Western mysticism from Plotinus and Philo to St John of the Cross

WESTERN MYSTICISM FROM PLOTlNUS AND PUILO TO STo JOHN OF THE CROSS IWill no a emp wi hin he scope oi his pape o gi e a de ini ion oi mys iciSin. Volumes b¡a e been w i en on his opic, and mos end wi h he au ho saying ha his de ini ion ls lnadequa e due o he ul ima e ine abili y o he mys icial ,expe ience. W i e s o a ious eligious adi ions and hose ou side any pa icula adi ion ag ee in essence bu disag ee on in e p e a ion. The mys ical expe ience has been in e p e ed as he cessa ion o desi e, union wi h God, eabso b ion in he One, and many o he hings. Desc ip ions o he mys ical expe ience show a ema kable deg ee o unanimi y, and ai ly ob iously e e o he same expe ience. As one who belie es ha he mys ical expe ience is a con ac wi h a eali y, a cosmic spi i ual p esence owa d which all g ea eligions g ope, 1 a o nei he sup ised no dis u bed by his unanimi y. Mys ics o a ious adi ions ag ee on he ine abili y o he expe ience, i s pa odoxical, alogical, and con adic o y na u e, he eeling o comple e oneness and uni y, and an ecs asy which de ies desc ip ion. A hu Koes le , who Hes ou side any pa icula eligious adi ion, is in comple e ag eemen wi h he abo e desc ip ion. In his wo k we shall be conce ned wi h wes e n a he han o ien al mys icism. AH he o ms o mys icism men ioned in i his wo k, wi h he possible excep ion o Plo inus, a e 70 MICHAEL MCCLAIN [z} unques ionably wi hin he wes e n mys ical adi ion. The g ea eligions o he wes , Judaism', Ch is iani y, and Islam a e heis ic a he han pan heis ic. In a pan heis ic heology, comple e uni y wi h B ahman, Tao, o he Qne ls heo e ically possible ... ln he heis ic eligions o he wes , he Sansk i ph ase " a am así", " ha a hou" mus be in e p e ed as union o likeness and simila i y o pu pose (S . John o he C oss), o "o sunligh and ai , o o ho i on and hea " , (Jan on Ruysb oeck), a he han as li e al uníon and iden i y. Keeping his in mind, we shall p oceed wi h Plo inus. Qu s udy begins i ingly in Alexand ia, he golden ci y. In Alexand ia G eek, Heb ew, Egyp ian and e en Pe sian me on com non g ound. and came in o con ac wi h elemen s am a he eas . As well as being a mel ing po o peoples and ideas, Alexand ia was a cUy o unbeUe able wickedness side by si de wi h unbelie able pie y. While many sough sensuous pleasu es, many o he s sough God, in many di e en ways. In he nea u u e, Alexand ia would become "' he an il o Ch is iani y". Qne o he Alexand ians who sough God was Plo inus. Plo- inus was he g ea es o he neo-Pla onic school o Alexand ia, who d ew hei 1nspi a ion om, oe Pla onic dialogues "Ti- maeus", "Laws", and pa s o o he dialogues. Neo-Pla onism was a nYs ical philosophy wi h a ionaUs ic ele nen s and in,. iuences om Pe sia and India. Plo inus spen so ne ime in Pe sia s udying philosophy, and died while on he way o India o he saine pu pose. The neo-Pla onis s ca ied Pla ó'g idea o he Good and he wo ld o o ms one s ep a he . The Good and he wo ld o o ms we e ne ely emana ions o he Qne, which is compa able o he ludian B ahma and he Chinese Tao. AH hings a e emana ions o he One, and he ,Qne is undi e en ia ed uni y. AH hings ow om he One and seek o e u n o i . The One is nei he pe sonal no conscious, as a ibu es imply di ision. Th ough con emipla ion, leading a wholesome li e, and wisdo n, a pe son seeks eunion wi h he One. The mys ical expe ience 1s euníon wi h he Qne, when he illusions o dis inc ions and mul iplici y a e elimina ed, and may be in e p e ed in he ligh o he Pla onic me apho o he ca e. As all hings a e emana ions o he Qne, all hings WESTERN MYSTlCISM FROM PLOTlNUS AND PHILO TO STo JOHN OF THE CROSS 71 a e sac ed, and a mo al eode is ounded upon his. Howe e , he e is a hie a chy o emana ions, he wo ld o pu e in elligence, he Pla onic o ms, is aboye o dina y mind, which is aboye ma e . In Plo inus one inds a g ea in ellec , a sup emely g ea mys ic, and a g ea mo alis uni ed in a single indi idual. S o Augus ine was qui e igh when he said ha Plo inus need change only a ew wo ds o be a Ch is ian. In spi i Plo inus would need o change no hing. Plo inus w i es in a li ely ye deep and schola ly s yle e- miniscen o Pla o. Howe e , sugges ions o mys ical ecs asy and in ensi y a e mo e common in Plo inus han in Pla o. So we lea e he God-in oxica ed sage o Alexand ia. Had Alexan- d ia p oduced only Plo inus, she should ichly dese e he i le " he gOlden ci y". Howe e , we now discuss ano he jewel in he c own o Alexand ia, Philo Judaeus, who showed ha he Heb aic and Heleno-O ien al adi ions we e no an i he ical, bu comple- men a y Philo has been mo e hono ed in l1e Ch is ian adi ion han in hIs own Heb aic adi ion, as many, hough by no means aH, Jewish TheoIogians and Talmudis s ha e conside ed him a he- e ic and Helenise . Neo-Pla onism did no begin wi hi Plo inus. In ac , Plo inus li ed in he hi d cen u y AD, no long be o e neo-Pla onism