God leads into the dark night those whom He desires to purify from all these imperfections so that He may bring them farther onward. - John of the Cross

First imperfection: spiritual pride. 2. Fed by Satan. 3. Rebellion against confessors. 4. Deceitful confessions. 5. Pride of impatience with self. 6. Continuation. 7. Conduct of the humble beginner. 8–10. Marks of true, simple spirituality. 11. How the humble man bears his own imperfections.

This love has in it something of the most perfect union with God, and thus partakes in some measure of its properties, which are more especially actions of God received in the soul rather than of the soul, in which they subsist passively, the soul giving its consent thereto.6 3. But this warmth and force and temper and passion of love, or burning, as the soul calls it, are solely the work of God Who is entering into union with it. The more the desires are restrained, subdued, and disabled for the enjoyment of the things of heaven and earth, the more room does this love find in the soul, and better the dispositions for its reception, so that it may unite itself with that soul, and wound it. This takes place, as has been said before,7 during the dark purgation in a wonderful way, for God has so weaned the faculties, and they are now so recollected in Him, that they are unable to take pleasure as they like in anything whatever. 4. All this is the work of God; wrought

The very pure spirit does not bother about the regard of others or human respect, but communes inwardly with God, alone and in solitude as to all forms, and with delightful tranquility, for the knowledge of God is received in divine silence.