When a mystic becomes fatigued

[Student of X]

Just as day follows night, there is a kind of light and dark cycle in the development of a mystic. It's this ancient and universal cycle of mystical experience followed by spiritual fatigue that I believe gives rise to many religious concepts.

Periods of blissful mystical unity gradually fade, followed by fatigue. Then, a void develops which is filled by darkness. Then, through the dark, the mystic is forced to grow and find strength again. To grow in responsibility, maturity, wisdom.

Then Unity with the Absolute comes again, and then after a time fatigue sets in yet again. On and on this cycle goes. Back and forth between ecstasies of light and dark. Oscillations between spiritual prosperity and spiritual adversity that get faster and faster.

“Then first,” says Tauler again, “do we attain to the fullness of God’s love as His children, when it is no longer happiness or misery, prosperity or adversity, that draws us to Him or keeps us back from Him. What we should then experience none can utter; but it would be something far better than when we were burning with the first flame of love, and had great emotion, but less true submission.”

Eventually, a point beyond the oscillations is reached...a permanent unitive state. True submission.

This is the psychological explanation of those strange and painful episodes in the lives of great saints—indeed, of many spiritual persons hardly to be classed as saints—when, perhaps after a long life passed in faithful correspondence with the transcendental order, growing consciousness of the “presence of God,” the whole inner experience is suddenly swept away, and only a blind reliance on past convictions saves them from unbelief.

The great contemplatives, those destined to attain the full stature of the mystic, emerge from this period of destitution, however long and drastic it may be, as from a new purification. It is for them the gateway to a higher state. But persons of a less heroic spirituality, if they enter the Night at all may succumb to its dangers and pains. This “great negation” is the sorting-house of the spiritual life. Here we part from the “nature mystics,” the mystic poets, and all who shared in and were contented with the illuminated vision of reality. Those who go on are the great and strong spirits, who do not seek to know, but are driven to be.

When a mystic is in the painful throes of the dark night of the soul, there are certain things that happen to the psyche of the mystic. The old consciousness is going away. A new consciousness is being born. And the birth pangs can rip a mind apart.

“It is an amazing thing,” says Madame Guyon naively, “for a soul that believed herself to be advanced in the way of perfection, when she sees herself thus go to pieces all at once.”

When a mystic becomes fatigued, certain kinds of torments afflict the mystic, certain forces, patterns, processes of the psyche surface and confront the mystic. I believe it is this period in the development of the mystic that originally gave rise to the concept of 'the devil' or 'the adversary' or 'the opposer'.

As her consciousness of God was gradually extinguished, a mental and moral chaos seems to have invaded Madame Guyon and accompanied the more spiritual miseries of her state. “So soon as I perceived the happiness of any state, or its beauty, or the necessity of a virtue, it seemed to me that I fell incessantly into the contrary vice: as if this perception, which though very rapid was always accompanied by love, were only given to me that I might experience its opposite.

I was given an intense perception of the purity of God; and so far as my feelings went, I myself became more and more impure: for in reality this state is very purifying, but I was far from understanding this. . . . My imagination was in a state of appalling confusion, and gave me no rest. I could not speak of Thee, oh my God, for I became utterly stupid; nor could I even grasp what was said when I heard Thee spoken of. . . . I found myself hard towards God, insensible to His mercies; I could not perceive any good thing that I had done in my whole life. The good appeared to me evil; and—that which is terrible—it seemed to me that this state must last for ever.” (bold mine)

Mysticism: Part Two: The Mystic Way: IX. The Dark Night of the Soul

Thoughts? Opinions? Rants?

 

[Open_Minded]

Just as day follows night, there is a kind of light and dark cycle in the development of a mystic. It's this ancient and universal cycle of mystical experience followed by spiritual fatigue that I believe gives rise to many religious concepts.

Periods of blissful mystical unity gradually fade, followed by fatigue. Then, a void develops which is filled by darkness. Then, through the dark, the mystic is forced to grow and find strength again. To grow in responsibility, maturity, wisdom.

Then Unity with the Absolute comes again, and then after a time fatigue sets in yet again. On and on this cycle goes. Back and forth between ecstasies of light and dark. Oscillations between spiritual prosperity and spiritual adversity that get faster and faster....

