Prayer in the Carmelite Tradition by Gabriel of the Divine Providence

A Reflection on Prayer (Part 4), by Gabriel of the Divine Providence

The Discalced Carmelite is invited to climb the mountain of Mt Carmel. We climb up the slopes of Mt. Carmel not only figuratively but literally. The climbing of the mountain, it is the climbing and conquering of our own self. When we reach the summit, the self with its self-interest and self-concerns is no longer a burden or an obstacle in one’s spiritual life. We have left behind all our sensual and egotistic irrational demands, our worries and anxieties and attain a purer spirituality. We choose God above anything else.

Although the climber is praying mainly in solitary, he or she is not entirely alone, but praying as an individual, member of the Body of Christ - This explains why a spiritual climber seeks solitude in the heights of the mountain of Mount Carmel. They are seeking to pray in solitude as Moses prayed on Mt Sinai or Elijah prayed on Mount Carmel. -- St John of the Cross outlines the qualities of the spiritual climber in that of a solitary bird, a metaphor to express the sentiment of the contemplative person.

The traits of the solitary bird are five: first, it seeks the highest place; second, it withstands no company; third, it holds its beak in the air; fourth, it has no definite color; fifth, it sings sweetly. These traits must be possessed by the contemplative soul. It must rise above passing things, paying no more heed to them than if they did not exist. It must likewise be so fond of silence and solitude that it does not tolerate the company of another creature. It must hold its beak in the air of the Holy Spirit, responding to his inspirations, that by so doing it may become worthy of his company. It must have no definite color, desiring to do nothing definite other than the will of God. It must sing sweetly in the contemplation and love of its Bridegroom. (The Sayings of Light and Love #121)

For those who are climbing the slopes of Mount Carmel, in their way to the summit, their prayer practice differ considerably from those who are climbing the lower slopes not too far from the ground. Those climbing the upper slopes enter prayer with a somewhat free of a Me-attitude and handle better the sensorial / mental turbulence. Their prayer, like St Teresa prayer of recollection do not take place by their own volition but when God predispose it.

In the case of this recollection it doesn’t come when we want it but when God wants to grant us the favor… When His Majesty grants it, He does so to persons who are already beginning to despite the things of the world. (Interior Castle, dwelling 4 ch 3, 3)

So, in some way, prayer of recollection is a prelude to what is to come in contemplation. In other words, “this recollection is a preparation to listen [to our hidden God]… The person should not strive to engage discursively but, to be attentive to what the Lord is doing in the soul.” (Interior Castle, dwelling 4 ch 3, 4) The person should strive to subdue the mind’s chatter. St Teresa advise us “to pay no attention to the mind, for it is a grinding mill… [It] wanders around aimlessly.” (Life 15, 6). The spiritual person must practice interior prayer with empty hands seeking God’s presence. In spite of many distractions, for the mind is restless, we should be patient while waiting for the Lord to come to our aid. He is the initiator of our interior recollection. – This prayer is based in the acknowledgement and experience of God’s presence in our interiority. A God that we that we can talk to and listen to. God is the initiator doing our best to transcend the mental chatter by abandoning ourselves and let Him do as He pleases.

For those in the lower slopes their prayer is oriented towards discursive meditation. St Teresa uses the image of a farmer with the need to transport water from a far distant water source to a trough in order to explain the nature of discursive meditation. The person must use his or her own abilities in order to attain his or her goal.

The water coming from aqueducts is comparable, in my opinion, to the consolations I mentioned that are drawn from meditation. For we obtain them through thoughts, assisting ourselves… In the end the consolation comes through our own end. (Interior Castle, dwelling 4 ch 2, 3)

However, as the climber move upwards through the mountain, meditation is left behind. In the upper slopes there is no need for ingenuity for one’s prayer. The water source is by the trough and is freely given. “With this… fount the water comes from its own source which is God… when he is pleased to grant some supernatural favor.” (Interior Castle, dwelling 4 ch 2, 4)

Eventually, the climber will reach the summit and the voice of the psalmist will be heard “Who may go up the mountain of the LORD? Who can stand in his holy place? “The clean of hand and pure of heart, who has not given his soul to useless things, what is vain. (Psalm 24, 3-4)

