Dark Night of the Soul (Dover Thrift Editions: Religion)

A must have to those interest in Carmelite spirituality and the writings of Saint John of the Cross

The Dark Night of the Soul (DNOS) is a profound and transformative book that delves into the depths of human experience, revealing the mysteries of the soul's journey. Written by St. John of the Cross, a 16th-century Spanish mystic, DNOS is a spiritual guide that navigates the reader through the darkness of the soul, illuminating the path to awakening and transformation.The Dark Night of the Soul represents a profound period of transition and awakening, where the individual is called to shed the conditioned self that no longer serves them, making way for a new, more aligned way of being. This process is not unlike a rebirth, where the old self is dissolved, and a new, more radiant being emerges.The book is a powerful exploration of the human psyche, revealing the depths of human suffering and the longing for transcendence. St. John of the Cross masterfully guides the reader through the darkness, offering a profound understanding of the soul's journey, and the process of spiritual transformation. It's a journey into the unknown, where the individual is called to let go of the familiar, and embark on a path of discovery, growth, and transformation.The book is a testament to the power of spiritual transformation. It's a reminder that we are not bound by our limitations, but that we have the power to transcend them, and emerge into a new, more radiant being.Highly recommend The Dark Night of the Soul to anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the human condition, and the journey of the soul. It's a powerful and transformative book that will leave you changed forever.

Although Dark Night is often published as a separate,entity in truth it is the fourth part of St John's account of his spiritual journey.. He wrote 3 earlier books documenting his experiences and noting the various stages all souls go through if they are on the journey. The soul goes through various stages and in the dark night, it 'imposes upon itself peace and quietness' as it waits for God. The soul undergoes many pains for it needs to purge itself of imperfections brought upon it by our sensuality. The saint advices us not to ask God to take away our sins. We must do it for ourselves, and not succumb to spiritual sloth..It seems here are all sorts of sins waiting to befall the beginner if he is not careful - the sin of wrath, of gluttony, envy and sloth. I often wondered why we in today's world never seem to bother with the seven deadly sins - its because we're thinking of this empirical world, John is talking about something far more important. He is addressing the sin of the soul..Purgation of the body and soul results in this dark night which does cause pain and suffering for the seeker. A follower of John, David described the dark night thus:The lamentations of death compassed me about and the pains of hell surrounded me; I cried in my tribulation.' The book is full of symbolism and metaphor to facilitate the readers ability to grasp the subject which by its very nature is elusive.This is a serious and difficult book to read - it must be read slowly and carefully and at a certain time in ones life when you are ready to accept your spirituality and begin the long journey back to God. It's a road we all will travel.. St John of the Cross helps us on our way..

This is the most difficult book I have read. I gained much from reading it, but there's no doubt that I missed much too, both on its face and in its depth. That's not too surprising or disturbing, for as John of the Cross says of the soul that "can free itself from the house of its sensuality:" "None can understand it, unless as it seems to me, it be the soul who has experienced it."St. John of the Cross (1542-1591) was a Spanish mystic, canonized in 1675 and named a doctor of the Catholic Church in 1926. A Carmelite priest, he embraced poverty and, working with Teresa of Avila, attempted to reform the order. His fellow Carmelites imprisoned, starved, and tortured him. While imprisoned he wrote a brief poem, Dark Night of the Soul. He then wrote two books, Ascent of Mount Carmel and Dark Night of the Soul, explaining and interpreting the poem. Or he wrote one book doing that: the translator of this edition views Dark Night as a continuation of the Ascent rather than a separate treatise. Or perhaps he wrote no book: it isn't clear to me that he intended the manuscript for publication; it may have been his personal reflections to aid himself. It was published posthumously, nearly twenty years after his death.In the Ascent, John wrote of the "active" night; the Dark Night addresses the "passive" night of purification of the sense and spirit to prepare the soul for union with God. By himself even with ordinary grace, man cannot be transformed totally in God. God must act on passive man.The poem is obscure metaphor. In Dark Night, John often uses more metaphor to explain the metaphors, sometimes obscurely. He is often repetitive. Words seem to change meanings. And the book is incomplete; St. John apparently abandoned it before explicating the entire poem. (This edition contains in translation the complete text of what St. John wrote: it is the Dark Night itself that was unfinished.) I found many passages and metaphors brilliant, but was lost in others. St. John sometimes seems to struggle to explain or describe the inexplicable and indescribable, which may be the reason for the many repetitions and metaphors.The early passages on "imperfections" relating to the seven deadly sins are a brilliant demonstration that the person free of sin still needs purgation and growth. Also very helpful are the passages in which St. John delineates tests to show whether difficulties flow from the Night and thus God or instead are from the self or the devil or the world.The Dark Night is a difficult book. The reader will wrestle with it. Most will gain much from the book but also miss much that it tries to offer.

It was a tough read for me, but I understood his basic premise. I still gave it 5 stars..

I started listening to this reading during a tough time, which continues today. I've listened to the audio several times and read the book once. I needed to hear what was written. It brings me to my knees. Knowing that others have experienced what I'm going through gives me hope.