Dark Night of the Senses — Purgation of Appetite

The noche oscura del sentido, as San Juan de la Cruz describes it in the Dark Night of the Soul, is God's withdrawal of sensory consolation (consuelos sensibles) from prayer — the sweetness of meditation dries up, discursive reflection becomes impossible, and the soul feels abandoned. John identifies three signs that distinguish this purgative night from mere lukewarmness: the soul finds no satisfaction in creatures, fears it is backsliding, and cannot meditate as before. This night is the passive purgation of the appetites (apetitos), a divine weaning that prepares the senses for the infused light of contemplación.