the Dark Night of the Soul...

The Short Path is a cheerful Path, a Path of happiness.

Just before this begins, the aspirant may experience the Dark Night of the Soul.

He feels utterly helpless, has no feeling of spiritual Reality.

It is a melancholy time--no feeling of spirituality or longing for it.

He is neither worldly nor spiritual.

He feels alone and abandoned and separated by a wall from his Guru.

He feels God has forgotten him.

This dark night may last a short time or long years.

He is unable to read spiritual things, or think about them.

There is no desire for ordinary things either.

He feels sad and disappointed and may even try suicide.

In this unhappiness even those who love him cannot bring him comfort.

In both hemispheres, Western and Eastern, there is a saying:

"the night is darkest just before dawn".

He is on the lowest point.

After that, the Short Path brings back the Joy--just like clouds moving away from the Sun.

The best advice is;

first, that it will not last forever;

he must have patience.

Second, he must have hope.

Then he reaches a better level than ever before.

The Dark Night of the Soul does not come to every seeker.

It is like a shadow thrown by the Sun.

When the Sun appears in the subconscious, the shadows arise.

But it is the beginning of a great inner change.

It is not a wasted time;

there is a great deal of work going on--but in the subconscious--to root out the ego.

It is being done by the Overself.

It is a sign of Grace, but the aspirant nevertheless feels unhappy.


Paul Brunton