Dark Night of the Soul

“The loving mother is like the grace of God, for, as soon as the soul is regenerated by its new warmth and fervor for the device of God.”[1]

Saint John of the Cross was a Spanish Carmelite who along with St. Teresa of Avila reform the Carmelite order. He is the patron saint of contemplative life as well as mystical theology. He is one of the greatest mystics in the Catholic Church. St. John was canonized in 1726 by Pope Benedict XIII and then declared a Doctor of the Church in 1926 by Pius XI. 

One of his greatest books that have touched countless over time has been Dark Night of the Soul. In this book, he speaks about the importance of spirituality at a personal level, and at a level where we connect with God, but to do so, we must cleanse ourselves. Most of the book then speaks of the stages of the heart, and the correlation of our soul. The yearning for God, and the inability to find love our happiness elsewhere. The book is divided into two books with twenty-five chapters governing everything from spiritual imperfection to the secret of wisdom. 

“The soul can cease to feel that there is something that it lacks within itself or that it has still to do.”[2]

As a seminarian, this books spoke to me in so many different ways. One would obviously be in the approach to spirituality, the intense love of God. For anyone who hopes to dedicate their lives for the kingdom of God, this attitude is extremely needed. But that is not enough, St. John goes even further to give advice about one's life and discernment. He can connect in such a profound way the things that are happening in one's life that it seems almost like the book was written for you.

For example; he speaks of human nature, and how pride can take hold of one's heart. When living in a community this becomes dangerous because pride can make the individual feel as if he is better than the others, and even though they are following and doing what they should be, they are not able to find peace in it. “For, although they have the habit of the three theological virtues-faith, hope and charity the present realization which they have of their affections and their deprivation of God allows them not enjoy the present blessing and consolation of these virtues.”[3]

Moreover, St. John speaks about the importance of humility, being able to humble oneself so that we may grow closer to God, that our love may be genuine and that once again our flaws be taken away from us. The importance of a spiritual director is then brought up, and not simply of just having one but also being open and honest with them. He points out that many tend not to be honest with their spiritual directors and instead tend to keep things to themselves to remain on the good side of their spiritual director. “Many such persons desire to be the favorites of their confessor and to become intimate with them, as a result of which there beset them  continual occasion of envy and disquiet.”[4] Meaning that rather than being honest and allow Christ to work through our confessor to wash away our sins, we do not want to look bad in the eyes of our confessor, so we withhold “the bad sins” and instead maintain a surface level relationship. 

I suppose that honesty is one of the main themes of this book, it shows how important it truly is, to be honest with ourselves. G. Dura-Vila a specialist in neuroscience and mental health at the Imperial College in London said, “It is not uncommon to hear religious people say that they’re going through a Dark Night of the Soul.”[5]  Christianity has based much of its understanding on suffering as a part of life. When we suffer we offer it up, and we are reminded of the suffering of Christ.  

She goes on to further say, “Those who have undergone the night emphasizes the important role of having an accompanying personal relationship during this time of spiritual suffering. Spiritual mentors and confessors can be inestimable companions to give assistance during the Dark Night as they can provide the orientation and the perspective of someone experienced and wise, and someone who is not immersed in this darkness.”[6] So from a psychological perspective the dark night that is described in the book, happens to many of, she expresses how it is more common with religious people. Her paper further explains the importance of the psyche in this type of situation.   

Furthermore, she explains how Dark Night of the Soul does not avoid the social aspect but makes a distinction between solitary life to communal including the depressions of everyday life, and emphasizing the importance of it. Fr. J. Font speaks of this, “Socially, the individual suffering from ‘‘salutary’’ depression is characterized by passivity and slowness in action and speech. Everything is unachievable, even the most ordinary daily activities. In contrast to the ‘‘pathological’’ depression, the individual going through the Dark Night does not run away from social interaction.”

Throughout the book, St. John guides us in a kind of purgation, a release of ones prideful and self-centered outlook on life. He makes it a point to say that our lives will be deprived of any joy or love of God unless we can contemplate and allow our soul to go through the stages of cleansing. 

Finally, “The soul is combated and purged after two manners-namely, according to its sensual and its spiritual parts-with its senses, faculties and passion, so likely after two manners-namely, according to these two parts, the sensual and the spiritual- with all its faculties and desires, the soul attains to an enjoyment of peace and rest.”[190]

1. Cross, John Of the, and E. Allison Peers. Dark Night of the Soul. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Page. 38

2. Cross, John Of the, and E. Allison Peers. Dark Night of the Soul. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Page. 112

3. Cross, John Of the, and E. Allison Peers. Dark Night of the Soul. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Page. 113

4. Cross, John Of the, and E. Allison Peers. Dark Night of the Soul. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Page. 41

5. Durà-Vilà, G., and S. Dein. "The Dark Night of the Soul : Spiritual Distress and Its Psychiatric Implications." Mental Health, Religion & Culture 12.6 (2009): 543-59. Web. 27 July 2016.

6. Durà-Vilà, G., and S. Dein. "The Dark Night of the Soul : Spiritual Distress and Its Psychiatric Implications." Mental Health, Religion & Culture 12.6 (2009): 543-59. Web. 27 July 2016.