Dark night of the soul is a poem written by the 16thcentury spanish mystic and poet st. John s poem, derives from the works of pseudodionysius the. The sufis were the ecstatic mystics who defied the authoritarian, fundamentalist, rationalminded theologians of the islamic church. Loreena mckennitt the dark night of the soul youtube. Sep 17, 2010 dark night of the soul describes the painful experiences and their significance on the spiritual journey of st. It is during this dark night that god works to bring the spirit into perfect union and love with god. At one point the apostle paul wrote, for we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in asia. John of the cross, is for you to learn how to walk on your own two feet spiritually speaking so that you can bear the variety and intensity of energiesfeelingsemotions without having to experience the opposite spectrum of energiesfeelingsemotions. The dark night of the soul doesnt come at the beginning of ones journey to god. Sep 07, 2017 the dark night of the soul by st john of the cross. The first night or purgation is of the sensual part of the soul, which is treated in the.
Oct 03, 2017 his threepart description of the dark night of the soul describes a rigorous purification, followed by a high level of enlightenment probably brahmajnana or godrealization, seventhchakra enlightenment. Purpose in this webinar, clinicians and clergy are offered tools and perspectives for clients struggling with spiritual. I felt it coming in 2010 and walked away from everything safe and familiar job security, home, family and friends. A dark night of the soul can happen to anyone after going through rapid spiritual progress. Dark night of the soul can be described as a crisis in consciousness, literally. It is a term used to describe what one could call a collapse of a perceived meaning in life an eruption into your life of a deep sense of meaninglessness.
Mar 28, 2016 the dark night of the soul doesnt happen by choice, it happens because your soul is truly ready to grow. Those acquainted with john of the cross will be aware of his focus on that part of the spiritual journey which many believers experience as the dark night of the soul. He was honored and widely cited by catholics and protestants alike. Loreena mckennitt the dark night of the soul lyrics. It is the conscious experience of that which was once in the subconscious andor stored in the physical body and has bubbled up for recognition. John of the cross 15421591, a spanish carmelite monk and mystic, whose noche obscura del alma is translated the dark night of the soul. After escaping his captors, john fell into a state of profound ecstasy and wrote dark night of the soul.
The dark gives depth, dimension and fullness to the spiritual life. Dark night of the soul introduction somewhat reluctantly, out of respect for a venerable tradition, we publish the dark night as a separate treatise, though in reality it is a continuation of the ascent of mount carmel and fulfils the. Distinguished psychiatrist, spiritual counselor, and bestselling author gerald g. Welch 1990 sums up johns spirituality when he speaks of the two basic experiences conveyed. What does seem clear is that john had in mind at least three developmental stages. I want to present a spiritual reading of the poem dark night as a way of leading. One dark night, fired with loves urgent longings ah, the sheer grace. Dont try and fight it, embrace the darkness and embrace the change that will occur. The premise of the book is that there are two dark nights, or times of spiritual bleakness that a person must travel through in order to come to a completely mature and perfect union with god. John of the cross, in 8 stanzas of 5 lines each, narrates the journey of the soul to mystical union with god. It took 89 years but im finally seeing the light peaking through the dark trees. Shrouded by the night and by the secret stair i quickly fled the veil concealed my eyes while all within lay quiet as the dead chorus. The first is the purgative way, where we break habits of vice, acquire habits of virtue and learn to live a catholic life.
The journey is called the dark night in part because darkness represents the fact that the destination, god, is unknowable, as in the 14th century, mystical classic the cloud of unknowing, which, like st. His threepart description of the dark night of the soul describes a rigorous purification, followed by a high level of enlightenment probably brahmajnana or godrealization, seventhchakra enlightenment. Once you activate the mirror, meaning once you start to become aware your outer reality is reflecting. A sequel and continuation of ascent of mount carmel, the dark night of the soul is a spiritually moving and mystical book. This is the traditional mystical portrayal of the dark night. In dark night of the soul, he takes readers on a deeply spiritual journey through hardships and temptations to complete union with god.
The inner state in some cases is very close to what is conventionally called. Foreman click to hear me recite the original spanish click to hear me recite the english songs of the soul rejoicing at having achieved the high state of perfection, the union with god, by way of spiritual negation. Full text of the dark night of the soul internet archive. Nov 11, 2014 the dark night of the soul is the term used to describe a state of being that is, not unlike most states of being, typically hard to describe. Oh night thou was my guide oh night more loving than the rising sun oh night that joined the lover to the beloved one transforming each of them into the other upon that misty night in secrecy, beyond such.
