Appendix: An Analysis of the Teaching of St. John of the Cross on the State of Beginners

The Dark Night of the Soul

Book I. : The Night of Sense

Chapter I.

(1) The dark night is entered when God draws souls out of the state of beginners – of meditation – to the state of proficients, contemplatives, on the way to perfection – Divine union. Deals with the state of beginners that they

(a) May perceive the weakness of the state they are in.

(b) Take courage, and

(c) Desire to enter the dark night.

(2) A soul, seriously converted, is, in general, spiritually nursed and caressed ;

(3) The grace of God gives it sweetness and delight in spiritual things and exercises, delight in prayer, joy in penance, consolation in the use of the Sacraments.

(4) Although the soul applies itself to devotion with resolution, earnestness and care – it is extremely weak and imperfect – for it is drawn to spiritual exercises by the comfort they give, and not being yet established in virtue, which is the work of the struggle it demands, it falls into many errors and imperfections.

(5) These I will point out and explain by reference to the seven Deadly Sins, considered in a spiritual sense – this will show how like children they are and how great are the blessings of the dark night – seeing that it purifies the soul from these imperfections.

Chapter II. : On Pride

(1) Becoming aware of their fervour and diligence, beginners fall into spiritual pride. They look upon themselves and their works with a certain satisfaction. They display an empty eagerness in speaking of spiritual things – are tempted to be teachers rather than learners. (Common temptation of beginners. St. Teresa.) They condemn those who are not devout in their way.

(2) Their fervour and desire to do good works is frequently fed by Satan in order to increase their pride – some want no one else to be thought good but themselves : in word and deed they fall into condemnation and detraction (Matt. vii. 3, xxiii. 24).

(3) Sometimes when their spiritual directors do not approve of them – for they desire praise – they complain that they are not understood ; they seek others who will respect them, for they love to discuss their spiritual state. Presuming on their own strength, they make many resolutions and accomplish little. They are not above ' showing off.'

(4) Many seek to be favourites of their confessors, so are ashamed to confess their sins plainly, but palliate them, excusing rather than accusing themselves. They tell him of their goodness, in terms suggestive of more than is in them ; at the least they want their goodness to be appreciated, instead of wishing that no one should think it of the slightest importance.

(5) At times, they make light of their faults ; at others, indulge in immoderate grief because of them. They think they are saints, and so get angry and impatient with themselves when they fall – a great imperfection. They beg God to deliver them from faults, not for His sake, but for their own comfort – not knowing that if He did they would become prouder than ever.

(6) Scarcely anyone can be found who, in some degree or another, in his first fervours, does not fall into some of these faults.

(7) But those who are going on to perfection grow and are built up in humility, looking on what they are and do as nothing, dissatisfied (but quietly) with themselves, looking on all others as better; the keener their fervour the more they see how much they ought to do for God, how little is all they can do.

(8) All they do seems nothing – they are not anxious about others, they think little of themselves and wish others to do so also; they think it strange that anyone should praise them.

(9) In great tranquillity and humility, they wish to learn from anyone, not to teach.

(10) Being far from wishing to instruct others, they willingly obey, for they never imagine they can be right in themselves. They rejoice when others are praised, do not wish to talk about their own state; it seems so little and poor. They will speak of their sins and failures, and with those who have no great opinion of them. (But pride may come in even about our sins.)

(11) These will help any servant of God; they bear falls with humility, meekness of spirit, in loving fear of God and confidence in Him. But such souls are very few, and we ought to be content when they do not rush into the opposite evils.

Chapter III. : Avarice in the Spiritual Sense

(1) Scarcely any beginner is contented with what God gives; he is disconsolate and querulous because he does not find the comfort he desires in spiritual things. They listen to spiritual counsels, read books which treat of their state, spending more time on this than in doing their duty, neglect mortification and the perfecting of an interior spirit of poverty. They love change – this image, that rosary, this book – like children with playthings.

(2) I condemn this attachment of the heart to the form, number and variety of these things, because in direct opposition to poverty of spirit, which looks only to the substance of devotion, using these things as means only.

(3) Two instances.

(4) They who would go on well do not rely on visible instruments, nor do they seek to know more than is necessary for right acting : their sole object is to please God. Generosity is theirs.

(5) The soul should labour so far as it can to purify and perfect itself – so that God may take it in hand and do what it cannot do for itself.

Chapter IV. : Luxury

(1) Putting aside the commission of this sin – my object being to speak of imperfections, which may be called spiritual luxury ; not that it is so in fact, but because it proceeds from spiritual things – it is felt and experienced in the flesh because of its frailty, whilst it is the recipient of spiritual communications. Often, in the midst of spiritual exercises and when they cannot help themselves, impure movements of sensuality are felt, even when the mind is absorbed in prayer or receiving the Sacraments.

(2) This sometimes comes – but rarely – from sensible sweetness in spiritual things. Sense and spirit being delighted together, the whole nature is moved, according to its measure and character, the spirit to delight itself in God, and the lower part toward sensible gratification, because it knows no other, and therefore seeks what is nearest to it – sensual pleasure. So whilst the spirit prays, the senses are troubled with movements of the flesh passively : this often happens at the moment of Communion . . . the sensual nature taking its share in its own manner. But as soul and body form but one subject, they share in their respective passions . . . for all that is received is received according to the condition of the recipient.

