Self-help Articles

by Richard B. Patterson, Ph.D.

"The dark night of the soul" is a term associated with St. John of the Cross (1542-1591), a Spanish mystic who wrote the classic work The Dark Night of the Soul.

In essence what St. John described was the experience of utter and complete confusion and uncertainty, especially when one thought one had some answers spiritually.

The Dark Night of the Soul involves the painful awareness of absence, particularly the absence of God. It can be a time of intense doubt around spiritual themes about which we previously felt certain.

From a strictly spiritual perspective, it is a very important experience, providing a foundation for humility. Further, how can we fully appreciate God's presence without experiencing God's absence.

Your bout with depression could certainly contain elements of the Dark Night of the Soul. When our spiritual perspective shifts in some significant way, we can experience a sense of loss.

Further, the Dark Night experience calls us to some task of growth and change, another possible source of turmoil. It often relates to your current spiritual life.

While you didn't mention anything about your spiritual perspective and history, if you have been involved with the same tradition for some time and if you previously felt a sense of certainty at a spiritual level, then the Dark Night experience will be extremely important for you.

Don't go through it alone. Find a spiritual guide who can keep you from sinking into confusion and discouragement. The outcome of your Dark Night experience may be a less rigid, more humble faith.

The Dark Night of the Soul sometimes leaves you with more questions than answers.

About the Author:

Richard B. Patterson, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist in private practice in El Paso, TX. He is the author of three books on psychology and spirituality.