The Role of Sadness in Spiritual Development
Sadness as a path to Authenticity
For what good is sadness? Does it hold a place in our spiritual journey, or is it simply a shadow to avoid? I am so often immersed in sadness that I can no longer ignore its presence. It is unreasonable to think that sadness is some purposeless mood designed to make my life miserable. Indeed, it belongs just as much as joy. Joy and sorrow dance as counterparts; one fades as the other emerges. This ebb and flow urges us not to cling, for everything is coming and going. What part does sadness play in transforming an individual's consciousness? If we allowed sadness to enter us and teach us what happiness could not touch, what deeper truths could be revealed?
As a society, we've been conditioned to resist sadness, label it as something to fix, and push it away. Modern life has taught us to curate our moods, favoring positivity while condemning life's heavy, negative aspects. We expect reality to submit to our demands of how we feel it ought to be. We say, "I should not be feeling sad. What is wrong with me?" A therapist may diagnose you with depression and prescribe you medication so you can return to society and fulfill your duties. The sadness still lingers underneath the surface, however. Masking the symptoms does not address the underlying roots waiting patiently to be discovered. Western Psychology pathologizes sadness and depression, reducing it to an error in the system rather than a part of the soul's unfolding. What if feelings like sadness, depression, apathy, and despair are not hindrances to our development but essential to it?
Our hurried, achievement-driven culture leaves little room for sadness. We rush to silence it because deadlines loom, responsibilities mount, and life demands our attention. "I don't have time to be sad," we tell ourselves. But what if sadness is not an interruption? What if it's a way into a more fulfilling adventure?
A Depth Psychological View on Sadness
James Hillman, founder of Archetypal Psychology, viewed sadness as the voice of the soul. For Hillman, sadness signals a longing for depth, adventure, and a renewed aliveness. Hillman would argue that our culture's desire to fix sadness is the wrong way of thinking about it. Instead, Hillman sees sadness as a way to deepen ourselves and unite us with ourselves and the world.
Carl Jung saw sadness as a critical part of individuation. Individuation is the lifelong process of integrating all parts of the self to become whole. Sadness most likely emerges from the individual's shadow. The shadow is the part of our personality that is unacknowledged and repressed. When sadness appears in our lives, Jung urges us to listen. "Depression is like a woman in black. If she turns up, don't shoo her away. Invite her in, offer her a seat, and listen to what she has to say." - Carl Jung
From this perspective, can sadness be seen as an aspect of ourselves longing to be loved and accepted? Like a child who is denied comfort by his parents in times of distress. Perhaps our sadness looks to reconnect with us, not harm us. Sadness does not come at you like a demon but as a messenger, hinting that the life you are living may no longer align with who you are here to be. Our conditioned tendency to fear and suppress difficult emotions distorts our understanding of them. We see sadness as a problem to be solved rather than understood, and that cripples its transformative potential. What if sadness is attempting to awaken something deep inside of us? Can we stay open and curious about the new life that is emerging? Perhaps sadness is trying to tell you the game you are playing no longer serves you on your journey, and it's time to play a different game altogether.