was abso bed by Ch is iani y. Philo was a con empo a y o Ch is , and is some imes called he i s Jewish mys ic. Philo combined neo-Pla onic me aphysics wi h Jewish mo- nono heism in an ingenious and a ional manne . No doub o comba he an h opomo phism common o a g ea pa o his ellow Jews, Philo s esses he ine abili y oí God, and is hus conside ed by some he ounde o he " ia nega i a", ha any quaU y a ibu ed o Goid is alse, beca use a ibu es imply limi a ion, hough he " ía nega i a" is ound much ea lie in India. Faced wi h he di icul y o combining he ine able, unchanging God who is beyond all ca ego ies o ime and space wi h he c ea o God o he Jewish adi ion, Philo bo owed he Logos om He acli us and in e p e ed i as combining he MICHAEL MCCLAIN unc ions o he One and he Pla onic wo ld o pu e in elligence. Pu e mono heism was main ained by in e p e ing he Logos as he c ea i e and sus aining aspec o God. Thus, he Logos is a pe sonal aspec o an impe sonal God. The mys ical expe ience is an encoun e wi h he Logos. Pan heism was a oided by s essing ha aH hings a e c ea ions a he han emana ions o God. This Logos doc ine is ound in he Gospel o S o John and in he Nieene C eed. Jewish law and e hícs we e iden i ied wi h he S oic concep o uni e sallaw. Fo Philo, howe e , he mys ical expe ience is no undi e- en ia ed uni y, bu "beholding God in all His glo y". Tb:is was o become a unique aspec o Jewish mys icism, dis inguishing i om neo-Pla onic, Ch is ian, and Islamic mys icism. The p esen w i e belie es his dis inc ion o be me ely a ma e o wo ds and seman ics. This dis inc ion is no made by all Jewish mys ics. Philo w i es in a s yle which be ays bo h:' his Heb aic and his G eek an eceden s and is in e es ing o his eason. Philo's in uence on Ch is iani y and on Jewish mys icism would be di ieul o o e es ima e. Philo is a key igu e in he c oss- e ilisa ion o ideas which ook place in Helenis ic Ale- xand ia. The o igin o Ch is ian mYs icism is di icul o pinpoin . The e a e passages in he Epis les o S o Paul which seem o indica e ha he had mys ical leanings. S o John he E angelis was ob iously in uenced by Philo, bu he e is no posi i e e i- dence ha he himsel was a mys ic. The i s Ch is ian mys ic o which we may be ce ain is Dionysius he A eopagi e. This name is p obably a pseudonym, and he was p obably a Sy ian Ch is ian o he second cen u y AD. Wha is signi ican is ha h¡e was an ea ly Ch is ian nys ic. In Dionysius, he in luence o he neo-Pla onis s is ob ious in bo h "Mys ical Theology" and "Di ine Names". Dionysius, like PhHo, was a ollowe o he " ia nega i a", o he Upan- ishad injunc ion ha he Uni e sal SeU is incommensu able, "no his, no ha ", he nega i e si de oí he mys ical expe ience. Fo example hese quo a ions om "Mys ical Theology". "God is he Supe Essen ial Da kness. I is no numbe , no {5] WESTERN MYSnCISM FROM PLOTlNUS AND PHILO TO STo ¡OHN OF THE CROSS 73 o de , no g ea ness no li lel'l.ess, no equali y, no inequaU y ... no is i he One, no is i GOdhead no Goodness; no does I belong o he ca ego y oí non-exis ence no o ha o exis- e ce" Dionysius econciles his wi h his Ch is ian heism in he "Di ine Names" by s a ing ha any hing man may say abou God is alseo Thus Dionysius is a o e unne o such hinke s as Rudol O o in his iew ha aH wo ds used o desc ibe God a e o necessi y symbolical and me apho ical. Also in Dionysius we ind a s ong eso e ic elemen o Fo example; "These hings hou mus no disclose o any o he unini ia ed ... ". "Fo no wi hou eason is he blessed Moses bidden i s o unde go ini ia ion himsel , and hen o sepa a e himsel om hose who ha e no unde gone i ... ". This eso e i- cism ils mo e han a li le eminescen o gnos icism, hough Dionysius was e y a om gncs icism o he wise. I would eappea in a Jewish guise in he Cabala. Dionysius w i es in a s yle which s ill p ese es aces oí i s G eek an eceden s, bu in ~ s 'incandescen manne be ays in luence om a he Eas -Pe sia and India. The in luence o Dionysius was eno mous. Thanks o him, a e y pu e o m o mys icism acqui ed an almos canonical au ho i y. Dionysius mus be conside ed he o e unne oí a e y long and ichly a ied Une o Ch is ian nys ics. The gold o Alexand ia is no e exhaus ed. We pass now o one o he mos p o ound and in e es ing o all Ch is ian hinke s: O igen. O igen is p ac ically he an i hesis o Dionysius. Dionysius was a mys ical philosophe who was indubi ably Ch is ian, bu whose Ch is iani y is almos inciden al o his mys ical heo y. The g ea e pa o he wo ks Ol Dionysius could ha e been w i en by a Ch is ian. a Moslem, a Hindu, o a Jew, and in ac may be mis aken o ce ain passages in he Upanishads. O igen. on he o he hand, was a e y e sa ile hinke whose mys ical heo y o ms only a small pa oí his o al ou pu . O igen's in e p e" a ion o his mys ical expe ience could only be Ch is ian. I Dionysius was a mys ic who happened o be a Ch is ian, O igen was a Ch is ian who happened o ha e 74 MICHAEL MCCLAlN [6J