Musings on the Dark Night of the Soul: Insights from St. John of the Cross on a Developmental Spirituality

Abstract

This article investigates the nature of the dark night of the soul from a biblical, psychological, and experiential perspective, particularly in the context of St. John of the Cross' “developmental spirituality.” As there is a “developmental psychology” that provides an understanding of the dynamics at work in a person's life as they progress through life, so there is a “developmental spirituality” that investigates the various dynamics involved in the spiritual growth of the human spirit across time and the divers manners in which the Holy Spirit works within the person at different times. Hopefully, the reader will better understand his or her own developmental spiritual life (and, if applicable, that of his or her client) since conversion with regard to what God is doing in the dark nights of the soul, and thus learn how to cooperate with the Spirit who is doing work in the depths of the human heart.