are freed from self-through detachment, surrender, and inner purification. Yet, this is not the full glorification of paradise because the body remains a weight and barrier, and only after death can the fullness of this vision be realized.
4. “I was more foolish than the one who would want to do the other, when I undertook a thing which one cannot say, when I encumbered myself with the writing of these words.”
The author’s reflection on her writing process conveys her awareness of the limitations of language and thought when attempting to capture divine realities. Just as one cannot enclose the sea in the eye or illuminate the sun with a torch, so too can human words not encapsulate the mystery of seeing God. This admission highlights the humility and paradox of spiritual writing: it points to the ineffable while acknowledging its inadequacy.
5. “When the Soul remains in pure nothingness without thought, and not until then.”
The culmination of the chapter brings us back to the mystical theme of annihilation of self. Only when the soul reaches total emptiness, renouncing all thoughts and self-will, does it attain the perfect state of being where it can truly experience paradise. This “pure nothingness” is not a nihilistic void but a fullness beyond comprehension-where God’s presence becomes the soul’s entire reality.
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1. What does the text identify as the essence of paradise?
The text declares that paradise is “nothing other than to see God only.” This means that the ultimate beatitude and fulfillment of the soul is to behold God directly, without intermediaries. Paradise is not defined by external glory or location but by the soul’s interior union with the divine, characterized by the vision of God’s essence.
2. How does the text explain the paradox of the thief being in paradise on Good Friday before Christ’s Ascension?
The text explains that although Christ had not yet ascended into heaven, the thief was in paradise on the day of his death because he saw God. Paradise, being the vision of God, was made accessible to the thief immediately upon his death, as promised by Jesus. The apparent paradox is resolved by understanding that this vision constitutes paradise itself, independent of time or physical location.
3. What conditions must a soul meet to experience paradise even in this life?
The soul can taste paradise whenever it becomes “unencumbered of oneself,” meaning it is freed from attachment, ego, and worldly concerns. However, this experience is not full glorification because the physical body still presents limitations. The soul can, nonetheless, live by the life of glory internally, experiencing divine presence in a foretaste of heaven through inner purification and surrender.
4. Why does the author compare writing about these divine realities to attempting impossible tasks like enclosing the sea in one’s eye?
The author uses this comparison to express the inherent limitations of language and human understanding when trying to capture the ineffable nature of God’s being and the soul’s vision of Him. The comparison highlights her humility and the recognition that words cannot fully convey the reality of paradise. Her writing, while a genuine attempt to describe these mysteries, ultimately falls short of their transcendent truth.
5. What is the significance of the phrase “pure nothingness without thought” in the text?
The phrase signifies the soul’s state of complete surrender and detachment, where it has let go of all thoughts, desires, and selfhood. Only in this state of “pure nothingness” can the soul fully encounter God, as there are no longer barriers or distractions. This mystical teaching emphasizes that the soul’s true being is realized not through self-assertion but through total abandonment to God.
6. How does this chapter portray the role of the body in the soul’s experience of paradise?
The text explains that while the soul can experience the vision of God and thus a foretaste of paradise even in this life, the body remains a heavy and limiting factor. The fullness of the glorified state is only possible after death, when the soul is freed from bodily constraints. Until then, the experience of paradise is incomplete and internal, rather than external and glorified.
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In Chapter 98, the teaching revolves around the soul’s journey into the state of “being above its thoughts,” a mystical union where human reasoning can no longer grasp divine reality. Love explains that these souls, amazed by the heights of spiritual ecstasy and the depths of humility, experience a “thinking nothing” that is sealed away by God’s grace, beyond all human efforts. This profound state of divine union is granted only to those chosen by God, symbolized by the “gentle Farnearness” who alone possesses the keys to open and close this mystical closure. The teaching reassures that while some souls may not yet live in this state, they are destined for it by God’s plan, offering hope to those drawn by divine love into deeper spiritual transformation.
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1. [Reason]: “Ah, for the sake of God, says Reason, what do those do who are in being above their thoughts?”
Reason, the faculty of understanding and logic, raises a humble question: what occupies those souls who dwell in a state beyond the workings of the mind? This sets the stage for Love’s profound response, contrasting the limitations of human reasoning with the vastness of divine experience. The question reveals Reason’s curiosity and its recognition of its own boundaries.
