Book II, Chapter XVI Summary and Analysis

The properties of the darkness in which the soul finds itself is written about in this chapter. All human senses are useless to the soul in darkness. The soul itself is enveloped in a cloud darkness. The darkening of the senses must take place for the soul to be freed from the desires that hold it back from its search for God. It is only in darkness where it is unhindered in its search for God's love is the soul truly freed from sin and secure in this love.

St. John asks if the things of God are good for the soul, why do natural desires have to be numbed for the soul to receive these things? If the soul were to respond to these divine things without these natural senses being numbed, the soul...