Dark Night of the soul

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During those times we need to continue praying, and telling Him we love him, without regard to our feelings, but focusing on Him. That is how we prove we really love Him, and grow spiritually. God knows when to let up.

Here are some excellent MP’s of conferences given by Father Venard Poslusney, O.Carm. on the subject of the Dark Night of the Soul.

advancedchristianity.com/Pages/Poslusney/Poslusney_Soul.htm
I offer these MP3s again, in case you would like to listen. They are by a Carmelite priest whose Days of Prayer (monthly) and conferences on the Carmelite Doctors of the Church were very helpful to me.) His forte was spiritual direction.
 
Thank you everyone for the encouragement…I experienced the first dark night about 13 years ago… It was terrible. I was so lost… so much so my husband said he would miss me if I died… and it took about 3 years. Much prayer, rosaries, mass, priest as spiritual director, Christian counselor, Christian music… Then I enjoyed His Presence like no other time in my life. It was such a beautiful relationship…Then about a month ago I lay crying dealing with abandonment issues and rejection and I asked God to comfort me…I couldn’t feel Him…I stuck out my hand in trust but still could feel no comfort, hear no comfort…and heaven has been silent ever since…even though I pray and pray and pray and cry out in longing…This time I am able to function only by obedience and hope. I don’t dare tell my family. They just wouldn’t understand…only someone who has experienced it would… I understand there are 2 nights? I hope this is the second and I am not lost… faith and love seem distant but I cling to His Word He promised never to let me go and I have been reading Mother Teresa and it feels just like that I am sorry to say…I am no saint…I only have desired Him so very much and I don’t know why when I need Him most He is silent. When I need comfort I cant feel nor hear… its like a veil…I just keep crying out and trust He is there though I hear and sense Him not and will answer, become manifest soon…I have seen a priest and spiritual director once last week and will continue to and have continued to use Christian music and Eucharist and mass…Please pray for me brothers and sisters…separation is so very painful…I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. not even an enemy…The veil of darkness is excruciating and its not just a “hard time” people go through. This is an experience of absence or loss of the One whom you love…or ( perceived loss, as I hope to the Holy Trinity I am safe in His arms though I sense and hear Him not)…D
It is understood in our Faith that if one is united to God, there is a transformation taking place. We take on the life of Christ, and more so when we co-operate with His graces. Human nature abhors suffering, but it a reality that is both natural and supernatural. When we are baptized, we are re-born into the life of Christ, made adopted children of God sharing His priestly, prophetic, and kingly ministries. This means you are a saint, whether you agree, or not agree with this truth of our Faith. We are temples of the Holy Spirit, members of the Mystical Body of Christ, and if we do not believe this, we make the Holy Spirit a liar, which tells me the devil is at work.

We are not meant to live lives of Angels, we are not pure spirits, but flesh, blood, and spirit. We were not meant in this life to live with a lot of spiritual and physical consolation. For how are we to advance in strength of virtue, and responsibility? There is a dark night of the senses, when we deny our flesh, and feelings for the greater good which is spiritual. Yes there is a dark night of the spirit when we suffer the temptations to abandon our faith, our holy vocation (if it is marriage) when we feel and think God is not there, especially when we do our very best to conform with His Holy Will and we see no answer, or understanding of what is happening to us, all avenues are closed to us. Our Faith, trust and love of God is being tried, not to push us down but to lift us up.

This happened to me, the problem was in me, and obstacle to a closer union with God which I desired. I was spiritually blind, and I didn’t know it. Jesus reserved this blindness just for me to let me know that He alone was my Saviour, and not anything that I with all my strength could do. I met Him because no one could solve my problem but Him, He had to enlighten me from within the very depths of my soul. When I look back I could see it so clearly, hindsight is so much better than foresight.