2. [Love]: “They are amazed by what is from the top of their mountain, and they are amazed by the same thing which is in the depth of their valley-by a thinking nothing which is shut away and sealed in the secret closure of the highest purity of such an excellent Soul.”
Love responds with a paradoxical image: these souls are simultaneously astonished by the heights and the depths of divine experience. Their “thinking nothing” indicates a state beyond human thought-an immersion in the pure essence of God where thought ceases. This “sealed closure” signifies the profound mystery and inaccessibility of this union to others, emphasizing the exclusivity of this experience.
3. “No one can open the closure, nor break the seal, nor close it when it is open, if the gentle Farnearness from very far and from very near does not close and open it, who alone has the keys to it, for no one else carries them, no one else could carry them.”
This powerful metaphor describes God (the “gentle Farnearness”) as the sole possessor of the keys to the deepest spiritual realities. The paradox of God’s being both distant and intimately near reflects the mystical tension of the soul’s union with the Divine. Only God can open or close this union, underlining its complete dependence on divine grace.
4. “You ladies, to whom God has abundantly given this life by His divine goodness without withholding anything, and not only this life which we describe, but also the one of whom no human speaks, you will recognize your practice in this book.”
Here the text addresses a select group of souls, those women (or spiritual figures) who have been granted an abundance of divine life and insight. They recognize their own experiences reflected in this mystical teaching. This direct address fosters a sense of community among the initiated while emphasizing the esoteric nature of these spiritual truths.
5. “But those who are not of this kind, nor were, nor will be, will not feel this being, nor understand it. They cannot do it, nor will they do it. They are not, as you know, of the lineage of which we speak, no more than the angels of the first order are Seraphim, nor can they be, for God does not give them the being of Seraphim.”
The author differentiates between those predestined for this profound union and those who are not, drawing a stark line between spiritual “lineages.” Just as angels have distinct orders, so too do human souls occupy different spiritual stations, and this mystical experience is reserved for those whom God has chosen and endowed for it.
6. “But those who are not this now-but they are so in God, which is why they will be so-will understand this being and sense it, through the strength of the lineage from which they are and will be, more strongly indeed than those who have not understood it and sensed it. And such folk of whom we speak, who are this way and will be, will recognize, as soon as they hear it, their lineage from which they come.”
This final passage offers a note of hope and inclusion. Even if someone is not yet fully immersed in this divine union, they are already so “in God,” and will come into this being in time. The mystical lineage transcends time and present understanding, and those destined for this union will instinctively recognize it when they encounter these teachings.
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1. What does Reason ask in this chapter, and why is it significant?
Reason asks, “What do those do who are in being above their thoughts?” This question highlights Reason’s awareness of its own limits. It recognizes that there is a state of existence beyond rational understanding-a realm where souls are immersed in God’s being. The significance lies in showing that intellectual reasoning alone cannot grasp the mystical union experienced by these souls.
2. How does Love describe the state of those who are above their thoughts?
Love describes these souls as being “amazed by what is from the top of their mountain” and by “the same thing which is in the depth of their valley.” This imagery conveys the paradoxical nature of their experience: they perceive divine wonder both in the highest spiritual heights and the deepest humility. Their “thinking nothing” signifies a state of profound receptivity and surrender, sealed and enclosed within the soul’s highest purity. This state is beyond human comprehension and rational access.
3. Who alone can open or close the sealed “closure” of this experience, and what does this reveal about the soul’s relationship with God?
The “gentle Farnearness,” representing God, alone possesses the keys to open or close the closure. This metaphor underscores that divine union is an act of God’s will, inaccessible to human effort or understanding. It reflects the soul’s total dependence on God’s grace to enter this mystical state, highlighting both God’s transcendence and intimate presence.
4. To whom is the author addressing this teaching, and why is it described as being recognizable only to certain souls?
The author addresses this teaching to “you ladies,” a symbolic reference to souls granted divine life and grace, perhaps signifying those predisposed to contemplative union with God. The teaching is described as recognizable only to these souls because it speaks of an interior experience that is beyond ordinary understanding. Those not of this “lineage” (those not called or prepared by God) cannot grasp or experience this state, just as lower orders of angels cannot become Seraphim.
