The Foundation

2 Foundation. Perception of the inner speech. Ch. I.

The Lord says that every tree produces fruit according to its kind and nature.

4. And the soul can become very well aware of this when she observes and takes heed of it through the Light of Christ.

5. For the delight and teaching proceed and breathe from the holy essence Wesen: The fundamental, divine nature or substance of God, often contrasted with mere appearance. of God into the human heart for this purpose: that it intends to liberate the soul or the life of humanity from the devil’s own prison, to which it has bound and dedicated itself through earthly pleasure. And it teaches the soul to renounce and forsake all devilish attributes Eigenschafften: In this mystical context, these are the "qualities" or "properties" of a person's nature that are shaped by their desires. and then to receive again in God the divine free virtue, in obedience to the Divine Essence, without claiming it as her own original: "ungeeignet," meaning the soul receives grace without the ego trying to "own" or control it..

6. And the teaching which the earthly essence brings forth from its lusts and desires produces nothing else in the soul than blinding snares and the devil's binding ties, meant to bind the soul with them into hell.

Ps. 85

7. Therefore, the inward soul may well, with a longing for God, diligently open her ears to hear the voice of God in her heart, and then say with holy David—the sweet-speaking spirit of the Lord: "O God, your servant is ready to hear what the Lord wishes to speak and breathe original: "geisten," a verb form of Geist (spirit), meaning to act or move as a spirit. within him."

Hos. 2

8. And to that end, the inward soul goes—with the prophecy—out of herself [that is, out of her own attributes] into the field where the flowers grow and no people dwell [that is: where no human desires of the flesh rule in the lovely free essence of God]. And there, the Lord speaks alone (where no attribute of the flesh or earthly reason is present) with his humble servant. This imagery alludes to Hosea 2:14, where God leads the soul into the wilderness to speak to her heart, away from worldly distractions.