Tag Archives: darkness
Hope in the Darkness: Weekly Summary
Hope in the Darkness Summary: Sunday, September 3-Friday, September 8, 2017 Patience comes from our attempts to hold together an always-mixed reality. Perfectionism only makes us resentful and judgmental. (Sunday) It is only by a foundational trust in the midst of suffering, some ability to bear darkness and uncertainty, and learning to be comfortable with Read More »
Grief
Hope in the Darkness Grief Friday, September 8, 2017 My friend and fellow teacher Mirabai Starr has become intimate with darkness through studying and translating the work of St. John of the Cross, as well as her own journey through the tragic loss of her daughter. Here she describes the experience of spiritual darkness and Read More »
The Dark Night of the Soul
Hope in the Darkness The Dark Night of the Soul Thursday, September 7, 2017 I came out of the seminary in 1970 thinking that my job was to have an answer for every question. What I’ve learned is that not-knowing and often not even needing to know is—surprise of surprises—a deeper way of knowing and Read More »
Changing Our View of God
Hope in the Darkness Changing Our View of God Wednesday, September 6, 2017 Through darkness and doubt often come the greatest creativity and faith. Our faith is strengthened every time we go through a period of questioning: “Why do I believe this? Do I believe this at all? What do I base my life on?” Read More »
Two Kinds of Darkness
Hope in the Darkness Two Kinds of Darkness Tuesday, September 5, 2017 Darkness is a good and necessary teacher. It is not to be avoided, denied, run from, or explained away. First, like Ezekiel the prophet, we must eat the scroll that is “lamentation, wailing, and moaning” in our belly, and only eventually becomes sweet Read More »
Entering the Dark Wood
Hope in the Darkness Entering the Dark Wood Monday, September 4, 2017 The mystics of all the great religions, along with classic literature like Homer’s Odyssey, intuited that life was a journey involving completion of a first half and transition to a second half, sometimes called “a further journey.” Yet most of us were given the Read More »
Seeing through Shadows
Hope in the Darkness Seeing through Shadows Sunday, September 3, 2017 Spiritual transformation is often thought of as movement from darkness to light. In one sense that is true, while in another sense, this image fails to show the whole picture. Darkness is always present alongside the light. Pure light blinds; shadows are required for Read More »