5. How does the author reconcile the exclusivity of this experience with a sense of inclusivity or hope?
The author offers a hopeful perspective by stating that some souls who are not yet in this mystical state “are so in God,” which means they are destined to enter this state in time. This reassures readers that even if they do not yet fully grasp or live this reality, they may already belong to this divine lineage and will come to understand and experience it. This balances the exclusivity of the teaching with a vision of divine generosity and predestination.
6. Why is the image of the sealed closure and the keys significant in the context of mystical theology?
The sealed closure represents the ineffable mystery of divine union-something so sacred and hidden that it cannot be accessed by human will or intellect. The image of God alone possessing the keys reinforces the notion that divine grace is entirely gratuitous and sovereign. In mystical theology, this teaches that union with God is a matter of pure gift and cannot be attained through human striving or reasoning.
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In Chapter 99 of The Mirror of Simple Souls, Love reveals that souls who have reached the state of annihilation and union with God-referred to as “souls who are in being”-experience a profound sovereignty over all things. This sovereignty is not rooted in earthly power but arises from their spiritual nobility, likened to the highest orders of angels. Their natural disposition is characterized by a gentle, ardent, and balanced temperament, free from melancholy or apathy. They receive and distribute divine and earthly blessings in perfect alignment with God’s will, without fault or excess. Through their pure desire for God, they attain the perfection of being “Annihilated Souls,” whose freedom and sovereignty reflect their total self-emptying into divine life.
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1. “Such souls, who are in being, are in sovereignty in all things. For their spirit is in the highest nobility of the orders of angels created and ordained.”
This statement reveals that souls who have attained the state of “being” (or annihilation) are granted supreme sovereignty. Their union with God elevates them to the highest spiritual hierarchy, aligning them with the nobility of the highest angelic orders. This suggests a divine participation in authority and perfection, not by personal merit, but by God’s generous ordination.
2. “Thus folk such as these have, on account of this spirit, the highest mansion of all the orders and by nature the most gentle constitution.”
Here, Love describes how these souls, filled with divine spirit, hold not only the highest spiritual place but also a gentle, noble character. Their natural disposition reflects divine gentleness and nobility, a sign that their external lives are in harmony with their internal divine union.
3. “That is, because they are passionate or ardent, neither melancholy nor apathetic, so they have of the gifts of fortune the best portion, for all is theirs according to their will and their necessity, for themselves and for their neighbors, without reproach of Reason.”
This passage emphasizes how these souls possess an inner vitality-passion and ardor-while being free from sadness or indifference. Their complete detachment and freedom from selfish desires enable them to receive the best of both spiritual and material blessings, which they distribute according to love, for themselves and others, without Reason’s objections. Their wills are aligned with God’s will, granting them a state of perfect balance and generosity.
4. “Now you hear, through desire, the great perfection of the Annihilated Souls, of whom we speak!”
The chapter concludes with an invitation to recognize the perfection of these souls through the lens of desire-that is, a longing for God and the ultimate annihilation of self in Him. This desire-driven recognition highlights that understanding and participating in this state requires a deep yearning for divine union, echoing the mystic’s path of love and surrender.
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1. What does Love mean when she says, “Such souls, who are in being, are in sovereignty in all things”?
Love describes souls who have reached the state of annihilation, or “being,” as possessing sovereignty over all things. This sovereignty is not earthly dominion but spiritual authority grounded in their union with God. Their spirit aligns with the highest nobility of angelic orders, meaning they share in divine authority and perfection. This sovereignty is marked by their complete detachment from self-will and their participation in God’s will, granting them influence over spiritual and natural realms.
2. How does Love characterize the natural disposition of these sovereign souls?
Love portrays these souls as having the “most gentle constitution,” emphasizing their profound harmony with divine gentleness and nobility. They are described as “passionate or ardent,” filled with divine zeal and fervor, but without melancholy or apathy. This suggests a vibrant, joyful, and responsive nature, perfectly balanced and free from the burdens of sadness or indifference.
3. Why are these souls said to have “the best portion” of the gifts of fortune?
The “best portion” refers to their capacity to receive both spiritual and material blessings according to God’s will and their own pure intentions. Because these souls are detached from self-centered desires, they are able to use these gifts for the good of themselves and others without any reproach from Reason (which represents rational and moral judgment). Their wills are so aligned with God’s that what they desire coincides with divine order, allowing them to act freely and generously.
