How are you making out in the dark?

Anything hiding in those shadowy corners that needs tending? Anything asking you to stop, lie down, cry, rest, ….feel into the heaviness of the dark? Or are you caught up in the busyness of this time of year and distracted?

We’re going through the darkest time of the year right now. Soon to shift into more light once again. With daylight and night becoming equal on the Winter solstice, Dec 21. 

Have you had a chance to surrender into some darkness? To cry? Spend some time inside yourself, exploring your shadows? It’s a precious time. If you can, don’t let it slip by unnoticed. Take a moment to be in the dark.

We are rarely in the dark in the modern world. Screens are constantly available to distract us with blue light. Take a break from the screens, especially at night.

Light pollution is a very real thing thats impacting our health. Research is showing it plays a significant role in the rise in neurodegeneration (Alzheimer’s disease), hormonal imbalances (infertility), insomnia, and mental health (depression/anxiety). 

There is so much that happens biologically when our bodies get a break from light exposure. Mysteries that science has yet to even begin to understand.

I like to make things simple, we need dark to see light.

In 1994 an earthquake caused a huge power outage in LA, and many people called emergency services reporting a strange giant silvery cloud in the dark sky. What they were seeing was the milky way.. it was so foreign to them due to light pollution that seeing it caused them to panic.

Magic always exists, we can’t see it due to distractions at times. But it’s always there.

Have you ever been somewhere outside city lights, and seen all the stars? There are so many pockets of light in the dark.

In Shinto, the story of Amaterasu explains well the need for darkness. She fell into a deep grief after some tragedy and pain in her life. And was so bereaved that she withdrew into a cave in the mountain, and pulled a large stone over the opening.

With Amaterasu in the cave, the people suffered without her light. They were cold, and hungry. So a group of gods and goddesses went to call her out of the cave. They pleaded with her to come out, but she refused. Uzume had the idea to throw a big party, and began to dance and encourage everyone to laugh and scream in joy. She placed a large mirror at the opening of the cave. As Amaterasu heard the festivities she became curious and pulled the stone open a crack to take a peek. As she did, the mirror reflected her bright light back at herself. She was so drawn to that light, that she emerged from the cave.

Its an intense time of darkness right now. There is so much grief and pain and suffering.

If you see a glimmer of light, if you peek some joy, be a mirror and reflect it back. It can be as simple as a nod, a kind comment, a smile. Light multiplies as we reflect it for one another.