Ever experience the dark night of the soul?

Anyone here experience this. I became academically familiar with years ago, and a little more now.
These experiences are deeply personal, and perhaps best discussed on PM.
Northpointwashington has a very good discussion of, as does lonerwolf, a fellow called eckhartTolle, and theapeiron.uk.
Sca

 

I'm not sure what that is.

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I'm out!!

 

Sounds like something I might need to dive into. I've read a couple Eckhart Tolle books but don't remember this being referenced before.

 

I didn't know what it meant but after a bit of looking into it I'd say it is more common than you would think. Definitely some quick points struck home.

 

Deep....

 

No, but I did sleep at a holiday inn last night.

 

St. John of the Cross first described the concept in the 1600s:
Dark Night of the Soul
Author: John of the Cross


Understanding the 'Dark Night of the Soul'

Catholic Dictionary
DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL

 

Will have to look into it. Thanks

 

It is more common, but not a lotta people know what it is, and too many give up not knowing.
But it just happens. Not by choice, and not to everyone.
It seems "seekers" contemplatives, deep thinkers are susceptible.
It is a crisis of the soul (not like depression which is chemical and can be medically treated).
And it is deeply healing.
I'm always interested in personal experience, but want to put a little light on the subject. I know one person fairly well, who if he didn't know of this, would still be as lost and directionless, perhaps medicated.
Sca

 

In the Catholic realm, one would seek out the assistance of a competent spiritual director or priest confessor, who is well versed in discerning the dark night of the soul from other physical or psychological, non spiritual explanations.

Frankly in today’s world it’s quite rare for a Christian to progress to this point, and by its very nature it is limited to committed Christians.

 

To scary for me , I think I'm going to switch over to the what adult beverage are you enjoying tonight thread .

 

I still don't comprehend what exactly it is.

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I'm not exactly sure as this is the first reference to this that I have seen, but it at least feels semi familiar. Not to pity party but over the last 15 years the $#!+ my wife and I have been through, lost, and indefinitely will deal with for the rest of our lives because of health reasons has had me at the most extreme lows I've been at in life, yet somehow I have over the last year and a half probably been the most prayerful and connected to the almighty that I have been in almost 30 years.

 

I found the difference by reading about the dark night. Read the DSM5 (is it the 5 now?) For clinical depression symptoms (typically severity over time iirc). Try medicating a spiritual issue, and see if that fixes.

One big marker (vs. Depression) of the dark night, is the inability to hear God's voice. He seems far away, distant. So one must be familiar with His voice to recognize its absence.

He will reach us though, through circumstances. Say, one is at the end of their rope, suicide is one of a couple options, God seems distant (His voice not heard through pastors/mentors and reading His word is like reading a strange language). One goes to their favorite retreat location for a night. It snows and closes work the next day so one suddenly has desperately needed time available. Then, a dear friend is discovered to also be on retreat, and reveals that they too have been through the dark night of the soul. Thus while His voice was obscured, "His hand is yet still upon me".

Too many kill themselves out of sheer hopelessness, when the situation is not hopeless, it needs to be looked at differently.
Sca

 

Whenever I get a bad case of DNS I just buy a bigger tractor! I’m broke but happy!

 

Thanks for the explanation. It's almost opposite of what I thought it would be. I have always considered God to be the light. Interesting.