a mY8 ical expe ience. F om he iewpoin o mys icism, O i- gen 18 in e es ing beeause he 8eem3 in many ways o be a o e unne no only o la e Ch is ian bu o Jewish and moslem mys icism. O igen's mys ical doc ine is sca e ed h ough his wo ks, bu p incipally in ce ain homilies on Le i icus and Numbe s and in his Coinmen a y on he Song o Songs. lUexand ia was a ci y oí many Jews and he e is e e y e idence ha O igen ollowed he Rabbia in a g ea pa o his exegesis o he booka o he OId Tes amen . Thus, he Ho- oiliea o O igen show much in iuenee o Rabbinie exegesis, no unlike he Talmud. Howe e , his is no all. The e a e also s ong elemen s o he 80 o exegesi8 used by Medie al Ca- balis a. Is his coineiden al? We e he e o e unne s ol he Cabalis s in hi d cen u y Alexand ia? We do no know. In O igen, he mysUe ques has nine s ages. Eigh o hese s ages a e desc ibed in he homilies on Le i icus and Numbe s he nin h in he commen a ies on he Song oí Songa. The i s eigh s ages in ol e he sel -knowledge and pu - ga ion common o aH mjTs icism, bu so ne pa s a e e y in e - es ing. A speci ically Ch is ian elemen , and one which will be ei e a ed by la e Ch is ian mys ics is he "second bap ism" 01' "second con e sion". In O Igen, his means a new consciousness, unde g ace, o he ue con en o Ch is ian me. The se en h s age is one ound in he w i ings o many mys ics, no ably S o Ca he ine o Siena. This is he s age in which he mys ic is ha assed by alse isions, isions which emp be aspi ing mys ic o de ia e om his ques . In he homilies, his s age is iden i ied wi h he Wilde ness o Sin. "Sin" in he Rabbinic in e p e a ion meanig " emp a ion". The eigh s age is ha called by S o John o he C oss "Da k Nigh o he Soul", hough in O igen he da ks is 1ess absolu e. S o John o he C oss uses he "Ascen o M . Ca mel" as an allego y o he :mys ical ques . O igen uses happenings in he books oí Le i icus and Numbe s and s ages in he jou ney o he Is aeli es om Egyp o Canaan o symbolise he a ious [7] WESTERN MYSTICISM FROM PLOTlloi'US AND PHILO TO STo ¡OHN OF THE CROSS 75 s ages o he mys ical ques in a manne emínescen oí he Rabbis and he cabalis s. The nin h s age is he s age oÍ mys ical uníon, hough O igen ne e uses his e mo This s age is deal wi h in he wo ks on b¡e Song o Songs. He e i is impo an o di e en ía e be ween desc ip ion and in e p e a ion. In he desc ip ion~ O igen uses images oí sexual lo e in an allego ical : ashion e y much like many Moslem Su is, and also like S o John o he C oss in he Spi i ual Can icle and o he wo ks. This is a i s in he his o y o mys icism, a leas wes o India. He also uses he senses as an analogy, common enough in mys ical w i ings. In Psalm 34 one inds " as e and see ha he Lo d is good". In e p e a ion is ano he ma e . He e we ha e a con as wi h Plo inus. Fo Plo inus, he objec is simply uníon wi h he One. O igen comes nea o his, bu his Ch is ian Theism d aws him back om migh ,be conside ed pan heism. Fo O igen, he mys ical expe ience is uníon in in en ion wi h Ch is coupled wi h an illumina ingconsciousness o God in Ch is . Two symbols O igen uses a e ins uc i e, he symbol o ea ing, which is o cou se in e ms o he Eucha is , and he symbol o ma iage. aken om he " wo in one iesh" ound in Genesis. O igen was he o e unne in a g ea many hings ypical oí Ch is ian mys icism, and in ac may be conside ed he Íoun- de oi one b anch o Ch is ian mys icism, Dionysius he ounde o he o he . Fo O igen, he mys ical expe ience is o he "sunligh and ai " o "ho i on and hea " ype, in ol ing a "conpene a ion" oi c ea o and c ea ed, bu wi hou eal unÍon o abso p ion. O igen, unlike Dionysius, is no Theosophic, he e is no specula ion on he na u e o God. O igen's mys icism is no ecs a ic a any poin . Also, in con as o Plo inus, Dionysius, and O igen's ellow Egyp ian Ch is Ians, he dese a he s, i is no soli a y, 01' a leas he ques is no o The ole o he chu <;h ls o g ea impo ance in O igen's mys ical ques as he isible body o Ch is on ea h. O igen and Dionysius a e hus he o e unne s o he majo MICHAEL MCCLAIN [8] :s ands o Ch is ian mys icism, hough mos la e Ch is ian mys ics a e somewhe e be ween he wo a he han being s ic ollowe s o one o he o he . Ve y ea ly igu es in he his o y o Ch is iani y, such as S o Igna ius oí An ioch and he unknown au hoT o au ho s o he Sy iac Odes o Solomon be ay a mix u e o mys ic and gnos ic elemen s. Fai ly ·ea ly, howe e , he e is a sepa a ion be ween mys icism and gnos icism, so ha Ch is ian mys ics, such as O igen, S o G ego y o Nyssa, Dionysius, and S ephen ba Sadaili ha e H le o he gnos ic abou hem, while Ch is ian gnos ics, such as he unknown au ho s o he Gospel o Thomas, he Gospel o T u h, and he Gospel o he Egyp ians show ew mys ical elemen s. A ce ain pa allelism exis s be ween gnos i- cism and mys icism, bu beyond a ce ain poin he wo di e ge and in ac becoine nea ly an i he ical. This di ision be ween mys icism and gnos icism in Ch is iani y was no doub u