Guest guest Posted January 11, 2008 Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 Dearest , As always I very much enjoy your posts for they are so very informative and make me feel that hmm....so that is why if feel this way. You truly have such a keen insight into what is going on in this world, both spiritually and physically! I also love your humor, it is so great! You truly are someone I feel very blessed to " know " for your light shines through even with posts of the darkness, you show a light for all to follow, well, as far as I can humbly say, my dear! Thank you for this post. The picture at the top is amazing also! Namaste and thank you again, Luna --- In , " karmarqu69 " <karmarqu69@...> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > SPIRITUAL CRISIS > DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL > > Carolyn Myss > > " You cannot find the Light unless > you enter the darkness " > > ~ An ancient mystical insight > > ************************* > Dark night of the soul, holy madness, spiritual emergency, spiritual > crisis, spiritual madness, and spiritual emergence are various phrases > that have been used to describe a unique experience - a profound test of > faith, endurance, inner purification and surrender - that is a necessary > part of walking the path back home to God. > > Because of these experiences, one rises to a higher state of divine > beingness and becomes much closer to All That Is. Sooner or later, this > lifetime or next, everyone will journey through the dark night. > > Today, many people on this planet are searching for a deeper meaning and > purpose to life. Struggling for survival and happiness in the material > world just doesn't seem to satisfy the human potential anymore. > > [Dark Night of the Soul] > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vczE0My5waG90b2J1Y2tldC5jb20vYWxid W1\ > zL3IxMjIvZGFuY2luZ2ZpbmdlcnMvP2FjdGlvbj12aWV3JmN1cnJlbnQ9REFSS05JR0hUT 0Z\ > USEVTT1VMLmpwZw==> > > More and more we're becoming bored and frustrated with the routines of > everyday life, whether it's with our careers, our personal lives or our > relationships with other people. It seems that the average human > consciousness is so bogged down with the pressures of daily living, it > takes an intense, emotional upheaval to jar it awake even a slight > degree. > > Deep inside we're beginning to realize that our hunger for the material > comforts and pleasures of life eventually leaves us feeling empty and > incomplete. We then begin to suspect that lasting peace and happiness is > an inner thing. As a result, many individuals are looking into the > spiritual or mystical realms for a greater sense of purpose, direction > and meaning to life. In the process, we find ourselves asking " who am I > really, what am I doing here, or what is the real purpose of life on > this planet? " > > If we're ready, these kinds of questions will awaken a yearning deep > within that inspires us to look for answers. Other times a serious life > crisis or a profound mystical event can have the same effect. Its > purpose is to open our eyes to the physical-world dream we've been > trapped in for a very long time. In the end, we find that we're really > searching for God. > > If we don't find answers to these questions, we'll continue going round > and round on the wheel of karma and reincarnation with many births, > lives, deaths and rebirths until we do. One of the purposes of the dark > night is to help us break that cycle so that we no longer attach to or > anchor ourselves in the physical world of planet Earth. > > [anime] > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vczE3LnBob3RvYnVja2V0LmNvbS9hbGJ1b XM\ > vYjU3L2RhbnRla2lsbGVyXzM3L3F1aXolMjBwaWN0dXJlcy8/YWN0aW9uPXZpZXcmY3Vyc mV\ > udD0xMTExNDI4MDQ5X0Jyb2tlblNvdWwuanBn> > > Our search for the truth helps us to awaken spiritually. More > importantly, it helps us remember who we really are. This is part of the > divine calling that some have heard, but many have yet to respond to. > This new awareness can be the most profound experience of one's > lifetime; an ecstatic rush of joy and enlightenment that is difficult to > describe to those who have yet to reach this point. > > After an awakening or shift in one's awareness occurs, we begin to look > at the old ways and false beliefs of our lives with less interest, while > that which becomes clearer and feels more natural is our re- connection > with the divine. The old way simply doesn't interest us anymore while > the new way is all that matters. > > Somewhere along the journey of remembering who we really are we may find > ourselves in a very uncomfortable space or no-man's-land. In