Shadow and Light
We light a candle to illuminate dark. In an instant, a flame ignites and ushers in the light. A warm, inviting glow offers comfort as we are welcomed into our sanctuary. Slowly, our defenses fall away. The tension held in our body starts to release. We begin to breathe deeper, slower, and steadier. Within the silence of the flickering light, we can finally let go of the outside chatter. We begin to feel a stirring deep within us. A whisper echoes up from a long forgotten place in our soul. It calls to us. It beckons us. It wraps us in the ancient pulse that courses through our veins. This primal rhythm, our sacred heartbeat, reconnects us to what is important. We are present in the moment. We are welcomed with open arms and joyfully reunited with our own light. This revered piece of our soul offers to lead us through the darkness so we may discover our own hidden shadow and our source of light.
Step after step, we carry on with our quest, faithful to the path we walk. Intuitively, we crave the knowledge to discover who we truly are. We want to know our truth. We wish to live our hopes, dreams, and desires. Breath after breath, we give life to ourselves. This sacred breath flows into our physical being. It supplies us with what we need to foster our passion. It fuels us and gives us strength. We continue on our journey to witness the beauty that surrounds us and moves within us.
Images and shapes dance along the edge of shadow and light. If we are gentle, if we are tender and kind, we can delicately venture into the realm of our shadow. It is within the quiet space where we discover the unseen pieces of our soul. Sheltered within this sanctuary, there are wounds to be tended to. There are memories and emotions that hide away from light and love. We hold our fears here in this secluded place. By leaving them alone, they grow to fester and spread through our mind. We can sometimes feel overwhelmed by them. Panic stricken, we freeze. In this trapped moment, we become stranded upon our path. All of our pieces within our secret wilderness wait for us to begin to understand them. They cry out for comfort. They long to feel the warmth of an embrace. They crave love. Frightened and hurt, they reach out for care and attention. Offer them your sacred breath as you freely offer it to your enlightened parts. They are important pieces of your soul. We must come to recognize them so we are able to obtain a greater understanding of our own light, heart, and soul.
As we willingly and unconditionally embrace our light and shadow, we begin to notice that our flame burns brighter. When we reflect on our experiences, we begin to realize what we were searching for was within us all along. With each step we took, we chose to go within our heart. We lovingly examined who we are, who we were, and who we would like to be. However, the ghosts of our darkened shadows were left alone. Our shadow self was denied the love and kindness we so freely offer to others. As a result, our forgotten side lost its voice.
As we embraced our shadow, we noticed something else. We discovered memories and secrets we hid from ourselves. For one reason or another, thoughts, feelings, fears, emotions, and memories were quickly ushered away from all light and love to be locked away deep within our consciousness. What we freely offer to others, we denied ourselves. We secluded them. We locked them away. We deprived our heart and soul love and comfort for quite some time. But it was our journey that brought them back to us. We stopped to listen to the whispers of the shadow. We took the time to embrace them and offer the attention they deserved. This time, we did not judge. This time we did not deny. We simply opened our arms and whispered, “I have missed you. I love you. I am sorry. Please forgive me. Welcome home.”
We are not shattered. We are not lost or hopeless. We are not damaged. We are not broken. With a closer look and a sensitive embrace, we realized that we are whole. We simply needed to be reminded and reunited with each part of our being. The slivers of our heart were misunderstood. They were reaching out for recognition and understanding. They wanted feel connected. They wanted to be loved. They deserve to be loved.
With this brave and loving act, we began the process of healing. We extended love, dignity, grace, and compassion for ourselves to ourselves. We know that we are whole. We are supported. We know we are loved. With this precious seed of knowledge and the healing to our heart and soul, our light grows stronger.
So, as we light a candle to find our way through the darkness, take some time to explore your shadows. For they walk with us as a silent companion, separated along the border of the flickering light of our inner candle’s flame. They breathe their sacred breath. They deserve the love we share with the light. Embrace them. Heal with them. Meld with them. You will grow in love, dignity, grace, and light. Foster this fire within you. Radiate it. Become your light through the darkness of your shadow.
