dark night of the soul
/dɑːrk naɪt əv ðə soʊl/
CommonA period of profound spiritual crisis where meaning collapses and a person feels disconnected from everything they believed in.
Used seriously in spiritual communities as a distinct concept with an expected arc: collapse, then eventual emergence. Sometimes used loosely online for any difficult period, which flattens the meaning.
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | i didn't know it had a name until i found out about the dark night of the soul. made everything make sense | Learning the concept gave language and framing to a confusing personal experience. | tiktok, 2023 |
| 02 | the dark night of the soul isn't a breakdown. it's a breakthrough that looks like a breakdown first | Reframing the experience as necessary for growth rather than pure suffering. | tiktok, 2024 |
| 03 | lost my job, my relationship, and my sense of self in the same year. classic dark night of the soul arc | Multiple losses collapsing at once, framed through the spiritual concept. | reddit, 2024 |
| 04 | three months post dark night and i genuinely don't recognize who i was before | The identity transformation from this phase has been so complete it feels like becoming a different person. | x, 2023 |
Use it when
- Someone is going through a sustained period of existential emptiness and identity collapse.
- Describing the painful phase that precedes a major inner shift.
- Referencing the spiritual concept in an earnest discussion about growth.
Do not use it when
- Someone is just having a bad week or feeling down.
- Someone is describing clinical depression without a spiritual framing.
Variations and related forms
Dark night of the soul vs spiritual awakening
dark night of the soul
The dark night is a painful, disorienting collapse that happens during or preceding an awakening.
spiritual-awakening
Spiritual awakening is the larger arc of expanded consciousness that can include dark nights.
Origin and context
Originates from the 16th-century poem 'Dark Night of the Soul' by Spanish mystic Saint John of the Cross. Brought into modern psychology and New Age spirituality and became widespread on TikTok and Reddit wellness communities around 2021.
- First seen
- 16th century
- Confidence
- high
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/dark-night-of-soul