Different labels for the dark night the dark night of the soul the night season the divine darkness journey into the desert cloud of unknowing there is a deeper and more abiding union an experiential oneness with god that he desires for every one of us where we can experience his presence and his joy and rest in the. A dark night of the soul and the discovery of meaning. This eightstanza poem outlines the souls journey from the distractions and entanglements of the world to the perfect peace. Nov 28, 2007 images set to loreena mckennitts music and vocals the dark night of the soul, inspired by the words of st. They referred to an experience in life in which all of the lights seem to go out, and you must feel your way along in the dark. The dark night also occurs to those who do not seek relationship but immersion or unity in the higher consciousness. The author himself did not give any title to his poem. Somewhat reluctantly, out of respect for a venerable tradition, we publish the dark night as a separate treatise, though in reality it is a continuation of the ascent of mount carmel and fulfils the undertakings given in it. The dark night of the soul doesnt happen by choice, it happens because your soul is truly ready to grow. The dark night of the soul, his bestknown work, is considered a peerless account of spiritual blindness and its eradication by divine grace, and his astute analysis and advice have meaning and usefulness for many who find themselves in an apparent impasse or quandary on the path. From the quinlan road recording the mask and mirror. Johns work on this subject became a spiritual classic. From the quinlan road recording the mask and mirror the dark night of the soul words by st.
The dark night is perceived by mystics and practicing monks from several religions to be a blessing in disguise, whereby the individual is stripped in the dark night of the senses of the spiritual ecstasy associated with acts of virtue. Only the honest, sometimes difficult encounters with what christian spirituality has called and described in helpful detail as the dark night of the soul can lead to true spiritual wholeness. The entire point of the dark night, as pointed out by st. For, when the friendship is purely spiritual, the love of god grows with it. The dark night of the soul is an expression describing phases in a persons spiritual life associated with a crisis of faith or spiritual concerns about the relationship with god, and which has. If youre experiencing the dark night of the soul, you will constantly carry around within you a sense of being lost. The first night or purgation is of the sensual part of the soul, which is treated in the present stanza, and will be treated in the.
John continues to describe the dark night in this sequel. He is the source and fullness of all things, and without him, all joys, all loves, all pursuits are hollow and meaningless. While a person in the midst of a dark night of the soul knows, on some level, there is a purpose to the pain, the depressed person is embittered and wants to be relieved immediately. May emphasises that the dark night is not necessarily a time of suffering and near despair, but a time of deep transition, a search for new orientation. The dark night of the soul by john of the cross, saint, 15421591. Johns commentaries on the dark night of the soul poem, however, did not begin until 1585. It is the perilous place where lost souls wonder deeper into the void, farther from the light. John of the cross, where he describes the anguish of the separation of an individuals soul from god while imprisoned for his unconventional. Dark night of the soul a period of spiritual desolation suffered by a mystic in which all sense of consolation is removed. John of the cross on a dark night on her cd the mask and mirror, loreena mckennitt sings a song entitled the dark night of the soul. In the lexicon of popular phrases, the dark night of the soul should be distinguished from the dark night as developed by st. Dark night of the soul introduction somewhat reluctantly, out of respect for a venerable tradition, we publish the dark night as a separate treatise, though in reality it is a continuation of the ascent of mount carmel and fulfils the undertakings given in it. John, the dark night generally only comes to those souls who have completed this initial stage and enjoyed many such sweets, which were gifts to wean them from complete attachment to the world, or from a materialistic viewpoint. I came across your post right as i feel im coming out of my own dark night of the soul.
And my white wolf presented herself in the form of a. Publication date 1905 topics mysticism publisher london. Dark night of the soul describes the painful experiences and their significance on the spiritual journey of st. The deeper meaning of the dark night of the soul kosmos. Dec 10, 2016 the dark night of the soul is a term that goes back a long time. Dark night of the soul by loreena mckennitt with lyrics. The dark night of the soul by st john of the cross. Traditionally, spiritual directors identify three primary stages or ways of growth in holiness. Dark night of the soul by saint john of the cross ebook pdf free. Some distinctions in the lexicon of popular phrases, the dark night of the soul should be distinguished from the dark night as developed by st. The dark night of the soul lies young women believelies. May shows how our most desperate moments are necessary for authentic spiritual growth and vital to our experiencing both freedom and joy. Loreena mckennitt night ride across the caucasus duration. For this latter is an enkindling of spiritual love in the soul, which, in the midst of these dark confines, feels itself to be keenly and sharply wounded in strong divine love, and to have a certain realization and foretaste of god.
