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Go Back   Spiritual Forums > Spirituality & Beliefs > Spiritual Development

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  #21  
Old 17-06-2019, 02:02 PM
Jyotir Jyotir is offline
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Human incarnation itself is sufficient to describe “dark night of the soul” in the most general sense.

The all-illumined soul which is fully identified with Spirit makes the sacrifice of deliberately plunging itself into a material oblivion of Self and inconscience, for the support of the individuated being to evolve and realise true Self (vs. the false self of ego) as a permanent fully conscious awareness.

Of course, this is an unprecedented opportunity even if arduous and fraught with difficulty, but when actualized and accelerated by conscious spiritual aspiration, dedication, and surrender to the Highest, the darkness or ignorance diminishes and is supplanted by Light, which is the real symbol of Truth, hence "Enlightenment".

It is precisely the disparity between an awareness of the spiritual possibilities of life (awakening) and simultaneously the experience of the consequences of ignorance and ignorant action (karma) - which creates this contrast of light vs. shadow or darkness as a kind of painfulness or suffering which reveals how much and what kind of work still needs to be undertaken in order to transform the being from the animal and ignorant ego-based human life, into a divine human life and fully conscious being.

It is important not to be discouraged during these passages as even the greatest spiritual masters have encountered them. If anything, by the time a soul receives a human birth, evolves to the point of awakening to the spiritual possibilities of life, and begins to consciously undertake some deliberate spiritual practice - it must be understood that this indicates they are already much closer to the goal than they are far away from it, even if they experience set-backs or temporary DNOS, which to the mind seems untenable and excruciating.

This is why all legitimate spiritual paths prescribe a cheerful persistence, determination, and one-pointed focus on truth - vs. the temptation to accept and promote various ignorant formations, incorrect or inappropriate definitions & concepts, rationalized escapes & resentment, etc. in misguided and abjectly confused equivocations and ultimately frustrating and dissatisfying perpetuation as we often see in these discussions, even in this very thread. We must work though these temporary and conditional experiences - including the mis-reception of reality by faulty, limited and conditionally ignorant cognition - which eventually will be superseded by the application of appropriate focus, intention, and action toward realizing the unconditional Reality.

It is the self-same Transcendental Will of Spirit which not only sanctioned and established the Cosmic evolutionary conditions of the physical, i.e., matter, the emergence of life, the human incarnation, and the spiritual awakening - but which also provides the necessary RESPONSE to the genuine necessity (and gratitude) of spiritual aspirants as consciously and sincerely expressed in consecrated practice. This cannot happen through the errant bemoaning of one’s “dark fate” or the incessantly misguided intellectually reasoned speculative ignorant opinion of ego-mind which are the rear-view mirror focus on, and attachment to the ignorant past.

The latter is precisely what further regenerates and indefinitely perpetuates the so-called “dark night of the soul”.
The former is what inevitably liberates from it.

Therefore, don't bemoan your "fate"...be practical in the here and now using the God-given intelligent free-will.
One's destiny is truly in the evolution of one's consciousness.

~ J


Last edited by Jyotir : 17-06-2019 at 03:39 PM.
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  #22  
Old 19-06-2019, 02:46 PM
Siemens Siemens is offline
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Join Date: Jan 2019
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sarian
Dark night of soul is interesting and i think regarding my own life, I would have thought it just depression/melancholia.
Depression can be part of the DN of the S. But the Dark Night Experience is accompanied by further symptoms. In Dark Night you, for example, show a permanent interest in spiritual questions like: Who am I, as a soul? Why I’m in this world? What is the purpose of being incarnated in general? Or: How will I transform and what is my role in the universe?
Further the Dark Night of the Soul Experience is often accompanied by all sorts of agonizing physical discomfort, as well as, feelings of meaninglessness and insignificance regarding existential questions.



Quote:
Originally Posted by Unseeking Seeker
***

Accepting that the dark or let us say consciousness contracting thoughts begin to arise ... if we look at it as toxins of our past fear/desire matrix being removed, we may simply observe the phenomena without associating our present flowing consciousness with it. Only when we wrongly (delusionally) believe in a relationship between us and the negativity that we deny ourselves the divine connect in the here & now.

Since we have conditioned ourselves to a belief in limitation, we feel imprisoned even though we are free. We can simply choose to snap out of it right now. Instantly. However, the prerequisite is letting go of aspect of clinging to external ephemeral images.

