IN PRAISE OF SPIRITUAL PRUDENCE IN EVERYTHING

Of the Prudence you should have in everything, Osuna says: 

 ' Examine, Become Experienced, and perfect all your works'. 

in the Fifth Treatise of Spiritual Recollection.

To learn spiritual prudence is to learn to examine everything in the forge of the conscience, to navigate the ship of the soul with a fearless carefulness, and to learn to extract the sweet wisdom and goodness  of the soul like a bee-keeper extracts honey. 

Live an examined life!

Know yourself not by last things

but by first things.

Know yourself not by deeds

but by their first rooting ,

the first  stirrings of deeds

beginning in the heart.

Before  the grasp of thought .

Before passion intensifies

and acts become habits.

Keep watch with everything

in the forge of conscience.

Keep watch with everything

till the heart’s holy heat is fierce

and a purer act, clearer sight

will come.  

Follow this work through

into a lifetime of perfecting

the heart’s manner of knowing

from first things not last things

like the wise man who

lifts precious metal from the flames

and with utmost patience polishes

till the sheen of gold shines through.

……………………………………………………

Learn to fear wisely and well!

Every sailing in the ship of recollection

rouses fear of deep waters and storms

with only a plank beneath you

and the ocean floor.

So captain your own ship

of spiritual exercise

with prudent fear –

use a plumb -line to measure depth

study the  sea chart

carry many sails

find the north star

and take care of your craft.

But equally …

captain your ship  with prudent fearlessness

not fearing when there is no reason to fear.

Before accusing voices saying –

demented! deceived! demon!

be prudently fearless.

Let your soul not shrink

from anxious advice and imaginings

of every error and conceivable mishap. 

Stay the full course -  prudently fearless!

 ……………………………………………..

Perfect the art of inner tasting !

The wise man contemplates

to open the mouth of his soul.  

He need not understand

what grace is being placed

direct on his tongue

he need not see what nourishes

to learn the manner of savouring

to recognise the flavour of wisdom

and experience for himself

the  vivifying effect .

The wise man continues his work

to educate his  palette

for spiritual tasting .

He savours at leisure

what he does not recognise at first

making fine distinctions in his soul

comparing this subtle flavour with that.

So the conversion of heart  proceeds

through delightful knowing.

But most of all,

the wise man contemplates

to be strengthened in hope.

Like a lover being fed honey

his Beloved invites him

into  a fearless relishing

of a  mere token drop

from the honeycomb of beatitude -

feeding his longing  for more

feeding desire for nothing less

feeding  a sacred ambition

that causes him to cry out in hope

in hope for the fullness

that this sweet dripping foretaste

promised from the beginning.