THE DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL
The Dark Night of the Soul is a period of transition and heavy transformation. It’s the space between who we are and who we are about to become. An
the initiation from one phase of our life to the next. One can experience many dark nights of the soul in one lifetime. These periods and extremely transformative and crucial to our spiritual development.
The dark night of the soul is challenging as it is filled with deep-seated sadness, depression, helplessness, hopelessness, and an overall feeling of emptiness and loneliness. This is our soul desperately trying to awaken and get our attention. This is the death of our ego and the beginning of a more authentic life. A life that is filled with purpose, happiness, joy, and fulfillment. The Dark Night of the Soul is a spiritual experience that, in essence, leads us back to ourselves. It breaks down all that does not belong to make room for what does!
A dark night of the soul can last anywhere from weeks, months, to years depending on the internal work you’re doing to heal and prepare for the next level of your life.
Everything you will not need for the next phase of your life will fall away including relationships, friendships, habits, patterns, behaviors, etc. You will repeatedly experience “tower” moments until you release all that you need to and make the necessary changes.
Once you step in, find the gifts in the darkness, and exit the storm, you will never be the same person again.
11 Signs You're Experiencing a Dark Night of the Soul
1.You feel an overwhelming sense of being lost or stuck
2.You are desiring more authenticity in every area of your life
3.You feel like you’re having an existential crisis
4.You literally feel like you’re dying (because a part of you is)
5.You are connecting more with your inner child
6.You feel negative emotions without being able to identify the cause
7.You begin desiring to heal yourself on a deeper emotional level
8.You’re experiencing an Ego Death
9.You are wondering who you really are
10. Your dreams are more intense (we heal some things in dream state)
11. You are feeling alone & disconnected from everything/everyone
Surviving the Dark Night of the Soul
#1 Practice Self-Love and Be Kind to Yourself
Affirmation: "I love myself unconditionally. I am always exactly where I am supposed to be."
You need YOU more than anything at a time like this. Use this time to rebuild your relationship with yourself. Build yourself up to be all that you want to be and more! At the end of the day, you are a human and whether you want to believe it or not, no one has it all figured out. Trust yourself and be patient. Give yourself permission to learn, fail, and grow. Give up the idea of being perfect. Be your authentic self and you'll attract more than you could ever imagine. Remember, you are loved!
#2 Surrender & Trust the Process
Affirmation: "I surrender to and trust in my divine path."
Don't resist the changes that are occurring within you! The more you resist, the longer this process will take. Breathe! Understand this, your world is only falling apart so it can fall back into place in an even more beautiful way. Let this happen. Trust that everything is always working out no matter how dark or hard it gets. Anything and anyone who is meant to be in your life will remain. The rest you MUST release. Don't delay your blessings and happiness because you're stubborn and don't want to feel uncomfortable. Cut your losses or the Universe will do it for you in the most painful ways until you surrender.
#3 Pray & Meditate Regularly
Pray, then act as if you have already received what it is that you have prayed for. Never underestimate the power of meditation!
Prayer eases your mind of worry, while meditation helps clear your mind and aligns you with the present moment. Remember, when we are experiencing the Dark Night of the Soul, we are often in search of the answers. All of the answers are within, but they will not come until we are still and at peace. This is the only time when we are in a state to receive.
#4 Release
Release anything and anyone who makes you feel like you need to be someone else other than yourself. Stop keeping people around you who you know don't have your best interest at heart.
Cleanse your social media accounts. Remove negative influences from your life. Try your best to release bad habits and toxic patterns you keep repeating. As you do this you will begin to feel lighter and vibrate higher! Let go because these things are doing nothing but weighing down your wings and holding you back from your greatness.
#5 Follow the Signs
Are you paying attention to the signs? The Universe is always giving you instructions to guide you. You can also ask for signs at any time if you need them.
Examples:
You keep seeing billboards that remind you to go to the gym. Go!
You're seeing a person's name repeatedly or being reminded to contact someone. Do it!
You feel the sudden urge to go someplace or do something out of nowhere. Go!
Nothing is a coincidence. Knowing this, pay attention. Messages won't always make sense, but they'll keep getting louder until you understand and act.
#6 Avoid Using Drugs & Alcohol
Affirmation: "I am strong enough to make it through any difficulty that comes my way."
We often turn to drugs and/or alcohol when we want to escape our reality. It numbs us temporarily, but once it wears off, we are back at square one. Try your best to choose healthier coping mechanisms, but don’t beat yourself up for any of the addictions that you do have. These are all a part of your growth and evolution, and at one point, it’s what you needed to grow. It’s a process, and as long as you are growing how you survived at one point is nothing to be ashamed of.
Remember, you are human.
#7 High Vibrational Music & Uplifting Content
Music has a way of raising our energy levels. Feeling down? Put on your favorite song, then dance and sing like no one’s watching. What content are you consuming? Is it lifting you up or tearing you down? What you watch is also a part of your diet. Make sure it is positive and inspiring! You can't feed your mind negativity and expect to have positive thoughts. Be conscious of what you feed your soul.
#8 Rest & Get Sleep When You Need It
It's okay to sleep more because you are undergoing a heavy transformation. You need all the energy you can get. We also heal a lot when we are in the dream state. Never feel bad for taking this time out for yourself.
You can't pour from an empty cup.