Book
JOC-BEG
A guide for spiritual seekers on the necessary and purifying journey through periods of darkness and detachment, known as the 'dark nights,' to achieve a transformative and loving union with God.
What it’s about
This book serves as an accessible introduction to the profound mystical teachings of St. John of the Cross, specifically his classic works 'The Ascent of Mount Carmel' and 'The Dark Night of the Soul.' It guides spiritual beginners and proficients through the challenging but essential process of spiritual purification. By explaining the nature of the 'dark night of the senses' and the 'dark night of the spirit,' the book demystifies the experiences of aridity, temptation, and the feeling of God's absence that often cause confusion and despair. It provides clear signs for discernment, practical counsel for navigating these trials, and profound encouragement by revealing the immense spiritual benefits and ultimate goal: a deep, loving, and transformative union with God, freed from all lesser attachments.
The through-line
- Who it’s for
- A spiritual seeker, likely a beginner or early proficient on the contemplative path, who earnestly desires a deeper, more authentic union with God.
- The problem
- The seeker experiences spiritual dryness, an inability to pray as they once did, and a lack of consolation in spiritual exercises. Despite their efforts, they feel they are making no progress on their spiritual journey. They feel confused, discouraged, and anxious, fearing they have sinned, are failing spiritually, or have been abandoned by God. They are lost in the darkness of their spiritual experience without a map.
- The plan
- Understand the necessity of the dark nights for purifying the soul of its attachments.
- Learn the three key signs to discern if you are truly in the dark night of the senses.
- Actively practice mortification, detaching your will from the desire for all things other than God.
- Passively surrender to God's purifying work, allowing your faculties to rest in the dark, simple, loving attentiveness of contemplation.
- Journey through the nights of sense and spirit to arrive at the dawn of divine union.
- The payoff
- The reader achieves a profound and stable union of love with God. · They attain true spiritual freedom, peace, and security, no longer dependent on fleeting consolations. · Their soul is transformed, purified of its imperfections, and operates in harmony with the divine will, experiencing the world through the wisdom of God.