Darkness

        "We will talk about darkness.

        The very word darkness evokes fear, for in darkness is the unknown. Though some take comfort in the dark of night and the body needs the rest that it gives, we believe that the majority are not entirely comfortable with the deep dark of night.

        The loss of vision is troublesome and as the hearing and other senses strive to compensate, we hear more than we want to at times. When we are lost in the dark, it is a frightening thing. No sense of direction except the stars in the sky and if they are not visible, there is no focal point.

        The wise remain in one spot knowing that to move forward is to perhaps move in circles. There is safety in knowing what lies ahead and which route to take and which turn to make.

        There is darkness that permeates the soul. A true absence of light and love. It goes by many names. This darkness is sometimes called evil. It is sometimes called ignorance and it is sometimes called unknowing. There are many layers of this darkness and many extensions which reach far and wide. We are seldom aware of it until we see it manifested in some form of violence or senseless act.

        There is darkness that manifests in negativity. This is the most common form. Some misdeed or some missed opportunity triggers a reaction that can rapidly grow. Anger in its displaced form can be a platform for negative and brutal acts. Small hooks are constantly being thrown in the form of words and actions. We hurt unknowingly at times. We cause darkness of thought without any awareness that the seed was planted.

        How to dispel this darkness? How to encourage the light to grow and the darkness to fade? By right action and right thought of course, but that is almost too easy an answer. We suggest looking at and monitoring the actions of the self and the thoughts and how they manifest. What is the reaction? What is the final result of those things? How, in little ways, can a negative thought be changed? How can a negative habit be changed?

        There will be some who do not choose to change and they must pay the consequences of their deeds. Not being afraid to look at darkness is important. Bringing out those things that are too often covered up and exposing them to the light of awareness. This can mean different things to individuals. Is it a relationship that has left one bitter? Is it an anger that is there buried in the deep dark? Is there revenge there? Coldness?

        This is a difficult task. It is easier to bury the negative than to look at it in the light. We have darkness and light and these must be balanced. It is in the darkness that one goes within to search for truth. This search cannot be done overnight! It is an ongoing process.

        There are dark times in one's life when the soul must persevere. And, as a lost hiker, one must stay centered in one's self and not wander off into areas unknown. In darkness, there is also comfort, and in that comfort, one can hide within if necessary, but eventually the light must be sought."