The Journey to Understand and Befriend Darkness
Learning to Walk in the Dark by Barbara Brown Taylor.
Darkness gets a bad rap sometimes. Most often, it is associated with fear, the unknown, things that are scary, evil, and the absence of God to name a few. Yes, mysterious things happen in the dark. According to Barbara Brown Taylor, God has been friends with darkness for a long time, and there is a lot of nurturing goodness that goes on in the dark. She points out that “darkness is not dark to God; the night is as bright as day.” (p 26) Even the light first emerged from the darkness. (Genesis 1:1-3) Barbara Brown Taylor writes, “in the book of Genesis, darkness was first; light came second. Darkness was upon the face of the deep before God said anything.” (p. 168) Also, Resurrection happened in a cave, in the dark. (Matthew 28) Darkness is needed as much as the light. Befriend darkness.
The author poses the question, “what would my life with God look like if I trusted this rhythm (solar and lunar spirituality) instead of opposing it?” (p. 9) The book unfolds wisdom on learning to walk in the dark, to befriend the dark, both the dark inside us and the darkness around us. A few kernels of insight from the book:
Courage
Walking in the dark, both metaphorically and literally, takes courage and practice. You have to fine-tune your eyes, both your physical sight and the eyes of your heart, to the change in light.
“In a dark time, the eye begins to see.” – Theodore Roethke
Important things happen in the dark. You need both a spirituality of light and darkness. You cannot have a single version of a solar Christianity and have a healthy spiritual balance in your life. Pay attention to both the light and the dark, or you may miss God’s action in your lives (e.g., the night sky and the stars helped Abraham trust in God – Genesis 15:5). (p. 44)
Sometimes, darkness is referred to the dark night of the soul, and this often means a time of testing (e.g., John of the Cross from the 16th Century). The challenge to walk in the dark is to learn to trust one’s feelings, even those feelings of sadness, depression, anxiety, and fear. People deal with their darkness in their unique way. It is important to move toward and embrace the feelings rather than to run from them or judge them as bad or wrong. (p.75) Remember, the way out of darkness is always through it.
“Knowing your own darkness is the best method for dealing with the darkness of other people.” – Carl Jung
The Pace of Awareness
Life moves at a different pace in the dark. I remember hiking in the desert many years ago by the light of the moon. You have to take time to let your eyes adjust and allow your other senses to become more fully alert. And, you have to hike at a slower pace to find your way through the dark in safety. Life slows down in the dark, and also demands a deeper focus.
“With the day’s barrage of sights and sounds toned down, it is possible to savor things that slip right past me in the light. Food tastes better by candlelight. Conversations last longer. The smell of the vineyard is in the wine.” – Barbara Brown Taylor
New Life
Barbara Brown Taylor stresses that new life begins in the dark. This life can be a seed in the ground or a new baby being born from the darkness of the womb. New life starts in darkness. Learning to be attentive at each moment of our lives, both in sunlight and in moonlight, can teach us to discover the world in new ways. (p. 107)
“To be human is to live by sunlight and moonlight, with anxiety and delight, admitting limits and transcending them, falling down and rising up. – Barbara Brown Taylor
Both-And not Either-Or
Allow both the darkness and the light to help you encounter what matters – both in your heart and in life. Embrace what the darkness can teach you. Become more curious about your own darkness. Allow growth to happen both in the dark and the light. Befriend darkness.
“If I want to flourish, I need the ever-changing light of darkness as much as I need the full light of day. Give your heart to them both….” Barbara Brown Taylor
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