Obedience and trust are not to be downplayed, they are among some of the most important virtues, along with Charity, the cardinal virtues. The most important thing in our lives is to perform the will of God to the best of our abilities in our vocations, that is where God is perfecting us in virtue, and that vocation with the co-operation of the graces that come with it, is God’s will for us, it will sanctify us, and we will all be sanctified if we desire eternal union with God. Consolation will come as God deems to give them, but we do not hold our breadths until they come. We go about our vocations. Jesus said " Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof" so we must not go looking for evil, suffering and the such. Read the life of St. Theresa of Avilla to understand “spiritual consolations”, it is very enlightening. There is much to say, and I hope this helps you, God love you, and I pray for you that you will be granted peace of soul in Christ.
 
Yes, I am certain that I have endured this…the passive purification of spirit as described by St. John of the Cross in his Dark Night of the Soul. For me, it was the wanting with no ability of having without the intervention of God who remained silent. Yet, as I discovered a few years later, it was He who stirred within me to take steps into the direction that I may have…entailing personal risk, repeated disappointment, and again trying again so that I may have. Although I have yet to attain full possession of what I desire, I am even more certain that it will come…even in this life. Hope does not disappoint (Romans 5:5). Neither does it for you. 🙂

houston1
I take comfort that you understand the un understanding…(the wanting with no ability of having without the intervention of God who remained silent. )
and having gone through this previously I hope God will transform me even closer than we were…although the darkness is scary. I don’t want to be left here like Blessed Teresa…How she endured…I can’t imagine…
 
It is understood in our Faith that if one is united to God, there is a transformation taking place. We take on the life of Christ, and more so when we co-operate with His graces. Human nature abhors suffering, but it a reality that is both natural and supernatural. When we are baptized, we are re-born into the life of Christ, made adopted children of God sharing His priestly, prophetic, and kingly ministries. This means you are a saint, whether you agree, or not agree with this truth of our Faith. We are temples of the Holy Spirit, members of the Mystical Body of Christ, and if we do not believe this, we make the Holy Spirit a liar, which tells me the devil is at work.

We are not meant to live lives of Angels, we are not pure spirits, but flesh, blood, and spirit. We were not meant in this life to live with a lot of spiritual and physical consolation. For how are we to advance in strength of virtue, and responsibility? There is a dark night of the senses, when we deny our flesh, and feelings for the greater good which is spiritual. Yes there is a dark night of the spirit when we suffer the temptations to abandon our faith, our holy vocation (if it is marriage) when we feel and think God is not there, especially when we do our very best to conform with His Holy Will and we see no answer, or understanding of what is happening to us, all avenues are closed to us. Our Faith, trust and love of God is being tried, not to push us down but to lift us up.

This happened to me, the problem was in me, and obstacle to a closer union with God which I desired. I was spiritually blind, and I didn’t know it. Jesus reserved this blindness just for me to let me know that He alone was my Saviour, and not anything that I with all my strength could do. I met Him because no one could solve my problem but Him, He had to enlighten me from within the very depths of my soul. When I look back I could see it so clearly, hindsight is so much better than foresight.

Obedience and trust are not to be downplayed, they are among some of the most important virtues, along with Charity, the cardinal virtues. The most important thing in our lives is to perform the will of God to the best of our abilities in our vocations, that is where God is perfecting us in virtue, and that vocation with the co-operation of the graces that come with it, is God’s will for us, it will sanctify us, and we will all be sanctified if we desire eternal union with God. Consolation will come as God deems to give them, but we do not hold our breadths until they come. We go about our vocations. Jesus said " Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof" so we must not go looking for evil, suffering and the such. Read the life of St. Theresa of Avilla to understand “spiritual consolations”, it is very enlightening. There is much to say, and I hope this helps you, God love you, and I pray for you that you will be granted peace of soul in Christ.
This happened to me, the problem was in me, and obstacle to a closer union with God which I desired. I was spiritually blind, and I didn’t know it. Jesus reserved this blindness just for me to let me know that He alone was my Saviour, and not anything that I with all my strength could do. I met Him because no one could solve my problem but Him, He had to enlighten me from within the very depths of my soul. When I look back I could see it so clearly, hindsight is so much better than foresight.

