Episode 308 - Facing Darkness
This episode begins with a consideration of darkness as a necessary precondition for the creation of the lighted world. The symbolism of endless dark waters in creation myths represents the pre-formal, amorphous darkness that is also the hidden source of all life and all light. In cosmological terms, the presence of eternal night and the coming of the light are the primordial pairing. They are the twin generative principles that formed the origins of creation and continue to shape the living world. “Yet, in the modern world, the almost universal presence of artificial lights virtually turns night into day. Instead of surrendering to the return of primordial darkness each evening, a manufactured realm of superficial illumination triumphs over natural darkness. Instead of appearing as an essential, uncanny, potentially spiritual presence, night becomes reduced to being the temporary absence of incessant incandescent light. In this surface oriented, secular world of continuous light, the ancient sense of night as a necessary realm of reality that meaningfully alternates with the edge bright empire of day becomes lost, specifically lost in the light. Ancient people had an instinctive connection to darkness as a place of potential creation, revelation and divination. Thus, night was often seen as the most spiritual time, the dreaming space that cleanses the light before it returns to light up the day again. As we find ourselves facing the darkest time of the year again, we also find our true selves in the dark times on earth again. At the same time, darkness is the essential background for the process of birth, death, and renewal, which is the underlying mystery of life in the cosmos, in nature and in our own souls. This greater understanding of the importance of darkness was part of all ancient cultures. In many traditions, Winter Solstice involved a willingness to stand in the darkness in a prayerful attitude in order to help bring the light back to the world.” Thank you for listening to and supporting Living Myth. You can hear Michael Meade live by joining his upcoming online Solstice ritual “In This Darkness Singing” on Sunday, December 18. Register and learn more at mosaicvoices.org/events. You can further support this podcast by becoming a member of Living Myth Premium. Members receive bonus episodes each month, access to the full archives of over 460 episodes and a 30% discount on all events, courses and book and audio titles. Learn more and join this community of listeners at patreon.com/livingmyth. If you enjoy this podcast, we appreciate you leaving a review wherever you listen and sharing it with your friends. On behalf of Michael Meade and the whole Mosaic staff, we wish you well during these challenging and uncertain times and thank you for your support of our work.