I am new here ... and was so happy to find this thread.

Right now I am going through spiritual fatigue. I know (from experience) this is all normal. But... it is also very difficult. So... when I saw this thread, it was a reminder that I'm dealing with something normal, documented and part of the contemplative history.

 

[crossfire]

I rather prefer the dark night experience.

Nice snippet:

Fasting of The Heart


Yen Hui, the favorite disciple of Confucius, came to take leave of his Master.

"Tell me," said Yen Hui, "what is fasting of the heart?"
Confucius replied. "The goal of fasting is inner unity. This means hearing, but not with the ear; hearing, but not with the understanding; hearing with the spirit, with your whole being. The hearing that is only in the ears is one thing. The hearing of the understanding is another. But the hearing of the spirit is not limited to any one faculty, to the ear, or to the mind. Hence it demands the emptiness of all the faculties. And when the faculties are empty, then the whole being listens. There is then a direct grasp of what is right there before you that can never be heard with the ear or understood with the mind. Fasting of the heart empties the faculties, frees you from limitation and from preoccupation. Fasting of the heart begets unity and freedom."
"I see," said Yen Hui. "What was standing in my way was my own self-awareness. If I can begin this fasting of the heart, self-awareness will vanish. Then I will be free from limitation and preoccupation! Is that what you mean?"
"Yes," said Confucius, "that's it! If you can do this, you will be able to go among men in their world without upsetting them. You will not enter into conflict with their ideal image of themselves. If they will listen, sing them a song. If not, keep silent. Don't try to break down their door. Don't try out new medicines on them. Just be there among them, because there is nothing else for you to be but one of them. Then you may have success!
It is easy to stand still and leave no trace, but it is hard to walk without touching the ground. If you follow human methods, you can get away with deception. In the way of Tao, no deception is possible.
You know that one can fly with wings: you have not yet learned about flying without wings. You are familiar with the wisdom of those who know, but you have not yet learned the wisdom of those who know not.
Look at this window: it is nothing but a hole in the wall, but because of it the whole room is full of light. So when the faculties are empty, the heart is full of light. Being full of light it becomes an influence by which others are secretly transformed."

Excerpt from "The Way of Chuang Tzu"
Interpreted by Thomas Merton
​

 

[crossfire]

Another thing to consider:

Makyo

Kensho

 

[Straw Dog]

Why does "unity" deserve an exalted status over "diversity"? Why is the "Absolute" more worthy of human affection than the "relative"? Why must we prefer the "sacred" to the "mundane"?

These are all just categories that we created to embellish our natural values and make sense of informational overload. There are other ways of organizing the same information. The mind is a filing cabinet or a dynamic map rather than a mirror reflecting reality perfectly.

Mystics seeking unity struggle to row across the river to the other shore. Upon realizing their enlightenment, they become curious about diversity and make the return trip to the original embankment. Meanwhile, life floats on effortlessly down the river towards the ocean of being. The seas churn and bubble together new expressions. There's no reason to exalt any particular phase of the process because change and transformation just continues. Some mystics make it more strenuous than it has to be.

 

[crossfire]

Why does "unity" deserve an exalted status over "diversity"? Why is the "Absolute" more worthy of human affection than the "relative"? Why must we prefer the "sacred" to the "mundane"?

These are all just categories that we created to embellish our natural values and make sense of informational overload. There are other ways of organizing the same information. The mind is a filing cabinet or a dynamic map rather than a mirror reflecting reality perfectly.

Mystics seeking unity struggle to row across the river to the other shore. Upon realizing their enlightenment, they become curious about diversity and make the return trip to the original embankment. Meanwhile, life floats on effortlessly down the river towards the ocean of being. The seas churn and bubble together new expressions. There's no reason to exalt any particular phase of the process because change and transformation just continues. Some mystics make it more strenuous than it has to be.

Indeed, deepening compassion (towards others in the mundane) is an indication of deepening kensho.
I guess some people need to "give themselves permission" through testing and struggling in order to justify compassion.

 

[Open_Minded]

I rather prefer the dark night experience.

Nice snippet:

Yen Hui, the favorite disciple of Confucius, came to take leave of his Master.