he ed by he ac ha while !mys idsm was accep ed as o hodox, gnos icism was condemned as he esy. Be o e aking lea e o his pe iod in he his o y o Ch is - iani y I should like e y miUch o ecommend he w i ings o ' he ea ly, eas e n chu ch including hose o he he e ical gnos ics. The w i ings o his pe iod ha e a eshness, ichness, and a ie y di icul o equal in any ime o place. When we u n o Judaism, he si ua ion is qui e di e en . The e was ne e a clea cu b eak be ween gnos icism and mys - icism. In ac , i may be conside ed a cb;a ac e is ic o Jewish mys icisin ha while Ch is ian mys icism ea ly pu ged i sel o gnos ic elemen s (and was oUowed in his by he Moslem Su is), gnos ic eleimen s ha e pe sis ed in Jewish mys icism down o ou own day. The easons o his a e p obably because he Rabbinic adi ion ejec ed alike gnos icism and mys icism, hus ending o a once p ese e he sec e i e, eso e ic a mos- phe e so ypical on gnos icism, while a he same ime eal i gene ally non- iolen pe secu ion ended o keep gnos icism and mys icism uni ed. AIso, Jewish gnos ic5 and mys ics claimed o be ollowing an eso e ic adi ion pa allel wi h he o hodox o Rabbinic adi ion, and hence he e was a g ea eluc ance o ejec o simply igno e any hing pu po lng o be o his adi ion. WESTERN MYSTICISM FROM PLOTlNUS AND PHILO TO STo ¡OHN OF THE CROSS 77 The cabalis s ha e always claimed o ollow an eso e ic adi ion ex ending back o he Pa ia chs and e en o Adam. In ac , he eso e ic gnos ic-mys ic adi ion in Judaism ex ends: o be o é he ime o Ch is . So ne place he o igins 01 his adi ion in he Pe sian pe iod, o he s place i la e in he ime o he Seleucids o he Maccabees. We know nex o no hing o he ea Ues pe iod o his adi ion, bu om oughly he la e pa oí he i s cen u y BC o he ise o Cabalism in he Middle Ages, his adi ion ga e ise o Me kabah m ys icism. In he s udy o Me kabah mys icism one gene ally ge s he imp esion ha one 113 dealing no wi h mys icism bu wi h a. so o isiona y gnos icismo Ne e heless, 1 e el ha Me kabah mys icism has a place in his wo k because a imes a leas one can de ec a so o ecs a ic mys icism behind he gnos ic a<;ade, hough exp essed in odd ways, and because o i s im- po ance in he o ma ion o Cabalism. Me kabah mys icism is he wo k oí Jewish sages o Pa- les ine and Babylonia. I is known o us í om he w i ings o now anonymous au ho s who used a a ie y o li e a y o ms- mishnaic commen a ies on Biblical ex s, apoc yphal wo ks such as he Book o Enoch and he Apocalypse oí Ab aham, and "in- dependen " wo ks such as he Book o C ea ion. The wo d me kabah means " h one", and is de i ed om. he ision o Ezekiel. The obj ec o he me kabah adep 113 he ision o God en h oned in glo y in he hiekalo h, o he g ea halls and palaces o Hea en. A imes one i8 eminded o he Byzan ine and Sassanian cou s. The emphasis he e is all on he glo y and he m!aJes y o God. He e oo a a he complex angelology is de eloped. The co e o his sys em could ha dly be mo e gnos ic. The souI, in i s ascen o he h one o God, o , exp essed ano he way, o he ullness o God's ligh , passes. h ough he sphe es o he se en hos ile plane a y a chons,. and -he U e a u e con ains i id desc ip ions o he pe ils o his ascen . Said ascen is always p eceded by asce ic p ac ices o a ying du a ion. He e, howe e , he e is no hin o he Shekinah, God's Immanence in he wo ld, o la e Cabalism, compa able o he A man o Hindu adi ion. AH emphasis is on God anscendan . In gnos ic ashion, a dis inc ion is made MICHAEL MCCLAIN p ophe ic, and his sys em is qui e a om Cabalism in bo h he li e al meaning o he wo d and wha is no mally conside ed as being cha ac e is ic o Cabalism. Abula ia has a g ea deal mo e o say oí he mys ical expe- ience han his. He equen ly w i es o he ision o he spi i ual guide o eache , iden icle o he Hindu spi i ual gu u. This is known in Me kabah mys icism, whe e he "gu u" is iden i ied wi h he angel Me a ion. He e Abula ia is mo e inclined o iden i y he gu u as an aspec o God. He e Abula ia comes eiy close o saying ha he mys ic is uly uni ed wi h God, and hus e y nea o pan heism. A numbe o imes Abula ia speaks o he iden i y o he mys ic and his gu u. Abula ia says "now he is no longe sepa a ed om his mas e , and behold he is his mas e and his mas e is he; o he is so in ima ely adhe ing o him ha he canno by any means be sepa a ed om Him, o he is HE". A bolde s a emen o he union o he soul o he mys ic wi h God would be di icul o ind wes o India. The e is a leas an appa en equi oca ion be ween he p o- phe ic aspec and he uni i e aspec o he mys ical expe ience. In ano he con ex Abula ia seems o cla i y his, and also his con inui y wi h he oIde Me kabah mys icism. In speaking o he sephi o h, o p imal numbe s so dea o he Me kabah mys ics, Abula ia s a es ha one shou d begin wi h con empla ion o he sephi o h and la e pass on o he le e s o he Heb ew alphabe , and by an un ansla able play on wo ds, s a es ha his sys ein is he ue ision o he me - kabah. Abula