{"id":641,"date":"2018-12-12T18:59:37","date_gmt":"2018-12-13T01:59:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.michaelmirdad.com\/?p=641"},"modified":"2021-09-02T15:20:36","modified_gmt":"2021-09-02T22:20:36","slug":"the-dark-night-of-the-soul","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/michaelmirdad.com\/the-dark-night-of-the-soul\/","title":{"rendered":"The Dark Night of the Soul"},"content":{"rendered":"

There is an old saying: \u201cThere are two things in life that we cannot avoid, death and taxes.\u201d But the truth is, the only two things we cannot avoid are death and the Dark Night of the Soul.<\/p>\n

And although \u201cThe Dark Night of the Soul\u201d (life\u2019s greatest transformational experience) is not a term that everyone recognizes,\u00a0 we all know of it quite well. That\u2019s because every person who has ever lived on this planet (to the age of an adult) has gone through it in some form.<\/p>\n

Although not everyone goes to college, or gets married, or has children, or gets divorced; everyone (and I mean everyone) goes through the Dark Night of the Soul<\/strong>\u2014at one time or another, and at one level or another. In fact, we all go through it at least two or three times in our lives\u2014each occurrence averaging a few years in length. However, the Dark Night of the Soul is one of the world\u2019s best kept secrets\u2014in that everyone goes through it, yet almost nobody talks about it or even knows anything about it.<\/p>\n

What Is the Dark Night of the Soul?<\/h4>\n

The \u201cDark Night of the Soul\u201d is a term that was popularized by St. John of the Cross<\/a><\/strong>, and eventually other mystics as well\u2014throughout time. It\u2019s actually referred to in ancient times, but not necessarily by that name. One of the main reasons we call this process the \u201cDark Night of the Soul\u201d is because Jesus\u2019 dark period of mystical soul-searching took place in just one night\u2014in the Garden of Gethsemane.<\/p>\n<\/div>

The Soul’s Transformation Process<\/h4>\n

\"TheThe Dark Night of the Soul is a purging process that calls us to release all that is unhealed or unnecessary<\/strong>\u2014releasing all that is in the way of our highest good. The process is trying to help us release all that is not yet divine within us and bring us closer to our true divine expressions.<\/p>\n

There is an irony to it all, however, because although the Dark Night of the Soul is not something we would ever wish upon ourselves or anyone else, it is, nevertheless, the most educational and transformational experience this earthly life has to offer<\/strong>. In fact, nearly every mystic, spiritual master, and the heroes and heroines of mythology from around the world, reached their greatest heights and epiphanies after going through the Dark Night of the Soul.<\/p>\n

Going through the Dark Night of the Soul is like a major housecleaning or a corporate clean-out\u2014except that it\u2019s our soul that\u2019s doing the cleaning. It\u2019s not because there is something \u201cwrong\u201d with us, or that we\u2019ve done something \u201cwrong.\u201d Instead, the soul is just saying, \u201cYou know, I’ve looked through your memories and I found little bits of issues (for example, lessons not yet learned) here and there and wounds not yet healed\u2014all of which are holding you back. So we\u2019re going to do a thorough cleanse of whatever we can so that you can move forward into a better life.\u201d Our soul also says, \u201cBy the way, we have some good news and some bad news: the good news is that the Dark Night will not actually kill you. The bad news, however, is that at times it might make you wish you were dead.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>

The Crucible<\/h4>\n

Experiencing the Dark Night of the Soul is like being taken into the old alchemist\u2019s crucible to have all of our dross, or extraneous feelings and beliefs, burned away and transformed into something more pure. It is life\u2019s version of the darkness before the dawn. It\u2019s like the dark side of the moon\u2014cold and lonely. And yet, there is no human experience that can teach us more, nor prepare us more, for the new life that comes to those who remain as centered as possible in faith and courage.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nothing on Earth Does More for Our Soul’s Growth<\/h4>\n

The Dark Night of the Soul transforms our lives for the better, but only if we move through the process properly\u2014going through each step with the highest level of consciousness and integrity possible. This process helps us to learn what it is in our lives that is outworn and no longer necessary. The Dark Night can also help us to develop the courage to release such things. And, even though going through it feels quite challenging, nothing on Earth does more for our soul\u2019s growth<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The term \u201cDark Night of the Soul\u201d . . . refers to the kind of spiritual crisis that leads us <\/em>
\nfrom profound unknowing to radiant transformation.<\/em>
\n\u2013Mirabai Starr<\/p>\n

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Getting In Touch With the Soul<\/h4>\n

The Dark Night of the Soul is referred to as such, because it defines a \u201cdark\u201d period in our lives that helps us to get in touch with our soul\u2014at the deepest level<\/strong>. The Dark Night of the Soul occurs when our soul decides to take us on a journey that is not about the usual, day-to-day tasks and challenges related to our outer life, but rather, is about the tests and lessons related to our inner life.<\/p>\n

The Dark Night is more than a learning experience;
\nit\u2019s a profound initiation into a realm that nothing in the culture,
\nso preoccupied with external concerns and material success, prepares you for.<\/em>
\n\u2013Thomas Moore<\/p>\n

This is not a period that focuses on the usual mundane things of life such as going to school, getting a job, getting married, having children, and so forth. Instead, the Dark Night of the Soul is a period when we might simultaneously lose our job, have health issues, find out our partner is having an affair, and perhaps lose our loved ones. It’s when it seems like we are being faced with numerous challenges\u2014all at once. And again, it\u2019s not like we\u2019re simply having a bad day, but rather it\u2019s like we\u2019re having a bad life!<\/strong><\/p>\n

