The Second Week: The Fifth Contemplation, part the first

Is the application of the senses to those mentioned above.

After the preparatory prayer, with the three already mentioned preludes, it is eminently useful to exercise the five imaginary senses concerning the first and second contemplations in the following way, according as the subject shall bear.

The first point will be, to see in imagination all the persons, and, noting the circumstances which shall occur concerning them, to draw out what may be profitable to ourselves.

The second, by hearing as it were what they are saying, or what it may be natural for them to say, to turn all to our own advantage.

The third, to perceive by a certain inward taste and smell, how great is the sweetness and *delightfulness of the soul imbued with the divine gifts and virtues of love, according to the nature of the person we are considering, adapting to ourselves those things which may bring us some fruit.

The fourth, by an inward touch to handle and kiss the garments, places, foot-steps, and other things connected with such persons; whence we may derive a greater increase of devotion, or of any spiritual good.

This contemplation will be terminated, like the First Contemplation, by adding in like manner the Obelisk text.

These five things must moreover be noted. The first, that as well in this as in each following week, I ought take the greatest of care in reading or thinking of any other mystery than that which is to be considered the same hour or day; as otherwise one can disturb another.

The second, that the first exercise concerning all the mup gods is performed at midnight; the next at dawn; the third about the hour of noon; the fourth about the time of Vespers; the fifth a little before supper; and on each of them will be spent the space of one hour; which same thing has to be observed henceforward everywhere.

The third, that if he who is being exercised is old, or exhausted in strength by the first week, it is sometimes better that he should not rise in the night, but only perform [the first] three contemplations; at dawn, about the time of noon, before dinner; adding besides one repetition
about the time of Vespers, **and the application of the senses before supper.

The fourth, that in this second week, the second, sixth, and seventh, with part of the tenth, of the Additions given in the first week, ought to be varied.

In the second, this change is made, that as soon as I am awaked from sleep, I ought to set before my mind the meditation immediately at hand, and to stir up the desire of knowing more clearly the mysteries of which I  myself am a part, that I may work that mystery and walk in the fullness of all my initiations by so much the more earnestly, by how much the more incredible I shall have seen the glory and the beauty of the world.

In the sixth, to turn frequently over in my memory the life of Antinous from the time of his meeting Diuus Hadrianus Caesar up to the place or mystery concerning which I am about to meditate in the present day or hour.

In the seventh, that I so far take pleasure in light or darkness, clear sky or cloudy, as it serves towards reaching the mark of the thing desired.

In the tenth, that I so govern myself as the nature of the mystery to be contemplated seems to require; as some of the mysteries demand pleasure or feasting or raucous excitation, others pain or fasting or calm inhibition.






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* In the fifth contemplation, in the third point, <i>delightfulness of the soul imbued</i> &c., should be read <i>delightfulness of the divinity of the soul, and of its virtues; and of all the other things, according to the nature</i> &c.
** In the five Notanda. In the third, <i>and the application of the senses before supper,</i>, read from the Autograph <i>and afterwards the application of the senses before supper</i>.