Spiritual Greed and Gluttony – Dark Night of The Soul

I remember about a dozen years ago, I was going through a particularly challenging time that felt like a hopeless period In my personal and spiritual development. Among other things, my mentor suggested that I read and meditate on Dark Night Of The Soul by St. John of The Cross.  She suggested I pay close attention to the teachings on spiritual greed and gluttony. I immediately became furious at her but pretended as if I was okay. Of course, she knew better. Like any “good student” who wants to prove to his mentor just how good a student he is, I left her and directly went to buy a copy of the book.

Spiritual greed and gluttony? Me? I have a daily meditation practice and pray throughout the day and the night. How can I have spiritual greed and gluttony?

In addition to suggesting I spend time with Dark Night Of The Soul, I was also verbally offered a brief but powerful teaching. I will do my best to share it with you accurately.

 Spiritual Greed and Gluttony – A Teaching

“Michael, you have spiritual greed and gluttony.  You want too much for yourself. You are not content with a life that supports prayer, meditation, Reiki, walks on the beach at sunset, peace, and a connection to your Higher Self. You want too much. When we pray, we ask for just a drop. And if we receive a drop, we are grateful. Every now and then, we may get a whole spoonful, but receiving a whole spoonful every day would be too much for our system to handle. Besides, who needs that much Divine Love and Wisdom? You have spiritual greed and gluttony, and you want a full glass every time you pray, every time you meditate, and every time you stare at the ocean while the sun is setting. It is time for you to gain some humility. Spiritual greed and gluttony are selfish and self-centered.”

I remember the teaching being more concise, but I think this at least conveys the message. I am sure you can see why I was furious. A few days into Dark Night Of The Soul, I felt like I was hit by the proverbial “spiritual 2 x 4”!

Spiritual Greed and Gluttony – Dark Night of The Soul in Pop Culture

The phrase Dark Night Of The Soul is often used in pop culture. I wonder how many people who use the phrase when describing a particularly challenging time in life have actually read and, possibly more importantly, meditated on the real poem and its meanings? If you have not read Dark Night Of The Soul, I encourage you to do so. If the words God, Jesus, Christ, or any other Catholic terms feel like an obstacle to you, I invite you to receive the Spiritual Teachings and not let religion, intellect, or ego get in the way.

Is there really such a thing as too much Divine Love and Wisdom? I don’t feel like I actually know the answer to this question, but I have a very strong sense that the need for more and more of anything, Divine Love and Wisdom included, speaks to a sense of entitlement, arrogance, and self-centeredness. If this offends you, I invite you to close your eyes, breathe, and spend 15 minutes reflecting on whether this may be true.

Spiritual Greed and Gluttony and The Concept of More

With all the conferences, trainings, seminars, and classes available to us today, it is very easy to continually think we need more—more wisdom, more knowledge, and just plain old more. This does not even take into account all that we have access to on the Internet. In our culture, the concept of more is at the center of our value system. Why would our spiritual journey be exempt from the belief that we always need more?

How much is enough Divine Love and Wisdom? For me, enough is when I feel present in my body and the connection to my Higher Self with an Inner sense that I can share Divine Love and Wisdom throughout the day with everyone and everything I come in contact with. That is enough! Why would I need more?

Spiritual Greed and Gluttony – Dark Night of The Soul Defined

“Saint John of the Cross’ poem narrates the journey of the soul from its bodily home to its union with God. The journey is called “The Dark Night”, because darkness represents the hardships and difficulties the soul meets in detachment from the world and reaching the light of the union with the Creator. There are several steps in this night, which are related in successive stanzas. The main idea of the poem can be seen as the painful experience that people endure as they seek to grow in spiritual maturity and union with God. The poem is divided into two books that reflect the two phases of the dark night. The first is a purification of the senses. The second and more intense of the two stages is that of the purification of the spirit, which is the less common of the two. Dark Night of the Soul further describes the ten steps on the ladder of mystical love, previously described by Saint Thomas Aquinas and in part by Aristotle. The text was written in 1578 or 1579, while John of the Cross was imprisoned by his Carmelite brothers, who opposed his reformations to the Order.” Wikipedia

You can buy the version of Dark Night of The Soul I have here.

A bit of humor to offer context to Spiritual Greed and Gluttony:)

Other Posts you may enjoy:

Doubt

I Am Not A Healer

Blindness – A Spiritual Teaching in Seeing

The Art of Knowing is Knowing What to Ignore

Things Your Couples Counselor Already Knows About Your Relationship

Michael Swerdloff

Providence Counselor, Coach and Reiki