***
What is your point??
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  #23  
Old 19-06-2019, 03:01 PM
Siemens Siemens is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Greenslade
I suffered abuse as a child so yes, I do understand these things from my own perspective but I turned all that around and made it work for me instead. Yes it was traumatic but I came through the other side, and it didn't kill me but made me stronger. There are still some things I have to work through so many years on but that's OK too. I have mental health issues too, but y'know, I would go through it all again to be a part of the transformations people have gone through and I've been a part of. What some would term as a curse I made into a blessing.
You know that painful experiences are for the purpose of transformation and growth. Then, why did deny my claim that we make all experiences either for experiencing happiness, for transforming ourselves, or for helping others to experience happiness or to transform?


Quote:
Originally Posted by Greenslade
Do yourself a favour and step out of the Spirituality because it's not helping I don't think. It seems as though you're trying to find yourself a box to put what you're going through into, and most likely it's never going to work. You're going through a transformation that's for sure, but labelling it isn't going to help.
The advantage of having a label is that you are better able to grasp and comprehend what you are going through. I don’t hang up on labels. I consider concepts others created and think about which features match to my personal experience.
You are right that spirituality in a narrower sense doesn’t help me. I don’t meditate and so on. But I think about spiritual questions (see in my post above) hours a day. It’s kind of a pure cognitive, intellectual spirituality I’m acting out.


Although I know that each experience I make is exactly what I, as a soul, want to experience – I fear the scenario that it will continue to be nasty till the end of my life. I’m looking forward to the end of my life but this still can take 50 years or longer.


Quote:
Originally Posted by Greenslade
Who says you have to give up on materialism? That maybe a great ideology for someone who's going to be a monk in a temple, but is that where you're going? None of today's Spiritual Masters are paupers.
I know a lot of people who think personal or spiritual growth implies overcoming your ego and materialism. But the longer I think about the issue the more I come to the conclusion that this is nonsense.
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  #24  
Old 19-06-2019, 04:30 PM
lemex lemex is offline
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Dark Night of the Soul or the Ego. The soul does not experience dark night.
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  #25  
Old 19-06-2019, 04:38 PM
Unseeking Seeker Unseeking Seeker is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Siemens
What is your point??

***

The point is as stated ... we need not experience any doubts, anxiety or consciousness contraction at all. Our orientation determines our well being

***
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  #26  
Old 21-06-2019, 11:06 AM
Siemens Siemens is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Unseeking Seeker
***
we need not experience any doubts, anxiety or consciousness contraction at all. Our orientation determines our well being

***
That doesn't make any sense.
Everything we experience is what we necessarily need to experience else we wouldn’t experience it.
This is true especially for unpleasant experiences like anxiety, pain, depression,....
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  #27  
Old 21-06-2019, 11:18 AM
Unseeking Seeker Unseeking Seeker is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Siemens
That doesn't make any sense.
Everything we experience is what we necessarily need to experience else we wouldn’t experience it.
This is true especially for unpleasant experiences like anxiety, pain, depression,....

***

It’s akin to us crying watching a poignant movie scene ... nothing more than that

***
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  #28  
Old 24-06-2019, 08:36 AM
JosephineB JosephineB is offline
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I just read this and thought I'd add it to the thread:

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

— Jellaludin Rumi,
translation by Coleman Barks
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  #29  
Old 24-06-2019, 09:00 AM
Starman Starman is offline
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Join Date: May 2016
Location: U.S. Southwest
Posts: 2,658
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JosephineBloggs
I just read this and thought I'd add it to the thread:

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

— Jellaludin Rumi,
translation by Coleman Barks

Thank you for posting this, it reminds me of something
similar which I was privileged to previously share.

THE GUEST IN MY HOUSE

Today is dear to me above all other days,
for today my beloved visits my house.

The chambers and my courtyard are dawned
with beautiful presence, my longing seemed
endless awaiting for this day to come.

I bow before feet and I look upon my beloved's
face, then I bring forth my offering; my body,
my mind, and all that I am.

What a day of gladness, what a day of gladness,
is this day. In which my beloved, who is my
treasure, comes to this house.
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  #30  
Old 24-06-2019, 10:23 AM
JosephineB JosephineB is offline
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Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: The green & pleasant land
Posts: 3,382
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Starman
Thank you for posting this, it reminds me of something
similar which I was privileged to previously share.

THE GUEST IN MY HOUSE

Today is dear to me above all other days,
for today my beloved visits my house.

The chambers and my courtyard are dawned
with beautiful presence, my longing seemed
endless awaiting for this day to come.

I bow before feet and I look upon my beloved's
face, then I bring forth my offering; my body,
my mind, and all that I am.

What a day of gladness, what a day of gladness,
is this day. In which my beloved, who is my
treasure, comes to this house.

Beautiful.
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