When a soul approaches this state, strive that it become detached from all satisfaction, relish, pleasure, and spiritual meditations, and do not disquiet it with cares and solicitude about heavenly things or, still less, earthly things. Bring it to as complete a withdrawal and solitude as possible, for the more solitude it obtains and the nearer it approaches this idle tranquility the more abundantly will the spirit of divine wisdom be infused into its soul. This wisdom is loving, tranquil, solitary, peaceful, mild of the spirit, by which the soul feels tenderly and gently wounded and carried away, without knowing by whom or from where or how. The reason is that this wisdom is communicated without the soul's own activity. (Living Flame. Stanza 3, 38)

By Gabriel of the Divine Providence

A Reflection on Prayer (Part 3), by Gabriel of the Divine Providence

Mental prayer is differentiated from contemplative prayer in that the former exercises the ‘senses’ and the latter the ‘intelligence’. St John of the Cross tells us that those whose senses are purgated by the Night of the senses, and later called to enter into the Night of the spirit, for further purification, they transition from Mental prayer into Contemplative prayer.

God makes the exchange by withdrawing [the person] from the life of the senses and placing [he or she] in that night of spirit --- that is, he brings us from meditation to contemplation --- where the [person] no longer has the power to work or meditate with the faculties on the things of God (Dark Night, 1, 10, 1)

This transition changes the dynamic of prayer. Mental prayer is initiated by us. In contemplative prayer God is the initiator. In mental prayer, one proactively enters in prayer. On the other, in contemplative prayer we are beggars with our hands extended to receive God’s love. So, in prayer is not what we can do for God, but what God can do for us.

St Teresa tells us of similar orientation in prayer when she speaks of ‘consolations and delights’. On the one hand “Consolations, those are experiences we ourselves acquire through our own meditation, that proceed from our own nature [and effort].” On the other hand, “the spiritual delights, [those] begin in God [and we are the recipients]”. (Interior Castle, Dwelling 4, ch1) One is active and the other is a passive prayer.

Another aspect in regard to prayer is that prayer may involve both, the intellect and the senses. St Teresa thought about those things when she says “A little more than four years ago I came to understand through experience that the mind is not the intellect.” (Interior Castle)

This distinction between the two modes, the mind and the intellect, is how we see things in prayer. Mental prayer is perceptual, engages the senses (feelings concerns); the other is conceptual engages the intellect. Let’s take as an example the color green of the grass in the park. In the ‘perceptual mode’ if the person is looking at the grass laying in front of him, he is using his senses (eyesight, feelings) and through them he notices different shades and tones of the color green caused by the presence of sunlight or the lack of it. Hence, if the person looks at it ‘conceptually’ (intellectually), he no longer looks at the color green through the senses (through his eyesight) but through the intellect. For example, imagine that the person who was in the park witnessing the color green of the grass moves away from the natural scenery. Ones at home he emails a friend telling him how beautiful is the color green of the grass. Although, he is not physically in front of the green grass, he still is able to see the color green, not sensorially but intellectually. Also, the other person who receives the message will in turn see it intelligently too: “the grass is green” Not as a particular green with particular shades, but in a general way, a green that encompasses all shades.

A good example of the usage of the intellect / intelligence in prayer is found in St Teresa’s description of the interior Castle. Her description is purely intellectual and not sensorial, although it may be some participation of the senses (feelings).

Consider our soul to be like a Castle made entirely out of a diamond or of very clear crystal, in which they are many rooms, just as in heaven there are many dwelling places. (Interior Castle ch. 1, 1)

Well, consider this castle has, as I said, many dwelling places: some up above, others down bellow, others to the sides; and in the center and middle is the main dwelling place where the very secret exchanges between God and the soul take place. (Interior Castle ch. 1, 3)

Such description is not sensorial. We are not seeing the Castle with our own eyes. It is purely intellectual. In other words, she doesn’t look at it perceptually, through the senses; but conceptually through the intellect. -- In the following quote St Teresa reveals to the reader that to enter and travel through her Interior Castle, dwelling by dwelling, can only take place as an intellectual prayerfully immersion into the soul.