(4) This is the case with beginners, and even those who have made some progress – but in the purgation of the dark night it is no longer subject to these infirmities but possesses everything according to the measure of the spirit. ‘ Being in the spirit, ye are no longer led by the flesh.’

(5) Satan also causes these filthy movements of our lower nature, in order to disquiet the soul in prayer, and some relax or even abandon prayer because they are so liable to these assaults at this time.

(6) He causes vivid and foul images, even in close relation to spiritual persons and things – especially in those of a melancholy temperament. When the latter is the cause of these visitations, men in general cannot be delivered from them until their general health is improved, unless the dark night has overtaken the soul, gradually freeing it from all this trouble.

(7) The third source of these temptations is the fear of them, brought about by a sudden remembrance, a look, word or thought. Some souls never experience spiritual fervour without accompanying luxury, which sometimes succeeds in stirring the senses to rebellion. This because fragile and tender natures are susceptible to the slightest alteration of blood and humour whence these disturbances come, for the same thing happens when they are roused to anger or pain.

(8) So also, in speaking of or in doing spiritual works, some display energy and strength, considering persons present with a certain measure of vain joy. This also proceeds from spiritual luxury in the sense in which I use the word, and ordinarily is accompanied by complacency of the will.

(9) Spiritual friendships may have their source in this luxury. Does the thought of that affection increase our recollection and love for God, or bring remorse of conscience ?

(10) If the love of God grows, human love cools, the predominant one suppresses the other.

Chapter V. : Anger

(1) Beginners, when they find no consolation in spiritual things, become peevish, bitter of spirit; trifles make them angry; they are a burden to themselves and at times intolerable to all about them. This frequently happens after great sweetness in prayer; as it passes, their natural temper becomes sour and morose.

(2) Some are angry with other people for their faults; they watch and blame them with unquiet zeal, making themselves guardians of virtue.

(3) Others, seeing their own imperfections, become angry and impatient with themselves – want to be saints in a day; they make many and grand resolutions, but, being self-confident, the more they resolve the more they fall and become angry. No perfect remedy for this but in the dark night. But some are so patient, and advance so slowly, that God wishes they were not so patient.

Chapter VI. : Gluttony

(1) Much to say – for scarcely one who does not fall.

(2) Many strive after spiritual sweetness rather than purity and discretion, and practise immoderate penances, take upon themselves more than they can bear, without rule or advice – unreasonable – undervaluing submission and obedience; the penance of reason and judgment more acceptable to God than bodily penance. Bodily penance without the penance of the will might as well be imposed on animals, for it is undertaken because liked and for consolation.

(3) All extremes being vicious – such grow in vice, not virtue – for they do not walk in the way of obedience; all their satisfaction is in doing what pleases them.

(4) Many importune their directors that they may do their own will, and mope if they are refused, imagining their own will is the will of God; if they are contradicted and told His will, they become fretful, faint-hearted and fall away.

(5) Others, ignorant of their real state and of the fear and respect due to God, ask to be allowed to confess and communicate often – worse, they communicate without permission. This eagerness for Communion makes them confess carelessly – being more anxious to communicate anyhow than worthily.

(6) Such strive after sensible sweetness at Communion instead of worshipping in humility and praising God within themselves. So when they have no sensible feeling of devotion, they think they have nothing, so meanly think they of God, not understanding that the least of the blessings of the Most Holy Sacrament is that which touches the senses, the invisible grace being far greater. God frequently withholds sensible favours that men may fix the eye of faith on Himself. It is a great imperfection against the purity of faith and the nature of God to desire always to feel and taste Him as palpable and accessible.

(7) So in prayer – they imagine that sensible devotion is all, and strive after it, wearying their brains and perplexing all their faculties. This destroys true devotion and spirituality, which consists in perseverance in prayer with patience, humility, distrust of self, solely to please God (Ascent, II. vii. 7).

(8) Like children, influenced by inclination, not reason, wasting their time in searching after spiritual consolation, taking up one book after another. God refuses it, knowing this spiritual gluttony would grow to great evils.

(9) They are also very weak and remiss in following the Cross – refusing the pain of self-denial. But spiritual soberness and tenderness produce mortification, fear, submission, showing us that the value and perfection of things consist in our knowing how to deny ourselves in them.

Chapter VII. : Envy and Spiritual Sloth

(1) Vexed at others' goodness – progress – cannot bear to hear them praised – deprecate them as much as they can – wish to be more thought of themselves.

(2) As to sloth, the most spiritual exercises are found irksome; they omit prayer because they have no sensible devotion; they neglect the way of perfection, which is the denial of self-will and pleasure for God to do their own will.

(3) They want God to will what they will, and only reluctantly submit to His will. They measure Him by themselves.

(4) They find it hard to obey when commanded to do what they do not like : like delicately nurtured persons, they avoid with heavy hearts all that is hard, are offended at the Cross.

(5) Thus may be seen how necessary is the dark night, in which God weans souls from the breasts of sweetness, in pure aridities and interior darkness – cleanses them and makes them grow in virtue.