Navigating the Dark Night of the Soul: A Call to Transformation by Brenda R. Bryan
Navigating the Dark Night of the Soul: A Call to Transformation
“The dark night of the soul is a journey into light, a journey from your darkness into the strength and hidden resources of your soul.” – Carolyn Myss
My mentor, Mary Morrissey, once said, “It’s not if the dark night will come, but when.” Those words struck me because I’ve learned that dark nights are not punishments—they are invitations. They challenge us to uncover the strength we never knew we had, to step into a version of ourselves that is more powerful, resilient, and aligned with our true purpose.
Right now, many are experiencing that dark night—facing upheaval, loss, and uncertainty. The world is shifting, and turbulence makes it easy to feel overwhelmed. But what I know, after a lifetime of working with transformational tools, is this: within you is a power greater than any circumstance. Your journey through the darkness can lead you to profound growth—if you are willing to see it as part of your becoming.
The Hero’s Journey: From Darkness to Growth
Every dark night is an initiation into something greater. Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey outlines three phases of transformation:
- Departure: Life as you knew it shifts, calling you to something bigger. You can either answer the call or resist it.
- Initiation: Challenges test you, forcing you to confront fears, shed old identities, and uncover your strength.
- Return: You emerge transformed, carrying new wisdom, greater resilience, and a deeper connection to your purpose.
I know this path well. My dark night came in 2009. A sudden medical crisis sent me to the ICU for five days. I had a gallstone lodged in my pancreas, one of the most painful experiences imaginable. After surgery, I thought I was in the clear—until my doctor called me back with more news. A scan had revealed a tumor on my kidney.
I spiraled into fear: another surgery, another mountain of medical expenses. At the same time, my financial situation was precarious, and my nine-year relationship was unraveling. It felt like my entire life was collapsing at once.
But here’s what I now understand: the dark night comes when we’ve ignored the soft signals that life has been sending us. My body had been speaking to me for years—through anxiety attacks, depression, and the deep exhaustion of holding onto a life that no longer fit me. I had dimmed the light in my relationship, ignored my own truth, and let fear dictate my choices. And then life intervened.
Lying in recovery after my kidney surgery, I had a moment of absolute clarity: I was done living in fear. I was done playing small, ignoring my needs, and postponing my dreams. Spirit had given me a wake-up call, and I wasn’t going to squander it.
Harvesting the Good: The Power of Perspective
When life shakes us to the core, we have two choices:
- We can nurse, curse, and rehearse the pain, staying stuck in victimhood.
- Or we can reframe the experience to fuel our growth.
The truth is, every challenge is here to grow you into a greater version of yourself. When we shift our perspective, we reclaim our power. We stop seeing obstacles as punishments and start recognizing them as invitations to step up.
I had a decision to make. Would I let my dark night break me, or would I use it to build something new?
A New Beginning: Answering the Call
As I recovered, I leaned into spiritual practices, seeking guidance. One night, in a seven-day vision quest, Spirit spoke to me clearly: Surrender. Sell everything. Go solo.
Terrified but resolute, I listened. I left the relationship, sold my home, and embarked on a journey to rebuild my life on my own terms. I had no idea what was next, but I trusted that the path would reveal itself.
And it did. Doors opened, opportunities appeared, and resources showed up. In five months, I rebooted my career, built a new support system, and found a spiritual community to anchor my next chapter.
I realized this: every dark night contains the seeds of a new beginning. But only if we use it well.
Are You Facing Your Dark Night?
If you’re in the midst of your own dark night, know this: you are not alone. This is not the end—it’s the beginning of something greater.
Here’s what my client experienced after facing her Dark Night:
“As each week broke down my story, I felt less sorry for how I felt and more empowered. I stopped letting my past control me. Writing down the gifts and learnings, I didn’t realize how far I had come until I saw it on paper.” – D.F.
If you’re ready to shift your perspective, reclaim your power, and turn your dark night into a catalyst for transformation, I invite you to join me for this month-long program.
It’s time to step into your Hero’s Journey. Are you ready?
Brenda is a fantastic coach.
She is truly passionate about supporting women in being seen and heard. Brenda uses a combination of gentle support and challenge to bring out the best in her clients and in every human being with whom she comes into contact. The Raise Your Voice Speakers Club helped me grow in confidence and clarity in delivering my message, in a community environment that made me feel safe yet also challenged me to grow. I highly recommend the Speakers Club to any woman who has a message to share and is ready to play bigger in the world!
Like most people, I guess, I’ve been terrified of public speaking!
Yet I realize that it’s a necessary skill for today’s entrepreneurs and a path to personal empowerment. Turning to Brenda for her expertise and coaching has already made a big difference in my comfort level and ability to show up as myself.
Brenda has the insight, tips and tricks to make “raising your voice” much more than an exercise in imparting information to your listeners. She helps me create more engaging, coherent, and exciting presentations that feel authentic to who I am. If you want to shift how you come across onstage and be seen and heard as a trusted expert, I highly recommend you get in touch with Brenda.
The Raise Your Voice Speakers Club is an AMAZING GROUP..
..of heart centered women coming together to speak our stories.
I like to describe our club as “An empowered group of women, joining energies to make our voices heard, and make the world a better place.”
If you ever envisioned yourself speaking clearly on stage, or wished you could stand up in front of a group and not vomit, to speak your mind, or even speak out loud. If you’re looking for a sisterhood of support, this might be the time for you to come check out our Club.
I have found her speakers club to be an excellent..
..environment in which to learn about promoting my professional interests as an author and an artist. As a result of my participation in this club, I feel much more confident when I speak about myself now, and as a result, my message has become more easily understood and more relevant to the general public.
You’ll be touched and inspired.
I recently attended the inaugural Fireside Stories event put on by Brenda Bryan, creator and facilitator of the Raise Your Voice Speakers Club, and I was thoroughly impressed.
The women who shared their stories and experiences to an attentive crowd were bold, brave, powerful (and brilliant) in their storytelling skills, their authenticity, and their willingness to be vulnerable.
And it’s no wonder with Brenda at the helm, guiding them through the nerve-wracking process of public speaking. She is a soulful, nurturing, and wise mentor who genuinely cares about women’s voices and women’s lives.
I highly recommend Brenda’s Speakers Club and her Fireside Stories event. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry.
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