"Tell me," said Yen Hui, "what is fasting of the heart?"
Confucius replied. "The goal of fasting is inner unity. This means hearing, but not with the ear; hearing, but not with the understanding; hearing with the spirit, with your whole being. The hearing that is only in the ears is one thing. The hearing of the understanding is another. But the hearing of the spirit is not limited to any one faculty, to the ear, or to the mind. Hence it demands the emptiness of all the faculties. And when the faculties are empty, then the whole being listens. There is then a direct grasp of what is right there before you that can never be heard with the ear or understood with the mind. Fasting of the heart empties the faculties, frees you from limitation and from preoccupation. Fasting of the heart begets unity and freedom."
"I see," said Yen Hui. "What was standing in my way was my own self-awareness. If I can begin this fasting of the heart, self-awareness will vanish. Then I will be free from limitation and preoccupation! Is that what you mean?"
"Yes," said Confucius, "that's it! If you can do this, you will be able to go among men in their world without upsetting them. You will not enter into conflict with their ideal image of themselves. If they will listen, sing them a song. If not, keep silent. Don't try to break down their door. Don't try out new medicines on them. Just be there among them, because there is nothing else for you to be but one of them. Then you may have success!
It is easy to stand still and leave no trace, but it is hard to walk without touching the ground. If you follow human methods, you can get away with deception. In the way of Tao, no deception is possible.
You know that one can fly with wings: you have not yet learned about flying without wings. You are familiar with the wisdom of those who know, but you have not yet learned the wisdom of those who know not.
Look at this window: it is nothing but a hole in the wall, but because of it the whole room is full of light. So when the faculties are empty, the heart is full of light. Being full of light it becomes an influence by which others are secretly transformed."

Excerpt from "The Way of Chuang Tzu"
Interpreted by Thomas Merton
​

Excellent selection "Fasting of the Heart". I'd never heard that phrase for the Dark Night. But it fits nicely. Since I come from a Western Contemplative background ... I'm more familiar with the following:

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Lately the "sighs too deep for words" has very much been my experience. It corresponds to:

This means hearing, but not with the ear; hearing, but not with the understanding; hearing with the spirit, with your whole being

Just wish the "sighs too deep for words" weren't so painful ... just wish hearing with the spirit didn't require darkness or blindness. But it does - for if the blindness were removed then hearing with the ears or the mind would get in the way. (sigh)

 

[crossfire]

Excellent selection "Fasting of the Heart". I'd never heard that phrase for the Dark Night. But it fits nicely. Since I come from a Western Contemplative background ... I'm more familiar with the following:

Lately the "sighs too deep for words" has very much been my experience. It corresponds to:

Just wish the "sighs too deep for words" weren't so painful ... just wish hearing with the spirit didn't require darkness or blindness. But it does - for if the blindness were removed then hearing with the ears or the mind would get in the way. (sigh)

It isn't spiritual blindness--it's a more subtle form of spirituality. The "hearing with the ears or the mind" is the makyo cycle--the yang cycle of contraction, where you have the opportunity to uncover your bad karma and burn it off. (contraction=yang) The darker cycle is the yin cycle--the kensho cycle, where you can expand (expansion=yin) your awareness into the more subtle realm. Compare 1 Corinthians chapters 12 & 13. Chapter 12 is the yang cycle--loud & bright--makyo. It then goes into the yin cycle--quieter, more subtle, darker and expansive, in chapter 13--kensho.

The suffering one feels during the quiet, dark/yin cycle comes from clinging to the louder, bright yang cycle. Let it go, and look for the more subtle.

 

[apophenia]

Big Black Dog

Woof

All suffering is preference

This is for you Student of X -

[youtube]hzFsDQeTUT4[/youtube]
ROBERT FRIPP Exposure - YouTube

 

[SageTree]

It isn't spiritual blindness--it's a more subtle form of spirituality. The "hearing with the ears or the mind" is the makyo cycle--the yang cycle of contraction, where you have the opportunity to uncover your bad karma and burn it off. (contraction=yang) The darker cycle is the yin cycle--the kensho cycle, where you can expand (expansion=yin) your awareness into the more subtle realm. Compare 1 Corinthians chapters 12 & 13. Chapter 12 is the yang cycle--loud & bright--makyo. It then goes into the yin cycle--quieter, more subtle, darker and expansive, in chapter 13--kensho.