ia a!Bo desc ibes se en s ages o knowledge o he To ah. The six h s age is ha o p ophe ic cabalism, he se- en h s age he Holy o HoUes abou which i is no possible o speak. This se en h s age would seem o be he uni i e s age spoken o ea lie . No e ha in his con ex he p ophe ic s age is six h, no se en h. A ew gene al wo ds abou Abula ia. His sys em is ecs a ic, no heosophic. The e is i ually no specula ion as o he na u e o God anywhe e in his w i ings. Like Buddha, Abula ia [J 7] WESTERN MYSTlCISM FROM PLOTINUS AND PHILO TO STo JOHN 01' THE CROSS 85 conside ed philosophical: ques ions which do no aid in he achie emen o he mys ical expe ience o "un ying he kno s" as i ele an and a was e o ime. This is clea ly e y a om he Zoha o Cabalism in gene al. Also no e ha Abula ia did no hink o himsel as ollowing an inc edibly ancien , eso e ic adi ion, bu a he emphasised he newness and indi idua li y o his sys em. The gnos ic ele- men s gene ally cha ac e is ic o Jewish mys icism a e e y nea ly absen in Abula ia. Also clea ly, Abula ia's concep o God is qui e a om he ea some, un eachable Dei y o a leas he g ea e pa o Me kabah mys icisin. We now ake lea e o a g ea nys ic and a g ea mano A his poin 1 wish ocommen on a pe sis en heme oi Jewish mys icism. This 1s he p oblem o he Ein So . Though he e m is an in en ion o he Cabalis s, he issue was e y much ali e among he Me kabah mys ics. The Ein So is he "God beyond God", he In ini e, he Di ine G ound, he God o Dionysius, he God Who anscends he c ea o God o he Bible, GOd, in he wo ds o he Cabalis s, "in he dep hs o His no hingness". In Me kabah mys icism he Ein So has no special name, bu only such de ini ions as " he inde inible essence o God". Th oughou mos o he his o y o Jewish mys icisin, he p oblem o he Ein So has been cen al, o nea ly so. The Caba- lis s deny he eali y o any di ision be ween he Ein So and he C ea o God, bu he e ha e been he e o hodox sys ems which admi a dualism o e en opposi ion be ween he wo. He e we p obably ha e he o igin o hose gnos ic sec s which iden i ied he God o he Old Tes amen as a demon. He e o hodox Ju- daism, unde he in luence o I anian dualismJ and he e ible disas e s o he Jewish people in he la e hal o he i s and i s hal o he second cen u y, came o belie e ha while God is good, he wo ld o ma e was c ea ed by a demon. This ex eme dualism is e y a om any 80 o mys icisin. No all gnos ic sec s we e so ex emely dualis ic; The doc ine oi he Essenes, o example, hough essen ially gnos ic and la gely dualis ic ("The Sons o Ligh e sus he Sons o Da kness") 86 MICHAEL MCCLAIN [ 8J s ill ecognised he c ea o God o he 010. es amen as he ue God. Howe e , Abu alia lS a ypical o Jewish mys ics. In Judaism, pe haps mo e so han in Ch is iani y o Islam, he dis ance be ween c ea o and c ea u e is s ongly s essed. "Th one" mys icism is mo e yical. Con empo a y wi h Abula ia was he g ea age o Cabalism, which culmina ed in he Zoha , he Book o Splendo . In he Cabalism o Medie al Spain we ind he eso e icis n as exp essed by Dionysius a i s heigh . Despai ing oi exp essing mys ical u h by me e wo ds, he Cabalis s u ned o s ange, eso e ic symbols, ideog ams, and symbolic language. F om he Zoha "when he hi een oun ains o he i e s o oil descend, all hese a e me cies". "Also we lea ned ha i e nakednesses can be e ealed on ha side, which a e he i e judgemen s; and hese i e jud- gemen s a e ex ended in o 248 pa hs". The Cabala also made use o mys ic numbe s and combina- ions o le e s. The bulk o he Zoha was composed by a Spanish Jew na- meO. Moses de Leon in he la e pa o he 13 h cen u y. The ünmedia e cause o i s publica ion was an an ido e o he igiO. a ionalism: o he con empo a y Talmudis s. I onically, he Zo- ha isw i en in a s yle which imi a es he Pales inian Talmud, o he ex en ha i is w i en in an a chaic A amaic a he han Heb ew, A abic, o La in. Howe e , a g ea pa o he Zo- ha esembles a se ies o medie al se mons mo e han he dialo- gue ypical o he Talmud. This was also he g ea age o Jewish philosophy, Jehuda Ha- le i, Moses and Ab aham ibn Ez a, Joseph ibn Zaddik, Ab aham ba Hiyya, Bahya ibn Pakuda, Solomon Ibn Gabi ol, Ab aham ibn Daud, Moses ben Maimon, and many o he s being ci izens oi medie al Spain. The doc ine o he Zoha is heosophic a he han ecs a ic. Indeed, i is nea ly he an i hesis o he doc ine o Abula ia. The heoso ic doc ine oi he Zoha , 1 am no ashamed o say, 18 he wo s head-b eake 1 encoun e ed in my esea ch o [19] WESTERN MYSTlClSM FROM PLOTlNUS Al:'<1) PHILO TO STo JOHN OF THE CROSS 87 his pape o To he unini ia ed i seems a mass o con adic ions, wo ds wi h eiled meanings, and ank nonsense. The doc ine o he Zoha is semi-pan heis ic. The uni e se is made o en se i o h, sünila o he eman ions o Plo inus e.nd he phenomenal o ms o he Su is. The e is a di e ence, howe e . The se i o h a e no in e media e s eps be ween God and he wo ld. These se i o h ake plaoe wi hin GOd, and a he same ime enable