dizzyspirit Posted December 27, 2008 Hello Everyone, I joined a little earlier. I was wondering if any of you could give me some advice. I`ve been stuck firmly in the dark night of the Soul for 8 years. A few people have advised me by email to find a Spiritual director or someone to help guide me. I`m starting to wonder if there is anything anyone can really do for me other than give moral support. Is it just a matter of sticking it out until "something happens." I`d be very grateful for some feedback here. Anything significant that anyone has to say on the dark night, or lessons learned by those who are going through it, or have been through it will be very gratefully received. Thanks dizzyspirit Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aetherous Posted December 27, 2008 How would you describe your dark night? Tell us your story! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dizzyspirit Posted December 27, 2008 Hi Scotty, I`m a 45 year old male. I`m also a mental health patient with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. In 1990 I started reading self help books which led to books on mysticism. I was so inspired reading about all the Spiritual enlightenment stuff that I more or less dumped everything else I had been interested in up to that point; I`d been losing interest in things for a while anyway, except alcohol which helped me manage with my illness, although I`ve given that up now. In 2000 after I`d been meditating for 7 years, I ended up in a mental hospital with my illness. It was in there that my dark night started. The quick results I expected from meditation didn`t appear and I started to lose hope. After that point everything in the world looked completely pointless and has been that way ever since. Now the world looks like a desert, and I spend all my time hoping and waiting for a mystical experience. I started experiencing Spiritual guidance a couple of years ago, in the form of precognitive dreams and also synchronicities. This lifted my spirits for a while, but now it seems as though it`s not enough, and I long for an awakening experience. It now seems as though I`m stuck in a bad dream which seems to have no end. I can`t imagine how anything in the world can possibly become meaningful again. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aetherous Posted December 27, 2008 Thank you for sharing, dizzyspirit. What are you seeking, exactly? I think it's good to define what you are looking for in precise terms, from mysticism. It's good to be totally honest about what you expected to happen when you started in the first place. Also, what you expect now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mal Posted December 28, 2008 It now seems as though I`m stuck in a bad dream which seems to have no end. I can`t imagine how anything in the world can possibly become meaningful again. Hi dizzyspirit, I'm sorry to hear that. There are 1,000's of methods out there. You should post in general discussion as you will get a lot of responses since most of us use different methods. Personally I got a bit stuck due to the amount of choice out there. Often pick and choose different bits from different methods. Then because there are so many "ways" I try one for a bit then switch. Only ever touching the surface and never progressing. That is my problem with wanting quick results or just "wanting" results in general. You have 7 yrs of meditation experience, so you may not have my problem A teacher lets you put your faith in one "way" so you can happily practice and let your teacher guide you. It's so much easier with a teacher to help and guide you The KEY for me was Tai Chi. Learning it got me to a place where I wanted to practice kung fu. I practice everyday. No matter how depressed, down or sick I might feel I just make myself warm up and do some chi gungs. Usually I'll feel a touch better and do some forms, keep practicing and low and behold I've finished my practice. If it's a really bad day I'll then sulk off, but at least I had relief for an hour or so and have something to look forward to tomorrow. Lot's of methods help. Apart from Tai Chi and kung fu I've personally also got benefit from. loving kindness meditation. I learn from a Buddhist, it's good. An online course called KAP http://kundaliniawakeningprocess.com/index.html Great if you want a teacher but nobody in person that you can go to. If you want something to happen FAST from a book try Kunlun http://www.kunlunbliss.com/ p.s. Welcome to the 'bums. Hope you have fun here Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seekeroftruth Posted December 28, 2008 Try looking at Daniel Ingram's book: interactivebuddha.com He says that he was in a dark night of the soul for ten years, then managed to push through on a vipassana retreat to get a strong level of realization. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
