an exploration of the Dark Night of the Soul through the wisdom of John of the Cross, Teresa of Ávila, and early monks (e.g. Desert Fathers). Understanding spiritual darkness through lived experience, mysticism, and the psychology of Carl Jung
Most of us are familiar with guilt. We feel responsible for things beyond our control, or we believe we’ve done something wrong, even when, objectively, we haven’t. This type of guilt, arising from upbringing, societal expectations, or old childhood patterns, is conditioned . It weighs on us without us actually being “guilty” in a moral or spiritual sense. Social and Conditioned Guilt in Everyday Life Many people experience this type of guilt daily: a mother feels responsible when her children argue, even though she’s not involved in the conflict. A colleague believes they caused a project to fail, even though external circumstances were decisive. Such feelings are internalized expectations —social and cultural conditioning that can accompany us throughout our lives. Historically, churches and religious institutions have also contributed to a sense of false guilt . Strict moral rules, dogmas, and sermons often created pressure designed to control people. The result: we are accustome...
1. A Hidden Longing in a Loud World In an age of hyperconnectivity, constant stimulation, and perpetual exposure to noise—both literal and digital—many people find themselves unexpectedly longing for solitude. It’s not necessarily because they dislike others, but because they can no longer hear themselves. The internal voice becomes drowned out by the noise of productivity, messaging apps, and the endless presence of other people’s expectations. This longing for aloneness becomes even more noticeable among people who engage in spiritual practices like prayer, meditation, or contemplation. Sometimes, without any obvious reason, a quiet but firm inner pull arises: Step away . Be still . Be alone . Far from being a retreat from life, this movement toward solitude may in fact be the soul's instinctive response to a deeper transformation at work. For the Christian mystic John of the Cross, aloneness is not an escape but a necessary condition for inner purification. Especially in what...
The thought of death reveals itself in very different contexts— from philosophical reflection, through emotional crisis, to spiritual transcendence. This timeless post introduces four distinct perspectives: stoic reflection, suicidal thoughts arising from crisis or depression, poetic melancholy, and finally the mystical experience of the Dark Night of the Soul. The aim is not just rational clarity but also possible paths to hope—especially through the contemplative way outlined by John of the Cross. 1. Stoic Reflection on Death In stoic thought, death is not an enemy but a prompt to live meaningfully. Marcus Aurelius puts it pointedly: “It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.” If we reflect that both the longest-lived and shortest-lived person give up the same thing— the present moment—then the point becomes clear: “When the longest-lived and the shortest-lived man, when they come to die, their loss is precisely equal. For the sole thing...