Dark Night

[Deedledum]

Could someone tell me about the Dark Night. I have heard about people having gone through it, but I’m clueless as to what it is. Thanks.

 

[Spencerian]

Could someone tell me about the Dark Night. I have heard about people having gone through it, but I’m clueless as to what it is. Thanks.

Hi.

The dark night refers to the writings from a book by the same title, written by St. John of the Cross.

One person who had a profound experience with feelings of spiritual detachment was Mother Teresa. This article might give you more insight.

 

[beckycmarie]

You might find this chapter on the dark nights from Fire Within by Fr. Thomas Dubay helpful:

Fire in the Nights

 

[dusza]

St. Pio of Pietrelcina experienced it keenly according to his letters to his spiritual directors.

There are said to be two stages of purgation on the way to perfection: the dark night of the senses and that of the soul. The former can be both active and passive and it purges the soul of attachments and likes. Many go through it before they’re ready to live for God alone and it takes place in the purgative stage of spiritual life.

The latter, the dark night of the soul is experienced by the very few who are in the unitive stage of spiritual life. Therein, the soul is passively purged of all that it knows about God. It is described as a very frightening state to be in. This is no mere depression. It is where a soul lives by pure faith in God without any consolation. God seems absent, while faith, hope and charity are refined. It is a severe trial of the will.