4 Signs you are in a Dark Night of the Soul, and what to do next
I first heard the term “Dark Night of the Soul” during a Reiki class. This is a time of major disruption in life. This can be job loss, breakups, illness, fear, anxiety, and overall feeling like you can’t take one more thing. If you are experiencing this, there is no accident. You are likely starting, or currently in a time of your life of intense growth.
What are the signs of a Dark Night of the Soul?
During an interview, I asked Psychic Development Teacher Heather of heatheryish.com, we did a deep dive into the “Dark Night of the Soul.” She shared her personal experiences with how she navigated these rough water.
Here is some of the knowledge she shared during the interview.
1. Weakening of the Foundations of Your Life
When you are going through a “Dark Night of the Soul”, it appears as if your world is falling apart. The aspects of your life that create our daily routines, such as relationships, work, home, and health began to change quickly. This results in breakups, endings, being fired or laid off, or becoming ill.
Even more uncomfortable is that major changes may happen all at once. It may feel like the sky is falling, and in your world it may be. One unwanted change may lead to another, then another.
You may find yourself suddenly with much more time on your hands because of the end of a relationship, or the end of a job. If the loss is the death of a loved one, this can feel like a chasm that is painful and you desire to fill immediately.
Why This Happens
Many spiritual leaders and coaches see the journey in to the Dark Night of the Soul as a time of transition. The choices you have made may have served you at that point in time, but not must be let go. Relationships that hinder your growth on a soul level must change or end.
Breakups, financial losses, career setbacks are emotionally painful and are powerful teachers on your soul journey. They are not meant to be easy, but they always serve a purpose of crating a major shift.
How to Survive The Crumbling of the Foundations In Your Life during the Dark Night of the Soul
Your were built to survive this challenge. Your faith has likely taught you that you can survive, and thrive in any challenge that comes your way.
Heather advised us during her interview that feeling emotional overwhelm is expected to happen. She encourages us that higher guidance from your spirit guides and your God are with you.
During the tumultuous times of the Dark Night, you can find your emotional center using meditation. Daily meditation calms your nervous system. During times of change, your Sympathetic Nervous System will be heightened. You may have trouble with appetite, sleep, and finding inner calm. Working with your nervous system through intentional meditation daily can help you find your inner calm, and create a buffer for you during this difficult time.
My 21 Day Meditation Challenge can help you start and continue your meditation. Course includes downloadable meditations.
2. Desire to Withdraw from Others
During out interview (which you can download here), I asked Heather for some of the subtle signs that a Dark Night of the Soul is coming. She noted that in her clients, withdrawing from what’s familiar, particular from the community you’re in, is a sign that big change is coming.
Why This Happens
This kind of withdrawal may be accompanied with fatigue. You may be so tired that getting out of bed feels monumental. You previous relationships also may be draining your energy, so it is now impossible as you move through this change to connect with others.
Creating a Safe Space During the Dark Night of the Soul
As you journey through the Dark Night of the Soul, energy preservation is necessary. It may feel selfish, but your mind, body, and spirit demand that you allocate your resources to yourself.
Heather’s advice is to create your own safe place. Create space and time to heal, feel protected and to rest. How do you do this?
Creating your own safe place can start with developing and enhancing your healing rituals. Starting a daily Meditation Practice such as the 21 Day Meditation Journey helps you create a healing ritual you can return to day after day.
Reiki creates a safe place to recover during the Dark Night of the Soul. Receiving Reiki from a trusted Reiki Healer is wonderful, but did you know know you can learn Reiki and heal yourself?
Reiki creates a safe space for gentle healing. Performing Reiki on yourself daily will create a safe space through healing ritual. It is possible to do this for yourself. Learning Reiki is therapeutic as well. You learn about you Chakras, the history of Reiki, and your anatomy. What you learn in Reiki can serve as guiding lights as you navigate the Dark Night of the Soul.
3. Disconnection from Your Own Desires
Being unable to identify with your desires, your wishes, and your passions is a sign that you may have drifted from you path in life. If you feel that you are busy, doing many things, but none of them bring joy to your life, this is a sign that you are entering a Dark Night of the Soul.
Why This Happens
Failure to acknowledge your feelings, desires and needs leads to disconnection. This disconnection form yourself creates a crisis in the mind, body and spirit. Each of us has a purpose, a calling, or a chosen mission that our souls selected before we came to exist in this time. If decisions you have made have taken you away from this, you will experience trouble with knowing what it is you want.
How to Reconnect With Your Desires During the Dark Night of the Soul
Finding ways to reconnect with your desires requires quiet, reflection, and intentional healing. During our interview, Heather recommended using therapy as a way to reconnect.
Working with a counselor, such as my podcast guest, Brandi Gibson, can help you understand when you feel stress in your body. Have a listen to her episode, Stress Awareness in the Mind Body to learn how therapy can teach you to reconnect with your physical body.
My podcast guest Dr. Seleena Smith also recommends seeking help if you see 6 changes in your life that signal working with a therapist can really help. If you notice these 6 signs, it is time to ask for help.
4. Desire for a Major Change
Longing for major changes in your life may be more than fantasy. If you’ve had a dream of a career change, or longed for living in a different place, these desires may be much more than fantasy. You may have feelings of guilt about these longings, but as we learned during this podcast episode, you want to approach these desires with loving kindness.
Why This Happens
Experiencing a Dark Night of the Soul is a sign that major change is coming. Changes in your home, career, personal life and yourself are coming. Embracing that change is eminent makes this easier to accept.
Embracing the Changes That Come with the Dark Night of The Soul
During this time of transition, educate yourself abundantly. Reading, taking courses, listening to podcast and reading blogs that support your journey through the Dark Night of the Soul will help you embrace these changes and grow from them.
Reading has helped me through my own Dark Night of the Soul. Reading as a therapeutic intervention is known as bibliotherapy. I have a list of recommended books that I have found inspiring and helpful.
Thriving during the Dark Night of the Soul
My wish for anyone who is in a dark time is that this time will serve to help you heal, progress, and grow. Accept the signs that you and your life must change. Use this time to learn meditation. Learn Reiki to heal yourself. Understand that as you progress on this journey, it is for a purpose.