Heart-up, Heart-down, Symbols of Mysticism in the Spiritual Affections of Sister Francisca Josefa del Castillo

Abstract

The article interprets the Spiritual Affections of the Colombian nun Francisca Josefa del Castillo, in terms of the symbols related to the soul writing and her search for the absolute. In line with the mystical tradition, the author starts from spatial coordinates that locate the supernatural experience in a “center” or “heart”, an “up” of transcendence or a “down” of fall, wandering and temptation. Through an analysis of the passages in which these symbols are evoked, we explore how Francisca Josefa uses this poetic and mystical language to express her intense interior life and her singular relationship with the divinity, in the context of the Novo-Hispanic feminine mystical tradition. The autobiographical texts, Her life, complement the interpretation of these symbolic elements. © 2024, Instituto de Estudios Auriseculares (IDEA). All rights reserved.