man o pe cei e God. In he p ocess, God's c ea i e powe b eaks h ough he elosed she11 oi he Ein so , he In ini e, he Inne mos Being o Di ini y, he "elea ligh o he oid", henee he possibili y o he mys ieal expe- ience. The ela ionships o he se i o h and hei names 1 will no go in o he e. To symbolise hese di e en aspee s o Di ini y, wi h hei many g ada ions, he symbol oí he human body is used. Though aman is one indi idual, hands, eyes, e c., ha e di e en une ions. This is elabo a ed in he Zoha . The numbe o symbolisms in he Zoha is as , bu a leas one mo e is wo hy o men íon, he He, You and 1. GOd, in he mos deeply hidden o His mani es a ions is ealled He. God, in he s age oí he un olding o His Being, G aee, and Lo e, is eaHed You. God, in he sup eme mani es a ion, when he ullness o His Being inds inal exp ession in he las and aH emb acing 01 His a ibu es is called 1. This Di ine Sel , his "1", is he shekinah, he immanence 01 God in an c ea ion. I is a his poin ha he mys ic becomes awa e o he p esence 01 GOd, and he e p og esses in o he deepe egions o he Di ine, he "You", and "He", in o he dep hs o he "elea ligh o he oid". C ea ion is he ex e nal aspee o some hing which akes place in God Himsel . (No e: a his poin P o esso S anley Lusby no ed in he ma gin o his pape : "No unlike Mudhyan- aka Buddishsm in some espec s"). I doub i he eade knows wha 1 am ge ing a , sinee I doub i 1 know mysel . Le us mo é on o some hing alse, he p oblem o he ex e nal aspee o e ea ion, he phenomenal uni e se, and i s ela ion o God. The eo e 01 he Zoha ls semi-pa heis ic, as has been said, o pe haps panen heis ic, o use he e m o p o esso Cha les 88 l !1ICHAEL lVlCCLAIN [20] Ha sho ne. Acco ding o he Zoha , c ea ion akes place on wo le els; ha which p oduced he uppe wo ld o he se i o h, and ha which p oduced he lowe wo ld o he isible c ea ion. The highe o de ep esen s he dynamic uni y o GOd, he lowe o de he wo ld o sepa a ion, whe e exis hings isola ed. om each o he and om God. Howe e , he mys ical spi i o Moses de Leon comes o he su ace, and he says: "I one con- empla es he hings in mys ical medi a ion, e e y hing is e- ealed as One, and He (God) ills e e y hing, and He is e e- y hing". On e e y le el, c ea ion e lec s he inne mo emen o he Di ine Li e. F om he Zoha : "E e y hing exis s linked wi h .e e- y hing else down o he lowes link on he chain, and he ue essence o God is aboye as well as below, in he Hea ens and on he ea h, and no hing exis s ou side Him, and "Medi a e on hese hings, and you will unde s and ha God's essence is lin- ked and connec ed wi h aH wo lds, and ha aH o ms o exis- ence and essence". This pan heis ic (o , a he . panen heis ic) side has i s lim:i. s and may dis ega ded (i usually is in Jewish ei cles), as all c ea ed exis en ce has a kind o eali y in which i appea s independen o he mys ical wo lds o unl y. Howe e , such was no always he case. Be o e he jn oduc ion oI eVil, e e y hing s ood in immedia e mys ical appo o e e y hing else. No e: ThIs is one o he uni e sal doc ines o mys icism- ha which makes o sepa a ion is e il. No e he wo ds wi h e ilconno a ions de i ed om he Indo-Eu opean oo s meaning wo- du and bi -dubious, diabolic, bilious, disas e , doom, enial (b o ), doub , The wo d di ide has e il connno a ion, dis ac , pe haps die, iolen , ioIa e, disc imina e, dis- he lis is almos endIess, and a simila si ua ion is ound in all Indo-Eu opean languages. The p oblem o e il is deal wi h in he Zoha . Sepa a ion om he uni ied li e o GOd, and he e o e e il, ca ne abou when so ne c ea u e seeks o nain ain his own seU, and hus des oy he p is ine uni y, making a wo ld o alse con ex s, which only he mys ic may pene a e and e u n o eali y. The e is also a deepe o igin o e il, conce ned wi h he se i o h. As one canno ha e a moun ain wi hou a alley, so he exe cise o God's 21] WESTERN MYSTlCISM PROM PLOTlNUS AND PHIW TO S . ¡OHN OE' THE CROSS 89 me cy and lo e, symbolised by he. igh hand, canno be exe - cised wi hou s ic jus ice and judgeme i , symbolised by he 1e hand. When he 1e hand ceas es e be empe ed by he igh , i b eaks away om God and becomes e il. The pa allel wi h Jacob Boeh ne is s iking. The soul o man has h ee di isions, ne esh, o li e, Ruah, o Spi i , Neshamah o soul p ope , simila o he Sanskl:i A - mano The Neshamah is beyond sin, being o he sam:e subs ance as God (I almos said B ahma), and only he Ne esh sins and su e s. Souls a e p e-exis en and ha e been since e e ni y. A e dea h he soul e u ns om whence i ca ne, sa e hose oi sinne s. Reinca na ion en e s he e. In ce ain cases a soul is einca na ed in a new body, pa ly as punishmen , pa ly as a chance o es i u ion. Much o he Zoha is a mys ical in e p e a ion o he To ah. Co esponding o he uppe and lowe wo lds, he e lB he isible and p ac icable To ah, and he in isible and mys e ious To ah. o Much o Cabalis ic li e a u e is de o ed o he disco e y o eiled meanings in he To ah. The Su is conside