The Dark Night of the Soul

What John of the Cross Actually Taught—and What the Dark Night Is Not

The dark night of the soul is a period of spiritual dryness in which God withdraws the felt sense of His presence to purify the soul from attachments—even attachment to spiritual consolation itself. Taught by St. John of the Cross, the dark night is not depression, not punishment, and not a sign of failure. It is a necessary stage of growth in which the soul learns to love God for Himself alone, not for His gifts.

Reclaiming the Term

The phrase "dark night of the soul" has entered popular vocabulary, but its meaning has been diluted. Today it often refers to any difficult period—depression, grief, existential crisis, or general unhappiness. While these experiences are real and painful, they are not what John of the Cross meant.

For John, the dark night is specifically a spiritual phenomenon: the withdrawal of God's felt presence from someone who has been actively seeking Him in prayer. It happens to those who have known consolation and now find it gone—not to everyone who suffers.

"This dark night is an inflow of God into the soul, which purges it from its ignorances and imperfections... and this is called by contemplatives infused contemplation."— St. John of the Cross, Dark Night of the Soul

The Two Dark Nights

John of the Cross describes two distinct phases of purification:

Night of Sense

The first night purifies the sensory appetites. God withdraws sensible consolation—the warmth, sweetness, and emotional satisfaction that accompanied earlier prayer. The soul learns to pray without these supports.

Duration: Varies widely—months to years. Many experience this.

Night of Spirit

The second night purifies the spiritual faculties themselves—memory, intellect, and will. This is more intense and rare. The soul feels abandoned by God at the deepest level, yet perseveres in naked faith.

Duration: Can be prolonged—years. Not everyone experiences this.

Most who experience a dark night encounter the night of sense. The night of spirit is reserved for those called to deeper union and is far more searching. Both serve the same purpose: freedom from attachment and purity of love.

Signs of an Authentic Dark Night

John of the Cross provides three signs to distinguish the genuine dark night from other causes of spiritual dryness:

1. No Satisfaction in God or Creatures

The soul finds no consolation in prayer, sacraments, or spiritual practices—but also finds no satisfaction in worldly pleasures. If you abandon prayer and find happiness in entertainment, distraction, or sin, this is not the dark night. The true night leaves you unable to find lasting satisfaction anywhere.

2. Persistent Concern About God

Despite the dryness, the soul remains concerned about serving God. There is anxiety about not loving Him enough, about falling away, about losing the relationship. This concern itself is evidence that the dryness is purifying, not abandonment. The soul still cares—deeply.

3. Inability to Meditate as Before

The soul cannot practice discursive meditation—moving from thought to thought about God. The imagination no longer cooperates. But there is a desire to remain quietly in God's presence, doing nothing, expecting nothing. This wordless, imageless presence is the beginning of contemplation.

All three signs must be present. If only one or two are present, the cause may be something else: sin, lukewarmness, physical illness, or depression. The dark night is a specific spiritual condition, not a general category for all difficulty.

Why God Withdraws Consolation

The dark night feels like abandonment, but it is actually a deeper form of divine action. God withdraws the felt sense of His presence for several reasons:

To purify love. We may love God's gifts more than God Himself. Consolation feels good. Removing it reveals whether we love the Giver or just the gifts.
To deepen faith. Faith that rests on feelings is shallow. True faith perseveres when nothing is felt. The night strengthens this naked faith.
To destroy spiritual pride. Those who receive consolations may believe they have earned them or are spiritually advanced. Dryness humbles.
To prepare for deeper union. The soul cannot receive God in His fullness while attached to lesser goods. The night empties the soul to make room for God alone.
To wean the soul. As a mother weans a child from milk to solid food, God weans the soul from spiritual sweetness to mature love.

"The soul must be in darkness so that it may have light for this way... the soul must be blinded so that it may have light to reach what is truly higher."— St. John of the Cross

How to Endure the Dark Night

The dark night cannot be shortened or avoided. But it can be endured well or poorly. John of the Cross and other masters offer guidance:

Do not try to force consolation. Do not strain to recreate past experiences. Do not multiply prayers, practices, or techniques hoping to "break through." The night is God's work; let Him complete it.
Continue faithful practice. Maintain regular prayer, even when it feels empty. Attend Mass or liturgy. Receive the sacraments. Faithfulness in dryness is the practice.
Embrace simple presence. If you cannot meditate, simply remain. Sit quietly before God, expecting nothing, asking nothing. This wordless presence is contemplation's beginning.
Trust the process. Believe that God is at work even when nothing is felt. The absence of feeling is not the absence of God. He is closer than ever, but hidden.
Seek guidance. The dark night is precisely when spiritual direction is most needed. A wise director can confirm the nature of the experience and prevent discouragement.
Avoid major decisions. Ignatius counsels against making major life changes during desolation. Wait for clarity before acting.
Care for yourself. Physical health, adequate sleep, and normal human activities remain important. The dark night is spiritual, but we are embodied creatures.

