Ascent of Mount Carmel

In Ascent of Mt. Carmel, St. John of the Cross provides a road map for the mystical journey to union with God. The poem recounts John's passage through a dark night of faith on his journey. Through his lyric poetry and humble wisdom he has become an encouraging companion for people throughout the centuries who are passing through their own dark nights.

"The soul must empty itself of all that is not God to prepare itself to be with God. According to John, two opposite qualities - God's Love and love of worldly things - cannot coexist in the same heart. This purification John calls the 'dark night of the senses.' Having purified itself from the senses, the spirit must now empty itself of understanding, memory and will in order to prepare itself to receive the three theological virtues: faith, hope, and love." (from the Introduction)