The suffering one feels during the quiet, dark/yin cycle comes from clinging to the louder, bright yang cycle. Let it go, and look for the more subtle.

Brilliant point!
Frubals!
Love the explanation and employing cross-tradition language!
Going to go study these chapters more deeply.

:namaste

 

[crossfire]

Your physical body does its repair work and growth while you sleep at night. Here's what your spirit does during the your dark night time in the way of repair and growth:

The Four Sublime States

1) loving-kindness or benevolence
2) compassion
3) empathetic joy
4) equanimity (even-mindedness, gumption, flexibility of the mind)​

 

[SageTree]

Somehow an even more beautiful thought, crossfire.

I think, these are the transformed expressions of the victimhood that comes in with the darkness from time to time.

Thanks for sharing, once again.
You are quickly becoming one of my favourite posters to read

 

[Open_Minded]

It isn't spiritual blindness--it's a more subtle form of spirituality. The "hearing with the ears or the mind" is the makyo cycle--the yang cycle of contraction, where you have the opportunity to uncover your bad karma and burn it off. (contraction=yang) The darker cycle is the yin cycle--the kensho cycle, where you can expand (expansion=yin) your awareness into the more subtle realm. Compare 1 Corinthians chapter 12 & 13. Chapter 12 is the yang cycle--loud & bright--makyo. It then goes into the yin cycle--quieter, more subtle, darker and expansive, in chapter 13--kensho.

The suffering one feels during the quiet, dark/yin cycle comes from clinging to the louder, bright yang cycle. Let it go, and look for the more subtle.

Crossfire:

Thank you -

It's odd. There is a situation in my personal life that I cannot hide from, run away from, escape from, nor extricate myself from. This situation requires Love on the scale of 1 Corinthians 13 on a grand scale. Just this morning - looked those verses up, read them, reminded myself of them.

In this current Fasting of the Heart this outer experience is playing its role in requiring me to "Grow Up". I don't much like it - but it is good to be reminded every now and again that the experience has value.

Then when you brought these same verses up - it just emphasized what I've known all along - the need for patience and LOVE and compassion in this situation. And that I am growing because of this need of other people.

So thank you - thank you for reflecting back at me, what my heart has known all along. It is a sign that I've needed desperately.

In Peace - Open_Minded

 

[Open_Minded]

Your physical body does its repair work and growth while you sleep at night. Here's what your spirit does during the your dark night time in the way of repair and growth:

The Four Sublime States

1) loving-kindness or benevolence
2) compassion
3) empathetic joy
4) equanimity (even-mindedness, gumption, flexibility of the mind)​

I did not see this until after I posted my earlier comments.

You are right - this current dark night is growing my abilities in the four sublime states.

Once again - thank you for reflecting back at me, my heart's guidance. The reflection is a good thing to have.

 

[crossfire]

Big Black Dog

Woof

All suffering is preference

This is for you Student of X -

[youtube]hzFsDQeTUT4[/youtube]
ROBERT FRIPP Exposure - YouTube

Gotta frubal you for Robert Fripp's musical account of digging up and exposing the karma within your psyche that accompanies this!

 

[apophenia]

Gotta frubal you for Robert Fripp's musical account of digging up and exposing the karma within your psyche that accompanies this!

Sweet. So in regard to the yin and the yang of it as you have been discussing, here is a healing ocean, a balm for the psyche - Robert Fripp again, live in Argentina in 1995.

[youtube]bZIuJgNCFtU[/youtube]
Robert Fripp - Sky - YouTube

 

[crossfire]

Sweet. So in regard to the yin and the yang of it as you have been discussing, here is a healing ocean, a balm for the psyche - Robert Fripp again, live in Argentina in 1995.

[youtube]bZIuJgNCFtU[/youtube]
Robert Fripp - Sky - YouTube

Feel free to stop by Sidd's Cafe' and spin some tunes. (We've been rockin' out to Clutch lately, but Robert Fripp will certainly fit in!

