The world is full of duality. We are surrounded by it. We see it displayed across our screens, in our communities, and across the globe. There is light and dark, good and evil, love and hate, masculine and feminine, science and spirituality. We so often see these things as opposites, when in fact, they are two aspects of the same reality. They are interdependent on one another.
In the Upanishads, it is said that "the universe is both one and many, both light and dark.” In the Tao Te Ching, it is said that "the way of the Tao is like the way of the river. It flows both dark and light, yin and yang." The dark and the light are both necessary for the river to flow. In the Kabbalah, it is said that "God is both light and dark, good and evil."
The dark is not something to be feared or avoided, but rather it is a necessary part of the journey of growth and transformation.
When we deny our dark, we are denying the part of ourselves that needs to be healed and transformed. We are also denying ourselves the opportunity to access our deepest wisdom and the nucleus of our power.
The dark is often associated with fear, pain, and difficulty. But it is also the place where we can find our deepest creativity, intuition, and strength. When we choose to go within, into our own dark, we are opening ourselves up to the possibility of change. We are allowing ourselves to see things that we have been avoiding. Our wounding, our patterns, the cycles we keep seeing play out in our lives, our self-limiting beliefs, the frameworks we’ve built around us - a combination of our deepest fears and our perception of who we believe we are supposed to be as individuals in this world. When we allow ourselves to understand our dark is there to walk us through our deepest transformations, we are giving ourselves the chance to heal and shift our reality in a way that embodies the wholeness that is you.
Facing Our Darkness
Facing our darkness is not known to be easy. It can be painful and uncomfortable. But it is ultimately the path to understanding and acceptance. It is a call to come home. When we do experience dense emotions, observe them without Judgement. This means paying attention to the physical, behavioral, and cognitive signs of our emotions. It also means allowing ourselves to feel our emotions without trying to suppress or deny them. Simply put: pay attention to it.
Dense emotions are strong, often overwhelming emotions that can feel difficult to manage. They can be caused by a variety of factors, such as trauma, stress, or unresolved issues. Dense emotions can manifest in a variety of ways, including physical symptoms (such as headaches, stomachaches, or muscle tension), behavioral changes (such as withdrawal, aggression, or substance abuse), and cognitive distortions (such as negative thinking or catastrophizing), to name a few.
When we feel dense emotions surfacing, it is an invitation to pay attention. To sit with our fear, anger, or sadness, and see what they are trying to tell us. What are we resisting? What are we afraid of? What do we need to release? Where do we need to show ourselves more compassion? What areas need love instead of shame? Understanding instead of Judgement?
The darkness is not something to be feared. It is simply a part of life. Whatever the darkness or dense emotions are, is where we are meant to be. It is where we can grow and learn and continue to operate from a place of unconditional love and sovereignty. In this act alone we experience wholeness - the dark and light as one.
Experiencing Trust
When we understand that our darkness and dense emotions are to be observed and honored as teachers, we can then experience trust. Trust is the foundation for light to enter our lives. Without trust, we cannot open ourselves up to the possibility of change or growth. Trust cultivates a sense of safety within ourselves. One that isn’t easily swayed by the external world. When we trust ourselves, we are able to sit with our darkness without fear or Judgement. We can allow ourselves to feel our emotions fully, without trying to suppress or deny them. In doing so, we can begin to understand the messages that our darkness is trying to convey.
Alchemy
Darkness is often seen as something to be feared, but it is actually a necessary part of the journey to wholeness. It is through darkness that we are able to learn and grow. It is through darkness that we are able to find the light. This is a deeply transformative process; alchemy in its purest form.
Alchemy is the process of transforming something into something else. In the context of our emotions, alchemy is the process of transforming darkness into light. When we alchemize our darkness, we are able to use it as a source of power and expansiveness.
This process of alchemization allows us to connect with ourselves intimately. When we can connect with ourselves intimately, we can connect with others. When we can connect with others, we can show up authentically with mutual honor and respect. When we can cultivate authentic connections with others, we can transform our communities and the world around us.
When we trust ourselves and alchemize our darkness, we open ourselves up to the possibility of something greater. We become whole. We become light.
Darkness is a powerful teacher.
When we sit with it, we can begin to see it for what it is: a part of us, not something to be feared or rejected. We start to understand that darkness and light are not opposites, but two parts of the whole. They can work together in harmony. We can learn from darkness, grow from it, and ultimately use it to create a more beautiful world. It is the key to our transformation.