The Dark Night of Soul

Continuing from what we actually discussed in previous post on the idea that the more intellectual we are, the more lonely we are. I can say the state of the dark night of soul which I borrowed from given title to the collection of John of the Cross's poem. I found out that exchanging an ideas and intellectual discussion is actually a great need for those who always think. Of course we can talk to our-self interacting with the old or current thought. We can interact with books, so that we can have a dialog. The third is with other people who also read books and think, which I found the most satisfying. 

In the first state of thinking, which to our own self, we are transcended to a realm of symbol. We are relating to ideas in our head. But if we do it to long, we will become detach from reality for reality as it is different from reality of symbol. Interacting with books is somewhat in between. We are osculating between the world of symbol and world of reality. However, when we are having a through and deep discussion and dialog with people-I mean here, not everyone but those who are in the same urge need of intellectual food, then we are somehow bring those world in convergence. The world of symbol and the world of reality collide which resulted in a very enriching and state of happiness. 

That is why, in the ancient Greece people who are discussing ideas with each other in an ''everlasting dialog'' is considered as luxurious way of living that cannot be traded with mere materials gain or possessions. That is also when we reach certain ages, near death I would say, all what we need is a partner that can connect with us in a conversation. Yes, friends in a very clear sense. When we cannot reach to the third stage for a long time, somehow we find ourselves drowned in the state of the darkness of soul. We feel empty and drain. Or the feeling of sudden-''dull'', even it weren't the case objectively speaking but only subjectively manifested. The second stage can help us for a certain period of time. Although we can have dialogue, but we cannot get feedback which can deepening the state of the issue or questions that comes in mind, raised by the author or reader along the way. 

Thomas Dumm has wrote a book call loneliness as Way of Life exposes the modern way of living today, in which we tend to dismissed the relationship with each other-and retreat from interaction. It is our social condition and also existential state of what most of us are experiencing right now.  Dumm use the term, ''universal loneliness'' to describe the condition. Well, I agree with Dumm. The privation of living come obviously from the pressure of ''perfect culture'' that is to say, we need to bring our personal branding. What we can sell or tell who we are to others, our great achievements, our happy family, our marvelous travel, and so on-which is terribly daunting as far I can see happening.

And hence, people trying to get away from others but doing that, they experience the dark night of the soul which they probably do not know what and why it happened in the first place.  Therefore, I suggests, for intellectual [if they aware of themselves] it is important for them to be brave to build a friendship not only on the basis of shallowness of sharing life or update life status but deep intellectual conversation or at least, discussing some real existential issue that matters [not gossiping or talking the bad things about others on their back]. 

By this being exercised more widely and frequently perhaps, we are can be more willing to meet and connect with each other without hesitant. But of course it is quite difficult to find those who are in the same pace and hunger as we are to begin with. Very few, very rare, at least in my personal experience up to this very moment.If we can find those people, one very simple suggestion. Treasure them! That's the only way to get our head out from the dark slumber and starvation in our intellectual soul. 

And when it all happened, that's the beauty of it; to contribute something to each other by bringing our own perspective on the table is like sharing a tasty food together in a pot-luck like setting. I think nobody will says, yours are sucks, but everyone enjoying whatever presented on the table. The part contribute the the whole and the whole is the sum of all parts in unity. 

This action of conversing, or having intellectual discourse with fellow friends by and in itself will dim the dark night of our soul for the time being.Yet, added the theological perspective to the issue as a closure, the dark night of the soul cannot be deal ''fully'' by discussing mere ideas with others until each and everyone of us captivated by the eternal truth of God and when we encounter the fullness of the knowledge and the embodiment of truth in the very person of Jesus Christ at the eschaton-whereby we are conversing directly with the source of knowledge in everlasting wonder everlastingly!