Dark Night of the Soul

by St. John of the Cross

Overview

The great Spanish mystic St. John of the Cross became a Carmelite monk in 1563 and helped St. Teresa of Avila to reform the Carmelite order — enduring persecution and imprisonment for his efforts. Both in his writing and in his life, he demonstrated eloquently his love for God. His written thoughts on man's relationship with God were literacy endeavors that placed him on an intellectual and philosophical level with such great writers as St. Augustine and Thomas Aquinas.
In this work — a spiritual masterpiece and classic of Christian literature and mysticism — he addresses several subjects, among them pride, avarice, envy, and other human imperfections. His discussion of the "dark night of the spirit," which considers afflictions and pain suffered by the soul, is followed by an extended explanation of divine love and the soul's exultant union with God.
This fine translation by E. Allison Peers "is the most faithful that has appeared in any European language: it is, indeed, much more than a translation for [Peers] added his own valuable historical and [critically interpretive] notes." — London Times.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780486426938
Publisher:	Dover Publications
Publication date:	05/09/2003
Series:	Dover Thrift Editions: Religion
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	81,992
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 8.00(h) x (d)
Age Range:	14 - 18 Years

About the Author

Born in 1542 in what is now Spain, St. John of the Cross entered the Carmelites in 1563 and received Holy Orders four years later. Soon after they met, St. Teresa of Avila enlisted him in her efforts to purify the Carmelite Order. When the strict observances of St John s Disclaced ("shoeless") Carmelites sparked widespread reform, some disgruntled monks captured, imprisoned, and tortured him. During those nine months and beyond, St John of the Cross endured a dark night of the soul. This and other contemplative experiences inspired his mystical theology and thereby earned him the title Doctor of the Church.

Table of Contents

Principle Abbreviations     9
Introduction     11
Prologue     25
The First Book
Sets down the first line and begins to treat of the imperfections of beginners     33
Of certain spiritual imperfections which beginners have with respect to the habit of pride     37
Of some imperfections which some of these souls are apt to have, with respect to the second capital sin, which is avarice, in the spiritual sense     43
Of other imperfections which these beginners are apt to have with respect to the third sin, which is luxury     47
Of the imperfections into which beginners fall with respect to the sin of wrath     53
Of imperfections with respect to spiritual gluttony     55
Of imperfections with respect to spiritual envy and sloth     61
Wherein is expounded the first line of the first stanza, and a beginning is made of the explanation of this dark night     65
Of the signs by which it will be known that the spiritual person is walking along the way of this night and purgation of sense     69
Of the way in which these souls are to conduct themselves in this dark night     77
Wherein are expounded the three lines of the stanza     81
Of the benefits which this night causes in the soul     85
Of other benefits which this night of sense causes in the soul     93
Expounds this last verse of the first stanza     101
The Second Book
Which begins to treat of the dark nights of the spirit and says at what time it begins     109
Describes other imperfections which belong to these proficients     113
Annotation for that which follows     117
Sets down the first stanza and the exposition thereof     121
Sets down the first line and begins to explain how this dark contemplation is not only night for the soul but is also grief and torment     123
Of other kinds of pain that the soul suffers in this night     129
Continues the same matter and considers other afflictions and constraints of the will     135
Of other pains which afflict the soul in this state     143
How, although this night brings darkness to the spirit, it does so in order to illumine it and give it light     149
Explains this purgation fully by a comparison     159
Begins to explain the second line of the first stanza. Describes how, as the fruit of these rigorous constraints, the soul finds itself with the vehement passion of Divine love     165
Shows how this horrible night is purgatory, and how in it the Divine wisdom illumines men on earth with the same illumination that purges and illumines the angels in Heaven     171
Of other delectable effects which are wrought in the soul by this dark night of contemplation      177
Wherein are set down and explained the last three lines of the first stanza     187
Sets down the second stanza and its exposition     191
Explains how, though in darkness, the soul walks securely     193
Explains how this dark contemplation is secret     205
Explains how this secret wisdom is likewise a ladder     213
Begins to explain the ten steps of the mystic ladder of Divine love, according to Saint Bernard and Saint Thomas. The first five are here treated     217
Wherein are treated the other five steps of love     223
Which explains this word 'disguised,' and describes the colours of the disguise of the soul in this night     227
Explains the third line of the second stanza     235
Expounds the fourth line and describes the wondrous hiding place wherein the soul is set during this night. Shows how, although the devil has an entrance into other places that are very high, he has none into this     237
Completes the explanation of the second stanza     247
Wherein is expounded the third stanza     249