Purifying the Ego-Self<\/h4>\n

Many mystics (such as St. John of the Cross, Saint Theresa and Saint Francis) have left records of their experiences with the Dark Night of the Soul. In fact, one could hardly earn the title of \u201cmystic\u201d without having gone through the Dark Night experience. Those mystics throughout history who have gone through the Dark Night describe it as a process wherein our spirit is purifying the ego-self. For this reason, mystics are often seen in the same light as the alchemists of the Renaissance period, because the symbolism of the alchemical process is the same as that of the Dark Night of the Soul: the lower self is purged until the transformational process is complete<\/strong>. All we find remaining within ourselves is pure gold, the purified self. In this sense, the Dark Night of the Soul gives birth to the Phoenix within us, but only if we die well (to the ego self) and are courageous enough to truly rise from the ashes.<\/p>\n

We must be willing to get rid of the life we\u2019ve planned,
\nso as to have the life that is waiting for us. <\/em>
\nThe old skin has to be shed
\nbefore the new one can come.<\/em>
\n\u2013Joseph Campbell<\/p>\n

Signs and Symptoms of Going Through the Dark Night<\/h3>\n

There are several signs and symptoms that indicate we are going through the Dark Night of the Soul<\/strong>, as opposed to merely having a \u201cbad week.\u201d We all have moments when we feel challenged, stuck, ill, and so forth; or lose a job, relationship, or partnership. And any one of these, by themselves, can send us into a downward spiral of emotional pain and\/or physical discomfort.<\/p>\n

In normal years of life, we usually face only a couple of these challenges at a time, and they usually (with some exceptions) last only days or weeks. During the Dark Night of the Soul, however, we often experience most areas of our lives as being challenged\u2014often with all of them occurring at the same time.<\/p>\n

Seven Primary Signs<\/h4>\n

Below are the seven primary signs or symptoms (in most cases progressing from one to another) of going through the Dark Night of the Soul:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  1. Several areas of your life have fallen apart (been dismantled), such as health, work, friendships, and so forth.<\/li>\n
  2. Usually it lasts for one to three years\u2014minimum.<\/li>\n
  3. You feel stuck (like you are in a rut) and possibly depressed.<\/li>\n
  4. Nothing you try in order to repair your current condition is working.<\/li>\n
  5. You might feel either like a failure or a hypocrite.<\/li>\n
  6. You feel like you have lost faith in God or in the process of life.<\/li>\n
  7. You feel like you are in a state of shock.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Physical Signs<\/h4>\n

    When we go through the Dark Night of the Soul, our energy levels often drop. We might lose weight in an unhealthy way (or gain weight if our glands swing out of balance from the stress). We often feel a lack of will to live. Men might experience erectile issues, while women might experience a drop in libido. And that\u2019s because, overall, the Dark Night is like a serious bout of depression. And it makes it even more challenging that all of this can last for years.<\/p>\n

    The Dark Night of the soul is when you have lost the flavor of life
    \nbut have not yet gained the fullness of divinity. <\/em>
    \nSo it is that we must weather that dark time,
    \nthe period of transformation when <\/em>what
    \nis familiar has been taken away
    \nand the new richness is not yet ours.<\/em>
    \n\u2013Ram Dass<\/p>\n<\/div>

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    What’s It Like To Go Through the Dark Night?<\/h4>\n

    Experiencing the Dark Night of the Soul is like going through a dark tunnel; our goal is to reach the \u201cLight at the End of that Tunnel.\u201d<\/strong> The dark tunnel represents every form of lesson, test, and unhealed wound (known or unknown) held within our psyche. On a personal, fundamental level, the Light at the End of the Tunnel represents a better life that awaits us, here, in this lifetime. On a grand, universal level, the Light represents God and a calling towards a greater love and willingness to surrender our lives to God\u2019s Divine Plan.<\/p>\n

    Buffeted by gusts of chance or drenched by rains of misfortune, <\/em>
    \nI nevertheless direct my mind to look always toward Thee.
    \n<\/em>\u2013Paramahansa Yogananda<\/p>\n

    Since the Dark Night\u00a0is like navigating a seemingly dark and endless tunnel, it is helpful for us to know some of the symbolic characters and characteristics we will likely encounter along the way. For example, we can imagine that a tunnel like this might be similar to a maze, with numerous side-tunnels. These side-tunnels symbolize life\u2019s potential distractions, including the numerous distractions from our ego that would try to keep us from reaching the Light at the End of the Tunnel<\/a>.<\/p>\n

    A Time to Journey Within<\/h4>\n

    The \u201cDark Night\u201d is a period of our lives wherein our soul has decided that it\u2019s time for us to journey within<\/strong>, so we can discover which parts of us need to be healed, transformed, and\/or released. It\u2019s an internal process designed to teach us humility, how to surrender to life\u2019s healing processes, and how to become a better (more evolved) person.<\/p>\n

    Everything that happens is either a blessing which is also a lesson, or a lesson which is also a blessing.<\/em>
    \n\u2013Polly Berrien Berends<\/p>\n

    How the Dark Night of the Soul Manifests At Different Stages of Life<\/h4>\n

    The The Dark Night of the Soul can take many forms, manifesting at various times in our lives in similar ways, but also in ways that are unique to our age. For example:<\/p>\n