And you might have seen the sun, that is, the sun of the spirit, when it rose, that is, when it rose [in rank] by means of disengagement from the coverings of the body and [when] it emerged manifest from its [the body's] horizons, inclining with them from the direction of the body, its [the spirit's] inclination and love being for the direction of the right, that is to say, the side of the holy world and the path of pious deeds such as acts of goodness, of merit, of virtue and obedience, the conduct of the pious, for the pious are the companions of the right; and when it set, that is, [when] it hurtles down into the abyss of the body and becomes veiled therein and disappears into its darknesses and recesses so that its light is extinguished, it crosses over them and leaves them while they remain on the left, that is to say, [on] the side of the soul and the path of evil deeds so that they become engrossed in acts of disobedience, misdeeds, evil and vices and [follow] the conduct of the profligate who are the companions of the left, while they were in a cavern therein, that is, in a wide space within their body which is the station of the soul and physical nature. For therein is an expanse in which the light of the spirit does not fall on them. Know also that the side of the heart that is adjacent to the spirit is a spot illumined by the light of the spirit and is called the intellect; it is this that summons to good and paves the way to heavenly inspiration. The side [of the heart] that is adjacent to the soul is dark because of the darkness of its attributes and is called the breast; this is the locus for the evil whisperings of Satan, as He has said who whispers in the breasts of mankind [Q. 114:5]. But when the spirit stirs and the heart turns its face to it, it [the heart] becomes illumined, is strengthened by the rational faculty that summons to, and causes yearning for, perfection and inclines to good and obedience. Yet if the soul stirs and the heart turns its face to it, it [the heart] is sullied and is veiled from the light of the spirit, while the intellect becomes dark and inclines to evil and disobedience.
