tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524364334037666877.post2526684117703522497..comments2024-03-25T15:16:59.631-04:00Comments on The Green Bough: Gifts of the DarknessOriahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13153842083329682011noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524364334037666877.post-14863356846951546342014-12-17T09:55:48.048-05:002014-12-17T09:55:48.048-05:00Thank you Carol- may we draw on the wonders of bot...Thank you Carol- may we draw on the wonders of both darkness and light. blessings, Oriah<br />Oriahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13153842083329682011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524364334037666877.post-66379964147784195872014-12-17T09:55:10.197-05:002014-12-17T09:55:10.197-05:00Lovely piece Anne- and I am a big fan of Rilke'...Lovely piece Anne- and I am a big fan of Rilke's poems about darkness. May the darkness nourish us all, OriahOriahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13153842083329682011noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524364334037666877.post-45011944812638059892014-12-17T08:57:27.789-05:002014-12-17T08:57:27.789-05:00A beautiful meditation and an approach to darkness...A beautiful meditation and an approach to darkness we don't often see. But it's true--there are gifts in darkness. As usual, you show us a new way of viewing our world. Am sorry you have been ill and send you blessings and the gift of light, too, this season. Thank you for all you do for our world with your thoughtful observations. I don't always comment but I do always read them and think.Carol Cassarahttp://www.carolcassara.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3524364334037666877.post-48075267055930354732014-12-17T05:42:15.795-05:002014-12-17T05:42:15.795-05:00Oriah - thankyou for this timely post. I'm fin...Oriah - thankyou for this timely post. I'm finding that the image of darkness, and sitting quietly waiting in the dark, is very much with me this Advent. Do you know this poem by Alan Payne? (or maybe the original by Rilke):<br /><br />Darkness (after Rilke)<br /><br />Darkness,<br />your grand circle engulfs<br />all the small bright circles<br />of the world. None<br />can withstand you:<br />meteors trainling their lights<br />through space, this slim<br />candle on a shelf.<br />All selves<br />belong to you, began <br />in you. You place <br />a hand on my shoulder, shift<br />hand to wrist, feel my pulse.<br />Your gentleness moves<br />me to belief : in<br />darkness.<br /><br />When I read that I responded with a "yes!". So often darkness is portrayed as negative and to be feared, but what I think I'm being taught at the moment is that pehaps, where faith is concerned, it's actually the default state and not to be feared - we can sit quietly in a gentle darkness - we can enjoy and respond with thankfulness to the illumination that sometimes streaks across our our inner skies, the touches of the divine, the new insights, but we don't need those all the time: we are still wrapped in that silent, dark, loving presence even when there are no fireworks/meteors! Lots of related imagery, of course, which you mention, around growth in the dark places. <br /><br />Sorry to hear that you've been laid low again - I hope your strength and energy will soon return. Blessings of the season to you. Annehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11603126077385854963noreply@blogger.com