Our deepest self is accessible to us only through union with God. No amount of inner work on our part does it. We can only dispose ourselves by becoming soft wax, to use Teresa’s (of Avila) image, ready for the divine imprint.

What a remarkable insight into the relationship between psyche and spirit. The deepest part of us - our inner depth - is accessible only through a faith-relationship with God. It is God who leads us into the deeper reaches of the human.

Mysticism, one’s faith-relationship with God, is integral to full human development. Unitive experiences are crucial to human life because they help shape us as loving persons. The fruit of union with God is always a deeper commitment to Christ and to Christ’s gospel of love. Personal transformation is integral to societal transformation because the absence of such genuine love erodes community life, destroys marriages, weakens friendship and leads to loss of integrity in political life.

Distractions in Prayer: Blessing or Curse?
Sr. Vilma Seelaus, OCD