Just as we have eight phases of the moon, G. Valmikanathan in his book "Makers of Indian Literature - Ramalingam", published by Sahitya Akademi (e-book at http://www.vallalar.org) traces Ramalinga Adigal’s journey on the Pathway to God dividing it into three phases, namely Journey on the purgative way, Journey on the illuminative way, and Journey on the unitive way.
1. The purgative way is that part of the long path which, one treads towards the Godhead, and in which one purges oneself of all desires and attachments, of all imperfections, of all acts of commission and omission of shortcomings in renunciation, of shortcomings in the total love of God in the passion for the apprehension of the Godhead.
2. The illuminative way is that part of the path, which comes after the purgative way, and in which one gains illumination, knowledge, and gnosis.
3. The unitive way is that part of the pathway in which the pilgrim marches on with buoyant and joyous steps, filled with hope and freed from doubt or misconception. The journey is characterized by a sense of urgency. The pilgrim, in this part of his journey, begins to walk fast, then breaks into a loping trot, finally, gallops on with increasing tempo towards the beckoning smile and the outstretched arms, and is soon locked in an eternal embrace with the beloved, the eternal being, the Godhead, the ground of all being. The journey on the unitive way is composed of several factors of experience. Recollection and quiet, contemplation, ecstasy and rapture, dark night of the soul, and unitive life.
I guess we too have come some distance walking the above-mentioned paths with the grace of the divine. But this path was not one that we chose. It was offered to us. We took it up. Soon the path opened up; the doors opened up; we saw the light at the end of the path. But as Agathiyar and Ramalinga Adigal said we need to travel further to reach it. If I could summarize the journey through visuals and songs it would be as follows.