Today we experience the most hours and minutes of darkness of any day in the year, a day when the sun is at its lowest point. From the Essene Book of Days — “The ancient people used this time of ‘longest night’ to focus on the power of darkness. Not the negative image of darkness, but the richness of that unknown, dark, fertile, deep part in each of us wherein our intuitive, creative forces abide. In modern times, it is a time for owning one’s shadow, so as to transform any negative energy associated with it into the energy of creation and psychic ability. We must accept and know our Darkness before we can fully know the Light.”
This is a Yin time of year, a time for reflection, a time to look inward. Many spiritual and religious traditions acknowledge the darkness, asking followers to embrace the darkness, because in doing so, we will be ready for the light to come. The light WILL come. May we have confidence in knowing that this day, Winter Solstice teaches us that we need to follow the seasons and natural flow of nature. We need the yin of darkness and yang of light to create balance our lives.
For those of us embracing Tai Chi energy and movement, we follow the yin and yang of nature and work to create internal and external balance by embracing the light and darkness of our energies.
Arlene, this post is so revelatory for me today. Such a beautiful way of looking at the darkness both outside and inside of ourselves. This makes me want to take the time to just be in the darkness of winter so I can also do what you wrote that ancient people did which is explore those dark places. Thank you !!
You’re welcome. Some good wisdom from our ancestors.