The Ascent of Mount Carmel is a spiritual and philosophical treatise written by St. John of the Cross, a Spanish mystic and Carmelite friar. The book is divided into three parts and explores the journey of the soul towards union with God. In the first part, St. John discusses the need for detachment from worldly desires and the purgation of the senses in order to reach spiritual perfection. He explains that the soul must detach itself from material things and focus on the pursuit of virtue and the love of God. The second part of the book delves deeper into the process of purification, describing the various stages of spiritual growth and the obstacles that must be overcome in order to progress towards union with God. St. John emphasizes the importance of humility, faith, and surrender to God's will in this process. The final part of the book describes the state of spiritual union with God, which St. John calls the ""dark night of the soul."" He explains that this state is characterized by a profound sense of emptiness and detachment from all things, including one's own self. However, he also emphasizes the joy and peace that come with this union, and the ultimate goal of the soul's journey towards God. Overall, The Ascent of Mount Carmel is a profound and insightful exploration of the spiritual journey towards union with God, written by one of the most important Christian mystics in history.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.