ANNIHILATION has a different meaning for the Mystic to that which it has for the ordinary man, to whose mind this word presents a picture of the destruction and death of everything ; even the Nirvana of the Buddhist has been pictured thus. A treader of the path of wisdom understands annihilation in the mystical sense; and for him it means the attainment of bliss such as the world could never know; for in the light of that vision everything fades into nothingness, even his personal self is completely forgotten.

In reality it means annihilation of the barriers surrounding the soul on every side, which are the cause of the feeling of separation, exile and unrest ; and the removal of these enables it to find its true home ; to become one with the Whole to whom it belongs, to merge into, and become part of, that fuller, larger, and deeper life in which is perfect freedom, in other words it means absolute completion.

This mystic union of the soul with God has been experienced by Saints of all religions; in all ages the inner experience is the same although the outer expression may be different for each soul.

To the lovers of God the ecstasy of joy is in the surrender of self ; even an earthly love is not complete while one thought of self remains as a barrier between the lover and the beloved.

Perfection cannot be experienced until barriers between the soul and God have been annihilated.

The prayer of Jesus for his Disciples was,

«That they all may be One, as Thou Father art in me and I in Thee»

«If thou couldst empty all thyself of self
Like to a shell dishabited
Then might He find thee on the ocean shelf
And say, ` This is not dead' and fill thee with Himself instead.
But Thou art all replete with ‘very thou,’
And hast such shrewd activity, that
When He comes He says'This is enow'
Unto itself,
'Twere better let it be,
It is so small and full
There is no room for me."

-oOo-