“If you are striving to be equal to your destiny and worthy of the possibilities that sleep in the clay of your heart, then you should be regularly reaching new horizons.” John O’Donohue, Anam Cara
I was speaking with a dear friend last night, and come to find, she also experienced a ‘dark night’ of some length recently. The last three months – Nov, Dec, Jan – had been intense. I consider this friend to be in the “advanced” position – has done the inner work, emotionally intelligent, expert communicator, doing soul savvy work. It’s echoing from a number of places that there is still some solstice revisioning going on.
We are moving through it. I just want to remind you if you’re a bit disheartened, scrambling and crawling as best you can through the transition, you’re not alone. It’s tiring! It’s also the end of winter… just about.
So with spring on our doorstep, and a new Tibetan/Chinese new year/Water snake having arrived, let’s review – and try to entertain – the benefits of the dark night for the soul mission stalkers. Why is it best to be run through the ringer now? There may be a benefit yet to this clay heart hibernation time.
DARK NIGHT REDIRECTS I: CLEARING OLD STUFF, BLIND SPOTS
Your soul mission, distinguishes you from others who might be more of the “watchers” – those who have chosen a less demanding lifetime, but yet are still here to witness the changes. That’s why you feel that urge to be at your creative and purposeful edge. You came to contribute something critical to this particular river of time.
The recent passage through the ‘Solstice Chamber of Truth’ (SCOT) may have highlighted blind spots. Feels like a hassle – but these could be patterns that needed to be cleared before you waltz more riskily and jauntily to your soul mission dance card.
Like a well-meaning parent, I can hear the SCOT saying, “You’ll thank me later”. It may be true that if we did not stop for the learning, it could cause more serious missteps down the road. So… Amen to timely warnings and redirections in manageable doses.
In my own deep dive, I had to confront a few mmm, massive blind spots. But turns out, these blind spots – well it’s like amazing grace. NOW, can I see – she says, at least until the next bend. I’m grateful though at this point that I was handed this teaching now, versus later. This was not a “playshop”, especially at first. But I am over-the-top grateful that I won’t slam into a canyon wall of ignorance while playing higher levels.
I wonder if our world is facing the need to do this type of clearing work now. Maybe before we zoom to the next renaissance, we need to review some past trauma, past evil, past ills. It’s a kind of grief awareness work – not your Friday night happy hour. I think we share the responsibility for any past trauma on the planet, loosely speaking. The pain of what we’re capable of needs to be held compassionately before we move forward into the new world being birthed. We need to hold this pain.
So that is one helpful thing about the dark night passages. Sometimes you need to stop and do the healing work. Your personal dive helps the collective swimming. Any clearing, forgiveness work, regrets clearing, and any additional honesty and humility you can leaven your walk with – enhances the communal truth we want to create here.
DARK NIGHT REDIRECT II: FORGOTTEN FACETS BROUGHT TO THE LIGHT
Another purpose to this deep dive, in addition to the clearing work – is the recovery of forgotten or not-yet-included aspects of your gifts. For myself, there was an aspect to my work that was not only fun for me, but essential to the wholeness of what I offer. So see if this is true – that a unseen facet of your jewel has arrived before morning. Or after mourning.
It may take time for the full meaning to be clear, for all the learning to land. To realize what will shine forth from the shifts and roundabouts. It may be subtle too. Hang in and see what emerges.
THOUGHTS FOR THE OPEN ROAD
Redirection demands much humility and honesty at times, and this can be painful to face. Maybe you have to really look at a project or a career or a dream, and decide to let it go. Or you may decide to risk everything in a bigger way. It’s tough when you are flying by the seat of your pants – they may be wearing thin at this point. Yet if you find the joy stick in the chitty chitty bang bang ride of chaos that finally tells you – you’re on track for now – what joy emerges. It’s well worth the struggle.
Happy New Year dear readers. Time for a breather perhaps. Make sure you take some back taps just for making it. Extra treats for a resilient journey.
There is always a calling that lives inside. It may not be what you’re known for, what you’re paid for, and that’s OK. Keeping it alive can happen in ten minutes a day. This is what keeps your soul flame burning. In the end, there is very little you’ll take with you, possessions-wise. But that soul grin will cross the divide.
Tired of the gem polishing times? Ready for spring? Other wisdom from recent passages? Let’s talk below.
Blessings and courage to you, for the next lap,
Denise