Dark Night of the Soul

St. John of the Cross's 'Dark Night of the Soul' explores the profound journey of spiritual purification and union with God. The book delves into the concept of the 'dark night,' a period of intense spiritual struggle and transformation where the soul is stripped of its imperfections and earthly attachments. Through this process, the soul undergoes both sensory and spiritual purgation, ultimately leading to a sublime union with the Divine. The author aims to guide readers through the stages of spiritual growth, emphasizing the necessity of trials, divine intervention, and the cultivation of virtues such as humility, patience, and love. This central idea shapes the structure of the text, offering practical insights and spiritual wisdom that can transform the reader's approach to their faith and spiritual practices.

Key Ideas:

1. The Role of Divine Intervention in Spiritual Growth: "However greatly the soul itself labours, it cannot actively purify itself so as to be in the least degree prepared for the Divine union of perfection of love, if God takes not its hand and purges it not in that dark fire." St. John emphasizes that human effort alone is insufficient for achieving the deep purification required for divine union. Divine intervention is crucial in this process. This highlights the passive aspect of the 'dark night,' where God actively purges the soul, preparing it for a higher state of spiritual enlightenment and union.

2. Spiritual Pride in Beginners: "There often comes to them, through their imperfections, a certain kind of secret pride, whence they come to have some degree of satisfaction with their works and with themselves." St. John of the Cross discusses how beginners in spiritual practices often fall into the trap of pride. Despite the inherently humbling nature of spiritual exercises, these individuals may develop a 'secret pride' in their fervor and diligence. This pride manifests in a desire to teach rather than learn, and a tendency to judge others who do not share their level of devotion. Such pride can lead to a lack of genuine humility and a failure to recognize one's own imperfections.

3. The Necessity of the Dark Night: "It is, therefore, very fitting that they should enter into the dark night... that they may be purged from this childishness." The concept of the 'dark night' is central to St. John of the Cross's teachings. He explains that God often withholds sensory consolations to purify individuals from their spiritual immaturity and to lead them to a higher state of spiritual maturity. This process involves enduring aridities, temptations, and trials, which help to detach the soul from its reliance on sensory experiences and to develop true spiritual strength and devotion.

4. The Enkindling of Divine Love: "Because my heart was enkindled... my reins also were changed." St. John of the Cross explains that the initial stages of spiritual purification often involve a sense of dryness and emptiness, rather than an immediate feeling of divine love. Over time, however, a yearning for God begins to grow, leading to a profound enkindling of love. This process is described as a transformation from sensual desires to spiritual yearnings, culminating in a deep, almost painful thirst for God.

5. The Role of Divine Light in Darkness: "The brighter and purer is supernatural and Divine light, the more it darkens the soul." The text explains that the divine light, although it brings darkness to the soul, is essential for its illumination and ultimate enlightenment. This divine light transcends natural understanding and requires the soul to be emptied of all natural affections and perceptions to fully embrace and comprehend it.

6. The Journey of the Soul through Purification: "The soul must become emptied of self—purified of the last traces of earthly dross—before it can be filled with God." St. John of the Cross describes the soul's journey towards divine union as a process of purification, metaphorically referred to as the 'dark night.' This journey involves two stages: the purgation of the sensual part and the spiritual part of the soul. The 'dark night' is a period of intense spiritual struggle and transformation, where the soul is stripped of its imperfections and earthly attachments. This purification is necessary for the soul to achieve a sublime union with God, where it owns nothing but possesses everything in divine love.

7. The Ladder of Divine Love: "The tenth and last step of this secret ladder of love causes the soul to become wholly assimilated to God." The metaphor of the ladder is used to describe the soul's ascent to God through stages of love and contemplation. Each step on this ladder represents a deeper level of spiritual growth and union with God. This ladder signifies the progressive journey of the soul, marked by both exaltation and humility, as it moves closer to divine union.

Practical Tips:

1. Embrace Spiritual Aridity: When experiencing spiritual dryness or aridity, understand that it may be a sign of entering the 'dark night' and a necessary step towards deeper purification and union with God. Allow yourself to remain in peace and quietness, trusting in God's work within you.

2. Recognize Divine Purging: Acknowledge that true spiritual growth often requires divine intervention. Be open to the ways in which God may be purging your soul of imperfections, even if it involves suffering or discomfort. This process is essential for achieving a higher state of spiritual union.

3. Move Beyond Initial Consolations: As you progress on your spiritual journey, strive to move beyond the initial pleasures and consolations of spiritual exercises. Focus on developing mature habits of spirituality, such as consistent prayer, self-discipline, and a deeper understanding of your faith.

4. Seek Humility: Actively work on recognizing and admitting your own imperfections. Avoid the temptation to judge others or to seek validation for your spiritual practices.

5. Cultivate Self-Knowledge: Use moments of spiritual emptiness to gain a deeper understanding of your own lowliness and misery. This self-awareness is a foundation for humility and respectful communion with God.

Key Quotes:

• We can call this secret contemplation a ladder... by means of this secret contemplation, without knowing how, the soul ascends and climbs up to a knowledge and possession of the good things and treasures of Heaven.

• The tenth and last step of this secret ladder of love causes the soul to become wholly assimilated to God.

• Thus the livery which it wears is of three chief colors—white, green and purple—denoting the three theological virtues, faith, hope and charity.

• Faith is an inward tunic of a whiteness so pure that it completely dazzles the eyes of the understanding.

• The soul suffers all these afflictive purgations of the spirit to the end that it may be begotten anew in spiritual life by means of this Divine inflowing.

• The soul must become emptied of self—purified of the last traces of earthly dross—before it can be filled with God.

• However greatly the soul itself labours, it cannot actively purify itself so as to be in the least degree prepared for the Divine union of perfection of love, if God takes not its hand and purges it not in that dark fire.

• The soul, after it has been definitely converted to the service of God, is, as a rule, spiritually nurtured and caressed by God, even as is the tender child by its loving mother.

• This dark night of purgative contemplation causes passively in the soul the negation of itself and of all things.

• The night which we have called that of sense may and should be called a kind of correction and restraint of the desire rather than purgation.

• For, if the soul be not tempted, exercised and proved with trials and temptations, it cannot quicken its sense for Wisdom.

• The soul which God is about to lead onward is not led by His Majesty into this night of the spirit as soon as it goes forth from the aridities and trials of the first purgation and night of sense.

• This dark night is an inflowing of God into the soul, which purges it from its ignorances and imperfections.

• The brighter and purer is supernatural and Divine light, the more it darkens the soul.

• For one single affection remaining in the spirit, or one particular thing to which, actually or habitually, it clings, suffices to hinder it from feeling or experiencing or communicating the delicacy and intimate sweetness of the spirit of love.

• The will is taken captive and loses its liberty, according as the impetus and power of its passion carry it away.

• The darkness and the other evils of which the soul is conscious when this Divine light strikes it are not darkness or evils caused by this light, but pertain to the soul itself.

• The greater is the darkness wherein the soul journeys and the more completely is it voided of its natural operations, the greater is its security.

• Thou shalt hide them in the hiding-place of Thy face from the disturbance of men; Thou shalt protect them in Thy tabernacle from the contradiction of tongues.

• It is mystical theology, which theologians call secret wisdom, and which, as Saint Thomas says, is communicated and infused into the soul through love.