The Dark Night of the Soul: A Sacred Journey to Joy and Enlightenment

Borrowing his title and philosophical bent from a work by John of the Cross, a 16th-century Catholic monk and mystic, Roth (The Healing Power of Prayer) is captured here in an extended ""healing prayer gathering"" before an adoring live audience. As with his metaphysical compatriots Louise L. Hay and Caroline Myss, Roth, a Roman Catholic priest for 25 years, shares an interest in accessing ""the spirit"" as a means to get in touch with one's true feelings. Accompanied by a steady cascade of New Age instrumental music, he leads a shared ""invocation"" to the ""Creator"" before moving through a five-stage program. Preaching his message with a gentle lisp that gives him an appealing awkwardness, Roth sounds incredibly sincere, forging a solid connection with his audience through wry use of historical anecdote and incorporation of autobiographical experience. (July)