It has been sometime since I read John of the Cross and I think that biblical studies and Barth have ruined me for mysticism. Oh well. John of the Cross is a poetic soul and well I think there may be too much Neoplatonism in places, there is a lot of wisdom here. John of the Cross uses one of his poems to frame this discussion of progress in the spiritual life (like in Dark Night of the Soul) Ascent of Mt Carmel is built on a poem about a Dark Night of the Soul where we have the three 'dark nights': the dark night of the senses, the dark night of faith, and the dark night of God. Each of these correspond to times of night (early evening is the senses when we are starting out on the spiritual life; the dark night of faith is mid-night when the time seems darkest, and God is the dark night closest to the light of day where we exprience the soul in union with God). These correspond to the classic mystical progression of purgation, illumination, union, although there is purgation that happens at every stage of the dark night. We strip away material attachments, the benefits and supernatural gifts of God until we find our joy in God alone. A lot to ponder, and some interesting examples of medieval exegesis too. ( )

This is a recent publication of this master peice. The is a re-edited editon for today's reader. ( )