People who deeply question life, its meaning, its purpose, the difficulty of suffering, the agony of loss—all experience the Dark Night of the Soul. It happens when we are lying awake in the middle of the night and everything seems dangerous, hurtful, painful, frightening, and pointless. We have lost our faith in anything spiritual and feel disconnected from all of life. It seems like a bitter joke and everyone dies anyway.
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This is a necessary step that brings us to our knees as we move along on our spiritual paths. It forces us, through despair and agony, to surrender to the Higher Power that is purposeful, organized, and often beyond our comprehension. We have nowhere to go but to trust in this Higher Power. We know that simply ending it all is not the solution for our Soul can never die. And when we get through to the other side of this Dark Night, it all appears light and clear to us.

It doesn’t take specialness to merit the Dark Night of the Soul. It happens to everyone who is a sincere spiritually-oriented being. And we can’t force it. It happens just at the right time for our growth and enlightenment. We just have to know that it is not the end. It is not hopeless and is a natural, though painful, part of our expansion during this human experience.

It takes work, discipline, and practice to overcome the negative bias of the human mind and the fearful projections of “lower” consciousness. Many people are not willing to put themselves through the training it requires to achieve levels of consciousness beyond the mere day-to-day survival.

Many people do not even think it is possible or even care. They are consumed with getting by with the least amount of pain and loss. They have relied on others, such as priests and authority figures to tell them that such states exist but do not think they are capable of such exalted states of being.

To find their way to their inner light and Soul seems too difficult or impractical. They think that higher consciousness would interfere with accomplishing their daily tasks as they bask in the ecstasy of inner bliss. This is a misconception and comes from visions of hermits living in caves meditating in the mountains instead of people actively engaged with life.

Or higher consciousness has been mystified to be like an endless psychedelic trip of colors, lights and disorientation. This false concept of higher consciousness deters people from “going there.” How are they going to get anything done if they are in a constant state of uninterrupted joy and distracting visual effects? But higher consciousness is nothing more or less that realizing that we are one with the Universe and that it is working through us.
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Because of:

• All the untrue ideas about higher consciousness
• Ignorance that it even exists
• The belief it is the special province of anointed religious figures

. . .most humans have not attained the levels of consciousness of which we are all capable.

Every soul has its unique path of expansion and growth. Human concepts, such as time, do not apply to the Soul. The Soul is eternal and always exists in the eternal Now. So for anyone to determine how long it takes for a Soul to reincarnate is an exercise in absurdity. Time does not apply in this situation.

Each reincarnation depends on so many things. And if a Soul has finally reached the end of their karmic path it may not choose to reincarnate at all. It may choose to remain in pure cosmic consciousness or pure positive energy. Or it may be completely karmically clean and decide to reincarnate anyway to help others on their journeys. These are known as bodhisattvas.

Dr. Helen Wambach, Ph.D., was one of the earliest scientific researchers into past lives and reincarnation. She was the author of Reliving Past Lives and Life Before Life.

In Life Before Life Dr. Wambach described the results of hypnotizing 750 people and taking them to the time between their past and current lives. One of her findings was that the disembodied consciousness, or soul does, not enter the body until near birth. "The soul usually enters the body near birth, and has a choice of which fetus to enter. If one fetus is aborted, it is possible to choose another. In some cases, the soul who will occupy the fetus, is in contact with the soul of the mother, and can influence her decision regarding abortion."
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Dr. Wambach found that 89% of those hypnotized said they did not become part of the fetus until after six months of gestation. A large group said they did not join the fetus, or experience inside it, until just before or during the birth process. They existed fully conscious as an entity apart from the fetus and even after six months many reported being 'in' and 'out' of the fetal body.

"Many subjects reported that the onrush of physical sensations on emerging from the birth canal was disturbing and unpleasant. The soul exists in a quite different environment in the between-life state. The physical senses bring so much vivid input that the soul feels almost 'drowned' in light, cold air, sounds.She reported that the new-born baby feels cut off, diminished, alone compared to the between-life state. To be alive in a body is to be alone and unconnected. Perhaps we are alive to learn to break through the screen of the senses, to experience while in a body the transcendent self we truly are."

Philosophy is not a science in the sense that it can be proven under laboratory conditions. It is not a science at all. It is an art. Yes, it involves rules of logic. But logic can easily be led astray and become absurd. For example:

All cats have fur.
My dog has fur.
Therefore, my dog is a cat.

We can even argue that not all cats have fur, as in hairless cats. So philosophy can become a hair-splitting exercise in which we get bogged down in defining terms and allowing for exceptions to the rule. This kind of philosophy is bloodless and drab compared to philosophy that asks the deepest questions of life. It might mimic the scientific approach because of a system of rule, but it can lead to crazy conclusions.
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Determining how we know what we know can never be an exact science. We can follow the rules of deductive and inductive reasoning but in the end, they are dry and lifeless. The deeper questions about who we are, why we are here, who is God, and what happens after we die cannot ever be examined in a laboratory. Therefore, philosophy is more of an art, depending on revelation and inspiration. It is not a science with measurable results and repeatable experiments.

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Everyone, no matter what their physical state, is a valuable Soul and is capable of expressing love and intelligence. This is because, as Tielhard de Chardin said, “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
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This means that no matter what your physical state: Paralyzed, old and decrepit, young and green, sick or well, the body is not who you are. You are a soul who happens to be inhabiting a body this time around.

