Spiritual Practices for a World Falling Apart — 03: Living with Discouragement
A dark night of the soul may not be a necessary part of one’s spiritual journey, though having been there, I know what it’s like, am grateful for the experience, and even more grateful having it behind me. In contrast to a dark night, the last three months have felt like an extended gray season of the soul, created by a pervading sense of discouragement about the state of the world. My natural inclination is to frame and interpret what I observe in the most positive way possible, to look for the silver lining in the darkest of clouds. I look for places with positive potentials where I can engage, plant seeds, and perhaps nurture them to sprout and grow.
Beginning late July (2022) my natural inclination failed me. None of the metrics I have developed to monitor positive shifts in humanity’s collective awakening of consciousness have shown forward movement. It seemed like very few of the seeds I have planted are showing evidence of sprouting. The discouragement I felt was different from depression. In my own experience of depression when I was younger, there were no good reasons for it, and it was that realization that helped me let go of it. As I seek to understand the larger picture of what is happening on planet Earth I cast a wide net for information — mainstream media, alternative media, popular and peer-reviewed science, and I see discouragement with the state of world, whether it’s politics, economy, environment or climate, as a understandable response.
Symptoms of Discouragement
As I experienced it, the symptoms of discouragement were quite similar to those of depression — lack of motivation, lack of of enthusiasm or joy in my day-to-day life. Spending time online, engaging with virtual communities that work for positive change was especially difficult. My writing about the possibilities for positive change came to a standstill.
The Spiritual Practice
Navigating through the gray season of the soul was uncharted territory for me, and I gradually came to reframe what I was experiencing as a spiritual practice. I share here the elements of the practice that emerged, and simply ask you who read this to receive what may resonate with your soul. It may be some, all or none:
· I maintained an open heart, acknowledging the discouragement as a legitimate feeling.
· I did not allow the discouragement to slide into despair.
· I carried on, day-by-lackluster-day, attending to necessary responsibilities as a spouse, father, grandfather, and friend.
· I was gentle with myself when lack of motivation kept me from moving forward on projects and contributing to online communities that I value.
· I periodically reminded myself that despite the paucity of positive news the possibility of unexpected positive change is always as near as the next moment.
This, too, shall pass
I could have also listed the Persian adage above as a practice, because during the gray season I reminded myself of it more than once. The gray season lifted gradually. Over successive weekly visits with a friend at my favorite coffee shop I mixed my metaphors and reported seeing light at the end of the tunnel. I emerged into the full light of day through a nourishing oft-delayed reconnection over breakfast with another friend at the same coffee shop. No doubt the autumn golden glow of the Maple and Tulip trees mixed with the reds of Sumac and Dogwood outside our kitchen window helped. During the gray season I had continued to work in the garden, cut/haul/split and stack firewood. The ongoing connection with nature certainly made it easier to keep the discouragement from sliding into despair. Now the joy has returned and replenishes me. The objective evidence that I see indicates that the human extinction trajectory continues, yet I am now able to again see the many ways that the trajectory can be shifted in a positive direction.
Articles in the Series:
Introducing Spiritual Practices for a World Falling Apart, June 24, 2022
Living Unsustainably with Mindfulness July 27, 2022
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