The psyche serves survival and wholeness. Wholeness can be approached through life’s perspectives of darkness and light. Being adequately darkened means carrying darkness without shame, cynicism, guilt, aggression, or contempt, while doing the work to hold darkness as a significant expression of real life. Adequately darkened supports realism, empathy for people experiencing loss, trauma, defeat, insecurity, betrayal, isolation, and melancholy, and an honest understanding of mystery, unpredictability, and insecurity. It also provides an ego adjustment by accepting darkness as largely uncontrollable, bringing more peace. Adequate light fosters biophilia, inspiration, and a united worldview, and embracing both nurtures growth and maturity.
"If you are simply darkened, it likely means that you don't carry enough light in order to carry the darkness without shame, cynicism, guilt, aggression, or contempt. Some expressions of darkness include loss, trauma, defeat, insecurity, betrayal, isolation, and melancholy. Adequately darkened also entails doing the work necessary to hold the darkness as not simply unfortunate, but also as a significant expression of real life. We then allow the darkness to bring attention to what truly matters in life."
"Here are some of the benefits of being adequately darkened. Realistic. Life is viewed as it actually is. There is no unnecessary naivete or idealism. When I've been adequately darkened, I have empathy for those who are experiencing a measure of darkness. Living life on life's terms. Life's terms include mystery, unpredictability, and insecurity. Being adequately darkened offers an honest understanding of life, one that is neither quixotic nor embittered."
"When we see and accept darkness as part of life, and a part that we mostly can't control, we live with more peace, not trying to have power where we don't. Adequately darkened is not about giving up, but about meeting reality with enough inner light to keep darkness from turning into contempt or despair. It makes room for what matters, and it steadies the ego."
"One consideration when exploring wholeness is to view life from the perspectives of darkness and light. The mythologist Michael Meade asks, "Are you adequately darkened?" I offer the question, "Are you adequately lightened?" Our inquiry examines what it means to be "adequately darkened" and "adequately lightened." Adequate light fosters biophilia, inspiration, and a united worldview, and embracing darkness and light nurtures personal growth and maturity."
Read at Psychology Today
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