The Dark Night Across Traditions

While John of the Cross articulated the teaching most fully, similar experiences appear across all three major contemplative traditions:

Ignatian: Desolation

Ignatius describes "desolation" as a state without consolation, marked by darkness, turmoil, and temptation. His Rules for Discernment provide guidance: do not change course in desolation; wait for consolation to return. The causes differ from John's dark night, but the experience overlaps.

Hesychast: Spiritual Dryness

Orthodox tradition speaks of periods when the Jesus Prayer feels mechanical, when God seems absent, when the heart is cold. The fathers counsel perseverance: continue praying through the dryness. This is not prelest (delusion) but a normal part of the path.

Carmelite: Teresa's Testimony

Teresa of Ávila describes eighteen years of spiritual aridity—unable to pray without a book, feeling abandoned. Yet she persevered, and the dryness eventually gave way to the deepest mystical graces. Her testimony encourages those in darkness.

What the Dark Night Is NOT

Not depression. Clinical depression affects all of life—energy, sleep, appetite, concentration, self-worth. It may coexist with the dark night but is a different phenomenon requiring medical attention.
Not punishment. The dark night is not God's anger. It is His deeper work. The parent who weans a child is not punishing; the surgeon who operates is not harming.
Not a sign of failure. Dryness often comes to those who have been faithful. It is a sign of progress, not regression—the soul is ready for a deeper mode of prayer.
Not abandonment. God is closer during the night than during consolation. His presence is hidden, not absent. He works in the darkness.
Not permanent. The night ends. Dawn comes. Those who persevere emerge into deeper union than they could have imagined.
Not for everyone. Not every Christian experiences a formal dark night. Those who do are being prepared for a particular kind of union. Absence of this experience implies nothing about holiness.

Discernment Guardrails

When experiencing spiritual dryness, test the experience carefully:

Check for sin. Have you fallen into serious sin that might explain God's apparent distance? If so, repent and confess before assuming you are in a dark night.
Check for lukewarmness. Have you become lazy in prayer, skipping practices, filling time with entertainment? The dark night comes to the faithful, not the negligent.
Check for physical causes. Exhaustion, illness, hormonal changes, and grief can mimic spiritual dryness. Address these first.
Check for depression. If symptoms extend beyond prayer into all areas of life, seek professional help. Depression and the dark night can coexist but require different responses.
Consult a director. Self-diagnosis is unreliable. A wise director can confirm or question your interpretation.

For comprehensive guidance, see Discernment in Contemplative Practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the dark night last?

There is no standard duration. The night of sense may last months or years. The night of spirit, when it occurs, can be prolonged. John of the Cross gives no timeline. The only answer is: as long as God wills. Patience is essential.

Can I be in a dark night without realizing it?

Usually those in the dark night know something significant is happening—the dryness is unmistakable to those who have known consolation. What you may not know is that it is the "dark night" specifically. A director can help name the experience.

Does everyone experience the dark night?

No. The dark night is a particular path of purification for those called to deeper contemplative prayer. Many holy Christians live faithful lives without a formal dark night experience. It is a gift, not a requirement for salvation.

What comes after the dark night?

John describes union with God—not the felt consolations of before, but a deeper, more stable communion. Prayer becomes simpler, peace becomes more constant, and love becomes purer. The fruit of the night is freedom and union.

Is the dark night always active?

John distinguishes "active" nights (our own effort to detach) from "passive" nights (God's direct purifying action). The true dark night is primarily passive—something done to us, not by us. We can cooperate but not cause it.

Advanced Contemplative Practice — Overview of advanced topics.
From Images to Union — The Carmelite path through and beyond the night.
Rules for Discernment — Ignatius on consolation and desolation.
Finding a Spiritual Director — Essential guidance for the dark night.
Discernment in Contemplative Practice — Testing experiences and states.