4. What is the significance of Love’s concluding remark: “Now you hear, through desire, the great perfection of the Annihilated Souls, of whom we speak”?
Love’s statement highlights that the key to understanding the perfection of these souls lies in desire-the longing for God and union with Him. Desire here is not mere human craving but a holy aspiration that leads the soul to total annihilation of self in God. This perfect union results in the state of being described throughout the text. Love invites the reader to grasp this perfection not merely through reason but through the heart’s deep yearning for God.
5. What is the relationship between annihilation (or being) and sovereignty in this chapter?
In this chapter, annihilation-understood as the complete self-emptying and immersion into God’s being-leads directly to sovereignty. This sovereignty is not an assertion of power but a consequence of complete unity with God’s will and nature. The annihilated soul participates in divine authority, receiving gifts freely and using them for the benefit of others. Thus, sovereignty and annihilation are inseparable: the more the soul is annihilated, the more it reigns with God in love and freedom.
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Chapter 100 of The Mirror of Simple Souls explores the profound differences within the angelic hierarchy, comparing these differences to the vast chasm between humans and beasts, highlighting the vastness and mystery of divine wisdom. Love reveals that, just as angels differ greatly in their nature, the “annihilated souls” also differ in their degree of self-emptying and surrender. The highest of these souls live a “clear life” of perfect union with God, where they no longer seek Him because they possess Him entirely. Their hearts are noble and full of enterprise, but their greatness comes from becoming “the smallest,” in total humility and surrender. The chapter stresses that true belief is not merely intellectual but must be embodied, and that perfect union with God dissolves the self so completely that the soul becomes transparent, existing wholly in and through God alone.
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1. “It is said, says Love, and I say it myself, that there is as great a difference among the angels, between one and another by nature, as there is between men and beasts.”
Love asserts the vast distinction among angels, highlighting that even within the celestial hierarchy, not all beings are equal. This suggests that divine wisdom has ordered a great diversity, just as in earthly life, differences abound between humans and animals. The comparison points to the magnitude of the divine plan and underscores the mystery of God’s will.
2. “The one is very well born who is of such lineage. These are royal folk. They have hearts excellently noble and of great enterprise, for they would not do a work of little value, nor begin something which would not come to a good perfection.”
This section praises the “annihilated ones”-souls who have emptied themselves for God-as spiritually noble and destined for greatness. Their noble hearts and grand aspirations align with God’s purposes, and their actions reflect divine perfection. The “royal folk” metaphor elevates these souls to an exalted status, illustrating their participation in God’s own grandeur.
3. “They are the smallest they can be and they must become the greatest by the witness of Jesus Christ Himself, who says that the smallest will be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
Love connects spiritual humility with exaltation, echoing Jesus’s teaching that “the least shall be the greatest.” The smallest souls-those fully emptied of self-are paradoxically elevated to the highest stature in God’s kingdom. This underlines the Christian paradox of humility as the path to glory.
4. “For the one who is what he believes, believes truly. But whoever believes what he is not, it is because he does not live what he believes.”
True belief is identified with authenticity and lived reality. One’s faith must align with one’s being and actions. Superficial belief, without corresponding transformation of life, is not genuine. This emphasizes that true spirituality is integrally lived, not merely professed.
5. “Such a one has nothing more to do with himself, or with another, or with God Himself, no more than if he were not; and so he is.”
This striking statement captures the utter self-emptying of the soul in union with God. The annihilated soul lives in complete surrender, without self-will, attachments to others, or even to God as “other,” but is absorbed into pure being. This is not negation of existence but total openness to divine life.
6. “In these three words is fulfilled completely the perfection of the clear life. I call it clear, because it surpasses the blind annihilated life. The blind [life] sustains the feet [of the soul] here below. The clear [life] is the most noble and the most gentle. It knows not what it is, whether God or human, for it is not.”
Love distinguishes two stages of the soul’s journey: the “blind annihilated life,” which sustains the soul in its initial surrender, and the “clear life,” a more refined and transcendent state. In the clear life, the soul’s self-awareness dissolves entirely into God. It loses distinction between divine and human, revealing the ultimate union in which only God “knows” the soul’s reality.
