We've all been through the Dark Night to varying degrees at some point, whether we knew it or not at the time, and I know from my own experience that the stages from Dissolution to Re-Observation, while often difficult, are always the source of some profound insights. I'm posting this as an encouragement to those traversing this territory and to see what everyone else gains from this stage rather than dwelling on the dark side of things.

For me the main focus of this stage is about surrender, just letting what happens happen and cultivating acceptance of even the most difficult of situations. I've found that to fight Dark Night is a waste of energy which can be better directed towards practice which, particulaly during this stage, seems to go from feeling very laboured and pointless to creating an incredible clarity which cuts through the "rawness". What's most interesting for me is the ability to watch pre-conditioned emotional reactions play out with no attachment, nowhere for them to "detonate" so they just kinda drift up, they're there, then they're gone.

I hope that more people will find these stages to be rewarding and beneficial in the long-term, and find the strength to just let them happen as they do, realise that change is the only guarantee in life and see the Three Characteristics as the blades which cut through the illusion.

What's your take on this folks? Show's y'er insights.....

Hi Tommy M -

First: thanks to DMI on this point especially.

Second: perks of DN - much better for pointing out the nature of and self-center than bliss states. Bliss states revolve around the Self, even infinite expansion aspects; DN very much revolves around Self in the exact same way (so useful that they should come back-to-back) -- self, wanting to, makes the two experiences seem separate and different. DN also can make one a willing fighter, which knowledge can be useful (as well as completely inappropriate and unskillful) and provide a hook with which to set concentration.

LOL. Last time around I decided if I survived I was going to make one of the "It gets better" videos for YouTube. On bad days I rethought the title: "You thought that was bad, eh? Check this out, it gets worse."

It does never cease to amaze me how weird shit can get just staring at a wall; how much pain, fear and sorrow one can actually handle without one's brain actually exploding; and yes, that even the densest meditator can't help but come out with some pretty clear understanding of impermanence, suffering and not-self.

I have become a bit intrigued by the metaphor of purification - with meditation stripping away layer after layer of delusions. Putting the dark night in that context can be helpful sometimes. The bliss stuff fits in there, too, but it's harder to see that way maybe.