dark night of the soul

The "dark night of the soul" is a concept in Christian mysticism, most famously described by St. John of the Cross in his poem of the same name. It refers to a spiritual purification process where the soul detaches from worldly desires and experiences a profound sense of God's absence, often feeling abandoned. This difficult period is seen as a necessary step towards a deeper union with the divine. The soul must undergo this "dying to self" to be ready for a direct experience of God. While preparation, such as moral discipline, is important, the experience itself is a gift that cannot be forced.1234