In a stepbystep process, he shows how god can use this dark night to eventually bring our human spirits into greater illumination, revealing heavenly wisdom and the passion of divine love. Jul 08, 2018 while a person in the midst of a dark night of the soul knows, on some level, there is a purpose to the pain, the depressed person is embittered and wants to be relieved immediately. Short description of book the great spanish mystic st. The deeper meaning of the dark night of the soul kosmos journal. The dark night of the soul upon a darkened night the flame of love was burning in my breast and by a lantern bright i fled my house while all in quiet rest shrouded by the night and by the secret stair i quickly fled the veil concealed my eyes while all within lay quiet as the dead. John of the cross continues his description of the soul s journey the dark night to the divine union of the love of god. John of the cross became a carmelite monk in 1563 and helped st. Download the dark night of the soul pdf for free from the above download link.
Dark night of the soul by loreena mckennitt with lyrics duration. Teresa of avila to reform the carmelite order enduring persecution and imprisonment for his efforts. John of the cross and the two dark nights of the soul. The old masters of the spiritual life often spoke of a dark night of the soul.
It began around 800 ad with a group that formed around a woman called rabia, a poet and ascetic and bayazid of bastami who started the baghdad school. John of the cross continues his description of the souls journeythe dark nightto the divine union of the love of god. Assisting clients coping with spiritual distress at the endoflife des moines university, des moines, ia july 30, 2011 9. The dark night of the soul and the dark night by sr. In darkness, and secure, by the secret ladder, disguised, ah, the sheer grace.
John describes how a soul traveling through this dark night will feel and what it will experience. May offers a detailed look at the purpose and meaning of the dark night of the soul. Feb 03, 2004 john of the cross and teresa of avila, dr. John s work on this subject became a spiritual classic. This is the sequel to ascent of mount carmel by st. Once in the dark of night, inflamed with love and yearning, i arose. The phrase dark night of the soul comes from the spanish mystic and poet john of the cross 15411597. Dec 11, 2014 a dark night of the soul can happen to anyone after going through rapid spiritual progress. John of the cross and the two dark nights of the soul donald l. Dec 15, 2014 just as in the dark of winters night a seed somehow germinates under the warmth of the frozen earth, so, too, our souls are sprouting with virtue as we navigate the dark night of the soul. Taking off the mask much has been written and will be written about the dark night of the soul, and it can be confusing in understanding what it really is. John of the cross describes as purgative contemplation, in which god specifically darkens a persons will, intellect, and senses in order to test the authenticity of ones love for god. It is a sensitive and positive look at this oftmisunderstood moment of spiritual growth, with insights from the fields of modern psychiatry and psychology.
A shamans guide to the dark night of the soul medium. The dark night of the soul ebook 9780061895173 by gerald g. The phrase dark night of the soul comes from a poem by st. Dark night of the soul by saint john of the cross free ebook. John was a member of the christian religious order. Dark night of the soul dover thrift editions paperback may 9, 2003.
Johns poem, derives from the works of pseudodionysius the. John of the cross message was both timeless and timely. This article investigates the nature of the dark night of the soul from a biblical, psychological. John of the cross was also a carmelite monk who helped reform the order and aided st. We enter the dark night, said john, as a tortuous but fruitful ascetic path to the mystical goal of union with god. Guest writer for wake up world our lives will represent the rising of the phoenix if we allow it. Assistant professor of theology walsh university biographical.
In our modern era of rampant unbelief, the dark night is commonly misconstrued as a crisis of faith in the sense of doubting basic propositions of the faith, including the existence of god. This dark night of the soul is described countless times during the psalms and throughout the entire bible. A 16thcentury mystic who wrote of mans relationship with god, st. Dark night of the soul is an instructional religious book used mainly by the roman catholic church. John of the cross spiritual classic dark night of the soul is a commonly misunderstood work. The dark night of the soul is not merely having a bad day or even week. As john makes clear, it is not god who disappears, but only our concepts, images, and sensations of god. Pdf dark nights of the soul download full pdf book. Later, he added an important commentary to his poem to.