ed he Co an as ha - ing eso e ic, mys ical meanings, bu he Cabalis s wen much u he in his so oi hing, making use o sound alues o he Heb ew le e s (example: wo Heb ew wo ds wi h he same num- e ic alues ha e he same meaning, he e o e a wo d in he To ah may be cons ued o ha le mo e han one meaning. Likewise he Cabalis s ansposed Ie e s, and i he nume ic alues o he le e s o a wo d equalled a mys ic numbe , su eh as se en, his was conside a .sign o a eiled, mys ical meaning). The Su is almos ne e wen beyond a eompa a i ely simple allego ical: in e p e a ion o he Co an, somewha like O Igen's allego ical-mys ical in e p e a ion o pa s o he Bible. The mys ieal heo y o he Zoha is some hing o a com- p omise be ween he Me kabah, o " h one mys icism", and he "iden i y in di e ence" o he Su is, Ch is ian mys ies, and Abula Ia. The soul o he mys ic eaches de eku h, o "adhesion" wi h heshekinah, and pene a es beyond he musíon o se ... pa a ion. A Iowe , less de eloped o m o de eku h may be ac- complished wi hin he no mal U e o he indi idual and com- muni y, hus e e y phase o li e may be sanc ie id. In he ZOha , 9° MICHAS!. MCCLAIN po e y is s essed asa eligious i ue. The poo a e caUed "God's b oken essels". This glo i ica ion oí po e y is ound in he psalms, bu died ou in he Rabbinical adi ion, and was e i ed by Cabalism and medie al and mode n Hasidism. Cabalism is a as s udy, and 1 ha e men ioned only he Zoha and Abula ia. On he ZOha , 1 me ely a emp ed o ex ac i s essence, hough my in e p e a ion should be aken wi h a g ain o sal o Much o he Zoha 1 did no co e . Someday 1 will e u n 1.0 he eso e ic, head-b eaking s udy o he Cabalah. The Zoha has since aken i s place behind he To ah and he Talmud, and is oi en "in e p e ed" so ha i will sound mo e o hodox. I is he inspi a ion o mode n Hasidism. Wha is he ela ion oi Cabalism 1.0 he o he1' o m oí Jewish mys icism, Hasidism? Though mode n Hasidism is in luenced by CabaIism, i esembles medie al Hasidism in hese espec s: Cabalism is heoso ic, Hasidism is ecs a ic, Cabalism is eso e ic, Hasidism is exo e ic. Cabalism is Ío he eli e, Hasidism is mo e deínoc a ic, Cabalism exp esses i sel in symbols, ideog ams, mys ical poems, and eso e ic w i ings. Hasidism exp esses i sel in simple olk ales, anecdo es, and apho isms. 1 ha e deal wi h nei he medie al no mode n Hasidism, hough I ha e ead Ge shom Scholem's ana Ma in Bube 's w i ings on he subjec . Howe e , 1 eel ha 1 ha e gi en enough space o Jewish mys - icism, ol' he ime and space a my dispo'Sal. I hope he Baal Shem will pa don me o his, as ce ainly no dis espec was in ended. Fo hose in e es ed in Hasidism, 1 ecommend Ma in Bube . Pel'haps a compa ison be ween Cabalism and Hasidism wouId be his: Cabalism, is like a meal which más ake longe o ea and o diges , bu o hose wi h a sui able cons i u ion, con ains much mo e nu imen o .[1 ... ew wo ds abou la e Cabalism. Be ween he w i ing o he Zoha and he expulsion o 1492, he Cabalis s o Spain de eloped ce ain ends, hough hese a e o eshadowed in he Zoha . These ends a e away om he apocalyp ic, messianic doc ines so ypical o Judaísm. Ra he han communal, he sal a ion sough by hese Cabalis s was indi idual; a he han awai ing he end o he wo ld, hese Cabalis s sough he beg- inning; a he han awai ing a messiah who would lead hem [23] WESTERN MYSTlCISM PROM PLOTlNUS ANO PHILO TO STo ¡CHN 01' THE CROSS 91 oea hly powe and gIo y, hese Cabalis s sough uníon wi h God. A wo d o explana ion is needed he e. Wha hese la e - Cabalis s sough was o e u n o be o e he beginning o ime, be a e heDi ine Uni y was comp omised, be o e he i s de~ cep ion o Sa an. This whole idea is e y gnos ic, hough he ex- eme dualism o he mo e ex eme gnos ic sec s is a oided. Howe e we mus no be misled. S ange hugh all his may sound, i is a ma e o wo ds a he han subs ance, in e - p e a ion a he han ac . Qui e clea Iy hese la e Cabalis s' we e seeking o he same hing as o he mys ics - o anscend he spa io- empó al ca ego ies, o be uni ed wi h God. The expulsion om Spain, he second exile o second dias- po a, p oduced spi i ual e ec s in o which 1 do no wish o del e he1'e. We now e u n o Ch is iani y, and o he golden age oí Ch is ian mys icism, om he wel h cen u y o he e o ma ion. Medie al Ch is ian mys icism has so ne dis inguishing cha ac- e Is ics. Wi h ew excep ions, Ch is ian mys icism is ecs a ic a he han heosophic. The mys ic uníon is in e p e ed in e :ms o iden i y in di e ence Because Ch is ian mys ics had e y.li le con ac wi h India, and because Ch is ian o hodoxy was mo e sympa he ic o mys icism han Islam, Ch is ian mys- ics a e in gene al less colo ul, o iginal, 01' as da ing hinke s as he Su is. A one o g ea e gen leness and humili y is ound among Ch is ian mys ics han among Cabalis s 01' Su is, bu he e is in gene al less uni e salismo In no o he adi ion is mys icism soclosely linked wi h cha i y and lo e o God and one's ellow mano Says Eckha : "I one be