The Dark Night of the Soul — When Everything Falls Apart (So You Can Rebuild)
There are moments in life when everything stops making sense.
You wake up and feel… nothing.
The things that used to excite you no longer move you.
You look around at your life—your relationships, your job, your goals—and you wonder:
«Whose life is this?»
If you’ve felt this, you might be going through what mystics call the dark night of the soul.
But don’t let the poetic name fool you—it’s not romantic.
It’s raw. Lonely. Confusing.
And strangely… necessary.
What Is the Dark Night of the Soul, Really?
The dark night isn’t just about sadness or a bad week.
It’s a deep inner collapse—a kind of spiritual crisis that often appears when you’re going through some kind of awakening. That awakening can be spiritual, emotional, or even existential. It’s the moment when your old identity begins to dissolve, and you’re not yet sure who you are becoming.
It might show up after:
- A loss (death, breakup, job change)
- A trauma or burnout
- A period of spiritual practice
- Or for no “logical” reason at all
It’s as if life pulls the rug from under you—not to punish you, but to make space.
How to Recognize It
The signs are not always obvious. But here are some things many people experience:
- You feel emotionally numb, disconnected from life
- You lose interest in things you used to love
- You’re overwhelmed by existential questions
- You feel alone, even in company
- You have no idea what you want anymore
- You question your entire belief system—spiritual, religious, social
And deep down, there’s a strange whisper that says:
“There’s more. But I don’t know what it is yet.”
Why It Happens
Think of it as the soul’s way of saying:
“This version of you… is too small for who you really are.”
We spend years building lives based on what we were told to want—status, validation, roles.
But eventually, something inside us breaks free.
And when the false self starts to fall apart, it feels like we’re falling apart too.
That’s the dark night.
It’s the bridge between who you were and who you’re becoming.
What to Do When You’re In It
There is no shortcut—but there is a path. And you’re not lost.
Here’s what helps:
- Don’t rush it.
This is not a problem to solve. It’s a transition to honor. Let yourself feel what you feel. - Simplify.
Don’t force clarity. Focus on grounding routines—walks, journaling, silence, nature. - Stop pretending.
If something feels fake, let it fall. You don’t need to carry the old identity anymore. - Talk to your soul.
Even if you don’t believe in anything right now, speak. Pray. Ask. Cry. Listen. - Know this is temporary.
It may last weeks or months… but you will come through it. And you’ll come through it changed.