Nobody has it easy in the body for any length of time. Even babies bang their heads and fall down when they learn to walk. If we determined who should live or who should die based on their physical perfection or lack of suffering, not many humans would be left to exterminate. And who would make this decision? Just because someone is suffering for the moment doesn’t mean it won’t get better for them even in an hour.

No matter what condition our bodies are in, they are the homes of our Souls and important to our Soul’s journey. Paralyzed people like the scientist Steven Hawking, the artist and author Christie Brown, and actor Christopher Reeve continued to shine their light in the world and provide inspiration for others.

Yes. Philosophy, when taken down to its Greek roots, means “love of wisdom.” Love and appreciation are closely tied to each other. But philosophy is more than just love of wise thoughts and wisdom. It is the analysis of answers to the basic questions of life:

• Who are we?
• Why are we here?
• What is the purpose of life?
• What is good and evil?
• Why is there something rather than nothing?
• Is our universe real?
• Do we have free will?
• Does God exist?
• Is there life after death?
• Can you really experience anything objectively?
• What is the best moral system?

These are just a few of the questions philosophers have been asking since people first began to think and record their musings. They are also questions that cannot be answered easily. Religions of the world have claimed they have the right answers. But philosophers always hold an open mind that their answers are only possibilities. They will continue. loving to ask these questions because the answers provide the wisdom by which we can live happy and fulfilled lives.

People are afraid that if they devote their life to spiritual pursuits they will be held to a standard they cannot live up to. They think they will have to be saints or never make a mistake in compassionate judgment or ever get angry. They think they will not have a fun life either. It sound so empty and boring to sit around contemplating their inner selves and mediating. People are actually bored with peace. They don’t feel alive unless some drama is going on.

They see the exciting lives of celebrities, rock stars, famous politicians and world leaders. These are the people they admire. Most people would not like to live the life of a monk in the freezing Himalayas or a nun in a cloister. They want bright lights, entertainment, parties, stimulants, intoxicants, glitter, jewelry, and material treasures.

But who says we can’t have it all? We can be highly spiritual and manifest a life of adventure, fun, and material comfort. It is just an unexamined habit to think that to live a spiritual live we must give it all up. It is true that most people who are on a spiritual path are not really interested in accumulating material goods or devoting their lives to pursuing them. Therefore the world believes that to live a highly spiritual life, we must live a life of lack, even if the spiritual seeker feels no such loss.
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So the spiritual process, because it requires quiet, peace, and time away from the frenzy of the world, seems dull and drab to some people. But those of us who cannot help but follow this path know that it brings countless joys and revelations that the rat-race can never deliver.

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The mind and soul are two different entities. Some mentally challenged people express spiritual and loving qualities because they allow their souls to shine through. Our clever minds can often be an impediment to these beautiful qualities. We are constantly judging, comparing, seeing what is wrong, being unhappy because reality doesn’t match up to the ideal we hold in our heads. And we must be right about it all.
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Mentally challenged people are not so heavily invested in their minds and therefore they can be freer and more in touch with their inner selves.

I have personally known people with Downs syndrome and other learning disabilities who have shown wisdom, tolerance, and a love of life that far more educated people were never able to attain.

Several years ago I had a personal trainer who had Downs syndrome. He understood the human body with intuitive acuity and communicated it well in his own way. I learned a great deal from him and his sage-like approach to strength and skill. He was patient and kind and I will never forget him. The strength of his soul far outshone the limitations of his physical brain.

It is a big mistake to think that intellectual giftedness and the Soul are interrelated. Again, the intellect has very little to to with the soul and can often block its manifestation in our lives. The mind is a very good analytical tool but the soul come from a different area, more like from a combination of the heart and the gut. Therefore, if a person is mentally challenged, he or she may be more receptive to the qualities of Soul and be more tuned into the pulse of the Universe than those of us who think we are our minds.

Confucius said, “Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.” This is because holding onto anger, past hurts, and upsets harms you. You are not free to live a life of joy and peace because you are constantly rolling around in the mud of what happened yesterday. The other person may be just fine with what they did, you are the one who is suffering. To add more suffering to an already suffering world is not a solution on the path of wisdom and understanding.

It is better to leave it to Karma and to the balance of the Universe if someone has wronged you. If you keep holding onto it, you are continuing the sorrow, the hurt, and the problem takes over your life. It is much kinder to yourself to let it go. It is not up to you to be the judge, the jury and the executioner. Other forces of the universe are at work to put things to right. Let them do their job and just live in peace.
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There will always be people who are cruel and hurtful based on their insecurities and evil intent. You don’t need to add to the world’s burden of distress. The evil can stop with you. And in that way you will build yourself up to be strong and able to handle life’s misfortunes without thinking you have to set. everything right. It is not up to you. Just be free and know that no one gets away with anything in a perfect Universe.

Please refer to my comments to the question, “Do Narcissists have a soul?,” which is also on this website:

Do narcissists have a soul and when people bring up the concept of a "soul"do they understand what it is?

Usually, people with personality disorders are completely run by their lesser minds. They spend their lives protecting them, bolstering them, and adding to them. They cannot see beyond their demanding, chattering minds that focus on “me, me, me!” They use others to construct an insubstantial self that demands more and more attention. Therefore, they cannot find their way to enlightenment.
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Sure, they can occasionally have peak experiences when they feel the awe and wonder of it all, but they quickly turn them into serving their smaller selves. These small selves love to stir up drama and have uncontrolled mood swings. All of these attitudes of thought interfere with enlightened states of consciousness, which are always beyond the ego-mind and its turmoil.