that place, > we realize that we haven't totally let go of our old belief systems, > which are breaking down, while on the other hand, we have yet to fully > plug into the new spiritual truths we have discovered. > > This awkward place of mind, between the death of our " previous life " and > the birth of our new one, can bring on an internal crisis of > uncertainty, instability, confusion, frustration and a most unspeakable > despair, as the dark night of the soul sets in and makes its presence > felt. > > The length of time it takes to " die " and the time required for rebirth > varies with each individual. The entire experience might last days, > weeks or years. In the process, you experience ego death, and it's > control over you begins to dissolve and lessen, as it returns to its > rightful level of influence in your mind. > > There are also other ways to bring on a spiritual crisis. Sometimes it > can begin with a profound mystical vision, near-death event, serious > illness, reading a spiritual book, childbirth, a serious loss or even > the use of a mind-altering drug. Either way the net result is an abrupt > and radical change in one's belief systems and one's way of being. All > of it creates the opportunity for profound and lasting inner > transformation and a shift in awareness. > > The dark night is part of the spiritual journey. It will take us into > the hidden areas of our nature and bring to the surface many of our > ego-based imprints and imperfections. Then their presence can be > acknowledged and cleansed from our personality and makeup. All of this > can be quite demanding and may leave the individual in a state of > emotional drain and helplessness. Functioning normally in everyday > reality can become very difficult and challenging. > > It is ironic that along with the rapture of remembering our divine > connection there can be intense feelings of depression, madness, > detachment, hopelessness and an extraordinary loneliness that is not > only relentless, but may last for months or years on end. That's what > happens when we go through this purification experience and our ego > begins to lose its influence over us. > > Then comes the required period of waiting and humble perseverance, as > our old self dies and we constantly wonder when the dark night will end. > Ultimately, it feels as though we have lost control over our lives and, > most importantly, that God has truly abandoned us. > > St. of the Cross described the dark night of the soul as " an > inflowing of God into the soul, which purges it from its ignorances and > imperfections. " > > Because of its profound challenges, the dark night has also become a > reference point for an experience of intense, spiritual struggle, and a > passage into the wilderness that is filled with utter hopelessness and > isolation. > > In Dr. Jack Kornfield's book, First the Ecstasy, Then the Laundry, he > cites the following description of someone who had been on the spiritual > path for more than 20 years and became a guru because of it. Then, just > when things in life seemed to be going perfectly, a dark night of the > soul appeared unexpectedly: > > " I had always worried about my students, how unstable their wisdom > seemed. After the first profound realizations of emptiness and freedom, > the painful tendency of many people was to become caught again in > separation. But then it happened to me! > > I received a crash course in confusion, panic and depression. It started > when I became very sick with leftover parasites from India. Then all the > money I had saved for years and invested in two thriving businesses was > lost through bankruptcy and betrayal. > > All of the sudden the 'guru' was sick and poor. I became terribly > frightened. My family life became a place of conflict. We had to leave > our home, to struggle with money, to worry about ordinary things. I had > difficulty with my mother. And all the while I thought I shouldn't feel > these things - I'd been to the peaks, after all. I thought I knew the > whole game. > > Finally I had to stop teaching. I lost all control. I reached a > childlike stage were I wasn't trying to understand things; I was just > broken down completely, living moment to moment, and in some way that's > when my spiritual life really became genuine for the first time. " > > Spiritual crisis should not be confused with personal karma that an > individual chooses to confront and deal with during a given lifetime. > For example, if one is in a difficult relationship, handicapped, abused, > involved in a serious addiction, and so on, these circumstances usually > reflect personal karma rather than the