You may have recognized the quote, "Draw near to God and he will draw near to you" as coming from James 4:8. It comes at the beginning of McComan's Chapter 12: "The Journey that Isn't a Journey" in The Big Book of Mysticism. He describes, as do many authors, the contemplative life as a journey. One of the most common metaphors for growth in mysticism and spirituality is the idea of a journey. We all are on this journey, but each of us is unique so we have different paths and often get sidetracked and maybe need a guide to keep us going forward and help us find our way. Sometimes we forget that as we struggle to climb a mountain spiritually, it is happening right here and now. In this sense, mysticism is a journey; and it's not a journey. McColman says that:
"Ultimately, the particular contours of your relationship with God are between you and the Holy Spirit...all the contemplative life asks of us is that we be willing to move forward in faith, one step at a time.
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