You are alone, suffering unbearable terror and pain, without end. What you endure is beyond torture, and you will remain in this state forever. Welcome to the Dark Soul Night.

This night comes after a sudden breakup, the death of a loved one, abandonment by a lover and the severing of all contact, or at the end of a toxic and abusive relationship where you chose to cut ties completely. You experience panic attacks, deep pain, and overwhelming longing, drowning yourself in overthinking, exhausting yourself with endless thoughts. A profound sadness engulfs you, and you are gripped by the inescapable feeling that you will die alone and miserable. The pain and terror become so intense that you seek solace anywhere and with anyone. You can’t bear this! It’s impossible, isn’t it?

Well, yes and no.

Passing through the Dark Soul Night is an experience unlike any you’ve had before. By its very nature, you transition from one state to a higher one. It will seem impossible all the way, until you come out the other side, ready to live a reality that once surpassed your wildest imagination.

What It Takes to Achieve the Impossible

Even if you’re not religious, you can benefit from the symbolic elements of the Abrahamic religions.

I spent my life without understanding the meaning of a man dying a horrible, miserable death, nailed between two wooden planks. But after a certain experience during one dark night, it finally dawned on me.

At that time, I was having another panic attack. It was the middle of the night, and I was pacing the room in deep terror, feeling as though I were on the verge of death. It was terrifying. I had suffered from panic attacks for months, and I always ran from them whenever they struck, desperate to survive. But this time, I closed my eyes and focused my attention directly on the feeling of panic. The fear swelled and swelled and swelled until death seemed imminent, and I felt as though my heart would stop. What happened? Nothing. And everything. The panic vanished suddenly, and my senses fully awoke. A feeling of relief washed over me, and I felt as though I had been reborn. I couldn’t believe it. He did the impossible!

At his trial, Christ could have confessed to the charges against him and begged for mercy, but he remained steadfast and accepted every moment of suffering in his fate. What was his reward? He ascended to heaven. What gave him the strength to endure his terrible ordeal without breaking?

When you are going through a difficult time in your life, you can persevere and look within yourself for a lifeline. I call it your “Christian self.” Christians may find this easy, but even if you are not religious or follow another faith, you still have a self within you that is strong and resilient enough to sustain you through your trials.

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Christ was just a man. What ultimately immortalized him was his powerful demonstration of what people possess within themselves. If he could do it, so can you. That is the essence of Christ.

Islam embraces this same concept and expresses it as “jihad,” or “holy struggle.” Although the war on terror and religious extremism has distorted this term, it still holds profound truth. The dark night of the soul is your sacred struggle to overcome your trials. God, the universe, the angels—whatever helps you understand it—if you ask for help, you will find it.

These two examples demonstrate that you are not a weak or cowardly human being. You are a divine creation, and if you can nurture your faith, the Creator will provide what you need when you pass through the dark night of the soul. This is not just a story; it is a real spiritual process.

Your mind is not your friend.

Call it and beg it to take you back.

You can’t do that.

Without it, you are nothing.

This will never end.

You are doomed to feel this way forever.

In everyday life, the mind is an indispensable tool. It can analyze situations, provide solutions to problems, or devise ways out of difficult situations.

But in the dark night of the soul, the mind is your enemy. Instead of helping you practice self-care, the mind will only mock you and encourage you to run away from your experience. The mind believes that pain must be avoided at all costs. Despite its power, the mind lacks the imagination to understand the path you are taking.

To experience transformation and move beyond the dark night of the soul, you will need to move beyond the mind. You will need to surrender completely to the experience. There is no escaping it. All you have during this time is your true essence. The sacred struggle is the way. If your mind tells you otherwise, it is lying.

Crossing_the_Bridge_and_Entering_the_Narrow_Gate

Religious and spiritual symbols abound with bridges and openings, such as narrow gates and arches.

The bridge is often covered with needles, nails, and razor blades. In other cases, the bridge is a blade sharper than a scythe, crossed in pain and suffering. In the dark night of the soul, this bridge is your only way; there is no alternative.

The narrow gate, however, is the point of no return. Once you cross it, you will be transformed. But to cross it, you need faith. Without faith, you remain trapped in the world of the mind and can never enter. The narrow gate requires absolute faith and complete surrender.

Dreams_of_the_Dark_Soul

Another symbolic experience is the gradual narrowing of the path and the feeling of being trapped. It is not uncommon to have suffocating dreams where you find yourself inside a narrow tunnel that gradually narrows until you are trapped, unable to move forward or backward. You may also find yourself inside an inescapable coffin.

Another type of dream is the pursuit of something that seems impossible. You might try to find something you’re certain exists, but it remains elusive. You might try to prove yourself in a situation, but fall short of expectations.

You might wake up from these dreams feeling deeply hopeless or terrified. You might also wake up in a state of unavoidable panic. All these dreams represent the experience of transitioning from the known to the unknown, from consciousness to unconsciousness, where transformation is possible.

Death Is The Price Of Life , And Rebirth Is The Reward

Beyond the bridge, beyond the narrow gate, lies the Kingdom of Heaven. This is your transformation, and this is your reward.

The Dark Soul Night is a symbolic death and rebirth into a higher state. You are being prepared for wisdom and truth. When you emerge, you will feel immense relief. Your skin will tingle, and you will feel an inner expansion. There is no feeling like it.

When you surrender your mind and accept the path, another person emerges. You see your “past self” as someone from another life. The new you have a higher consciousness, a broader perception, greater wisdom and humility, and an immense capacity to endure fear and pain.

And above all, those who emerge from the Dark Soul Night will possess a superior ability to handle future situations like the one that initiated this process in the first place.