“On the path, you confront things you would prefer to keep in the dark, not just secrets but every sort of negative energy. But hiding from fear, anger, shame, and guilt is pointless. In God’s eyes, everything
has been revealed already. When this truth is taken to heart, it becomes easier to reveal your secrets to yourself and in so doing to release them”.
- From The Third Jesus, Deepak Chopra

When I was a child growing up in rural Wisconsin, we had a root cellar on the side of the house. I had a love/hate relationship with going into it. I was very fearful of the darkness inside of it devoid of even a drop of light. On the other hand, I was always drawn to go into it because I loved the deep earthy smell. That sweet smell seemed to seep into the cells of my soul and bring me great peace and comfort. Again and again, I would get a flashlight and muster up the courage to traipse down into the cellar and just stand and smell the earth.

I have been going down into my internal root cellar lately. I tiptoe into the darkness, those parts of me that bring me pain, and bravely shine the light into that darkness that seems devoid of light. The rich earthy smell that comforted me in childhood is today more like a state of grace I experience when I simply drop into a deep presence with these places. You see, light not only illuminates the darkness but the darkness elucidates the light. When we push away our own darknesses – in whatever form they take – we miss the opportunity to discover that underneath both the light and dark is purely the experience of God.

I find that the deeper I go on my spiritual path, the greater darkness I sometimes encounter. All those unconscious places that have tricked me into believing, maybe for lifetimes, that I am separate from God. I’ve given up the fantasy that life is meant to comfortable. I think instead I am meant to be comfortable with life. To surrender to being present with whatever is showing up – ah, now that has a rich, earthy smell to it.

A compassionate way to dance with the darkness within is to greet it all with love. You can look upon anything that you stumble into – grief, anger, judgment, or negativity as an opportunity to let in more light. That is what darkness does, it simply holds the space for light. That light is love. It is who you are and what you came from, and what you will return to.

Try looking at the painful places and stories that take you out of the present moment and say ‘I love you’. Practice unconditional acceptance of all that you encounter on the path as an important part of the journey. Otherwise it wouldn’t be there. Know that it is the very darkness you may want to push
away or run from that is providing a means for the Light to come through.

It is for all of us then to hold the torch for the beautiful beings that we are, not in spite of the darkness you encounter, but hand in hand with it. Seeing yourself clearly means loving all the parts of you just as God does; loving the dark as well as the light. The depth of any pain arising that you are able to hold with loving presence will create the space for an equal depth of joy and peace. And the beauty is that whatever love you take to your own healing process then ripples out into the collective consciousness.

When you are taking the flashlight into the cellar of your mind, heart, or spirit and it seems like the little light you are carrying can’t possibly penetrate enough of the darkness – stop and smell the richness of that damp, dark space. Feel the breath of God whispering in your ear ‘I love you and am with you always’. The real healing is in just being present with the totality of All That Is. “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good”.

- Much love, Juli

Ps…I want to humbly thank the dear handful of friends I have, near and far, that have so lovingly held the torch for me lately on my journey into the root cellar. I am so blessed.

Reverend Juli Somers is the Director of The Center For Inner Truth. She can be reached at 920-4418 or revjuli@newmexico.com