Nothingness in Carmelite spirituality, royal yoga and Zen. A common or separate path to spiritual perfection?

The article addresses whether Christians can employ classical yoga or Zen-Buddhism meditation techniques to attain Christian perfection by invoking the spiritual doctrines of the Carmelite saints John of the Cross and Teresa of Jesus, with particular emphasis on John of the Cross’s concept of ‘nothingness’. It investigates the interpretation of this term within these three traditions to ascertain if it is understood similarly. The findings indicate that it is not. The sole commonality among these traditions is the subjective experience of nothingness or emptiness. However, there is no deeper resemblance, as yoga or Zen practices also imply an objective nothingness in faculties, which contradicts the teachings of John of the Cross and Teresa of Jesus. The article further analyzes the statements of proponents who assert the proximity of these doctrines to determine whether they properly comprehend the teachings of John and Teresa. The conclusion drawn is that, considering the ultimate goals of each tradition, it is not feasible to invoke Carmelite spirituality to justify the use of yoga or Zen techniques in the pursuit of Christian perfection.