“I was in the death struggle with self: God and Satan fought for my soul those three long hours. God conquered — now I have only one doubt left — which of the twain was God? Howbeit, I aspire!”

https://library.hrmtc.com/2024/12/19/i-was-in-the-death-struggle-with-self-god-and-satan-fought-for-my-soul-those-three-long-hours-god-conquered-now-i-have-only-one-doubt-left-which-of-the-twain-was-god-howbeit/

#Aceldama #aleisterCrowley #aspire #book #CollectedWorks #conquered #deathStruggle #doubt #fought #god #haveOnly #Howbeit #left #longHours #mySoul #now #one #poetry #quote #satan #Self #three #twain #which

St. John of the Cross: A reading guide

Though the path is plain and smooth for people of good will, those who walk it will not travel far, and will do so only with difficulty if they do not have good feet, courage, and tenacity of spirit.

Sayings of Light and Love, 3

On this feast day of St. John of the Cross, we invite you to explore his spiritual masterpieces with a practical reading guide. His writings are treasures for anyone seeking to deepen their relationship with God, offering wisdom, encouragement, and spiritual direction.

Our guide—based on decades of personal experience in Carmelite life and study—provides a basic roadmap to reading and understanding John’s works, starting with accessible texts like the Sayings of Light and Love and progressing through his mystical poetry, letters, and major works. Each step invites you to journey with John in faith, courage, and perseverance.

There are many different Carmelite study guides for reading St. John of the Cross; this guide is what has worked best for us.

A Practical Reading Plan

You might follow these steps to explore St. John’s writings:

• Step 1: Sayings of Light and Love
  Begin with these concise, profound sayings for quick inspiration and reflection.
• Step 2: Poetry
  Reflect on his poetry to access his spiritual depth in simple yet evocative language.
• Step 3: Letters
  Explore John’s pastoral care and practical wisdom in his letters.
• Step 4: Major Works
  • Start with The Spiritual Canticle for accessible insights.
  • Move on to The Dark Night and The Ascent of Mount Carmel for guidance through spiritual purification.
  • Conclude with The Living Flame of Love, and learn how God’s final, transformative work is accomplished in the soul.
• Step 5: Special Counsels
  Read his practical advice for dealing with spiritual obstacles in The Precautions, Counsels to a Religious, and Censure and Opinion.

Discover More

Listen to our podcast episode, where we share reflections, quotes, and practical advice for engaging with St. John of the Cross’s writings. Find the embedded episode below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU6qD6Wd69I

John of the Cross, St. 1991, The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross, Revised Edition, translated from the Spanish by Kavanaugh, K and Rodriguez, O with revisions and introductions by Kavanaugh, K, ICS Publications, Washington DC.

Featured image: This detail from an image of St. John of the Cross was engraved in 1788 by Gilles Antoine Demarteau. The technique used—of which Demarteau was a master—was crayon-manner in red and black, based on a drawing by Taillasson. The Art Institute of Chicago has a marvelous image of the tools used in crayon-manner engraving with detailed figures of the process. Image credit: Rijksmuseum, Antwerp (Public domain)

#CollectedWorks #guide #Podcast #reading #StJohnOfTheCross #study

“The ‘essential’ facts are, of course, imaginary.”

https://library.hrmtc.com/2024/09/03/the-essential-facts-are-of-course-imaginary/

“Then, one immaculate divinest whole, Plunge, fire, within all fire, dive far to death; Till, like king Satan’s sympathetic breath, Burn on us as a voice from far above Strange nameless elements of fire and love”

https://library.hrmtc.com/2024/02/22/then-one-immaculate-divinest-whole-plunge-fire-within-all-fire-dive-far-to-death-till-like-king-satans-sympathetic-breath-burn-on-us-as-a-voice-from-far-above-strange-nameless-elements-of-2/

“So shalt thou conquer Space, and lastly climb The walls of Time, And by the golden path the great have trod Reach up to God!”

https://library.hrmtc.com/2023/12/07/so-shalt-thou-conquer-space-and-lastly-climb-the-walls-of-time-and-by-the-golden-path-the-great-have-trod-reach-up-to-god/

“Thy subtle breath Shall flow like incense in between our cheeks, Where pleasure seeks In vain a wiser happiness.”

https://library.hrmtc.com/2022/12/21/thy-subtle-breath-shall-flow-like-incense-in-between-our-cheeks-where-pleasure-seeks-in-vain-a-wiser-happiness/