I figured it would be about dealing with depression—I was wrong!
Redefining Darkness
Learning to Walk in the Dark by Barbara Brown Taylor.
It’s a great book for deep feeling, introspective, seekers.
What’s inside the cover is a refreshing surprise. This is another jewel my father brought to my attention. I’ve not read Barbara Brown Taylor before, but after reading this, I’m very likely to seek out more of her work.
Ms. Taylor is a professor of religion at Piedmont College in Georgia. Her explorations relating to biblical references about darkness (how often does God show up in the dark?), and considering St. John of the Cross’ Dark Night of the Soul were expected explorations. However, there’s a lot more that was unexpected.
Setting out to explore “darkness.”
The author set out to learn about darkness: literal physical darkness as much as spiritual, psychological, and emotional darkness. She uses phases of the moon to organize her material, and comes back again and again to the night sky. Her conclusion:
“[…] I have learned things in the dark that I could never have learned in the light, things that have saved my life over and over again, so that there is really only one logical conclusion. I need darkness as much as I need light.”
Her research takes her spelunking in unlit caves, and drives learning to eat and cross the street as a completely blind person does. Beyond the initial disorientation and discomfort, these visceral experiences of darkness spawn an unexpected deep peace and surrender.
Light Pollution
I loved the awareness she brings to light pollution and how it affects our sleep cycle (and lack thereof). She speaks of research demonstrating how we miss out on healthy nighttime meditative brain cycles because of the way we fill our homes and lives with artificial light.
Here I am tapping away at my computer keys at nearly 11pm, so I clearly have not taken action to follow suggestions or explore what it would be like to use the dark to calm mental activity earlier and for longer periods of time. But I found it fascinating. I wondered: if I turned off my household nightlights, would I be able to find my way to the bathroom?
At the same time, I wondered:
How can I possibly experience true darkness when everything from smoke alarms to power cords has a green or red glowing light? That’s just indoors. Outdoor nighttime lights abound on my street. Clearly, this book prompted greater awareness of light levels around me. And yes, it has moved me toward redefining darkness.
Questioning the word itself
I appreciated the way the author questions our immediate association of fear and danger or despair with darkness. How helpful to have such a basic and ingrained response examined, with an option to change our minds. The author moved me to redefining darkness.
The author’s spiritual journey
I have a great deal of respect and appreciation for Ms. Taylor’s candor in sharing the fraying of her faith and the new (fewer!) words that now express her experience of God and faith.
And all of it under the light of the moon…
Coach’s Challenge:
Redefining darkness … If your library doesn’t have Learning to Walk in the Dark, ask them to order it. My library did that for me. Someone else already has it on hold; proving that when you buy the book, the readers will come! Let it take you in new directions, and spawn new thoughts—redefining darkness.
Leave me a comment to share those thoughts!