Obedience and trust are not to be downplayed, they are among some of the most important virtues, along with Charity, the cardinal virtues. The most important thing in our lives is to perform the will of God to the best of our abilities in our vocations, that is where God is perfecting us in virtue, and that vocation with the co-operation of the graces that come with it, is God’s will for us, it will sanctify us, and we will all be sanctified if we desire eternal union with God. Consolation will come as God deems to give them, but we do not hold our breadths until they come.
thank you this encouragement gives me hope when I reach out into the empty space I long to be filled with His Presence and touch again… thank you
 
I offer these MP3s again, in case you would like to listen. They are by a Carmelite priest whose Days of Prayer (monthly) and conferences on the Carmelite Doctors of the Church were very helpful to me.) His forte was spiritual direction.
Dorothy thank you so very much…so very valuable to encourage that in the darkness I sense it is truly His light that blinds…If you have any further links to reference this emptiness ( dryness doesn’t even begin to describe)
 
Thank you so much everyone for the encouragement…truly gives me hope. especially to hear of others who have suffered this experience… to know I am not crazy and my deep desire for Him is probably why He draws me this way? My deep longing to be HIS actually is the invitation to become His through this?? I hope so…Although it feels contrary. Absence…loss…
Its painful and scary…so out of my control even though I feel like I HAVE to DO something. So I follow the advice of my Spiritual director in obedience and pray for Him to “open my eyes to see and open my ears to hear” once again. Its odd how once I was blind then I could “see” with the first night opened my heart and soul to Him now I feel like I am blind and deaf again…strange. Like Blessed Teresa said, " My soul is blank just a great LONGING, darkness is such that I really do not see neither with my ,mind nor with reason" Its like your faculties betray you in a foggy veil…Only Jesus can reach down and shine His light into this darkness and the pangs of wanting Him don’t bring Him…
Some times I feel nothing. Which is waaay worse I think. Yet I pray. I remain as obedient and trusting as I humanly can…I’d rather, of course, live on FIRE with His love like before this happened, than live a life of nothing…Truthfully, I’d rather feel the pain of longing…it seems in an odd but it’s my way to let Him know, I want Him all the more…
 
I cannot imaging trying to deal with DNS alone. :nope: It is extremely taxing.
Which is why I’m so floored by St Thérèse of Lisieux. Imagine going through that extreme darkness, all the while being consumed by tuberculosis as she was! Tuberculosis was a dreadful disease in the 19th century, and for Therese it was compounded by the strict rule of Carmel. The best medical practice at that time was morphine injections, although her Superior, Mother Marie de Gonzague was of the belief that religious should suffer, and so she would not allow its administration to Therese. So she bore the full brunt of this disease. And yet incredibly, it was Therese who kept the spirits of her fellow sisters high, and not the other way around. This she achieved through her tremendous sense of humor (mimicry, puns, tricks, jokes about herself and the doctor’s inability to help her get well.) and her unshakeable peace. Her sense of humor was priceless, all the more remarkable when taking into account her circumstances. She was a remarkable young lady! And needless to say, she’s become my favorite saint.
.
*"It seems to me that the darkness, borrowing the voice of sinners, says mockingly to me: “You are dreaming about the light, about a fatherland embalmed in the sweetest perfumes; you are dreaming about the eternal possession of the Creator of all these marvels; you believe that one day you will walk out of this fog which surrounds you! Advance, advance; rejoice in death which will give you not what you hope for but a night still more profound, the night of nothingness.”
~St. Thérèse of Lisieux on the “Dark Night”~*
Peace, Mark
 