7. “Such a lady seeks God no more. She has no why, she has nothing to do with herself. Nothing is lacking to her, therefore why would she seek Him?”
At the highest level of spiritual union, the soul no longer seeks God, because she possesses Him completely. Seeking implies a lack, but the soul in perfect union has nothing missing. This radical non-seeking expresses the fullness of divine possession and the end of spiritual striving.
8. “Whoever seeks, he is ‘with’ himself, and so he has himself, and so something is lacking to him since he sets about seeking.”
This final insight unveils the subtle trap of spiritual seeking: as long as the soul seeks, it retains some measure of selfhood, and therefore, something is lacking. Perfect union dissolves this selfhood, eliminating the distinction between seeker and sought, bringing about a total and seamless possession of God.
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1. Why does Love compare the difference between angels to the difference between men and beasts?
Love uses this stark comparison to illustrate the vast range of differences in the nature and roles of angels within the divine order. Just as men and beasts differ greatly in their capacities and natures, so too do angels vary widely. This diversity is a reflection of divine wisdom and design, and questioning it would be a denial of God’s creative will. The analogy helps the reader understand the immensity of the spiritual hierarchy and the profound distinctions that even celestial beings embody.
2. How are the “annihilated ones” described in terms of their spiritual nobility and behavior?
The annihilated ones, described by Love as “royal folk,” are marked by their noble hearts, high aspirations, and great enterprise. They would not undertake trivial endeavors but aim only for works of high value and lasting perfection. This nobility stems from their radical self-emptying and total alignment with God’s will. Their lives reflect a participation in divine grandeur and excellence, which manifests not in external status but in profound interior transformation.
3. What paradox about spiritual greatness does Love highlight using the words of Jesus?
Love highlights the Christian paradox that true greatness in God’s kingdom is achieved by becoming “the smallest.” Citing Jesus’s teaching that the least will be the greatest in heaven, Love underscores that humility and self-annihilation are the path to exaltation. Those who fully empty themselves and live in total surrender to God become the most elevated in spiritual stature. This reverses worldly notions of greatness, focusing instead on radical humility and self-negation.
4. What does Love say about the relationship between belief and being?
Love insists that true belief must correspond to being. A person believes truly only if they embody what they profess. Believing without being-holding faith without living it-is inauthentic. The one who believes truly is the one who becomes what they believe, integrating faith and life so seamlessly that belief and existence are indistinguishable. This points to the necessity of living faith, not just thinking or professing it.
5. How is the idea of “having nothing more to do with oneself” connected to spiritual union?
Love describes the soul’s state of total self-emptying as having nothing more to do with oneself, others, or even God as “other.” In this state, the soul exists entirely in God, with no self-interest or striving. It is not negation of existence but rather the dissolution of self-will and ego. The soul’s will becomes perfectly aligned with God’s, achieving a union so complete that it is as if the soul “is not,” absorbed entirely into divine life.
6. What distinction does Love make between the “blind annihilated life” and the “clear life”?
The “blind annihilated life” represents the initial stage of spiritual surrender, where the soul relinquishes self-will but still perceives itself in relation to God. It “sustains the feet” of the soul, providing grounding. The “clear life,” in contrast, is a higher, more refined state where the soul transcends even self-awareness, existing wholly in God’s life. It is so transparent and pure that it “knows not what it is, whether God or human,” because it has ceased to exist as an independent self. This clear life represents the pinnacle of spiritual union.
7. Why does Love say that the soul who is in perfect union with God “seeks God no more”?
In perfect union, the soul no longer seeks God because she already possesses Him fully. Seeking implies a lack or desire, but when the soul is completely filled and satisfied by God’s presence, there is no longer any need to seek. This cessation of seeking indicates the soul’s total immersion in divine love and being, a state of rest and completeness where nothing is missing or desired.
8. How does Love explain that seeking God still implies a degree of selfhood and lack?
Love explains that as long as the soul seeks God, it retains a subtle sense of selfhood-of being separate from God and therefore lacking something. Seeking indicates that the soul is still “with itself,” meaning it is not fully surrendered or annihilated. Complete union dissolves this sense of self and lack, resulting in a state where the soul no longer has itself or lacks anything. In this fullness, the soul stops seeking and rests wholly in God.