presence and symptoms of a > spiritual crisis. > > St. of the Cross went through it, Edgar Cayce spoke of it, several > recent books and tapes have described it. And, throughout history, > various indigenous cultures provided special care and loving support for > their tribal members in spiritual crisis. > > Sometimes the dark night can be a slow, steady and repetitive process. > Other times it can be intense, radical and very rapid. Either way it is > a very profound experience that strips away our false beliefs and > earthly attachments. The key is to trust what your inner knowingness > keeps telling you that, in the end, the priceless reward will be > God-centeredness and spiritual enlightenment, as the real you emerges > from the material dream. > > If the dark night has entered your life, please don't give up! When the > madness is over, when one finally lets go in an act of surrender, > acceptance and trust in what God is accomplishing with you - without > resignation and with gratitude for the experience - the spiritual > madness will end. > > When the madness ends, ego will have far less influence in your life and > a Light will shine through bringing with it a new spiritual adventure > and purpose. Your path will then be guided by a series of divinely > influenced synchronous events and your real mission for this lifetime > will unfold and fall into place, as if by magic. > > But don't get too comfortable with your newfound way of life. The dark > night is all about surrendering to the will of God. When a certain > degree of letting go has finally been achieved, one needs to live that > surrender each and every day. While that is happening, the following > question still needs to be asked: " how can I know I have surrendered > unless I am tested from time to time? " What this means is that we will > be tested now and then in order to answer that question. > > [Dark Night] > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vczE4MC5waG90b2J1Y2tldC5jb20vYWxid W1\ > zL3gzMTEvb3V0bGF3eWFja3kvP2FjdGlvbj12aWV3JmN1cnJlbnQ9QUExdHJlZWZhZTIua nB\ > n> > > Symptoms of Spiritual Crisis > > A typical " dark night " series events might be... > > Things in life seem to be going along quite smoothly. > Then, unexpectedly... > > The individual has a serious life crisis such as career failure, > divorce, a health problem, a serious addiction, financial > collapse, a near death experience, etc. > or any combination of > such events > > At some point the crisis and anguish becomes so intense > she or he drops to the floor and, in a climactic > act of desperation, cries out > God, help me! > > God begins to help immediately, most often in ways > that are contrary to what we expect > (put your seat belt on at this time!) > > The crisis usually jump-starts the search for spiritual truth. Each new > insight we discover brings on the death of an old false belief > we've been programmed to accept throughout our lives. > This starts to seriously threaten our ego and... > > A severe test of faith begins > that can last for months or years > > The most important question you can ask yourself > during a spiritual crisis is, " Can you > believe in God when the night > is the darkest? " > > During a dark night crisis the individual may have any combination or > all of the following symptoms: > > * Feelings of depression, despair, loneliness > > * Loss of energy > > * Chronic exhaustion not linked to a physical disorder > > * Loss of control over one's personal and/or professional direction in > life > > * Unusual sensitivity to light, sound and other environmental factors > > * Anger, frustration, lack of patience > > * Loss of identity, purpose, and meaning to life > > * Withdrawal from life's everyday routines > > * Feelings of madness and insanity > > * A sense of abandonment by God > > * Feelings of inadequacy > > * Lessened feelings of attachment to family and friends > > * Loss of attention span, self-confidence and self-esteem > > * Frequent bouts of spontaneous crying and weeping > > These symptoms mimic ordinary clinical depression. However, there is a > major difference. Spiritual madness is an inner thing between you and > God during which deep, rich spiritual growth is occurring. > Anti-depressants may rob you of this miraculous (yet painful) > experience. > > Many of the above symptoms were taken from The Stormy Search for Self by > and Stanislav Grof, M.D. (please see reference section) > > http://www.fromthestars.com/page26.html > > Love~All~Ways > *~Karma* > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcHJvZmlsZS5teXNwYWNlLmNvbS9pbmRle C5\ > jZm0/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj11c2VyLnZpZXdwcm9maWxlJmZyaWVuZGlkPTYxNTEzNTQ3Jk15V