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How can contemplation as defined by John of the Cross in the western tradition be compared to the divine light the soul encounters in the Eastern tradition? Is this light the light of divine wisdom which illumines the soul's understanding? I take it that it is not a visible light, i.e. like that seen on Mt. Tabor, but instead an inspired heavenly light that gives wisdom. Or is it really a "seen" light? If so, how does this relate to the darkness of faith in the apophatic tradition?

I don't know that you completely understand what John of the Cross was saying. Read his great poem "The Souls Union with God" his "Dark Night" and perhaps parts of other works (e.g. the Spiritual Cantitle, Ascent to Mount Carmel). For John of the Cross the "night" or "darkness" is only night or darkness of the natural human faculties so that we can see divine light through faith. In this sense it is very much like the ascetism of the East. He says there is an active night of the senses (mortification) a passive night of the senses (healing--being set right with God) an active night of the spirit (spiritual mortification) and a passive night of the spirit. His arguement is that everything which is natural has to be abanoned that we might see through faith. And when we have seen the divine light through faith and have been given the proper heirarchy within our members, the Lord gives our appetites, senses, faculties, etc back to us perfected.

I don't think that the two systems really are opposed to eachother. At any rate, that is only his way of explaining it. Other western mystics, and eastern mystics (of course) explain it in other ways. If anyone has more knowledge of eastern mysticism, perhaps he can help fill in what is lacking in mine.

(the emphasis of western mysticism is escatological marriage with God. There is some, but not terribly much emphasis on the incarnation through which Jesus united himself to every man. Most of the meditation on that comes through meditating on Christs humanity. There is a lot of mentition on the unitive, redemptive, and salvific dimensions of the passion of our Lord. Basically, though, it is a way of cooperating with the grace of God to move one toward perfection.)

Can anyone comment whether in the eastern tradition, the sense of being left abandonned by God and His Divine gifts is apparent at times? This is a type of passive purification John of the Cross discusses, which can leave the soul in spiritual anguish. Or does the eastern tradition find a different solution for filling this void, i.e. focusing outside oneself on good works, or a different type of spiritual focus? I'm grasping at straws a little bit here, for I'm not sure exactly what I mean, since I don't have much knowledge of the eastern contemplative tradition. Who is the best spiritual writer to consult on this? Eastern, that is. The many and varied types of purifications we all must pass through before we reach the "pearly gates", or I should say the beatific vision can seem overwhelming if considered all together. But I suppose we have an eternity for the job to be completed. I guess what I am mainly trying to discover here is whether, in the eastern tradition, the spiritual life necessarily includes periods of darkness and spiritual angst wherein the Lord himself allows the soul to passively experience suffering. I don't expect to exit this life without suffering in general; anyone who has lived very long knows that doesn't happen. But I am instead questionning whether the spiritual purifications are evident in Easterners' writings.