Saint John of the Cross

When the humble friar Juan de Yepes felt despair creeping into his heart after harsh months of imprisonment, he cried out to God: "Where have you hidden, my Beloved?" In the darkness of his cell, the answer came to him at once, and poured forth in a poetic reverie that has become one of the most profound mystical works ever created. Saint John's writings, including "The Spiritual Canticle" and Dark Night of the Soul, stand today as masterpieces of faith as uplifting as they are beautiful, revered by spiritual masters of every tradition. In Saint John of the Cross, readers have the opportunity to enter into the mind and heart of one of contemplative Christianity's greatest visionaries. Through his writing and poetry, San Juan de la Cruz shares his wisdom for how we can abide in pure presence, what paths can bring clarity and peace to our souls, and how we can nurture a love that can transform even our most painful trials into an ecstatic connection with God.

Mirabai Starr teaches philosophy and world religions at the University of New Mexico, and is the author of new translations of Dark Night of the Soul by John of the Cross and The Interior Castle and The Book of My Life by Teresa of Avila. She lives in Taos.