 

[ratikala]

dear student of x ,

Just as day follows night, there is a kind of light and dark cycle in the development of a mystic. It's this ancient and universal cycle of mystical experience followed by spiritual fatigue that I believe gives rise to many religious concepts.

yes it is the universal cycle ,that we are born into darkness but that we experience light ,
to approach it from a different angle that of momentary illumination , one in which one experiences beauty , love and realisation . for that moment one is bathed in briliance lost in extatic absorbtion ,this is our natural state .
yet as it is covered by illusion we experience darkness .
we are in ignorance yet these illuminated glimpses are that of reality , that of truth .


to suggest that there were a counterballance of light and dark would be very much true of conventional reality , but the mystic (and in this sence I speak for my self , no wish to contradict anothers goal ) is only interested in trancending conventional realities , the mystic seeks ultimate reality , that which is above and beyond all conventional experience , that which is pure brilliance , pure truth, pure extatic absorbtion devoid of fluctuation , perminant and eternal :bow:

Periods of blissful mystical unity gradually fade, followed by fatigue. Then, a void develops which is filled by darkness. Then, through the dark, the mystic is forced to grow and find strength again. To grow in responsibility, maturity, wisdom.

to a yogi of the bhakti school this is seperation , and through seperation we crave again to be in the presence of that briliance to know truth , to become again absorbed , and through such pain of seperation one looses all taste for this (conventional reality) ,.... eventualy having lost all taste one finaly renounces this endless cycle , there is no more fluctuation between darkness and light , between ignorance and truth .

Then Unity with the Absolute comes again, and then after a time fatigue sets in yet again. On and on this cycle goes. Back and forth between ecstasies of light and dark. Oscillations between spiritual prosperity and spiritual adversity that get faster and faster.

untill it becomes unberable yes, at this point surrender must happen the final realisation must occur , .....

“Then first,” says Tauler again, “do we attain to the fullness of God’s love as His children, when it is no longer happiness or misery, prosperity or adversity, that draws us to Him or keeps us back from Him. What we should then experience none can utter; but it would be something far better than when we were burning with the first flame of love, and had great emotion, but less true submission.”

Eventually, a point beyond the oscillations is reached...a permanent unitive state. True submission.

exactly , ..except personaly I prefer the word surrender ! ....I give up !
but what difference , submition I give in ! ......either way we go beyond holding on to the self , ...holding on to the self that is experiencing the darkness , to the self that is in ignorance , ..it is worthless , I no longer want it , take it away !

detatching from it it desolves !

only the briliance is left :bow:

This is the psychological explanation of those strange and painful episodes in the lives of great saints—indeed, of many spiritual persons hardly to be classed as saints—when, perhaps after a long life passed in faithful correspondence with the transcendental order, growing consciousness of the “presence of God,” the whole inner experience is suddenly swept away, and only a blind reliance on past convictions saves them from unbelief.

The great contemplatives, those destined to attain the full stature of the mystic, emerge from this period of destitution, however long and drastic it may be, as from a new purification. It is for them the gateway to a higher state. But persons of a less heroic spirituality, if they enter the Night at all may succumb to its dangers..[/quote](this time bold mine )

they hold on to the self , ...fear blinds , ....fear emobilises , .....where as faith is fearless .

and pains. This “great negation” is the sorting-house of the spiritual life. Here we part from the “nature mystics,” the mystic poets, and all who shared in and were contented with the illuminated vision of reality. Those who go on are the great and strong spirits, who do not seek to know, but are driven to be.

When a mystic is in the painful throes of the dark night of the soul, there are certain things that happen to the psyche of the mystic. The old consciousness is going away. A new consciousness is being born. And the birth pangs can rip a mind apart.

fear rips the mind appart ,
faith knows no fear !

“It is an amazing thing,” says Madame Guyon naively, “for a soul that believed herself to be advanced in the way of perfection, when she sees herself thus go to pieces all at once.”

god bless the soul that naievely thinks it is advanced

When a mystic becomes fatigued, certain kinds of torments afflict the mystic, certain forces, patterns, processes of the psyche surface and confront the mystic. I believe it is this period in the development of the mystic that originally gave rise to the concept of 'the devil' or 'the adversary' or 'the opposer'.

then the devil is our own eflictive emotions , our own inability to let go , the devil is our own ignorance , it is no external thing to be feared it is our fear !

