Sift your soul's dark night for its alchemical gold

Read how one person uses Thomas Moore's book Dark Nights of the Soul to help her through her own dark stretches and to reconnect through the events of others: "When Darkness Emerges" on the blog Quantum Liminality. Kristin sprinkles quotes from the book through her description of a difficult time starting in March 2011. She chronicles the widening circle from her personal concerns to a friend attempting suicide to events of the world.

She writes, "I can't remember the last time a book had such an impact on how I viewed life's changes, obstacles, and dark nights. I like how he speaks of spirituality; not preaching organized religion. I like how he makes me think." She includes Moore's view:

"Religion, too often avoids the dark by hiding behind platitudes and false assurances. Nothing is more irrelevant than feeble religious piousness in the face of stark, life-threatening darkness."

In Dark Nights of the Soul Moore also writes:

"A dark night may appear paradoxically, as a way to return to living. You don't choose a dark night for yourself. It is given to you. Your job is to get close to it and sift it for its gold."