Principal's Perspective: Embracing Darkness
Daylight savings time ended on Nov. 3, which means those of us in the Northern Hemisphere will soon go through the darkest time of the year, peaking with the winter solstice.
There are challenges to not having enough sunlight: we experience physical and physiological impacts, as well as emotional and psychological ones. It is therefore natural to feel anxious facing the darkness, and likely part of the reason why many religious traditions celebrate light.
One such observance is the season of Advent, which begins four Sundays before Christmas, as Christians prepare to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus—the light of the world. Another is Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of Lights, which starts this year at nightfall on Dec. 25.
And from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1, many followers of Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism celebrated Diwali, which is derived from the Sanskrit term Dipavali and means “row of lights.” These festivals all usually occur in late fall or early winter as the days shorten.
We have great reasons to appreciate light—and yet, I would like to invite you to also embrace darkness. There is a place for the dark in our spiritual traditions, and it is not always something to be feared. The darkness quiets our minds. It allows us to sleep. It makes it possible to see the stars, those small but no less remarkable lights.
According to spirituality writer Clark Strand, author of Waking Up to the Dark, there is a positive connection between darkness, the human body and our relationship with the divine. They depend on each other.
On a practical level, embracing darkness might also mean reducing screen time and giving our eyes a break. Victoria University’s annual Minding our Minds conference, held on Oct. 29, was themed this year around the impacts of screen time on mental health.
Embracing darkness has a social and ethical dimension as well. We remember those who are labelled as “dark” and thus deemed “undesirable” due to their race or religion, or because they live with physical or mental illness. Embracing darkness means to destigmatize such labels.
So embrace the dark and go out to a place where you can see the stars. Light pollution makes this difficult for city dwellers, but longer nights make it a little easier. Who has not felt a profound sense of mystery and wonder staring up at the stars? For Amos, a prophet recognized by all three Abrahamic traditions, the stars were conduits of God’s word. Amos heard God through the stars, speaking to him of life and justice (Amos 5:8).
As the shortest day of the year draws near, let us both celebrate light and embrace darkness: fearlessly, theologically, metaphorically and spiritually.
—Principal HyeRan Kim-Cragg