Dark Night of the Soul

1. What does John of the Cross mean when he describes the 'dark night' as involving two kinds of letting go?

2. Why does John argue that discomfort and disorientation are necessary parts of personal growth rather than signs that something is wrong?

3. What happens to people when they start making real progress in their spiritual life, according to Saint John?

4. Why does Saint John say spiritual pride is especially dangerous compared to other kinds of pride?

5. What specific behaviors does John of the Cross identify in spiritual beginners that he considers problematic?

6. Why does John see the constant accumulation of spiritual books and objects as a form of greed rather than genuine devotion?

7. What does John say happens when our bodies react in ways that contradict our conscious intentions during important moments?

8. Why does John argue that these physical responses aren't actually sins or character flaws?

9. Saint John describes spiritual beginners who become irritable when their initial enthusiasm fades. What specific behaviors does he identify when people hit this wall?

10. Why does Saint John argue that impatience and grand resolutions actually work against progress rather than accelerating it?

11. What does John mean by 'spiritual gluttony' and how does it show up in beginners on any meaningful journey?

12. Why do people become addicted to the emotional highs of growth rather than focusing on steady progress?

13. Saint John identifies two toxic patterns in spiritual beginners: envy of others' progress and sloth that avoids difficult work. How do these patterns actually sabotage the growth they claim to want?

14. Why does Saint John say that spiritual pleasure-seeking creates people who become 'peevish and unbearable'? What's the connection between avoiding difficulty and becoming difficult to be around?

15. What are the three types of attachments that John says prevent real transformation?