"The Emergence of Spanish Mystical Poetry in the Golden Age and Its Representatives"

"The Emergence of Spanish Mystical Poetry in the Golden Age and Its Representatives"

The term "mystical" comes from the Greek word "mystikós," meaning "mysterious" or "enigmatic," specifically referring to religious mysteries. From the early days of the Church, it had a broad meaning: "manifestations of religious life subjected to the extraordinary supernatural action of Providence." Another definition describes it as the "supernatural relationship between the creature and God, which cannot be achieved through natural or ordinary grace." A more descriptive definition states that "mysticism is the experimental knowledge of the divine presence, in which the soul feels a strong sense of contact with God."

According to theological doctrine, mysticism is an extraordinary gift of divine grace. However, the soul can also contribute to its attainment through personal efforts or exercises. These exercises of preparation for receiving the divine gift of special grace constitute what is known as asceticism. Asceticism is the human pedagogy that leads to mysticism. While asceticism depends solely on human will, mysticism depends on extraordinary divine grace.

There are three paths established by treatises to achieve beatific union: the Purgative Way (purgatio), the Illuminative Way (illuminatio), and the Unitive Way (unio). The Purgative Way corresponds to the ascetic stage, where the soul purifies itself from vices through prayer and mortification. The Illuminative Way represents the mystical stage, where the soul, free from previous defects, begins to partake in the gifts of the Holy Spirit and enjoy the presence of God. The Unitive Way leads to complete union with God, where the world no longer holds any significance, and the soul is left alone with divinity in a state of complete loving and joyful passivity. The ecstasies that mystics sometimes experience are mere accessory phenomena for this union.

While asceticism has its roots in the Middle Ages, Spanish mysticism in the Golden Age appears as an absolute novelty. The question arises: why is Spain called the country of mystics? Considering that Spain only had mysticism in the Golden Age, this assertion seems implausible. Perhaps mysticism is being confused with asceticism. In reality, Spain would be more accurately described as a country of ascetics. This lack of medieval tradition and the possible Semitic influence through Raymond Lull (1232-1316) may be the reason for this distinction.

Spanish mystical literature places a strong emphasis on literary quality and aesthetic values. It reflects the clarity and popular sense of the majority of its productions. The Spanish mysticism, born in a favorable environment, is not like the mysticism of decadent philosophies, which is exoteric and mysterious. Instead, it aspires to influence the moral education of the people. This is why the mystics use vulgar language, and one of the great literary qualities of mysticism is that it reflects the cultured and vigorous language of the people of 16th century Castile.

The Spanish conquistador lived through centuries of intense activism and action in pursuit of the religious ideal of national unity. Once the Reconquista was achieved, this combative and adventurous spirit was redirected towards the conquest of America. After the first fifty years of imperial activism, mysticism emerged as the introspective humanism crisis began. The Spanish did not want to embrace the paths of modern rationalism while realizing that the imperial ideals were coming to an end. They began to see the transient nature of worldly things, leading to a sense of disillusionment. Thus, a mysticism emerged that affirmed human personality and defended free will.

The two supreme figures of Spanish mysticism are Saint Teresa of Jesus (1515-1582) and Saint John of the Cross (1542-1591). Both represent the pinnacle of Spanish mysticism. Their appearance was prepared by the ascetics with mystical tendencies from other religious orders such as Pedro de Alcántara, Bernardino de Laredo, Francisco de Osuna, and Fray Luis de Granada. What is common among these mystics is the combination of an elevated contemplative life on one hand and a dynamic life of action on the other. They walked between the things of God and the things of the world, unifying in their lives and writings the opposing currents of speculative mysticism and empirical mysticism, the ideal and the real.