How can I enter it? It seems I’m saying something foolish. For if the castle is the soul, clearly one doesn’t have to enter it since it is within oneself… You have already heard in some books on prayer that the soul is advice to enter within itself; well that’s the very thing I’m advising. (Interior Castle ch. 1, 5)

Her prayerful orientation is that we are not walking in the spiritual journey with God at our side, but with God within ourselves. And this is quite a distinction. – Paralleling St. Teresa’s advice, our holy father St John of the Cross, also encourages us to enter contemplatively into the infinite inner landscape of the soul where the Holy Trinity abides.

Oh. Then soul most beautiful among all creatures, so anxious to know the dwelling place of your beloved so you may go in search of him and be united with him, now we are telling you that you yourself are his dwelling and his secret inner room and hiding place. There is a reason for you to be elated and joyful in seeing that all your good and hope is so close as to be within you, or better, that you cannot be without him. (Spiritual Canticle ch. 1, 7)

By: Gabriel of the Divine Providence

A Reflection on Prayer (Part 2), by Gabriel of the Divine Providence

Prayer is the heart of the Carmelite vocation - seeking the face of God in prayer in order that God may be known. Gabe Giralt offers this second reflection on the Carmelite life of prayer.

A simple attentiveness to the reality of God presence in the soul, as we enter in our own interiority, is an act of faith. It is an acknowledgement of his supreme reality. It is an act of belief that God abides in the interior of the spiritual person. This is not a small thing and it should not be taken for granted. It needs to be said that “although spirituality is part of the human condition, God in the other hand, is an object of faith and faith is not a universal characteristic of the human condition, but a gift, something given.” (Interioridad Habitada 215)

Once this is understood, the spiritual person draws courage as he / she steps off the cliff of faith by knowing that the human person has the capacity to dialogue interiorly not only with himself but communicate with God, not as a monologue with him / herself, but to a divine presence, that transcends the person itself. To speak of this, a good example is “The Interior Castle” of our holy mother St. Teresa of Jesus. Her book, known as her interior autobiography, is a journey of prayer and faith. St Teresa’s journey is not a journey into an empty interior space, nor a journey through an empty Castle.

It is a Castle that has a King; it is a reality that accommodates a living Presence that communicates and expresses Himself in such a way that the ‘I’ [the spiritual person] who enters in the Castle has the capacity to experience the encounter with God’ living presence. (Interioridad Habitada 185)

Paradoxically, St. Teresa who has travelled the journey through the Interior Castle, when it comes the time to explain it with words, she finds it difficult. The prologue of the Interior Castle testifies to it.

Not many things that I have been ordered to do under obedience have been as difficult for me as is this present task of writing about prayer. First, it doesn’t seem the lord is giving me either the spirit or the desire to undertake the work… But, knowing that the strength given by obedience usually lessens the difficulty of things that seem impossible, I resolved to carry out the task very willingly, even though my human nature seems very distressed… May He, in whose mercy I trust and who has helped me in other more difficult things so as to favor me to do this work for me. (Interior Castle, Prologue)

So, the key for a beginner in contemplative prayer is to remain simply quietly and in solitude, attentive to this divine presence in our interiority without any special request or expectation. This prayer itself is a gift because God’s personal presence in the soul is a gift.

The important point is that the spiritual person does not make any effort to think, wish, or feel. The person’s attentiveness must be reserved to God alone.

Prayer is an art. Contemplative prayer, as well as mental prayer, requires practice and training. Practice involves a virtue, a strengthening of the intellect and the will to do it. Training, on the other hand, involves a skill which is the fulcrum of every art-form. The skill in contemplative prayer involves, at the time of prayer, elimination from our mind, concerns, preoccupation, worries, from our attention. Even if this can only be sustained for few minutes. Regular practice will extend the span of time and attention. The goal is the elimination of distractions (through patience) and pay attention ‘intellectually’ to the reality of God’s personal presence within us, in our interiority (the soul). This prayerful and reverent awareness helps the spiritual person to fulfill his / her daily task. Also, the person will no longer be a prisoner of his / her mental churning and mental nagging.

