Fr. William Meninger guides the reader through two basic works of inner development, The Ascent of Mount Carmel and The Dark Night of the Soul, by St. John of the Cross (1542-1591) . He unfolds for modern readers the essence of these classical texts, section by section. St. John of the Cross for Beginners is for anyone entering or considering the Christian path of inner work or wishing to go more deeply into one's path of development.

Christian perfection consists in the twofold way of charity: service of neighbor and our direct quest for God's love. Many of us discover ways to love our neighbor, but few achieve intimacy with God. Why? Because we don't know how to prepare ourselves properly to reach this exalted goal. In these pages, Father Gabriel of St. Mary Magdalen lays out for us a time-tested path toward achieving complete intimacy with God, the path first mapped out centuries ago by the Church's acclaimed master of the contemplative life, St. John of the Cross (1542-1591). St. John showed that God hungers for union with each of us but also requires arduous efforts on our part, the many details of which Father Gabriel explains in these enlightening pages. Do you perceive holiness as an unattainable goal for you? Or is fear of the fatigue of such an effort holding you back? Absorb this book, and allow gentle St. John to take you by the hand and lead y

The paperback edition of a very successful and in some ways remarkable book, first published in 1973. Gerald Brenan is well known for his 'expository' works on Spanish history and literature, and now in his eighties he has returned to an early interest in the Spanish mystics to produce an absorbing study of St John of the Cross, one of the foremost of Catholic mystics and poets. The book is perhaps the first in English to combine an objective - but sensitive and lively - account of St John's life with a fresh translation (by Mr Brenan's associate Lynda Nicholson) of his verse.

St. John of the Cross, great mystic of the Christian tradition, knew suffering firsthand: his personal “dark night” included exile, imprisonment, starvation, abuse. Yet sustained by tremendous faith and steeped in an enormous love for God and humanity, John surrendered to the Divine and was drawn through his experiences to a profound compassion for and solidarity with others. This engaging contemporary biography is the perfect introduction—or an enjoyable re-acquaintance—to a man whose life, writings, and spirituality have illuminated the Christian world. ICS Publications is pleased to have this this sought-after and highly acclaimed biography, out of print for a decade, among our titles. Includes a reading guide to the works of St. John of the Cross, a selection from his works, 24 pages of color photos and reproductions of masterpiece artwork, and an extensive bibliography and notes.

"Beginning with a historical essay on the phenomenon of mysticism, Silent Music chronicles St. John's life story - from his humble birth in 1542, through his career as a professional religious, to his death in 1591 - placing the man and his spirituality squarely in their historical-cultural context. Herrera probes the saint's rigorous life of contemplation and his classic writings on such subjects as union with God and the "dark night of the soul," clarifying St. John's understanding of the mystical experience and paying particular attention to the notion of detachment and the recurring motifs of darkness, flame, and ascent in St. John's writings. His careful analysis of St. John's thought is enriched with examples from philosophy, psychology, literature, spirituality, and art - material not usually found in such a study.".