THE soul which arrives at the degrees described very often finds itself with a body tired and worn, whence it happens that if God invites the soul to new considerations and higher degrees she is in perplexity: she would greatly like to go further, but the labour terrifies her; and if the Beloved calls her again, she rises to go to prayer, but still with a resistance of the sensible part which deprives her of pleasure, and causes her to think that God is scarcely with her; and as happens to those who are extremely tired, she falls asleep while watching:

I sleep, and my heart watcheth:
Then turning herself towards her Beloved
Who is knocking at her heart:
The voice of my beloved knocking.
And excites her to open to Him,
and to recommence her prayer:
Open to me, my sister,
my love,
my dove,
my undefiled: