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The Dark Night of The Soul
I was driving home on the coastal road that takes me past the Wolfgat Nature reserve. It was a particularly beautiful clear morning. We had most welcome heavy rains for the last few days so everything was sparkling in the dewy freshness. The arum lilies out in unbelievable abundance, yellow and white daisies forming seeming endless carpets of joyful celebration of the emerging light.The sea and sky a deep hue of blue, the breaking waves pure white and as the surfers calls it, the perfect glassy conditions. I was looking at this wonder of beauty, when I did a double take. Right in the shallow waters a whale was lazily frollicking, enjoying, it seemed the same beauty I was. As I widened my vision I saw more whales, blowing fountains. To my joy I saw the whales had come. I saw at least six all over the bay and their presence filled me with such happiness. I am so blessed to live in this country. Living here is truly a priviledge, no other country in the world offers such a richness of experience, in every aspect.
I was going to write Part 2 of The Sibyl, but half way into it I realised that first I must enter the the unknowable darkness, the Dark Night of the Soul.
The term Dark Night of the Soul first came into general use from the writings of St.John of the Cross, a Spanish Carmelite Friar of the XVI century. Before I give my own take on this subject let me give the official version of it.
" The Carmelite made in particular a detailed study of the experience of utter desolation which overwhelms the soul on entering those heights, and he called it the Dark Night. A few others have written of it from personal knowledge, but it is not an everyday experience, and theability to write of it is even more rare; for the Dark Night has its ecstatic as well as its sorrowful aspect, and in coming to utterance the ecstatic veils the other. Nevertheless, it contains the desolation of utter loneliness and the vast bitterness of the ocean, for it is the experience of Binah. (The Qabalistic third Sephirah, is typified by the slow-moving, huge and cold planet of Saturn. Emanations of each Sephirah is reflected down level by level right down to the material world. Also refereed to as the 'Sterile Mother') Foreshadowings there are, but the veritable Dark Night does not come in its fullness below the Abyss. It is the passion of the moth for the flame, for that supreme flame which is the Divine Spark and which in its true nature is veiled somewhat even from the Adept; but once beheld, directly yet still as Not-Self, that Spark is a totally desired absorption until the balance swings over. Hence, when anything of this experience finds words, they can but be words of love; but always there is the awareness of transcendence; the desolation and the ecstacy alike are in the supernal sphere." Melita Denning & Osborne Phillips – Magical Philosophy, Book III, The Sword and the Serpent.
I gave the above because I have found that to have any real understanding, or true perspective of any situation one finds oneself in, within the experience of life, you can do so only when you know the breadth of perspective. It is when one thinks and perceives only in a tunnel vision, that it is so easy to give up. I therefore believe that for anyone who is truly on the spiritual path, an understanding of The Dark Night of The Soul is vital. When you know the dawn will come after the darkness of the cold winter's night, already it becomes more bearable. The fire on a distant hilltop, can bring you the warmth to survive the bitter cold.
I am sure that anyone who is reading this, must know that no growth is possible without the experience of the bitter darkness of life. Yes, we can try and avoid the dark bitter side of life, try and escape it through all ways and means, but sooner or later it is going to catch up with you. Why is it that depression has become so such a problem in the world we live? Why is it that that so many find themselves feeling a deep emptiness inside themselves? Why is it that so many young people find life such a shallowness of existence that they loose all hope and take their own lives? It is the scourge of our times. In my opinion the world is experiencing the Dark Night of its collective soul.
"And you run, and you run, but the sun is sinking ..."
Pink Floyd
How desolately barren would the brightness of the light seem if you had never known the depth of the darkness? Where would be the sparkling brightness of the rainbow without the tears of the bitter sorrow? How will the flower bloom in all its beauty of potential if it had not first known the soils of darkness, enriched by the life-giving dung of living?
Do you know the colours of the Dark Rainbow?
I will leave it here for now, before I proceed further into the Shadow of our psyche.
“ I said to my soul, be still, and let the dark come upon you which shall
be the darkness of God.” T.S. Elliot
DARK EMOTIONS...
What is my experience in this place?
Mike, What a wonderful post!
Hi Sophia… hope this finds you well and a Happy New Year to you!!
“Sophia”…
in Greek means “wisdom” and I must tell you that it is certainly what I experience as I read many of your thoughts and feelings.
