DesertSpider,

I went to the tribe and read the introduction. While some of it resonated with me, some of it didn't (but maybe that's due to it being 4am and me waking up from a set of cyclical dreams <smile>). First off, i'm not religious (at all), though I generally don't mind interfacing with those that are, as I feel that putting one's faith in humanity (like me) is often just as hard as putting one's faith in a god. With this in mind, the prayer references in the tribe synopsis don't speak to me, though the melancholic references do.

I can't help but think that this "dark night of the soul" is a manifestation of an idea that melancholia is more of a between state than anything else; that somehow the "dark night" will end and we'll come through the other side as happier people. While this idea definitely has some merit when melancholia is associated more with depression (as it often is), those of us who associate it more with a deep introspection / reflection and appreciation for the more somber hues of life might bristle a bit at the premise that somehow we'll come out of it. To me, while depression is _not_ a place to stay, a melancholic termperament is often very rich with poignancy and meaning -- I can (and often do) live here.

Could you elaborate more, then?

Regards,

John, leaving the door open

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