Dark forest of the soul: A personal journey through depression - Sielie Laubscher

One of the most wonderful ways in which our life-experiences can be illustrated is as a journey. In this way both reader and writer can empathize with each other, because we are all fellow travelers on life's journey, whether the path takes us through valleys, over mountains, or through forests.

Our path through life is often beautiful, but it can also sometimes be difficult and steep.

Dark Forest of the Soul is a tale of a journey through depression, told with such immediacy that at times it appears to be a collection of tattered ribbons of memory and questions with no definite answers. It describes a world in which everything seems unstable. Drawing on experiences of many other writers, at times it seems to lose its way. But this writing style itself reflects the different stages of depression, through which God and self are sought. 

The fairy tale forest, which has for centuries symbolized a place where life's problems can be confronted, is dramatically interwoven in the text. Through this the searching soul gains new understanding, a deeper confirmation, stronger faith and once again finds the path to the Light.