Have you been through a difficult period recently — or are you in one right now?
So many people around me have been moving through hard seasons lately, myself included. These stretches can feel confronting, lonely and overwhelming. But they're something almost everyone faces at some point. No one is immune.
The good news: they pass. And more often than not, they're not simply periods of suffering — they're powerful stages of transformation.
An Old Idea for a Timeless Struggle
In the 16th century, the Spanish mystic St John of the Cross wrote The Dark Night of the Soul while imprisoned in solitary confinement. He described a journey in which the old, egoic identity begins to dissolve before a deeper union with the Divine — or our true nature — has fully emerged. It's the uncomfortable space between who we once believed ourselves to be and who we're becoming.
As the spiritual teacher Adyashanti put it: "Enlightenment is a destructive process. It's the crumbling away of untruth."
As old beliefs, identities, habits and emotional patterns fall away, we can feel lost, empty or uncertain. We start questioning everything — who we are, where our life is going. But this darkness isn't the end of the journey. It's a transition. You're leaving one level of consciousness and moving toward another — one with greater clarity, freedom and light. As St John of the Cross wrote: "The endurance of darkness is the preparation for great light."
Ways to Support Yourself Through It
Withdraw and look within. Pull back from unnecessary social commitments, technology and distractions. This is a time for inquiry, solitude and gentleness. Spend time in stillness —meditate, reflect, listen. Beneath the noise of the conditioned mind, there's a deeper intelligence guiding you.
Prioritise sleep.
Never underestimate the healing power of rest. Sleep helps the body and mind release stress, restore balance and process change. Rather than distracting yourself with latenights, alcohol, television or endless scrolling, let yourself slow down. Go to bed early, sleep in, nap when you need to.
Ground yourself in nature.
Walk barefoot on the earth.
Sit beneath a tree.
Lie on the grass.
Step away from artificial stimulation and reconnect with the simplicity of the natural world.
Nature reminds us that change, death and renewal are part of every cycle.
Nourish your body.
During difficult times, we're often drawn to sugar, alcohol, processed food or other quick fixes. But your body is moving through this transformation too. Support it with wholesome food, water, movement and the nutrients that help your nervous system stabilise and heal.
Seek wisdom.
Challenging periods can open us to deeper knowledge. Read books and teachings that reconnect you with truth and offer a wider perspective on what you're experiencing.
There's a Sanskrit phrase, yad bhavam tat bhavati —"what we think, we become."
What you focus on will shape how you move through this period.
Seek support.
You don't have to navigate this alone. Find someone who understands transformation and can support you without judgement — a coach, counsellor, mentor, teacher or guide who has walked a similar path. As the saying goes: "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear."
This Will Pass
Your dark night is not a punishment, a failure or a life sentence. It may be part of your journey toward a clearer, lighter, more authentic experience of life. Hold faith that something within you is being released, reorganised and renewed.
Beyond the darkness, there can be greater connection, love, clarity and freedom.
This is not the end. It is evolution.
In peace,
Sophie