G9\ > rZW49MWIyMzg2YzQtMTFjMi00YWFlLWJiMTQtYmUzNzBjYTNiMTNj> > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 11, 2008 Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 Dear , Thank you for this beautiful post. This certainly well describes a large aspect of the Cancer Survivor's experience. It's like childbirth, only you're giving birth to yourself. And the contractions...well, they're a *****! But, just like with after having a baby, afterward you don't think about the pain. You only feel... Love and Gratitude, Kanta > > > > > > > > > > SPIRITUAL CRISIS > DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL > > Carolyn Myss > > " You cannot find the Light unless > you enter the darkness " > > ~ An ancient mystical insight > > ************************* > Dark night of the soul, holy madness, spiritual emergency, spiritual > crisis, spiritual madness, and spiritual emergence are various phrases > that have been used to describe a unique experience - a profound test of > faith, endurance, inner purification and surrender - that is a necessary > part of walking the path back home to God. > > Because of these experiences, one rises to a higher state of divine > beingness and becomes much closer to All That Is. Sooner or later, this > lifetime or next, everyone will journey through the dark night. > > Today, many people on this planet are searching for a deeper meaning and > purpose to life. Struggling for survival and happiness in the material > world just doesn't seem to satisfy the human potential anymore. > > [Dark Night of the Soul] > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vczE0My5waG90b2J1Y2tldC5jb20vYWxi dW1\ > zL3IxMjIvZGFuY2luZ2ZpbmdlcnMvP2FjdGlvbj12aWV3JmN1cnJlbnQ9REFSS05JR0hU T0Z\ > USEVTT1VMLmpwZw==> > > More and more we're becoming bored and frustrated with the routines of > everyday life, whether it's with our careers, our personal lives or our > relationships with other people. It seems that the average human > consciousness is so bogged down with the pressures of daily living, it > takes an intense, emotional upheaval to jar it awake even a slight > degree. > > Deep inside we're beginning to realize that our hunger for the material > comforts and pleasures of life eventually leaves us feeling empty and > incomplete. We then begin to suspect that lasting peace and happiness is > an inner thing. As a result, many individuals are looking into the > spiritual or mystical realms for a greater sense of purpose, direction > and meaning to life. In the process, we find ourselves asking " who am I > really, what am I doing here, or what is the real purpose of life on > this planet? " > > If we're ready, these kinds of questions will awaken a yearning deep > within that inspires us to look for answers. Other times a serious life > crisis or a profound mystical event can have the same effect. Its > purpose is to open our eyes to the physical-world dream we've been > trapped in for a very long time. In the end, we find that we're really > searching for God. > > If we don't find answers to these questions, we'll continue going round > and round on the wheel of karma and reincarnation with many births, > lives, deaths and rebirths until we do. One of the purposes of the dark > night is to help us break that cycle so that we no longer attach to or > anchor ourselves in the physical world of planet Earth. > > [anime] > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vczE3LnBob3RvYnVja2V0LmNvbS9hbGJ1 bXM\ > vYjU3L2RhbnRla2lsbGVyXzM3L3F1aXolMjBwaWN0dXJlcy8/YWN0aW9uPXZpZXcmY3Vy cmV\ > udD0xMTExNDI4MDQ5X0Jyb2tlblNvdWwuanBn> > > Our search for the truth helps us to awaken spiritually. More > importantly, it helps us remember who we really are. This is part of the > divine calling that some have heard, but many have yet to respond to. > This new awareness can be the most profound experience of one's > lifetime; an ecstatic rush of joy and enlightenment that is difficult to > describe to those who have yet to reach this point. > > After an awakening or shift in one's awareness occurs, we begin to look > at the old ways and false beliefs of our lives with less interest, while > that which becomes clearer and feels more natural is our re- connection > with the divine. The old way simply doesn't interest us anymore while > the new way is all that matters. > > Somewhere along the journey of remembering who we really are we may find > ourselves in a very uncomfortable space or no-man's-land. In that place, > we realize that we haven't totally let go of our old belief systems, > which are breaking down, while on the other hand, we have yet to fully > plug into