Chapter 09
Three Signs of Spiritual Progress
Of the signs by which it will be known that the spiritual person is walking along the way of this night and purgation of sense. The first sign is: If the soul finds no pleasure or consolation in the things of God, it also fails to find it in any thing created. For, as God sets the soul in this dark night to the end that He may quench and purge its sensual desire, He allows it not to find attraction or sweetness in anything whatsoever. By this sign it can in all probability be understood that this dryness and…
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Now let's explore the literary elements.
Key Quotes & Analysis
"If the soul finds no pleasure or consolation in the things of God, it also fails to find it in any thing created. For, as God sets the soul in this dark night to the end that He may quench and purge its sensual desire, He allows it not to find attraction or sweetness in anything whatsoever."
Context: First sign of the night of sense
Universal dryness distinguishes purgation from sin that still attracts elsewhere.
In Today's Words:
John's first sign is dryness in God and creatures alike while God quenches sensual desire. Nothing tastes sweet. If worldly escapes also bore you, purgation may be at work, not fresh sin. Notice where peevishness, pride, or attachment flares when old comforts are withdrawn; that is the night beginning its work.
"If the soul ordinarily has an anxious care for God, thinking that it is not serving God, but is backsliding, because it finds itself without sweetness in the things of God, it is a good sign that this lack of sweetness and dryness proceed from purgation and not from sins or imperfections."
Context: Second sign of authentic spiritual progress
Anxiety about serving God indicates care; indifference would suggest real decline.
In Today's Words:
John says anxious fear of backsliding while dry is a good sign of purgation, not sin. Worry proves you still care. If indifference replaced concern, that would be a different story. In trauma chaplaincy Juan learns to stay present in the stripping without rebuilding the old self from panic or performance.
"If the soul can no longer meditate or reflect with the imagination as it was wont, however much it may try to do so."
Context: Third and surest sign
Imaginative meditation fails when God moves toward simple contemplation.
In Today's Words:
John's surest sign is inability to meditate with imagination as before, however hard you try. Old mental pictures stop working. Stop forcing them and allow simpler attention. This is not abstract mysticism but the felt collision between divine purging and human frailty in real change.
"God now begins to communicate Himself to them, not through sense, as before, through forms and images, but by pure spirit, by an act of simple contemplation, without the soul having to use any discourse."
Context: Explaining why imagination fails during purgation
Communication shifts from discursive images to wordless spirit.
In Today's Words:
John says God now communicates by pure spirit in simple contemplation without discourse, not through sense and images as before. The upgrade feels like breakdown because the channel changed. Trust wordless attention when speech and pictures fail. Juan the hospital chaplain sees the same pattern when consolation ends and the soul must learn patience without
Thematic Threads
Personal Growth
In This Chapter
John describes the soul's transition from beginner to advanced spiritual practice through necessary discomfort
Development
Central theme emerging - growth requires leaving familiar territory
In Your Life:
You might recognize this when old hobbies bore you or career satisfaction disappears without clear reason
Identity
In This Chapter
The seeker loses their identity as someone who finds comfort in familiar spiritual practices
Development
Continues identity theme - who are we when our usual markers fail?
In Your Life:
You might feel this when people say you've changed and you're not sure if that's good or bad
Social Expectations
In This Chapter
The anxiety about not serving God well enough reflects internalized expectations about spiritual performance
Development
Developing theme of external pressure creating internal doubt
In Your Life:
You might experience this as worry about not being a good enough parent, employee, or partner
Class
In This Chapter
The text assumes readers have leisure for extended spiritual practice, reflecting class privilege
Development
Subtle class assumptions continue throughout the work
In Your Life:
You might notice how self-improvement advice often ignores the reality of working multiple jobs or caring for family
Human Relationships
In This Chapter
The relationship with the divine mirrors how we relate to others during periods of change
Development
Introduced here - relationship dynamics during transition periods
In Your Life:
You might see this when relationships feel strained during your own periods of major change
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
This is not a test. Five prompts guide you through the chapter, from how it opens to how it closes, so you notice context and rhythm rather than facts to memorize. Sit with each question in your own words. When you see "One way to read it," treat it as a starting point, not the only answer.
- 1
What is John's first sign of the night of sense?
analysis • surfaceOne way to read it
No pleasure in God or in any created thing while God quenches sensual desire.
- 2
Why is anxious fear of backsliding a good sign?
analysis • mediumOne way to read it
Because indifference would accompany real sin; anxiety shows the soul still cares for God.
- 3
When have old spiritual or coping methods stopped working for you?
application • mediumOne way to read it
Describe a season when familiar practices felt empty while you still cared about growth.
- 4
How does failure of imaginative meditation point to simple contemplation?
application • deepOne way to read it
God communicates without discourse or images; forced meditation hinders the new mode.
- 5
How would you practice simple attentiveness during dryness this week?
reflection • deepOne way to read it
Show up without demanding sweetness, lists, or proof; remain peacefully present to God or the task.
Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Growth Discomfort
Think of an area in your life where you feel stuck, anxious, or dissatisfied despite trying hard. Apply John's three signs: Are you losing satisfaction in old approaches? Do you feel worried about not doing well enough? Have your usual coping strategies stopped working? Write down what you discover about whether this might be growth discomfort rather than actual failure.
Consider:
- •Growth often feels like going backward before moving forward
- •Anxiety about performance can actually indicate you care deeply about improvement
- •Old methods stopping work might mean you're ready for new approaches, not that you're broken
Journaling Prompt
Write about a past transition that felt terrible at the time but led to positive growth. What would you tell someone going through similar discomfort now?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 10: Learning to Let Go and Wait
Having identified the signs of authentic spiritual progress, John will next explore what to do when you recognize these signs in your own life - and how to navigate this challenging transition period.
