Customer Reviews

Dark Night of the Soul: A Masterpiece in the Literature of Mysticism by St. John of the Cross

5 star:		(34)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

John of the Cross's writings show the total intensity and detachment of one who has reached a point of union with God that is a sheer gift of grace. The Dark Night of the Soul is among the greatest writings of mystic theology and experience, and highly recommended for those who have some understanding of the concepts of which he writes. The total turning of the will to God, to a point where nothing on earth can satisfy the lover except union with the Beloved, is a marvellous and deeply moving "sight" - and the exquisite poetry here is one of the best expressions in the history of Christianity.

This said, it is essential that one have background in order to understand this work. (More easily understood introductions, such as Thomas Dubay's "Fire Within," should precede reading the Dark Night.) John is by no means writing of depression or misery, nor is his path one which is common to all (or indeed many) Christians. Let the serious Christian seeker approach this work with humility - it pre-supposes knowledge and an openness to divine love that is far from universal. And, above all, take John's cautions against self-deception to heart as much as he did.

By Sister Elizabeth Ruth, O.D.C., Carmel of Our Lady of Walsingham, Norfolk

St. John of the Cross is known as the Mystical Doctor, because in a pre-eminent way he is the director of men on their interior journey towards God. As a spiritual guide and deeply religious man, trained in theology at the best Spanish universities of his day, he was able, as few others, to elucidate scripturally and doctrinally the ways of the Lord.

Primarily, though, he is a poet, and his poetry speaks for itself in deeply symbolic language, the language of love. He is also a man of his country and era. His two poles Toda-Nada, All-Nothing, no doubt were associated for him with the rugged beauty of Castile--the blazing Spanish sky above arid ground, with the sun glinting upon walled cities, the freezing night with brigands concealed in the darkness.

John and Spain speak the language of extremes, just as St. Francis of Assisi was a man of the Umbrian hills set with flowers and vines among shaded valleys. There is a tendency to contrast the harshness of one with the sweetness of the other, but this is to do a disservice to both. Both at heart are similar because they see the way to God as the way of giving all-desiring nothing but him, and letting the rest go: "My God and my All."

In this, Jesus Christ is the model, and there is no spiritual growth apart from the earnest imitation of him. "Be continually careful and earnest in imitating Christ in everything, making your life conform to his," John writes in The Ascent of Mount Carmel, almost as a key sentence. Only in this light can we understand his insistence on the denial of desires.

What he has in mind are all those selfish and self-seeking ways we go about trying to have God and what we want as well. It is not that other people and other things are not lovable and desirable, or that God wants the way to him to be miserable. It is that the only true joy is found in Jesus, and having him we have all else besides.

John's writings sound demanding. He understood in an experiential way that God is not to be had on the cheap. Perhaps in our own day Bonhoeffer's works could be profitably re-read on the cost of discipleship, which John well knew--his had not been an easy life.

In the journey of the soul to God as John depicts it in the Ascent and the Dark Night he points to faith as the guide, and faith is dark to the understanding. We must just trust God and go forward with no assurance apart from his word.

The saint probes the causes of why many begin this journey but make no progress. It is that self-love insinuates itself, and this must be eradicated by persistent effort in action and loving attention to God in humble prayer, no matter if we feel dry or empty of inspiration: John reveals the way of prayer as a way of great self-denial. We must not rely on anything we can see, feel, taste, experience, for God is more than all these. Only dark faith touches and holds him, and in this there is nothing to delight the senses or boost the ego. By purifying the soul of all that is not God, God strips us in order to clothe us anew in Christ. Nothing gives place to the All, sorrow is turned into joy.

In The Spiritual Canticle and The Living Flame of Love, where John treats more explicitly of union with God, he does so in terms of lover and Beloved. In the former he bases his poem and commentary on the Song of Songs, in the latter upon the imagery of the Holy Spirit as flame, wounding and burning as it prepares the soul to be consumed in the fire of love's ecstasy.

But perhaps in his letters most of all we see John as an understanding counselor, warm and loving, yet allowing no compromises. The way of the Christian can only be the way of Christ and his cross, and John puts the Gospel demands before us in all their unadulterated strength.

His is not a path of visions, ecstasies, abnormal phenomena. Rather, he rejects all these as diverting us from the God whom we can only know by faith, not by the "spectacular" which many so-called spiritual people seek. Union is not felt bliss but "the living death of the cross," as he says in the Ascent. God has spoken his final word in his Son, we have no need to seek anything but him as he is revealed to us in his life and teaching. To want other words, other revelations, is to seek self.

..."Seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened to you." The words of Jesus are as true today as they ever were. Those who want God and seek him singlemindedly will find him to their everlasting Joy--as did St John of the Cross.

First of all, I don't understand why anybody would complain about the language of this translation. The work is about an excrutiating and almost indescribable journey, and a book about such a subject should by no means be a light afternoon read. The very language of Dark Night of the Soul calls for intense engagement and is a fruitful exercise in itself. Furthermore, this language has an extraordinarily authentic quality that conveys something of the mystery St John of the Cross is pursuing.

