The Dark Night Of The Soul. Aldivan Teixeira Torres

of the individual. Besides, causes secondary evils such as indifference, egoism and intolerance. This exposed, we can conclude that the results are catastrophic and many times lead to condemnation. An alternative to combat this kind of sin would be altruism, which reinvigorates the soul and opens the paths of evolution.

      —Very well. After what I see and heard, I reach the conclusion that you are closer to understand the meaning and extension of the dark night, since two stages have already been overcome.

      —And now? What is the next step?

      —The next phase will be realised tomorrow and deals with one of the biggest weakness of the human being: Lust. This one will be the last one under my supervision, for I am not able to help anymore. On the next stages you will be helped by a Hindu, who already has lived here in the mountain for six months. Relax: He is a specialist on the last four cardinal sins.

      —Does that mean my lady is going to abandon me? Please don’t do that. Don’t you remember? We have been together in the search of knowledge, since the last adventure.

      —Don’t take my decision personally. That is not the case. You ought to know that I don’t possess all the knowledge that you think I have. Even for me, the dark night became a complex and indecipherable subject. For you to advance it is necessary new values and teachings, which I haven’t got nor the large majority either. For this and much more we must part at this moment, and when you evolve more, who knows if we will not see each other again.

      —Anyway, thank you for everything. If it were not for your advice I would have not progressed. From now on, I promise to make even a greater effort to lift the veil of the dark night of the soul. All within the possible, of course.

      —Don’t thank me yet, for we still will meet other times in this adventure. In the next opportunity, I will give you my last recommendations.

      —I understand. One last question. Does your ladyship believe that I am worthy of the knowledge to be revealed?

      —The little I know you, you are. When you achieve the greatest goal, the so ardent knowledge, you will have the power to open your mind to truths hidden for centuries. There you will have the respective answers.

      —And there I will be happy working on what I like and lavishing happiness. How wonderful. I hope that this moment does not take too long. Any more recommendations?

      —No. Nothing more for the time being. Now, I must go, for it is getting late. Good luck in the next challenge!

      Saying that, the guardian lady disappeared. Being left alone, filled me with anxieties and preoccupations. Will it be that I would continue to progress in such dangerous path? Who exactly was this new master, the Hindu? These questions without immediate answer gnawed my heart and I was about to accomplish one more challenge.

Lust

      The time passes rapidly and a new day dawns. Its arrival brings new and disquieting preoccupations to an unprepared dreamer. I ask myself: Could the sins of the flesh be so dangerous to the point of affecting my purity? Thinking a little more, I decide to carry on risking, even if that could have grave consequences to me. With the strength of that new decision, I get up and go to the improvised bathroom of the cabin to take a bath. On the way, I try to put my mind at peace to enjoy those moments of leisure. I go in, close the door, get undressed and grab the bucket of cold water that I myself had prepared the night before. I start bathing and having thrown the first amount of cold water I begin reflecting about the sacred place where I am. I think a little about the mountain and about its importance in my life. I end up concluding that it was really sacred for its climate, its history of which I was part of, challenges, hidden mysteries and even the very cave itself. I continue the conclusions and arrive at a common denominator: Nobody ever will know it completely, unless he evolves till perfection. In it, I could find my opposing forces and, by becoming the seer, was able to control those forces. Now, I was searching for the knowledge and understanding about the dark night through which we all pass. On that path I had accomplished two stages. But still there were seven more, unforeseen, which I have had no time to think about.

      I try to concentrate on the bath and forget, for a moment, the preoccupations. The strategy is good, I carry on with the ritual, put on soap, throw more water over the body and make an effort to take away all the impurities. When I feel totally clean, I grab a towel, dry myself and put on clean clothes. I leave the bathroom and go to the kitchen to make my breakfast. When I get there, I begin to fry the appetizing chicken eggs that I got in the woods. I spend some time making my food and when it is ready, I eat it straight away. I take the opportunity to sit down for a while, and when I do that, I yearn for home, for my mother and my good life. All this was happening for I was used to have a good breakfast and family warmth. Another moment goes by and I shook my head: All of this would be much easier if they support me in my career and my dreams. I would certainly have another reason to carry on fighting and affirm myself ever more as the seer transformed by the cave. But I turn away those thoughts, for they only hurt me now. Then I plan my strategy for the next challenge.

      With all set, I go out of the cabin and take the eastern direction, for I haven’t gone that way yet. The beginning of that path is done in a customary manner, without hurry, for I still had to mentally prepare myself for the impacts that may come. At this moment one needs to be careful, for the previous challenges have proved that the cardinal sins are stronger than I had imagined. Probably this third stage will not be different too. Strengthened by those sins, I reach the conclusion that the dark night, in this instance, would have the power to condemn. How to be safe then? That is the answer that I am looking for. After passing through all the stages of my personal evolution, I certainly will have a position of respect. In the meantime, I would have to take care of the present challenge. Without any more preoccupations, I continue.

      Further on, in my field of vision, appear three youths dressed as prostitutes. Although still far away I realized that they were very beautiful and ingratiating. When they become aware of my presence, they wave to me and I decide to get closer to investigate further. As I got near, the dark night intensifies and the impact freezes me. The next moment, they introduced themselves and invite me to accompany them. Without giving it much thought, I decide to accept and we carry on walking. At half way they surround me forming a circle of darkness. At this precise moment, the dark night snatches my heart and I am forced to remember the experiences that have made me suffer. Distressed, I try to get out of the circle, but it is too strong even for me who is a prepared and evolved seer.

      Sometime later, a sequence of doors open in front of me, and I am pushed against one of them by the prostitutes. In a few seconds, my mind and body go through tunnels where the pleasures of the flesh are enjoyed. As I have such experience, I tremble with the images, for what is sacred becomes an act of pure savagery. In order to not suffer so much, I close my eyes, but even so I am still restless. Over the time, the circle tightens and travelling through the tunnel I end up arriving at a large room, where someone is already waiting for me. I concentrate mentally, trying to cleanse the heart and the soul, even after everything that I saw and heard, and the circle snaps up. Thereby, the dark night goes away for a while and I feel more reassured. I decide then to approach the person in the room and touching him, the revelations and visions reappear.

      “Philip is a public official of high rank and as a consequence of his job he leads a stable life together with the other members of his family: His wife, Katherine, and his two sons, Luke and Joseph. In family life, Phillip is very affectionate and responsible. However, about his character, he is not so perfect, for he acts in a disproportionate manner in some instances. For instance, he likes parties, most of the times in the company of ex-university colleagues and in these occasions, takes advantage to drink a lot in order to pervert the senses and get friendly with some women always present. It was this path that lead to the first betrayals. In the beginning he was cautious and did cause any suspicions. However, as time went by, he convinced himself that his attitude was normal for a man and did not care about discretion anymore. One day, the inevitable occurred: His wife found out about his infidelities and was totally disillusioned with her husband. She believed that she was married to the right person and that the conjugal love was for ever. Angry,