As the light begins to dim and we look towards longer periods of night, I am reflecting on the times of transitions in our lives and the times of deep darkness.  There are many qualities to darkness.  There is the beauty of the night sky, the wonder of mystery and endlessness, the fertile emptiness, the unknown and, sometimes, the abyss or dark night of the soul ,the only way through the underworld descents in our lives to go down and through.

 Darkness can reveal surprising light, as the stars breakthrough a night sky.  Darkness can be terrifying and it can also be a source of awe, womblike, a comfort.  There are many ancient, creative and therapeutic means to exploring how to transmute darkness into light, as well as how to learn from our suffering in a useful and uplifting way. 

Throug these most challenging of life experinces where loss, disillusionment , betrayal , despair and disappointment are the forces pressing us we have the opportunity to have the hubris of our ego striped away , to become more humble, more merciful and more compassionate beings. But we need to return to the light to see theses gifts clearly. Light balances dark. The stars live in the night sky.

Here are a few sources for more information on dealing with suffering: the official website of the American Psychological Association
http://www.apa.org

The site claims to be the Internet’s largest and oldest mental health social network created and run by mental health professionals to guarantee reliable, trusted information and support communities to consumers, for over 12 years.
http://psychcentral.com

 WebMD, “the leading source for trustworthy and timely health and medical news and information.” The site provides credible health information, supportive community, and educational services by blending award-winning expertise in content, community services, expert commentary, and medical review
http://www.webmd.com