𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑫𝒂𝒓𝒌 𝑵𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑺𝒐𝒖𝒍 🤍

“The Dark Night of the Soul,” a concept famously explored by the Spanish mystic and Catholic poet St. John of the Cross, describes a period of deep spiritual desolation and inner turmoil which often feels like abandonment or loss. While it can be agonizing, it is also a transformative process, as it purifies the soul and leads to a deeper connection with the divine. This experience strips away false identities and attachments, allowing for inner growth and spiritual awakening. Today, I am sharing with you the poem of St. John of the Cross, written out in my journal in both English and Spanish, consisting of eight stanzas of five lines each and narrating the journey of the soul to its union with God. (See below for the full text of the poem in both English and Spanish.)

The concept of “The Dark Night of the Soul” is not limited to religious experiences; it can also be applied to any challenging period of transformation or crisis. In such moments of darkness, we often face uncertainty, loss, or doubt, but these struggles can lead to personal renewal. This process teaches us that growth often comes through pain, and by surrendering to the darkness, we can emerge with a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Ultimately, “The Dark Night of the Soul” invites us to embrace suffering as a pathway to greater illumination and authenticity. It is a profound and beautiful concept. 🕊

On a dark night,
Kindled in love with yearnings
—oh, happy chance!—
I went forth without being observed,
My house being now at rest.

In darkness and secure,
By the secret ladder, disguised
—oh, happy chance!—
In darkness and in concealment,
My house being now at rest.

In the happy night,
In secret, when none saw me,
Nor I beheld aught,
Without light or guide,
save that which burned in my heart.

This light guided me
More surely than the light of noonday
To the place where He (well I knew who!)
was awaiting me—
A place where none appeared.

Oh, night that guided me,
Oh, night more lovely than the dawn,
Oh, night that joined
Beloved with lover,
Lover transformed in the Beloved!

Upon my flowery breast,
Kept wholly for Himself alone,
There He stayed sleeping,
and I caressed Him,
And the fanning of the cedars made a breeze.

The breeze blew from the turret
As I parted His locks;
With His gentle hand
He wounded my neck
And caused all my senses to be suspended.

I remained, lost in oblivion;
My face I reclined on the Beloved.
All ceased and I abandoned myself,
Leaving my cares
forgotten among the lilies.

~~~~~

En una noche oscura
Con ansias en amores inflamada,
¡Oh dichosa ventura!
Sali sin ser notada,
Estando ya mi casa sosegada.

A oscuras, y segura
Por la secreta escala disfrazada,
¡Oh dichosa ventura!
A oscuras y encelada
Estando ya mi casa sosegada.

En la noche dichosa
En secreto, que nadie me veia,
Ni yo miraba cosa,
Sin otra luz, y guia,
Sino la que en el corazón ardia.

Aquesta me guiaba
Más cierto que la luz del mediodia,
A donde me esperaba,
Quien yo bien me sabia,
En parte, donde nadie parecia.

¡Oh noche que guiaste,
Oh noche amable más que el alborada;
Oh noche que juntaste
Amado con amada,
¡Amada en el Amado transformada!

En mi pecho florido,
Que entero para él sólo se guardaba,
Allí quedó dormido,
Y yo le regalaba,
Y el ventalle de cedros aire daba.

El aire de la almena,
Cuando yo sus cabellos esparcia,
Con su mano serena
En mi cuello heria,
Y todos mis sentidos suspendia.

Quedéme, y olvidéme,
El rostro recliné sobre el Amado,
Cesó todo, y dejéme,
Dejando mi cuidado
Entre las azucenas olvidado.

#beauty #beautiful #innerbeauty #love #inspiration #thoughts #journal #diary #philosophy #psychology #psychiatry #literature #quotes #poetry #writing #art #wisdom #religion #spirituality #theology #encouragement

[JeremyLeigh]

Lubna, you read this so beautifully. I could listen to you read this forever.🌸
It is the darkness that allows him to be guided by the light that burns within him to his love. I love how he describes his encounter with God just as a man sneaking out to find his lover and meet him or her in blissful secret.
And the way he describes it! I would love to find God or my love in such a way. Christ reclines on him and St. John saw himself as tenderly tousling his hair. This image is so lovely, so immediate, and just so evocative that I am at a a loss for words how to describe my reaction to it. St. John says he was lost in oblivion, without cares. I just know I want to be there with him and take his place.
I want to hold onto this idea that it is in the darkness that the light can guide me to what and who is best. And knowing this is so, not despair however deep the darkness seems.
Lubna, thanks so much for reading this poem. 💛

[rainflowers]

I like how you write these out in your journal, in your beautiful handwriting. I wanted to learn Spanish, but I've been attempting to learn Japanese. Although languages arent a strength of mine, and Japanese is very difficult! I'll persevere anyway 😊

[enviromad]

i don't understand spanish but could listen to you speak it for hours, so beautiful, calming and feminine. I see most being deep in the dark night of the soul now as the end of kali yuga approaches coinciding with the age of Aquarius beginning only weeks away. Astrologer and shamanic practitioner Heather Ensworth has spent decades studying the yuga calendar and believes 25 march 2025 is the end of kali yuga ❤🙏

[NereshinNaidoo]

...
...Beautifully read...
...In both English and Spanish...
...And certainly a good poem to have shared...
...I hope you don't mind I share a few thoughts...( just my 2 cents worth :-)
...
...You know...Much like we all do have them...I would think that St John himself must have also had his own 'inner demons' to battle...also facing his own human emotions like his angers, his concerns and his sensual and material desires while on his journey here on Planet Earth...The way he describes his emotions and experiences...and his references to things are very unique and quite intense...and I would think, so were his judgments on himself...(don't you agree? - I could be wrong)...
...I would think that sometimes when our religious or spiritual standings and choices in life undertaken are deemed Holy...there can be a bit of a slight 'trade off or cost'...
...for example > choosing to be a Priest or Shaman or Spiritual Guru who is expected to be a good example of purity and holiness to others > and when standing at the face of what we know to be our harmful wrong doings...the 'guilt and shame' we feel and face may seem somewhat stronger and more intense...as it seems, we all look to that 'measure' of what we feel or think is thought to be a Truly Pure, Holy and Godlike nature and behaviour...
...That 'thought of', 'supposed' True measure of untainted, non-victimizing Godly Love...and how we feel it should be fully, honestly and truly expressed...
...And being 'Merely Human' - Qiuckly stumbling and Slowly Striving towards such a goal and measured state of conscious being ...can make that 'hardship' and 'pain' you mentioned, that we meet along the way...'so much more intense'...
...
...As we all know...
...The Growing pains are Real...
...And so are the mindful inner battles...
...
...I wouldn't mind sitting down with 'Him -That Spirit' someday...while sharing a cup of tea or maybe a beer...and just go over a few lines from the poem...maybe one day, haha...
...
...but overall...it's a really good piece to have shared...
...
...(Certainly Thought Provoking)...
...
...Thank You for your time Lubna...
...You Stay Safe and Live Strong ok...
...
...Time - 10 : 07am - SA...
...Time - 01 : 07am - USA...
...

[Valenciano]

Hi Lubna, I hope you're well. I got a new job, and life is transforming in a positive manner for me now thanks for your vids, they are truly helpful. I love the way you speak Spanish, cool. 😎 ❤ 🌹