Your writing about Medusa is quite moving. The essence of the original myth for me has always been... can one truely see oneself??? Of course Medusa lost her head so as the old James Taylor song goes>>>
You could follow me and lose your mind....
Thanks for your warm responses to my posts, as I have read many of yours and have enjoyed finding another who is contemplating similar questions that I find myself drawn too.
Who am I you ask…. I like this description...
“Here is Edward Bear,
Sure would be nice to explore these with another...
Be well... mike
Mmmm ... yes, Sophia is tough name to live up to, but it inspired my
journey, or initiated my quest from a young age. Thank you for your kind
words.
Sophia…
hope this finds you well and thank you for your thoughtful replies to some of my thoughts.
Why here?
Why now?
Why you?
Pasiphae couldn't kill her son, but the beast ate human flesh, so they imprisoned it in an inescapable Labyrinth (built by Daedalus). Every year, sacrifices were required to the Minotaur, and the young men and women were locked into the Labyrinth to await their fate.
The beautiful Ariadne saw the shining brightness of the hero within, and fell in love with him. She found Daedalus, the master inventor and builder and begged his aid.
In turn, Ariadne went to Theseus with the yarn, and bade him fasten the end to the door of the Labyrinth so that once the Minotaur was dead, he could find his way back again.
But unfortunately for Theseus, things started to go downhill from there.
Ariadne wandered off on the island and was spied by the God of Wine, Dionysus, who fancied her and came to her, offering his magical wine to make her forget her lover and her destination. Dionysus carried Ariadne away to Lemnos, and there they had four sons.
SEEMS LIKE ARIADNE WAS A HUGE HELP TO THESEUS… BUT IN THE END……
DOES LOVE EVER LAST……..????
I think it would be great fun to play here…. Do you happen to have any yarn ???
Be well…….. mike
Mike, I am bias about the full moon in Africa. To me nothing can compare to
it, it is my belief that you haven't seen a full moon until you have seen a
fullmoon on a hot African night. :] Certainly last night it rose in golden
splendour from behind a low lying glowing veil of cloud over the purple
mountains into a midnight blue sky. Sigh...
Hi Sophia,
Hope this finds you well.
I certainly can relate to this a bit… Funny how life works… yet even in my failures
DO YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE ANY STRING???
Be well… mike
Hi Sophia.... hope you are well !!
What Shall He Tell That Son?
The heart is not living until it has experienced pain…
The pain of love breaks open the heart, even if it is
as hard as a rock. (Hazart Inayat Khan )
Eros and Thanos…. It seems to take some life experience to begin to recognize
One path leads to a hardening of the heart,
How well do you use these skills?
Who taught you them and how did they teach them?
Do you see these as feminine skills?
sadness.
“If you search for awakened heart, he says, if you put your hand through
your rib cage and feel for it, there is nothing there except for tenderness.
You feel sore and soft, and if you open your eyes to the rest of the world,
you feel tremendous sadness.”
Be well…… mike
Mike, you must have read my mind.:] The subject and content of your post
have been very much on my mind of late. I will reply to some of your post
here, and the rest in a separate post. The Dark Nights of the Soul
especially so.
Sweet Darkness
Hi Sophia…. Hope this finds you well.
I wrote this about year ago;
As a kid growing up, I had my twin brother who was always there, and I mean always!! Funny, having an identical twin, I think, helped me learn to look at myself. It also, played a part in me separating from others and developing some autonomy.
Be Well ... mike
Mike, I love David Whyte's work, I feel an empathy with all who express
soulful explorations. I must add that I never felt alone as a child, I just
loved solitude, perhaps because I am the eldest 4 children, from a very
sociable family. Our house was always buzzing with kids coming and going,
the front door was never locked, except when all had gone to bed. You are
one of an identical twin, that is so fascinating, it must give you a
different perspective on relationships, a head start? Are you still close?
I have started to use the word egocide to try to explore how suicidal
thoughts may actually be an invitation to life beyond the "separative
self".
Chris, I really enjoyed your writing on "egocide," what a wonderful
concept.
"As a child growing up in an evangelical Christian environment, I
was taught that the cross was a big "I" crossed out ..."
I like that so much, yes, it was pretty much the same for me.