This emptying of the mind may seem an impossible task and the spiritual person starts convincing his /herself that it is truly a waste of time. And that he / she is at lost. Such battle with oneself may give the feeling that we are neither in touch with God nor with his own self. This is in fact the experience of those who are initiated into the interior journey of contemplation. On those instances St. John of the Cross recommends to the spiritual person “should live with great patience and constancy” (Living Flame stanza 2, 30)

Those who are in this situation should feel comforted; they ought to persevere patiently and not being afflicted. Let them trust in God who does not fail those who seek him with a simple and righteous heart; nor will he fail to impart what is needful for the way until getting them to the clear and pure light of love. (Dark Night ch. 10, 3)

By Gabriel of the Divine Providence

For your reflection:

• What advice would you give to someone new to a life of prayer?

• Do you also have struggle finding words to describe experiences of God's divine presence? How might you describe some of your most powerful prayerful experiences?

• What are some things you have learned to do to create an environment in which you can strengthen the skill of mental prayer and practice this art better?

A Reflection on Prayer (Part 1), from Gabriel of the Divine Providence

Prayer is the heart of the Carmelite vocation - seeking the face of God in prayer in order that God may be known. Gabe Giralt offers this first of two reflections on the Carmelite life of prayer.

The special charism and gift of the Carmelite vocation is the gift of prayer whether a vocal, mental, discursive or contemplative mode of prayer. Prayer is not without challenges. The biggest obstacle in prayer is the flesh, the world, and the devil. Each of the obstacles is rooted in the “me” “myself” and “I” of the spiritual person’s personality. The flesh is “me” his own sensuality, sensual pleasure, as well as religious pleasures. The world is “myself” his own social pretention and selfishness. The devil, with its delusions, deceits, and seductions, is the “I” to which we are all most susceptible.

The culmination of prayer is contemplative prayer. This is a special gift and charism; St. John of the Cross tells us that not all members in Carmel receive this gift.

“For God does not bring to contemplation all those who purposely exercise themselves in the way of the spirit, not even half. Why? He best knows. As a result, he never completely weans [them] from… discursive meditation, except for some short periods. (Dark Night book 1, ch. 9,9)

For St. John of the Cross, contemplative prayer differs from mental or discursive prayer. The former involves the human intellect whereas the latter involves the senses. Such prayer involves the mind, imagination, and engages the heart (feelings, emotions, fears, concerns, interests, aspirations, etc.)

Our saints in Carmel reminds us that we are not to seek God outside of ourselves but within the interiority of our soul. It is in that interiority that God abides.

“It should be known that the… Son of God together with the Father and the Holy Spirit, is hidden by his presence and his essence in the innermost being of the soul.., and there the good contemplative must seek him with love.” (Spiritual Canticle 1, 6)

In order to descend into our own interiority, the spiritual person must disengage all imagery (as it is done in discursive prayer), as well as, feelings, moods, etc. This is most difficult for the spiritual person to skillfully practice when the mind is nagging and nagging constantly. This can only be done by practice and God’s grace.

To enter in contemplative prayer, the spiritual person must not be able to pray discursively or do any type of meditation any longer.

[God] leaves him / her in such a dryness that they not only fail to receive satisfaction and pleasure from their spiritual exercises and works as they formally did, but also find these exercises distasteful and bitter (Dark Night 8, 3)

This takes place after the person “[has] exercised themselves for a time in the way of virtue and have persevered in meditation and prayer.” (Dark Night 8, 3)

Given the circumstances, the person who is going through this terrible ordeal must persevere in patience, doing his or her best. He should pay no attention to discursive meditation and remain at rest. It is at this time that “God begins to wean the person, as they say, and place [him/her] in the state of contemplation.” (Living Flame stanza 3, 32)

By: Gabriel of the Divine Providence

For your reflection:

• How does Carmelite spirituality help you to navigate a life of prayer?

• Do you remember being "new" at prayer? In what ways has your prayer life changed? In what ways does it remain the same?

• How do you understand transition from discursive prayer or meditation/mental prayer to contemplation? Have you ever experienced a sudden dryness in prayer that you later realized was God's call to being open to praying in a new way? What was it like?

• How would you describe a Carmelite approach to prayer to someone unfamiliar with Carmelite spirituality?