The Dark Night of the Soul

A Psychiatrist Explores the Connection Between Darkness and Spiritual Growth

By: Gerald G. May MD

Narrated by: Sean Runnette

Length: 4 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

A distinguished psychiatrist, spiritual counselor, and best-selling author shows how the dark sides of the spiritual life are a vital ingredient in deep, authentic, healthy spirituality.

Gerald G. May, MD, one of the great spiritual teachers and writers of our time, argues that the dark "shadow" side of the true spiritual life has been trivialized and neglected to our serious detriment. Superficial and naively upbeat spirituality does not heal and enrich the soul. Nor does the other tendency to relegate deep spiritual growth to only mystics and saints. Only the honest, sometimes difficult encounters with what Christian spirituality has called and described in helpful detail as "the dark night of the soul" can lead to true spiritual wholeness.

May emphasizes that the dark night is not necessarily a time of suffering and near despair, but a time of deep transition, a search for new orientation when things are clouded and full of mystery. The dark gives depth, dimension, and fullness to the spiritual life.

©2004 Gerald G. May (P)2020 Tantor

Reader’s voice

There is uncertainty in the way the text was read. Also, the voice was rough.

Enlightening toward enlightenment

This opens John of the Cross and Theresa so much to modern audiences. His insights across a wide body of works invites listening again and deeper reading of the original works.

Performance is very good. I thought I was listening to the author.

beautiful insight

In this mist of heartbreak, any hopeful view of the beauty that can come from brokeness isnt always welcomed. Once you have conversed with Spirit and Truth you can't help but to see this to be true. This book, helps articulate what I could not sew together. I come from a broken Evangelical background and have been journeying through dry lands leading to Christian contemplative life. While simultaneously going though losing my Mother. I found this book why looking for translations of work by St John of the cross. I am so happy I found it. I highly recommend.

Phenomenal Book!

Very well written and narrated. I am going to recommend this to several of my friends!

Excellent

Much to think about about this interpretation of the insights of St. Teresa and St. John of the Cross. More questions about theology now …

Answered many questions I had

I didn’t know what to expect when I started the book, even when getting to finishing the first chapter I was hesitant on finishing because I wasn’t familiar with the two subjects he wrote about and how I could relate. I’m so very glad that I did because the author writes about the dark night in a way that is applicable to every situation and brings in a new concept that I hadn’t thought of. If you are feeling stuck or grasping at things because you know there is something more I’d highly suggest this book. My soul feels more at peace having just finished it and it helped me to give myself permission to let go and be.

Wow

Unique, profound, insightful, encouraging and informed. I treasure this book deeply. Nuanced and brilliant as only a contemplative psychiatrist could write. This one is gold.

Contemplative psychologist Gerald May 10 stars

Gerald May approaches the Dark Nights through a lens of contemplation and psychology. Freeing read!

Enlightening

This book has brought so much clarity to the confusion I have been experiencing about contemplation.

Profound truth.

Excellent review of St. John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila’s theology and writings. Highly recommend.