Saint Teresa of Jesus, also known as Saint Teresa of Ávila, was born into a noble family in Ávila. Her father was the son of a converted Jew who was penitentized by the Inquisition in Toledo in 1485. At the age of seven, she wanted to run away with her brother to the land of the Moors in search of martyrdom, influenced by books about saints. She later developed a fascination with chivalry books. At the age of sixteen, she was sent by her father to the Augustinian convent, where she spent the years 1531 to 1533. Initially, she had no intention of becoming a nun, but she also did not feel drawn to marriage. Moved by reading Saint Augustine's Confessions, she entered the convent of the Incarnation in 1535 against her father's wishes, taking the name Sister Teresa of Jesus. Her extreme ascetic exercises affected her health for the rest of her life, resulting in severe headaches and insomnia. She sometimes experienced acute pains, which she described as the point of a lance piercing her heart, caused by an angel. In her thirties, she began to experience mystical experiences. She had a vision of the torments of hell, which led her to reform the traditional Carmelite order, restoring its purity and severity. She suffered a period of great spiritual dryness until the age of forty when she wrote her first work. This marked the beginning of a period of intense activity, and she founded her first convent of Discalced Carmelites. However, she faced opposition from traditional Carmelites and was reported to the Inquisition. She was confined in Toledo to prevent her from continuing to establish new convents. However, she received help from her spiritual director, the famous Domingo Báñez, as well as from her fellow Carmelite, Fray Juan de la Cruz, and the Jesuits, who joined her in her fight against the Protestant Reformation. She gained the support of the Count of Tendilla, who convinced King Philip II to allow the Discalced Carmelites to become an independent province. She died in Alba de Tormes during one of her numerous trips to establish new convents. Santa Teresa was beatified in 1614 and canonized in 1622. In 1970, she became the first woman to be declared a Doctor of the Church by the Catholic Church.

Santa Teresa's literary style is plain, spontaneous, and natural, reflecting the everyday language of the people of Old Castile. She often wrote at the request or urging of others, especially her confessor. Her expression embodies the common language spoken by the people, combining the popular spoken language with the cultured language of Renaissance Latin and the poetic style of the Bible. She justifies her use of paradoxes and metaphors to express difficult feelings by stating that she is not the one who says these things but rather that they come to her without her understanding how she managed to express them. Her autobiographical works include "The Book of Foundations" (1573-1582), which relates the founding of 18 convents, and "The Book of her Life" (1583), which describes her ascension to mysticism. She also wrote a series of letters known as "The Relations" (1560 and 1579), where she recounts the divine favors she has received. Her most significant work is "The Interior Castle" (1571), a vivid description of her contemplative life, likening the spiritual life to a castle made of diamond and clear crystal with many rooms, representing the different stages of spiritual growth.

San Juan de la Cruz, born Juan de Yepes y Álvarez, is universally known by his religious name. He was born in Fontiveros, Ávila, into a noble family that had fallen on hard times. Due to his weak and sickly body, he became a nurse in the hospital of Medina del Campo after his father's death because he could not learn a trade. He studied with the Jesuits but entered the Order of Carmelites in Medina del Campo in 1563, taking the name Juan de San Matías. Between 1564 and 1568, he studied at the University of Salamanca and was ordained a priest in 1567. At the age of 25, he met Santa Teresa, and the two understood and complemented each other in their character traits. Santa Teresa nicknamed him "the little saint." She encouraged him to undertake the reform of the male branch of the Carmelite order, while she took charge of the female branch. He founded Discalced Carmelite convents in Alcalá, Duruelo, Pastrana, Segovia, and Ávila (the Incarnation Convent). However, he faced hostility from the Calced Carmelites who opposed his reforms. One night, a group of Calced friars imprisoned him in Toledo in 1577 and subjected him to humiliation. During his imprisonment, he composed verses for the Spiritual Canticle and other poems. After eight months, he escaped and found refuge with Santa Teresa. Eventually, the Discalced Carmelites were officially authorized. As prior, he faced persecution for doctrinal reasons. In 1582, he founded the convent of Granada with Venerable Ana de Jesús, Santa Teresa's former secretary. During this period, he composed his most