Many current attempts to revitalize the life of prayer are inspired by either the writings of St. John of the Cross or the psychology of Dr. C.G. Jung. Both are excellent choices. Even better would be a program of renewal under their joint inspiration.

Yet such a program faces three serious challenges: theological misgivings about the compatibility of Jung's psychology with Christian belief, long-standing misinterpretations of St. John's doctrine on contemplation, and the need to clarify the relationship between Jung's process of individuation and contemplation.

Parts I and II are devoted to resolving these first two problems, while Part III gives a practical demonstration of the relationship between individuation and contemplation in St. John's life and writings and in a variety of contemporary spiritual problems.

Let me put it more concretely. I am enthusiastic about the prospect of using Jung and St. John as practical guides in the interior life. But when this enthusiasm begins to run away with me I see Victor White deep in conversation with Jung in the tower at Bollingen and their subsequent estrangement. Or I see Juan Falconi and Antonio Rojas in the Madrid of the late 1620's evoking the name of John of the Cross with the best of intentions to fuel a popular enthusiasm for contemplation, yet paving the road that led to a distrust of mysticism that has lingered to our own day.

Although these problems are serious and will force us to take a difficult journey through the thickets of epistemology and the history of spiritual life in the 17th century, I believe they are surmountable and will help lay foundations for a renewal of the life of prayer and a practical science of spiritual direction.

Reviews

"The story of Jung's encounter with Fr. Victor White suggests the difficulties of a task which nebvertheless must be carried out: the collaboration of psychology and theology... very complete bibliography." Choice

"This book deserves to be read. It is well written, well documented, easy to follow, and on occasion fascinating..." Spirituality Today

"Arraj has presented both Jung and John of the Cross in a competent manner. He related the two figures in a deeply thoughtful way, and challenges the reader to reflect along with him..." Carmelus

Table of Contents

PART I: Jung's Psychology and Christian Faith 

1    Individuation
 
     C. G. Jung 
     The Process of Individuation 
     Jung and Christian Doctrine 
     The Christian Context of the Discovery of Individuation 

2 A Typology of the Sciences 

     A Natural Science of the Psyche 
     Jung and Kant 
     Jung, Philosophy and Theology 
     Jacques Maritain and the Philosophy of Nature 
     The Empirical Sciences 
     Fr. Victor White 

PART II: The Dawn of Contemplation 

3 St. John and the Beginning of Contemplation
 
     John of the Cross 
     Writings on the Passage to Contemplation 
     Reading St. John
     Meditation 
     Contemplation 
     From Meditation to Contemplation 

4 A Revolution of Mystical Consciousness

     Mysticism in the Time of St. John 
     From Meditation to Contemplation Revisited 
     Meditation 
     Contemplation 
     Activity and Passivity 
     Perceptibility 
     Three Difficult Texts 
     Loving Attentiveness 

5 Acquired Contemplation in the 17th Century 

     Thomas of Jesus 
     Changes in the 1st Edition
     The Diffusion of Acquired Contemplation
     Antonio Rojas 
     Juan Falconi 
     Augustine Baker 
     Miguel Molinos 

6 A Typological Portrait of St. John 

     Psychological Types 
     The Early Years 
     The Orphanage 
     Hospital and University 
     St. John and St. Teresa 
     Prison 
     Andalusia 
     The Poet 
     Major Prose Works 

7 Psychic Energy and Contemplation 

     Psychic Energy
     Outbursts of Sense 
     Temptations and Contemplation 
     Inflation and Deflation 
     Wholeness and Holiness 
     Contemplation and Individuation 

8 Beginners and Contemplatives 

     Spiritual Direction 
     Speculative and Practical Sciences 
     Type and Community 
     An Integrated Typology 
     Beginners 
     Beginners and Psychological Knowledge 
     Two Paths of Inner Development 
     The Intuition Type and Contemplation 
     Contemplatives 
     The Normalcy of Contemplation 

9 Inbetween 

     An Anti-Mystical Atmosphere 
     Acquired Contemplation in the 20th Century 
     A Psychological Dark Night 
     The Way of Faith

Epilogue: Magnum Opus 

Notes 

Bibliography 

Index