The Dark Night of the Soul Explained

The Dark Night of the Soulimperfections which have to be purged away in the dark night — beginners fall into many imperfections, which may be called spiritual luxury ; not that it is so in fact, but bec^luse it is felt and experienced sometimes in the flesh, because of its frailty, when the soul is the recipient of spiritual communications. f Bk. ii. ch. For very often, in the lo. CHAP. IV.] OF THE SOUL. 17 midst of their spiritual exercises, and when they cannot help themselves, the impure movements of sensuality are felt ; and sometimes even when the mind is absorbed in prayer, or when they are receiving the sacraments of penance and the eucharist. These movements not being in their power, proceed from one of three sources. 3. They proceed occasionally — though but rarely, and in persons of delicate constitutions — from sensible sweetness in spiritual things. For when sense and spirit are both delighted together, the whole nature of man is moved in that delectation according to its measure and character. For then the spirit, that is, the higher part of our nature is moved to delight itself in God ; and