Moving from Darkness into Light

Written by Elsabe Smit

Currently, there is a lot of talk everywhere you turn of humanity moving from darkness into light. It is easy to attach some esoteric meaning to this, where “they” are in the darkness, and “we” are in the light. Of course whenever this is said, a large dollop of judgment is added, because of course “we” are right, and “they” are wrong.

But what does this mean for me and you? How do you and I move from darkness into light?

I did a reading for a client where I started off by describing an image of him sitting on the floor in the corner of a very dark room, covering his hands in self-defence. Then the picture changed, where he slowly got up and made his way to a shred of light showing from under the closed door, while taking care not to bump into any of the obstacles that he could feel but not see in the dark room.

I am always fascinated when Spirit gives me words like these, and they immediately make sense to the client because the words describe what they feel and perceive.

It turned out that this client lost both his parents under traumatic circumstances, a few years apart and for different reasons. It is now nearly two decades later, and only now is he slowly approaching the Light. He acknowledged that at the time, he lost faith in a God that left him rudderless after two cruel life incidents that robbed him of his parents and their support.

It is only over the past few years that he discovered the love of his wife, and that has led him to re-assess his view of God. In this process he discovered his own spiritual self, and he is still getting used to the knowing that he is a spiritual being in a human body. He las learned to appreciate small miracles and is slowly learning to love himself.

This is one example of striving towards the light, only to discover that the Light has been there inside of you all the time, guiding you through the dark and helping you to find the external source of light so that you can appreciate the internal source of Light.

Many people have all their lives thought that they have a strong faith and that living a God-fearing life is all they need to do. They have over the past year discovered that they had a misconception of God being either a God to be feared, or a God that would salvage them from any situation if someone intervenes and prays for them or on their behalf.

These people are like this man, finding their way through a dark room. They will find the source of Light, and they will discover that Light is the opposite of fear, rather than the opposite of darkness.

I read this little gem in the Srimad Bagavatham canto 1, ch 8, text 6: “The sun rays are equally distributed, but still there are some places which are dark always. This is not due to the sun but to the receptive power.”

The world is in crisis, and we all know that saying about crisis being the flipside of opportunity. We are now discovering what it truly means to love your neighbour – starting with your physical body and extending this Love to everyone we encounter. The sun is there. That is not disputed. The question is whether we are willing to soak in the rays of the sun. We are each on our individual journey, and each one of us will find the place in the sun that is meant for us.

Fear not my Child… by Kim Michelle Hewitt

Lemon cake was Patunia’s favourite and Proteas certainly always made her smile. The way that each individual part of the flower is formed to perfection and how it fits in and yet seems too advanced for this world somehow.

She greeted her friend with glee. Lia was handing out small gifts to all her friends, all of which chatted and giggled amongst themselves. A delightful air of enthusiasm filled the sunny back porch where snacks and enjoyment continued to flow.

In this celebration time there had been much to say and on leaving Patunia felt a warm happiness and overall general excitement for the week ahead. She glanced down at the little wooden umbrella; Lia had given her, as her personal gift. She remembered the words her friend had used, “Because you can weather every storm”. This was so applicable to Patunia’s life, which in fact had felt like many storms amongst many happy times.

Patutia day dreamed back over a specific period in her life where storms were all she really had encountered. Thinking back to times she would sit on the beach watching the waves roll in and out absorbed by the magnitude and expansion of water, by the greatness that was presented before her, ever reminding her, that all is really well, always. Her mind drifted to elightened times when all her dreams came true and smiled at how this too is possible with the right dose of imagination, a scoop of intention, a pinch of attention, and of course, a measure of faith. The little wooden umbrella was in fact triggering many a thought for Patunia and she smiled as she lay on the green freshly cut grass looking up at the sky through the branches of palm trees.

In the days that followed she found herself being interviewed by a large organisation, of which she was delighted. She found that love in all forms came knocking and she found that remaining grateful was a key to unlock any potential obstacle and conquer it.

Finding the peace in aloneness had been a great challenge at this time for most, yet Patunia was no stranger to aloneness and isolation. It seemed to always take her back in memory to happier times. Playing ball on the crooked pathway leading to the squeaky garden gate at her Grandma’s house, the smell of flapjacks coming from the kitchen and boiled sugar sweets kept high up out of reach in the wooden safe cupboard. She would think of Everleen and Jane, chatting together, in their own language, on their grass mats, smoking long beaded pipes in the afternoon sunshine. To eating sweet and sour grapes from the grape vine, climbing the mulberry tree escaping to her wooden hide away, where dolls and teddies had kept her company. Of her ‘stage’, which in fact was the old cement slab in the back garden amongst the lanky pawpaw trees. To all her make believe audience, who cheered and clapped after each of her performances. Her thoughts would amble to fresh fruit salad, the smell of garden roses, to the safety of her Grandma’s story time and the harmonious sound of garden birds. Drifting through these childhood memories and adventures, Patunia would often stop and ask herself the questions. “What had covered me through it all?” “What had been my overall protection?” “What had pushed me to venture, what had encouraged me to leap?” Now, as she looked at the little wooden umbrella, she knew the answer.

It was in fact Grace, Grace that had been there all along. Grace that had held her hand when there was no-one else, Grace that had her covered even when she did not think so and Grace that had pulled her through each trying situation. The Grace of all that is, the Grace of all that was and all that ever will be. That Grace that held her close and that Grace that kept her going. That Grace that cheered in celebration with each small step, ever gently forcing her to try and try again, to expand, experience, to unfold, to grow.

Lia’s gift was much more than just the little wooden umbrella. She had given Patunia the graceful opportunity of adventure into a more conscious approach to past experiences, with more understanding in the overall umbrella of life. Grace, the umbrella of her life, through every storm through every cloud, through every rainbow and every sunshine. Ever held, ever being encouraged, ever supported, ever loved. As it is, as it was and as it is to come.

Written with Thanks to my dear friend TvR
Kim Michelle Hewitt