I will have to read her next, as believe it or not I love cheesy jokes… the cheesier the better I used to love to laugh and I love to wear and create “bling” I know all girls do but I truly felt it was a outward expression of the sparkly radiance I felt with Christ within me…I glittered and sparkled with joy of the Lord and I expressed it externally with love, laughter and swarovski… I look at those things all radiant in the sun and I say, that’s how I feel when God touches me and surges through me… now though…I pray for renewal and restoration and for an increase in that grace I used to have or its buried so deep…I pray although I know not how it can be, to be so much more in Love with our Lord and to experience His great love for me once again this way again but with increase…God bless those that go before us, to have as examples and to light the way and encourage that Jesus will see us safely through this scary dark place into His embrace at last… in this life time or the next. I hope it lifts before that as I am only in my 40’s…He can take as long as He wants…as long as it takes yet, let me not create obstacles to delay a speedy result…
 
I will have to read her next, as believe it or not I love cheesy jokes… the cheesier the better
I highly recommend St. Therese of Lisieux: Her Last Conversations translated by John Clarke, O.C.D. These were the last conversations that were written down by her blood sisters (Pauline, Marie, Celine) who were also nuns with her in Carmel. Most of these come from Pauline. (Sr. Agnes of Jesus, Yellow Notebook) Also, St. Therese of Lisieux by Those Who Knew Her (Testimonies from the Process of Beatification) by Christopher O’Mahony.

***Peace, Mark ***
 
I offer these MP3s again, in case you would like to listen. They are by a Carmelite priest whose Days of Prayer (monthly) and conferences on the Carmelite Doctors of the Church were very helpful to me.) His forte was spiritual direction.
Thank you, Thank you!!!

Dark Night of the soul will start out with the dark night of the senses…

The experience, both the ’ dark night of the senses ’ and 'dark night of thesoul" are VERY common.

Depending on EACH individual and where they are at in life can be a factor “in when the opportunity” occurs…I am 63 and have had 3 opportunities, each opportunity became stronger until the 3rd opportuinity hit like a Mack Truck.

3 phases: beginner, proficient, perfection

VERY few get through ALL of it…if you do you would be with ONE WITH THE LORD…would be heaven on earth but NOT seeing God face to face (after transcending you will)

Long story short, purging of your sins (vices) not EACH individual sin…

God does have a wonderful plan for sure!!!
 
So glad for you!

God bless you on your spiritual journey!

Peace,

Dorothy
 
one more thing I would like to add…

Have been thinking about this situation and the 3 times I “felt” through my senses the presence of God…

1st Sunday after Cursillo…

very passive almost insignificant but I could feel God’s presence, didn’t last long but something to remember…this was back in 2007-08

Moving forward…

Aug 2014

Was told I had cancer (at that time they thought it was Sarcoma) I felt this feeling of peace and comfort…had the strength to get through the chemo process…was much stronger this time

Feb 2016

Cancer was in remission…the 2 bulging disks in my back had increased to 4 and back surgery was required. Tests showed cancer was back, surgery was put on hold. Starting focusing on the Passion and Sister Emmrich and her visions of the Passion. Have been there before but this time was different. Intense thought, prayer, and the pursuit of knowledge in regards to his Passion was great.

Then the Dark Night arrived…

Am in consultation with my parish priest…

This experience is definitely a life altering event (we all have life altering events but what do we do and how aggressively do we handle them). Learning more about what is happening…example, the prayer of quiet. I am experiencing it and didn’t know what to call it or how to deal with it. Some call it “sweetness” I call it fuzzies… Now I do and I can appreciate it more because of that “foundation” knowledge.

It is a healing of the soul…

almost forgot, the real reason I wrote this…
I really feel that in my 3 cases the Lord was only able to go so far because of ME and the vices I carried around. I know as I traveled down this road I was able to, not knowingly, but knowing what I was carrying around was detrimental to the health of my soul. As the vices subsided my experience was stronger.
 
“drifter”,

Thanks for sharing.

I know that the more I go into deeper prayer, the more aware I am of the “fall”, and how weak and vulnerable we are without the Lord.

In Jesus and Mary,

Dorothy
 
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