Mystic’s Journey (by Richard Lang)

Travelling through ever higher realms of spiritual light (each alternating however with just as deep a realm of darkness)
the mystic finds at last that the longed-for goal,
the Beatific Vision, eludes her.

She finds herself in the deepest darkness,
without faith, without hope, without joy,
apparently deserted by God.

What can she do?

She is now forced to abandon her effort to expand,
to grow into God,
to become the Whole
(an endeavour that so easily becomes a spiritual ego-trip)
and instead drops down into wanting nothing,
having nothing, being nothing
she returns to her centre
and accepts whatever is given in the emptiness there.

Her attempt to know all things,
to become perfect,
has failed and is replaced by knowing nothing,
by humility.