Keeping one's inner peace thru the Dark night of the soul?

ejr1069 · June 23, 2011

From those that have experienced a dark night of the soul, can you tell me if you were able to keep your inner peace and tranquility through it?

If so, what helped you?

Harmonious Emptiness · June 23, 2011

Meditation, exercise, oatmeal, herbal tea (Algonquin: Peace Tea is good, contains

Blue Vervain, Lemon Balm, Catnip, Oat Straw, Red Bergamot, Chamomile, Hops, Motherwort, Valerian, Skullcap and St John's Wort.

just don't mix it with anti-depressants since it has St John's Wort.

Read books that make you want to get up and make something happen, like Think And Grow Rich.

Edited June 23, 2011 by Harmonious Emptiness

strawdog65 · June 23, 2011

From those that have experienced a dark night of the soul, can you tell me if you were able to keep your inner peace and tranquility through it?

If so, what helped you?

Sorry to say... but no.

My own (last one) was very scary.

Very emotional and wrenching in all ways...

For me it also meant an awakening to seeing all things

differently, and appreciating life just for what it is.

Existence is a gift.

sean · June 24, 2011

quiet friend who has come so far,

feel how your breathing makes more space around you.

let this darkness be a bell tower

and you the bell. as you ring,

what batters you becomes your strength.

move back and forth into the change.

what is it like, such intensity of pain?

if the drink is bitter, turn yourself to wine.

in this uncontainable night,

be the mystery at the crossroads of your senses,

the meaning discovered there.

and if the world has ceased to hear you,

say to the silent earth: i flow.

to the rushing water, speak: i am.

--- rilke (let this darkness be a bell tower)

sean

RiverSnake · June 24, 2011

Perseverance and knowing that "even this too shall pass"

Aetherous · June 24, 2011

From those that have experienced a dark night of the soul, can you tell me if you were able to keep your inner peace and tranquility through it?

No, I was not able to keep those things.

If so, what helped you?

"Moving forward", taking positive action, letting go. Also, finding little things to say "this is worth living for"...such as the fresh breeze, a cup of good tea, even something as simple as the color orange. If you can find a bit of relief in those types of things, then it can be easier to wait it out.

Edited June 24, 2011 by center

Otis · June 24, 2011

From those that have experienced a dark night of the soul, can you tell me if you were able to keep your inner peace and tranquility through it?

If so, what helped you?

Hi ejr1069,

I don't know what's going on for you, but I wish you the best.

C T · June 24, 2011

In the book The Stranger, Albert Camus tells of a man named Meursault, who is in prison for killing an Arabic man on a whim. In his cell, a few days before he is due for execution, Meursault was able to touch Life, and connect with reality for the first time. Lying flat on his back, he looked up, and, through a small skylight near the ceiling, he saw the blue sky for the first time in his life. How could a grown man see the blue sky for the first time? In fact, many people live like this, imprisoned by their hurt, anger, frustration, hopelessness, nonchalance... or coasting on the beliefs that happiness, peace and love awaits somewhere over yonder.

Meursault had three days to live before being asked to pay his dues with his life. In that one moment of complete wakefulness, the blueness of the sky came alive for him, and he was able to touch it. For the first time, he saw that life is beyond whatever meaning a person can assign to it, and that to see life in its totality, one has to live each moment as it comes, deeply, with no thought of the past or the future.

For Meursault, the last three days of his life was his life truly lived. Its like being in the world, fully alive, for just a few moments.

(recalling something i read in one of Thich Nhat Hahn's books)

I wish you, kind friend, many good moments in this precious existence - may you find the strength to use these moments to benefit others who need life but cannot have it. Inspire them, lend them hope, give them what you can, send your best wishes to the desolate, the terminally ill, victims of discrimination, go and offer help at your local retirement home, offer cheer to the homeless... while your heart is bleeding, tis the best opportunity for reaching out to others with arms outstretched, because your pain allows you to touch another's pain, and genuinely feel what suffering is. There is unspeakable goodness you can offer to others while your dark night is at its most brightest. After it ends, love and charity will never feel the same again.

When you know what suffering is beyond mere words and thought, you will reawaken the will to bloom once again.

