When the darkness comes, welcome it in…

If you are reading this, then you, like me, feel called to dive deeper into the essence and blended tapestry of this life we are seeking. We feel ourselves drawn to certain practices and ways of being, and from there we commit to the process, get hooked on the feeling, and wonder how other people get through the day without the support of these precious wisdom teachings and practices.

As we continue to sample the path of growth and discovery, we feel a shift, a change that encourages us to continue. There is love, there is light, there is joy just emanating from us – not reliant on an external source at all – it feels so good, so liberating, so perfect.

Here, untouched by the challenges of life, we are armed with an array of new superpowers and are gracefully able to overcome all obstacles we face, with greater presence and ease.

This is the land of rainbows and butterflies; it feels like a sanctuary - mine and mine alone. But of course, there is another side to this pathway – the one less talked about. The one that runs parallel to the light. We need them both.

The growth we are experiencing is not just about rising into this light, but using it to reveal what is hidden in the dark, lurking in the shadows – waiting to be heard.

Below the surface, we each have our own unique collection of experiences, emotions, old stories, patterns and ways of protecting ourselves. The parts that we have been storing over time are the very things that are quietly shaping your words, thoughts, actions and unconsciously navigating life.

As the light enters, you begin the process of opening yourself up, and it is at this point that all that is buried sees a chance to liberate and be free.

This is often the part no one talks about – it was certainly not something I was expecting when I began my spiritual journey, but it has been a vital teacher and from this perspective, I now anticipate it’s arrival and consciously invite it in – this is the real healing, the muck, the dirt, the lotus flower trying to emerge from the mud! It gets easier, but it is never easy -  it is not an obstacle on the path; it is truly a necessity.

For me, I remember experiencing the darker side of the path after an intense period during my initial yoga teacher training. This was the first of many shifts and awakenings, and I will never forget the despair, the loneliness and the darkness that I felt. Surely this couldn’t be right – I questioned, was there something wrong with me? Why did I feel so isolated, so confused, so depressed?

Often, we leave trainings, classes and retreats feeling expansive, clear and transformed on many levels, only to find that a few days or weeks later the darkness descends, everything feels heavy, confusing and overwhelming. The tears come, cracking open what had been stored within for so long. This (I promise) is a blessing.

Our logical mind asks why, seeking to understand this demise, but the heart asks that we do not need to add the reason, the story – it just needs to be felt, transmuted and transformed, so it can fuel the next part of your journey.

This process is NEVER a step backwards; this is the real work. The light will bring to the surface that which needs to be attended to, revealing the next part of the healing process.  The step away from the narrative to the felt feelings is the path to transforming your life consciously.

The light doesn’t remove the darkness. It reveals it.

What I have learnt along the way is this – it is in the moments where it all feels like too much, when quitting would be the preferred option, when you want to just throw your hands up in the air and say “I am done!”. It is then that something often shifts and a wonderful breakthrough happens.

A layer within us softens, a deeply embedded pattern starts to loosen, and something new is allowed in.

So, if and when you find yourself in that space – questioning the point, sensing yourself unravelling, doubting the path and the process – in that moment, do not give up. This is the becoming – the moment where everything can transmute and transform, and something quite beautiful can continue to emerge. We are works in progress, we evolve in stages. Practice patience, trust in the practice, and allow the darkness to come; it needs to be heard - and then, when the time is right, the light will shine through again, only this time it will be brighter, and you will be stronger for it.

The dark serves the light, not as an opposite but as an invitation to turn pain into healing. Pure light is love  - we are learning to be that – the darkness only comes where the light has been unable to shine through until this point.

Trust that it will – love always finds a way.

*Please remember that you are never alone, help and support surround you - call on it if you are in need. We work to shine our light so we can be that lighthouse for others.