I'm reflecting this early morning, the day before Winter Solstice, about the ways that darkness and light interplay on the film screen of our awareness. Patanjali in YS 2.3-2.9 mentions the first cause of suffering as not seeing things as they are, or avidya.

"The causes of suffering are not seeing things as they are, the sense of 'I,' attachment, aversion, and clinging to life. Not seeing things as they are is the field where the other causes of suffering germinate, whether dormant, activated, intercepted, or weakened. Lacking this wisdom, one mistakes that which is impermanent, impure, distressing, or empty of self for permanence, purity, happiness, and self. The sense of 'I' ascribes selfhood to pure awareness by identifying it with the senses. Attachment is a residue of pleasant experience. Aversion is a residue of suffering. Clinging to life is instinctive and self-perpetuating, even for the wise." (Hartranft, YS 2.3-2.9)

I think there's so much to this brief description and I think when we're talking about human experience, this contains all we need to know about suffering. Patanjali goes on to describe the ways to alleviate suffering through self-study and meditation and other things, but if we're talking about the interplay of darkness and light, this really sums it up.

I know in my life, I am learning to see injuries (dark) as insights (light), problems (dark) as opportunities for growth (light), and death (dark) as a means for celebration and appreciation of life... and even as creating space for new things to be born in its place (light).

I have seen and heard so many people focusing on negative things that happen (or focusing on the negative experience of them)... People suffer so much when mired in the darkness. Also, on the other extreme, the one who lives in constant celebration of only "good" things might miss the chance to offer a hand to a suffering individual.

I finally see myself as capable of embracing real transformative change... It's been such an awkward and clunky transition and grown spurt, as most growth spurts are, but it's one I am glad to be able to claim as my own. This year has been marked by so many moments of darkness that I am tempted to focus on them, but without those moments so many great opportunities would not have happened. I'll check back later and talk more about this, also relate this subject to some great insights I have had recently regarding my teacher training.

Have a beautiful, dark, short day!

Namaste.