in mys ical ecs asy, and hea o a man in need, go ilmmedia ely o help him". Tl1e e we e no mys ics in he inquisi ion, and mys ics we e no an i- semí ico Wha 1 ha e said applies o mys icism in he Eas e n as well as he Wes e n Chu ch. In he Eas e n Chu ch in he middle ages, mys icism, hough no less widesp ead, Hes unde a cloud o anonymi y, and speci ic in o ma ion is di icul o come by. Mys icism in he Eas e n Chu ch di e ed om he Wes in hese ega ds: he mi s and asce ics we e mo e common in he Eas han in he Wes . Eas e n mys ics we e mo e soli a y, less li e a y, and mo e in- 92 MICHAEL MCCLAIN -clined owa d comple e de ach nen and quie is n, hough so ne beca ne popula and well known in spi e o hemsel es. The humili y and sel lessness o hese nys ics is no o be qnes io- ned. I eas e n mys ics we e less inclined owa d aking an ac i e pa in he li e o he imes, hey we e a h:;as he equals o hei wes e n b o he s in modes y and humili y, and , >ne who Calme o hem was ne e u ned away. Meis e Eckha is he mos o iginal hinke and g ea es -me aphysician among Ch is ian mys ics. Though he held a high posi ion in he Dominican o de , and was a lea ned man, his w i ings a e plain, s aigh o wa d, and lack he beau y and polish o so ne o he mys ical w i ings. Only m igena among Ch is ian mys ics i~ compa able o Eckha as a heosophis . Eckha 's ideas, hough somewha unsys ema ic, a e s a ling o hei o iginali y, and a e he subjec o endless specula ion as o hei o igin.E igena's Cel ic he i age is unmis akable in his w i ings bu Eckha had no Cel ic he i age, and almos uni elsal mys ic image y and me apho s a e no ound in his w i ings. Rudol O o has made a poin - o -poin compa ison be ween Eckha 's ideas and hose o Shanka a, he yedan is , and has shown hem o be almos iden ical. Eckha was o ally igno an "o Hindu o Buddhis mys icism, and he a ini y is uly amazing. Wha a e hese ideas o Eckha which a e so amazing? Mo e posi i ily han e en E igena, Eckha epea s he Upanis- hadic ph ase " a am asi". Fo example: "In he mys ical expe ience he God wi hin (A man o Neshamah) con empla es he God wi hou . I is God con empla ing God". Eckha goes beyond he T ini y, o Posi i e Di ine, o he undi e en ia ed uni y, he Di ine G ound, he ba en Godhead, he "elea ligh o he oid". Eekha s essed ha he Di ine 'G ound is o mless, undi e en ia ed. (No e pa allel be ween he 'T ini y in Eekha and he Se i o h o he Zoha .) Says Eckha o he Di ine G ound: "God is no good, 1 am good". This means ha he Di ine G ound is beyond all ca ego ies, ineluding good and e il, while he mys ic is no o When he soul is eed om all empi ical eon en , and hus becomesundi e en ia ed uni y, hen i may expe ienee he un- di e en ia ed uni y o he Godhead. Eckha a imes con a- [25] WESTERN MYSTlClSM FROM PLOTlNUS AND PHILO TO STo jOHN OF THE CROSS 93 dic s himsel on his poin . A imes he says ha in E e ni y he e is no sepa a ion o mul iplici y, a o he imes he hin s ha one li le poin o c ea u eliness emains on euníon wi h he - Di ine G ound. The Di ine G ound, being he nega i e Di ine. does no ac , he T ini y _o Posi i e Di ine does. In e e ni y he e is no space no ime, no pas no u u e. Mys ics knew housands o yea s be o e Eins ein ha ime and space a e he same. Eckha a imes seems o belong o India a he han he wes . The e is no dis inc ion be ween subjec and objec in he mys ical expe ience acco ding o Eckha . This con as s' wi h he dualis ic heo ies o he Ch is ian and Moslem adi- ion and he Zoha . "The bi h o Ch is in he soul" akes place when he soul is emp ied o all empi ica! con en s. The Son is bego en by he Fa he in he soul o he mys ic. In Eckha 's wo ds, "1 am iden ically His Son, and no o he ... I am His only bego en Son". (Sepa a ion is an illusion.) HI ... 1 am changed in o GOd, hen, by he li ing God, he e is no dis inc ion be ween us". One may eadily see why Echa 's hinking has been a cause o amazemen o schola s. AH his mus no be allowed o: obscu e Eckha 's pu ely Ch is ian sympa hies. He li ed and died a de ou Ca holic. Meis e Echa was he leading igu e in a mys ical mo e- men cen e ed in he Rhine alley called he Begha ds, o he F iends o God. No he e ical in in en , his mo emen was ole a ed and encou aged by he Chu ch o he 13 h and 14 h cen u ies un il i degene a edin o magic, . enzy, e c, when i was cu ailed by he chu ch. We now e u n o Spain. Spanish mys icism has a la o aH i s own which is di icul o exp ess in a ew wo ds. 1 am inclined o a ibu e i o long associa ion wi h Moslem and Jewish mys- ics. Ch is ian mys icism in Spain has a longe con inuous his- o y han in any o he coun y wes o Pe sia, and Spain has cel' ainly eaped a la ge e ip o mys ics han any o he coun y in Ch is endom. When he Moslem and Jewishmys ics who made Spain hei home is added o his, he numbe becomes as ouding. People inclined o be bi e ly c i ical o Spain and Spanish Ca holicism keep his inmind, as well as he ole ance enjoyed by Moslems and Jews in Medie al Spain.