DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL

 INTRODUCTION

 Prologue

 BOOK THE FIRST Which treats of the Night of Sense.

 Chapter I. Sets down the first line and begins to treat of the imperfections of beginners.

 Chapter II. Of certain spiritual imperfections which beginners have with respect to the habit of pride.

 Chapter III. Of some imperfections which some of these souls are apt to have, with respect to the second capital sin, which is avarice, in the spiritu

 Chapter IV. Of other imperfections which these beginners are apt to have with respect to the third sin, which is luxury.

 Chapter V. Of the imperfections into which beginners fall with respect to the sin of wrath.

 Chapter VI. Of imperfections with respect to spiritual gluttony.

 Chapter VII. Of imperfections with respect to spiritual envy and sloth.

 Chapter VIII. Wherein is expounded the first line of the first stanza, and a beginning is made of the explanation of this dark night.

 Chapter IX. Of the signs by which it will be known that the spiritual person is walking along the way of this night and purgation of sense.

 Chapter X. Of the way in which these souls are to conduct themselves in this dark night.

 Chapter XI. Wherein are expounded the three lines of the stanza.

 Chapter XII. Of the benefits which this night causes in the soul.

 Chapter XIII. Of other benefits which this night of sense causes in the soul.

 Chapter XIV. Expounds this last line of the first stanza.

 BOOK THE SECOND Of the Dark Night of the Spirit.

 Chapter I. Which begins to treat of the dark nights of the spirit and says at what time it begins.

 Chapter II. Describes other imperfections which belong to these proficients.

 Chapter III. Annotation for that which follows.

 Chapter IV. Sets down the first stanza and the exposition thereof.

 Chapter V. Sets down the first line and begins to explain how this dark contemplation is not only night for the soul but is also grief and torment.

 Chapter VI. Of other kinds of pain that the soul suffers in this night.

 Chapter VII. Continues the same matter and considers other afflictions end constraints of the will.

 Chapter VIII. Of other pains which afflict the soul in this state.

 Chapter IX. How, although this night brings darkness to the spirit, it does so in order to illumine it and give it light.

 Chapter X. Explains this purgation fully by a comparison.

 Chapter XI. Begins to explain the second line of the first stanza. Describes how, as the fruit of these rigorous constraints, the soul finds itself wi

 Chapter XII. Shows how this horrible night is purgatory, and how in it the Divine wisdom illumines men on earth with the same illumination that purges

 Chapter XIII. Of other delectable effects which are wrought in the soul by this dark night of contemplation.

 Chapter XIV. Wherein are set down and explained the last three lines of the first stanza.

 Chapter XV. Sets down the second stanza and its exposition.

 Chapter XVI. Explains how, though in darkness, the soul walks securely.

 Chapter XVII. Explains how this dark contemplation is secret.

 Chapter XVIII. Explains how this secret wisdom is likewise a ladder.

 Chapter XIX. Begins to explain the ten steps of the mystic ladder of Divine love, according to Saint Bernard and Saint Thomas. The first five are here

 Chapter XX. Wherein are treated the other five steps of love.

 Chapter XXI. Which explains the word ‘disguised,’ and describes the colours of the disguise of the soul in this night.

 Chapter XXII. Explains the third line of the second stanza.

 Chapter XXIII. Expounds the fourth line and describes the wondrous hiding place wherein the soul is set during this night. Shows how, although the dev

 Chapter XXIV. Completes the explanation of the second stanza.

 Chapter XXV. Wherein is expounded the third stanza.

Chapter I. Which begins to treat of the dark nights of the spirit and says at what time it begins.

Which begins to treat of the dark nights of the spirit and says at what time it begins.

THE soul which God is about to lead onward is not led by His Majesty into this night of the spirit as soon as it goes forth from the aridities and trials of the first purgation and night of sense; rather it is wont to pass a long time, even years, after leaving the state of beginners, in exercising itself in that of proficients. In this latter state it is like to one that has come forth from a rigorous imprisonment;[1] it goes about the things of God with much greater freedom and satisfaction of the soul, and with more abundant and inward delight than it did at the beginning before it entered the said night. For its imagination and faculties are no longer bound, as they were before, by meditation and anxiety of spirit, since it now very readily finds in its spirit the most serene and loving contemplation and spiritual sweetness without the labour of meditation; although, as the purgation of the soul is not complete (for the principal part thereof, which is that of the spirit, is wanting, without which, owing to the communication that exists between the one part and the other,[1] since the subject is one only, the purgation of sense, however violent it may have been, is not yet complete and perfect), it is never without certain occasional necessities, aridities, darknesses and perils which are sometimes much more intense than those of the past, for they are as tokens and heralds of the coming night of the spirit, and are not of as long duration as will be the night which is to come. For, having passed through a period, or periods, or days of this night and tempest, the soul soon returns to its wonted serenity; and after this manner God purges certain souls which are not to rise to so high a degree of love as are others, bringing them at times, and for short periods, into this night of contemplation and purgation of the spirit, causing night to come upon them and then dawn, and this frequently, so that the words of David may be fulfilled, that He sends His crystal—that is, His contemplation—like morsels,[1] although these morsels of dark contemplation are never as intense as is that terrible night of contemplation which we are to describe, into which, of set purpose, God brings the soul that He may lead it to Divine union.

2. This sweetness, then, and this interior pleasure which we are describing, and which these progressives find and experience in their spirits so easily and so abundantly, is communicated to them in much greater abundance than aforetime, overflowing into their senses more than was usual previously to this purgation of sense; for, inasmuch as the sense is now purer, it can more easily feel the pleasures of the spirit after its manner. As, however, this sensual part of the soul is weak and incapable of experiencing the strong things of the spirit, it follows that these proficients, by reason of this spiritual communication which is made to their sensual part endure therein many frailties and sufferings and weaknesses of the stomach, and in consequence are fatigued in spirit. For, as the Wise Man says: ‘The corruptible body presseth down the soul.’[1] Hence comes it that the communications that are granted to these souls cannot be very strong or very intense or very spiritual, as is required for Divine union with God, by reason of the weakness and corruption of the sensual nature which has a part in them. Hence arise the raptures and trances and dislocations of the bones which always happen when the communications are not purely spiritual—that is, are not given to the spirit alone, as are those of the perfect who are purified by the second night of the spirit, and in whom these raptures and torments of the body no longer exist, since they are enjoying liberty of spirit, and their senses are now neither clouded nor transported.

3. And in order that the necessity for such souls to enter this night of the spirit may be understood, we will here note certain imperfections and perils which belong to these proficients.