The Light Within Us

“There is a gravity within that continually weighs on us and pulls us away from the light. Negativity is an addiction to the bleak shadow that lingers around every human form…

You can transfigure negativity by turning it toward the light of your soul.”

- from John O’Donohue, Anam Cara, p.200.

We are often drawn to the darkness within us. The darkness in our lives. Negativity can easily become a life force of its own, feeding off of us. However, the more attention we pay to it, the more we believe in its power, the more it grows and roots itself deeper into our soil.

We must learn to continuously focus on the light, not the shadows. Once we learn to do this, it will be as though the light is shimmering and growing right before us, offering us so much more than the darkness ever could.

The darkness is safe; it shades us from the harsh rays of hope and responsibility, for within the world of negativity and shadow, we can remain closed. We can remain safe.

It is not enough to be safe. It is not enough to survive. There is too much within us, waiting to happen. We have too many dreams, too much soul, too much light to share. We are serving nothing by hiding our selves, by setting ourselves aside, or by allowing something or someone else to control or define us.

It is not enough to be safe. We must be reckless. Every now and then, we must throw ourselves into the wind and take the chance to fly. We are strong, much stronger than we know. We can survive the falls; what we can not survive is the darkness. It steals our light, our energy, and manipulates us into believing we are not brave enough, beautiful enough, strong enough, smart enough, something enough! to fly. When, in fact, we have everything we need to make our wildest dreams come true, right there, inside us.

Our soul is patiently waiting for us to have the strength to be reckless.

To clarify, reckless does not mean you need to jump off buildings and have a ridiculous amount of unprotected sex. True recklessness is allowing the wild, roguish parts of our soul to have their way for a while. To find another job, to write that book, hug that person, and not give a damn what anyone is saying about you. To do it, anyways.

It doesn’t have to be forever. We don’t have to be strong every minute of the day. But we do need to be alive. We do need to take responsibility for our lives. It is not enough to blame the darkness. We all have darkness, and it can almost be assured that our darkness is only a fog, permeating our vision but penetrating nothing. Break through it, and we can see.

Break through it, and we are free.

Reviews

[The Language of Birds]

My sister, my friend, your words are the only flesh I know you by, and so I hope it does not seem strange to say that I love you.

The timing of this piece for me to read was sorely perfect. Bless you. It is well-crafted, but still with that 'roguish soul' to feel like it is the deperate and hopeful graffiti on a cloistered and filthy cement wall, where all of the poor and desperate would read it and take heart, and breathe light where there previously was none...

So much about this, but my heart pounded at, "It is not enough to be safe. It is not enough to survive."

Yes, my sister. I love you.

Thank you for this hope in my own time of shadows.

Love,

JimCD

[Katie]

Beautiful. I really like your writing style and what you have to say. Very clear and focused and easy to see where you're going. Love it!

[cooper]

Good, I can relate to my immature 20s. An honest voice is like a breathing fresh air. Thank you. Well done.

[P.S.Chance]

this is beautiful and I agree with all of it. And I have my inspiration for the day - thank you! :)

[Juana Garcia]

"We must be reckless."

I know a lot of us have heard the things you've written here (before) but there comes a time that we need to be reminded.. That it's okay to let loose, get hurt, and let it go. Life's a cycle. Thank you.

[Barbara Walker]

Here Here!

[eversosweetly]

Wow. I know this was written some time ago. But I am very moved. I read Anam Cara a little over a year ago. I was in this beautiful, trembling transition of Awakening. I was overwhelmed at joy of being ALIVE. Then, when I went through a stressful breakup and lost a loved one, I retreated back into the darkness in my grief. This piece jarred me back into focus, to push through my disillusionment and to stop succumbing to the fallacy of helplessness. I love your writing, Kara. Your words shine a light into the fog that proclaim "Wake up!" to all who will listen.

[Ed Hart]

One of the things about being intentionally wise, it that we have to live with it in the morning; and six months later there's no place we can hide from it, unless of course we're still enamored with ourselves, our wisdom. Some of "The Light Within Us" is true; the part that's not, is deadly.

[Naomi Montana Walsh]

Wow..I applaud this ..I know there is romance for some in the darkness but mostly danger and it if one is not strong in the light the surely will be blind in the dark ,,your words ring very true ..great advice

[just is]

This is really a well written write, so profound, so truthful, this is well said and written. You have wisdom
well said and well written.

[hoyt]

Very good piece of writing, and so true. It is wonderful the wisdom and insight you show in this and refreshing to see. I have felt this too and am so glad you see it at your young age. That you so eloquently share this in this story, is a light in itself, ...a bright one I hope many read and see. Thanks for sharing.