Dark Naps of the Soul

Happy Wednesday!

I am totally resonating with December right now. The darkness and rest and psyche diving and shadow work - but most of all I am plugging into this theme of the dark night of the soul.

If you follow the wheel of the year, which I do, then you know that winter is the time to deal with darkness in its many forms. It is time to deal with issues we've swept under the rug for too long or clear out that which no longer serves. It is a time to detox and clear space for the new year ahead.

Sometimes spiritual, mystical people experience a "dark night of the soul" during this time of year. It can be depressing when the light is gone and we have to deal with tough issues.

However, Dark Nights of the Soul can occur at different times throughout our lives. I am sure every one of us can look back over our life and pinpoint a period of darkness and struggle.

But what about those little, off-the-wall things that happen to us? What about when we lose something of value to us, or we get into a car accident, or we get a particularly nasty virus, or we get into a huge fight with our best friend. What is that and what does it mean?

I have affectionately called those things Dark "naps" of the Soul - not quite a whole night's worth of struggle, but certainly a struggle none the less.

These experrienes offer us opportunities to grow and evolve. Sometimes they force us to see ugly truths we had been blinded to or they ask us to reassess our values. They offer us a chance to see what has been cleared away or lost and replace it with something better. That doesn't mean it's easy or it doesn't suck in the process - because it does - but it is necessary for growth.

Maybe your body getting sick is a message to take better care of yourself, physically, mentally and spiritually. Maybe that necklace you lost is a message to focus more on the memories and less on the things. Maybe that fight with your friend is a message to appreciate the people in your life. The message is there, it is just a matter of finding it and using it.

So if you find yourself facing a Dark Night or a Dark Nap, don't fret. Do your best to get through it and sift through to the core. The messages are the gems of dark nights.

xoxo

Photo: https://vice-images.vice.com/images/articles/meta/2015/04/08/i-was-assaulted-on-the-street-but-i-still-walk-home-alone-at-night-408-1428519902.jpg?resize=*:*&output-quality=75