Taizan Maeshumi Roshi once said, "Just live this life. It does not matter if it is a life of hell, or life of a hungry ghost, or life of an animal - it's okay. Just live the life you have - and see. As a matter of fact, no other way. Where you stand, where you are, that's where your life is, right there, no matter how joyful or how painful it is in that moment - there is life. That is what it is."

Edited June 24, 2011 by CowTao

Jetsun · June 24, 2011

If you could retain inner peace it wouldn't be a very dark night. Just a thought but perhaps trying to cling to inner peace just prolongs the experience

3L3VAT3 · June 24, 2011

night is darkest right before dawn...

You dig?

Moonbar · June 24, 2011

Sorry to say... but no.

My own (last one) was very scary.

Very emotional and wrenching in all ways...

For me it also meant an awakening to seeing all things

differently, and appreciating life just for what it is.

Existence is a gift.

Unfortunately mine was not pleasant either

doc benway · June 24, 2011

I would agree that if the "dark night" is truly that, then by definition one's inner tranquility is seriously disturbed.

We can talk about how this Buddha or that Sage would weather the storm and always remain tranquil and I think that is a fantasy. Being human involves both pleasure and pain.

Times of pleasure and ease are a joy and are there to replenish us and give us something to hope for when times are bad.

Dark times are when we are tested, challenged, and ultimately that is when we wake up to certain truths about ourselves and the world. Dark times are a time of growth, as unpleasant as they may be.

I have not been able to keep my inner peace during very dark times. The sorts of things that helped me through are the following:

-the knowledge of Yin and Yang, the dark times are only temporarily, they will pass

-family and friends - now is the time to rely on them, ask for some support, be comforted by their familiarity and presence

-allow yourself to be distracted by normal living - clean the house, cook some food, immerse yourself in some of the mundane tasks of living, they can be very soothing

-see if there is anyone who needs your help, perhaps you can concern yourself with helping someone else through this tough time. That can create a very close bond and help you feel better knowing that you were able to help someone else.

Good luck to you

Apech · June 24, 2011

Because of the human condition the dark night is necessary - otherwise we would never change or make those transitions which are needed for development. I don't think there is a short cut or a panacea ... it just has to be ... which I suppose is reassuring in a way.

Birch · June 24, 2011

What worked for me (note, for me, might not be for everyone, but I'm sharing in the hope something resonates and helps because it's a horrible thing to go through IME).

- Get a good acupuncturist

- Get a half-decent therapist who won't freak out about the content of such things (if you're unsure that they will, practice telling them what you're going through in ways they understand, I know it defeats the purpose somewhat but Mal mentioned a lot of them have done their own dabbling- funny they don't tell anyone much about it :-))

- I'd look at the biology of kundalini website. I found it very helpful. And even helpful in general. But it probably requires more discernment if you're not scientifically minded, I wouldn't try everything on there, especially all the herbals. A lot of that gets discussed here anyway, in fact most of what we seem to discuss here is related to problems with practice :-)

- Eat very good food

- Temporarily rid yourself of emo vampires and the company of a44holes (you can always start hanging out with them again once you're feeling ok :-))

- Stay away from gurus and extreme physical/visualization practices

- Know it's potentially part of the journey that you chose to embark about by taking up 'practice' (I know this doesn't help much when you're in the middle, but I think that's where the 'once started, better to finish saying comes in)

- Know thyself. As Steve says, it doesn't matter what Buddha said, and it doesn't matter what Steve says either :-) Well, it does, but all of that is 'technique' and people sharing what works for them. At this point mr VJ, please do not jump in and say it works for everyone. Because if it does, then something's 'up' IMO. Weedkiller works too :-)

- Salt baths

- Lots of water (to drink)

- Belly breathing

- Physical exercise

- Don't get caught in the scenery. I know that seeing big red goddess things is supposed to be some kind of marker, but it just freaked me out. I still dream of snakes on my path. You're also not obliged to deal with any of those.

- Full compassion for yourself. The last thing other unfortunate people need IMO is someone in the throws of a dark night 'taking care of them' - each person's path is their own and interfering unless you're asked to is IME a bad idea (did I mention I'm no good at it either, but this time you did ask, so take what works and leave the rest :-))

It does get better :-)

Dagon · June 24, 2011

Xienkula1 · June 24, 2011

Oh Holy Holy Divine Heights