the new spiritual truths we have discovered. > > This awkward place of mind, between the death of our " previous life " and > the birth of our new one, can bring on an internal crisis of > uncertainty, instability, confusion, frustration and a most unspeakable > despair, as the dark night of the soul sets in and makes its presence > felt. > > The length of time it takes to " die " and the time required for rebirth > varies with each individual. The entire experience might last days, > weeks or years. In the process, you experience ego death, and it's > control over you begins to dissolve and lessen, as it returns to its > rightful level of influence in your mind. > > There are also other ways to bring on a spiritual crisis. Sometimes it > can begin with a profound mystical vision, near-death event, serious > illness, reading a spiritual book, childbirth, a serious loss or even > the use of a mind-altering drug. Either way the net result is an abrupt > and radical change in one's belief systems and one's way of being. All > of it creates the opportunity for profound and lasting inner > transformation and a shift in awareness. > > The dark night is part of the spiritual journey. It will take us into > the hidden areas of our nature and bring to the surface many of our > ego-based imprints and imperfections. Then their presence can be > acknowledged and cleansed from our personality and makeup. All of this > can be quite demanding and may leave the individual in a state of > emotional drain and helplessness. Functioning normally in everyday > reality can become very difficult and challenging. > > It is ironic that along with the rapture of remembering our divine > connection there can be intense feelings of depression, madness, > detachment, hopelessness and an extraordinary loneliness that is not > only relentless, but may last for months or years on end. That's what > happens when we go through this purification experience and our ego > begins to lose its influence over us. > > Then comes the required period of waiting and humble perseverance, as > our old self dies and we constantly wonder when the dark night will end. > Ultimately, it feels as though we have lost control over our lives and, > most importantly, that God has truly abandoned us. > > St. of the Cross described the dark night of the soul as " an > inflowing of God into the soul, which purges it from its ignorances and > imperfections. " > > Because of its profound challenges, the dark night has also become a > reference point for an experience of intense, spiritual struggle, and a > passage into the wilderness that is filled with utter hopelessness and > isolation. > > In Dr. Jack Kornfield's book, First the Ecstasy, Then the Laundry, he > cites the following description of someone who had been on the spiritual > path for more than 20 years and became a guru because of it. Then, just > when things in life seemed to be going perfectly, a dark night of the > soul appeared unexpectedly: > > " I had always worried about my students, how unstable their wisdom > seemed. After the first profound realizations of emptiness and freedom, > the painful tendency of many people was to become caught again in > separation. But then it happened to me! > > I received a crash course in confusion, panic and depression. It started > when I became very sick with leftover parasites from India. Then all the > money I had saved for years and invested in two thriving businesses was > lost through bankruptcy and betrayal. > > All of the sudden the 'guru' was sick and poor. I became terribly > frightened. My family life became a place of conflict. We had to leave > our home, to struggle with money, to worry about ordinary things. I had > difficulty with my mother. And all the while I thought I shouldn't feel > these things - I'd been to the peaks, after all. I thought I knew the > whole game. > > Finally I had to stop teaching. I lost all control. I reached a > childlike stage were I wasn't trying to understand things; I was just > broken down completely, living moment to moment, and in some way that's > when my spiritual life really became genuine for the first time. " > > Spiritual crisis should not be confused with personal karma that an > individual chooses to confront and deal with during a given lifetime. > For example, if one is in a difficult relationship, handicapped, abused, > involved in a serious addiction, and so on, these circumstances usually > reflect personal karma rather than the presence and symptoms of a > spiritual crisis. > > St. of the Cross went through it, Edgar Cayce spoke of it, several > recent books and tapes have described it. And, throughout