As her consciousness of God was gradually extinguished, a mental and moral chaos seems to have invaded Madame Guyon

the fog of ignorance decends ,

and accompanied the more spiritual miseries of her state. “So soon as I perceived the happiness of any state, or its beauty, or the necessity of a virtue, it seemed to me that I fell incessantly into the contrary vice: as if this perception, which though very rapid was always accompanied by love, were only given to me that I might experience its opposite.

not that one "might experience the oposite", but that one might decide to which one wishes to submit !

I was given an intense perception of the purity of God; and so far as my feelings went, I myself became more and more impure: for in reality this state is very purifying, but I was far from understanding this. . . . My imagination was in a state of appalling confusion, and gave me no rest. I could not speak of Thee, oh my God, for I became utterly stupid; nor could I even grasp what was said when I heard Thee spoken of. . . . I found myself hard towards God, insensible to His mercies; I could not perceive any good thing that I had done in my whole life. The good appeared to me evil; and—that which is terrible—it seemed to me that this state must last for ever.” (bold mine)

Thoughts? Opinions? Rants?

indecision is painfull there is only one true answer , have faith , ... jump

 

[apophenia]

Feel free to stop by Sidd's Cafe' and spin some tunes. (We've been rockin' out to Clutch lately, but Robert Fripp will certainly fit in!

Clutch is a major CNS stimulant, but I guess it's legal so I may indulge.

I posted those two pieces here precisely because, to me, they clearly express the two phases of the cycle under discussion. Even the titles - Exposure, and Sky - so it was the best language I could find to acknowledge what Student of X was bringing to discuss.

Music like that functions like yidams. Wrathful and peaceful deities.

I thank Student of X for starting this thread. I think it was Gurdjieff who said "man must take care of both the wolf and the sheep in his care". There is certainly a bipolar aspect to the life of the mystic. When I was very young and exploring what depths there may be in the christian imagery, I saw that crucifixion is a reference to this 'dark night' aspect. Resurrection and ascension are the other aspect.

Often enlightenment is referred to as liberation from the cycles of birth and death. These phases are the cycle of birth and death. The ground luminosity is not predicated on anything, it transcends this cycle. The cycle continues...

I thought about posting 'rough with the smooth' by Shara Nelson, but I restrained myself.

Your link to kensho leads to the saying that to become fully integrated with the world we must free ourselves from 'the stink of zen'. Struggling to maintain 'the light', or seeing the darkness as inimical to liberation, are craving and aversion.

 

[Windwalker]

The dark night seems a period before great awakening, if that intention within us remains true. At any given point in the path the mind creates distractions for us, small and large, which when looked at really amount to a type of self-protection we throw up because of some subtle fear we are experiencing somewhere in our psyche of letting go of whatever that is in order to realize what we are currently being drawn towards.

This happens again and again, and each time I begin to recognize it for what it is, and take that fear hiding itself behind these 'excuses' the mind present, and simply, symbolically lay it before the altar, giving myself to the light. We release ourselves into it, and it illumines and fills us. We begin to trust. It becomes an act of faith, even when we are unable to directly know the underlying reasons for our fear. Fear itself to our mind it seems, takes a symbolic form that is not what the fear truly is. All fear is a face we put on that clinging, and we cling because fear losing ourselves into that Light.

All that to say, I believe the dark night of the soul is a response to avoidance, as we move into that greater and greater light. It is a subtle reaction to a fear of death, to all clinging, to preserving ourselves. Each step of the way is a process of letting go, and of realizing greater Truth. Each step is a breaking down of an old order, and replacing it with a new order. The dark night comes at the end of one stage as a response to it being broken down in order for the next emerge. Then once the new reality is integrated and stabilized, we are pulled to break that down and move to the next higher order, again, and again, until we simply become.

Intention, dedication, and devotion are the rudder that we hold as we let the wind propel us to that Goal of our being. And at each movement, we see the unfolding world before us, taking it into us, and releasing it from us in return. The process is allowed, never controlled. Intention allows.