Hari Aum.
I am writing this for all spiritual seekers, especially twin souls, who will one day go through this experience. I wrote my first detailed post on this subject in January 2019 when I was going through it myself. I have been through it again since —and I admit it is never easy.
I do want to say that, although the dark night of the soul can indeed be very dark, it is not quite so dark as it initially seems.
There is a light within us, a flame that never goes out. It is the light of the Divine.
We are mostly unaware of this when we are spiritually asleep. In the dark night of the soul, we begin to wake up spiritually. It is terrible but also a beautiful time. Because, in this darkness, our own light is revealed.
Our connection with the Divine is strengthened during this time. We emerge much stronger spiritually when the process is completed.
To those who are going through this, I just want to say —hang in there. It is going to get better. And you are not alone. The Divine is with you always. This is the greatest truth.
We cannot see the face of God every moment. But if we have a regular spiritual practice, no matter how small we may think it is, we will feel His/Her presence and protection. There will be ups and downs but, at every step, we will feel He is there for us.
This is not imagination. When you call out for help, you will receive it. This has happened with me so many times that I have lost count; whether it is a small or major issue, I feel the response of the Divine. It happens this way for many spiritual seekers. And it is not because we are advanced spiritually. Not at all.
It is because we are dear to the Divine. Despite our many flaws, and the resulting suffering we experience on this planet, we are loved by Him/Her. This applies to every one of us (no matter our opinion of ourselves or those of others). It is simply the reality.
Whatever happens in life, therefore, we must stay in touch with our favourite form (or formless aspect) of the Divine. We can achieve this by doing a daily spiritual practice such as mantra japa (which our Gurus advise as a particularly potent method).
Do not stop your spiritual practice in the middle of the dark night. There are forces in the universe that would like you to stop, but do not give in to them. You need the light of your spiritual practice to keep you going so you can make it through safely.
The Divine will help you to keep going; but we must also do our part. God helps those who help themselves, as the well-known saying goes.
Thus, even if spiritual practice feels very difficult in the middle of the dark night, keep it up. Reduce it if necessary. Make adjustments, relax non-essential rules. But never stop. Never, ever stop repeating the mantra every day (even if just for five minutes).
Whatever happens, keep this up. This is my advice to myself and to you, my dear fellow spiritual seekers. This is the advice of our Gurus and we must follow it. It is the spiritual key to the golden dawn that appears after the dark night ends.
The more we progress spiritually, the more severe will be our spiritual tests. And we must pass these tests. It is our destiny.
We are meant to experience the dazzling sun of the Divine once the dark night ends. We need to be patient and go through this process of spiritual awakening—as our Gurus did before us.
It is Guru Purnima today. Following the teachings of our Gurus is the best way of expressing our reverence for them, and ensures that we receive their grace and blessings on the spiritual journey.
Om Sri Gurave Namah
Om Namo Narayanaya
Hari Aum Tat Sat.
