Reply #20: oh yes [View All]

for me it began in 1996 and is now thankfully past. I say past because when you come out the other side it's as though nothing can ever be quite that bad again. You are closer to the 'essence' is a good way to put it. And you learn to harness a kind of strength you didn't know you had. Different things catapult individuals into a state of internal crisis. For me it began in an actual catastrophic storm which heralded an avalanche of several disturbing, seemingly random and external, events, one after another. I was finally told that I was showing signs of PTSS (post-traumatic stress) which can occur after such a conjunction of events. But I also interpreted this time as 'dark night of the soul' --when you question everything you have ever learned or valued. There is a lot of fear and feeling of loss and abandonment. Yes, it often is a kind of death of the immature ego-state. It is a grieving process. A shedding of a cocoon.

Some people may find help in groups or talking with others who understand the situation. If you can avoid being with those who lack understanding (as much as possible) it helps. A couple of years ago I had an astrologer look at the transits and progressions in my chart over that difficult time. She said that Pluto was conjunct my natal sun and then proceeded to a position opposite my natal Pluto during that time. From my limited knowledge of astrology I take this to be a strong statement of the transformative nature of Pluto. I am not the same person I was before The Dark Night. She also said that these influences would subside as they slowly are.

The interesting thing to me is that having come through this, I feel that I can weather disturbing things better than before. I think the regime of Bushco would have knocked me flat before, but now I find the well of hope and have no problem believing in it's healing powers. I absolutely believe that together we will find creative ways to deal with the Dark Night of Bushitler. We will eventually be transformed as a nation, I think. There are opportunities within adversity. Hold hands. They can't take millions of us down with them. More are joining us all the time.

So in my experience there are benefits to the Dark Night of the Soul, even as something is irrevocably lost. But it's hard to believe that platitude when you're in the middle of it. Each person has to find the way to the next plateau that is best for them--I think there are many different passages. To anyone reading this who is now alone and afraid--Do NOT despair. As they say in the Tao, high winds and heavy rain cannot last all day. Do whatever you need to make sense of it. Practice becoming quiet and humble and waiting for answers. They will come. They will come. Try to give yourself the gift of Time. It takes time to learn to live differently. Be glad that you have been blessed with a sudden realization of what's really going on here in this life.