The work also gives so much to think about. I don't know that I agree with everything, but that's fine, and St John himself notes that each journey toward God will be somewhat different. But there is a lot that appeals to me. Truly, the journey toward God can be difficult. Reading about any character in the Bible from Abraham to David to Jesus confirms this. Life is such a strange mixture of the presence of God and the (at least seeming) absense, and persevering toward union with God means getting through these agonizing periods. In this book, St John of the Cross gives great hope as he accounts for those dark times and provides a framework for getting through them. This isn't a light read, and it is certainly a book that needs multiple readings. Nevertheless, it gives you a lot to think about and is ultimately well worth the effort.

The first time I attempted this book it was beyond me. After I had experienced a great tragedy in my life, however, I was more in tune with what St. John was talking about. Sometimes God must remove all of our props to get us to love Him, rather than the goodies He can give us. This may even include having to undergo a purging of the senses, and long periods of depression. My prayer to God for a long time has been, "Lord, whatever it takes, make me a man of God". Sometimes I have a hard time dealing with the "whatever it takes" part, but it's well worth it. Find a quiet place alone and read this book.

Dark Night of the Soul captures startling insights into the path of holiness and purity---the path of knowing God. St. John of the Cross illustrates the product of his earnest seeking of God in this book that seems to gain wisdom and understanding that are on a level rarely if ever seen in books.

I was literally amazed at how this book explained the events I had experienced on my spiritual journey. Unlike most books that speak of blessings, man's abilities, reaching goals through God, this book focuses on the time in the desert, the purging of man's heart, the dying to all things not of God, the journey in the valley of the shadow of death, and the purposes of God for our soul. It offers the reader a different view of spirituality than the modern books, because like few men or women before him or since, St. John of the Cross shunned the pleasures of the world to gain the fullness of God's presence.

His writing is sometimes difficult to read because it is so heavy with spritual wisdom and assumes a high level of spiritual and theological maturity in the reader. I read more than a few lines several times before I got the point--I read this over several weeks...a chapter or so at a time.

I recommend this for readers seeking a closer relationship for God and for those seeking understanding about spiritually dry and difficult times in their lives. No other book I have read offers such a deep description of times when God seems distant and his blessings amiss.

St. John of the Cross inspires one to seek God more fully and in earnest.

St. John was one of the first mystics I read who helped me see that an experiential relationship with the sacred isn't all joy; instead, it can hurt, stretch into periods of barrenness and shadows...which themselves to the patient penitent eventually stand revealed as the wordless Word itself, darkening the mind as bright light darkens the eyes. I wish I could have met the author.

Catholic Church has over the millennia been blessed with countless holy men and women who have enriched her spiritual patrimony with their timeless insights. Saint John of the Cross is one of the giants of this venerable tradition, and "Dark Night of the Soul" is one of his best-known works.

The term "dark night" often refers to spiritual dryness or a crisis in one's religious progress in life. Many saints have experienced such episodes, and for most of them they only lasted for a very short period of time. For some, on the other hand, these experiences lasted for the most of their adult lives. This just goes to show that such experiences are not uncommon, and even some of the most pious and godly individuals may go through them in the course of their lives.

"Dark Night of the Soul" was originally written as a poem while St. John was imprisoned for his efforts to reform the Carmelite order. In subsequent years he elaborated on the verses, and the result is this fascinating little book. It combines beautiful and moving poetry with deep insights into human spiritual and psychological makeup. St. John is considered a mystic, and reading this book can make you see why. The book can be extremely challenging, and it is not to be read casually. However, if you are willing to put the time and an effort into reading it you may find yourself more appreciative of your own spiritual journey and you may acquire necessary tools to help you overcome your own instances of spiritual dryness.

The book will be of interest only to those who wish to enter into a deeper knowledge of God and to communicate with Him on a more intimate level. St John of the Cross was a 16th century Carmelite monk and a Christian mystic. This translation is excellent, but not "easy reading." It has to be read slowly to grasp what the author is saying. I bought the book because St. John of the Cross is one of the best-known of the Christian mystics and I find the writing of the mystics to be not only spiritually enlarging, but conducive to spiritual growth.

Yes, John of the Cross is hard to read. I have not read all translations, and have it in mind as a project, but I don't expect ever to take a book by him to the beach for a quick, entertaining read.
What John is, and the reason he is still read and studied and, in fact, treasured, is a scientist of prayer. If you are genuinely determined to climb Mt. Carmel, to pray and live your way into God, you need to read and re-read John. Like the Gospels, his work is dense and allusive, and full of layer upon layer of meaning. It is well to read present day authors who write about his work, too. But by no means should you leave him aside in your search for information and inspiration. There is no one else like him. He is the real thing.

review by Janet Knori, author of Awakening in God

St. John of the Cross is truly a superb Saint and Mystic. Through his writings You can see how your own spiritual journey may not always be easy. If you are looking for a book that will not only inform you of the dark night, but also give you a self evaluation of your own life, then this is the book for you. In parts it may seem that St. John is peering into your soul and speaking directly to you. The wonderful thing about this book is that no one will have the same experence of it. Everyone who reads it will read it in light of where they are in their own lives. the reflection and thoughts of this Holy man will force you to look inside yourself to find what you need to do to reach the Ultimate union with God. St John of the Cross...Pray For Us!