history, > various indigenous cultures provided special care and loving support for > their tribal members in spiritual crisis. > > Sometimes the dark night can be a slow, steady and repetitive process. > Other times it can be intense, radical and very rapid. Either way it is > a very profound experience that strips away our false beliefs and > earthly attachments. The key is to trust what your inner knowingness > keeps telling you that, in the end, the priceless reward will be > God-centeredness and spiritual enlightenment, as the real you emerges > from the material dream. > > If the dark night has entered your life, please don't give up! When the > madness is over, when one finally lets go in an act of surrender, > acceptance and trust in what God is accomplishing with you - without > resignation and with gratitude for the experience - the spiritual > madness will end. > > When the madness ends, ego will have far less influence in your life and > a Light will shine through bringing with it a new spiritual adventure > and purpose. Your path will then be guided by a series of divinely > influenced synchronous events and your real mission for this lifetime > will unfold and fall into place, as if by magic. > > But don't get too comfortable with your newfound way of life. The dark > night is all about surrendering to the will of God. When a certain > degree of letting go has finally been achieved, one needs to live that > surrender each and every day. While that is happening, the following > question still needs to be asked: " how can I know I have surrendered > unless I am tested from time to time? " What this means is that we will > be tested now and then in order to answer that question. > > [Dark Night] > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vczE4MC5waG90b2J1Y2tldC5jb20vYWxi dW1\ > zL3gzMTEvb3V0bGF3eWFja3kvP2FjdGlvbj12aWV3JmN1cnJlbnQ9QUExdHJlZWZhZTIu anB\ > n> > > Symptoms of Spiritual Crisis > > A typical " dark night " series events might be... > > Things in life seem to be going along quite smoothly. > Then, unexpectedly... > > The individual has a serious life crisis such as career failure, > divorce, a health problem, a serious addiction, financial > collapse, a near death experience, etc. > or any combination of > such events > > At some point the crisis and anguish becomes so intense > she or he drops to the floor and, in a climactic > act of desperation, cries out > God, help me! > > God begins to help immediately, most often in ways > that are contrary to what we expect > (put your seat belt on at this time!) > > The crisis usually jump-starts the search for spiritual truth. Each new > insight we discover brings on the death of an old false belief > we've been programmed to accept throughout our lives. > This starts to seriously threaten our ego and... > > A severe test of faith begins > that can last for months or years > > The most important question you can ask yourself > during a spiritual crisis is, " Can you > believe in God when the night > is the darkest? " > > During a dark night crisis the individual may have any combination or > all of the following symptoms: > > * Feelings of depression, despair, loneliness > > * Loss of energy > > * Chronic exhaustion not linked to a physical disorder > > * Loss of control over one's personal and/or professional direction in > life > > * Unusual sensitivity to light, sound and other environmental factors > > * Anger, frustration, lack of patience > > * Loss of identity, purpose, and meaning to life > > * Withdrawal from life's everyday routines > > * Feelings of madness and insanity > > * A sense of abandonment by God > > * Feelings of inadequacy > > * Lessened feelings of attachment to family and friends > > * Loss of attention span, self-confidence and self-esteem > > * Frequent bouts of spontaneous crying and weeping > > These symptoms mimic ordinary clinical depression. However, there is a > major difference. Spiritual madness is an inner thing between you and > God during which deep, rich spiritual growth is occurring. > Anti-depressants may rob you of this miraculous (yet painful) > experience. > > Many of the above symptoms were taken from The Stormy Search for Self by > and Stanislav Grof, M.D. (please see reference section) > > http://www.fromthestars.com/page26.html > > Love~All~Ways > *~Karma* > <http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vcHJvZmlsZS5teXNwYWNlLmNvbS9pbmRl eC5\ > jZm0/ZnVzZWFjdGlvbj11c2VyLnZpZXdwcm9maWxlJmZyaWVuZGlkPTYxNTEzNTQ3Jk15 VG9\ > rZW49MWIyMzg2YzQtMTFjMi00YWFlLWJiMTQtYmUzNzBjYTNiMTNj> > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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