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Post by scorn on Nov 22, 2008 18:34:50 GMT 1
Ok, so I strive to balance both the dark aspects and light aspects of myself. I believe that this is the key to spiritual growth. But, I never really explain to people why this aspect is so important to me, or even how I go about finding a balance. So, as usual, I decided to blog on it. The reason I believe balancing darkness and light is because I follow a nature based path. In following a nature based religion I strive to be one with nature. Now, nature is both, in fact it is the perfect example of the balance between the two extremes. Now, nature can be beautiful and welcoming (such as baby animals, waterfalls, ect). But on the other hand, as beautiful as it can be it is also cruel and unforgiving (such as animals killing one another, people getting lost and dying, ect). Now, I want to be like nature, I want the perfect balance between the two. Without nature we would have no food and water therefore we would die. To mimic this I try to give people whatever I can give them. Be it knowledge, suppost, kindness, respect, and on occasion material things that might be needed. On the other hand, nature is violent, cruel, and unforgiving. I also mimic this aspect. I dont forgive easily. In fact, if you try to betray me in any way chances are Im gonna get my revenge one way or another. When provoked I become violent, and I will fight you if you come to me with insults/violence. Im not a passifist. Ok, so that is a basic rundown of why I believe that I should strive for balance, now for the next part of this blog: How do I plan to reach such a balance? The answer is simple actually. By dispossing of my pre-learned morals that society holds dear (morals that come from the church). Some of these morals that I dispose of is nudity, sex outside of marriage, fighting, lust, ect. I look at things from a slightly less emotionally attached stand-point. Granted that if I have become friends with someone who then stabs me in the back (figurally) then chances are im going to have some difficulty separating logic from emotion. This is a reason that I havent reached the perfect balance. I get to emotionally attached to people to easily. (Im not perfect you know.) Now, meditation helps me with this balance, and since I have been striving for this balance I feel more in control of myself than I ever have in my entire life. I also see things much more logically now. Bright and Dark blessings to anyone who reads this, Scorn www.valleyofevilthought.ning.com |
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Post by mollimizz on Nov 23, 2008 6:42:09 GMT 1
That being said I hope you don't mind me saying your "name"
tends to fit you !!! 
We could not appreciate the lighter side of things if we haven't
seen the dark side.
Tho, being balanced is more than being both, IMO it's turning
the darker "scenes" into lighter ones.
If someone I you know is in a rotten mood, I try to get them to
look at the brighter side of things to lighten their moods(we all
do that regardless of our path).
To "fix" that darker side of us is what it means to me to be
balanced. To correct the imbalance that created the darker side,
is easier said than done alot of the time.
So I continue to strive to be less depressed, I strive to be more
upbeat, I'm still catching myself when I start to get negative
about things and situations. Hence, I look for solutions so they
don't occur as often-hopefully not happen !
Being balanced is being able to appreciate the beuty in a little
flower that others call weeds, I try to identify what they are and
what can they be used for. Little things like that, I believe helps
me learn more.
Gentle Light
Mollimizz
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Post by lisa on Nov 23, 2008 17:19:43 GMT 1
The reason I believe balancing darkness and light is because I follow a nature based path. In following a nature based religion I strive to be one with nature. Now, nature is both, in fact it is the perfect example of the balance between the two extremes. Now, nature can be beautiful and welcoming (such as baby animals, waterfalls, ect). But on the other hand, as beautiful as it can be it is also cruel and unforgiving (such as animals killing one another, people getting lost and dying, ect). I get what you are trying to say here...however... I tend to believe that the balance of nature is that one act is both light and dark at the same time...not that one act is light and one dark...using your examples...an animal killing another is only darkness for the animal being killed or the person watching and feeling bad for the prey...it is light (nourishment) for the animal who is hungry and feeding it's young...a person dying is only darkness for the physical body and people left behind, but light for the soul moving on (depending on the person's belief, of course) or it could be an end (darkness) to a sickness and welcomed (light) by all... |
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Post by aura on Nov 23, 2008 20:29:34 GMT 1
i think u need both darkness and light
regardless
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Post by scorn on Nov 23, 2008 21:49:20 GMT 1
this is a good point lisa.
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Post by PaganOne on Nov 24, 2008 0:07:05 GMT 1
To me, the idea of balancing the light and dark aspects of life simply means embracing all life has to offer. It means embracing the Goddess in all Her glory and Her gory in order to come to greater understanding.
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Post by Jen on Nov 24, 2008 12:05:27 GMT 1
If something "dark" happens to me then I send it back out into the universe as "light", thus creating a perfect balance.
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Post by kolohe on Nov 25, 2008 21:47:17 GMT 1
mmm, love the darkness.
Ancestor hour
Inside bird's eggs before they hatch
Fallen trees
Bright and dark blessings indeed!
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Post by watershield on Nov 28, 2008 6:36:25 GMT 1
While many seek balance, only a few have intentionally attained it.
The only one who comes to mind is Buddha. And when he did, he transcended this world. Or, so it's said.
In truth, we are born into conflict. A spiritual being trapped in a physical form. And as long as we percieve a difference between dark and light we can never attain balance.
Can we stop seeing a difference? I doubt it. As long as we experience emotions we are going to experience love, hate, etc.
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Post by PaganOne on Nov 28, 2008 15:31:38 GMT 1
...as long as we percieve a difference between dark and light we can never attain balance. *bows to WS* Exactly! In my opinion there are no opposites but polarities. Opposite: Altogether different in nature or quality or significance. Polarity: A relationship between two opposite attributes or tendencies. Using the word "opposite" makes me think of something set against something else. "Polarity" signifies different natures or qualities working together. If they work together are they then not whole or one? Therein is so-called balance. Of course, how could there be day without night? Or right without wrong, strength without weakness? A void is to be filled and the absence or lack of a good thing creates the opposite (when it should be there). In nature, the lack of food creates hunger for the animal. It is all a game of survival. Again referencing what WS said... If I am blind and cannot perceive night and day/light and dark, does it exist? Would not light and dark only exist for those that can perceive it? As to right or wrong... are those not human concepts? Does a worm know right and wrong? If a mole eats a worm, could we not say it was good for the mole and bad for the worm? Humans see things only in relation to themselves. |
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Post by watershield on Nov 28, 2008 17:27:40 GMT 1
If I were deaf and someone set off a bomb across town. Did people die just because I didn't hear it?
I don't think we can reduce it to so simple an equation.
Even to identify these aspects as polarities is to recignise a difference.
In my view, to attain complete balance, one would need to attain a state of non awareness. A state were you don't see light or dark, your not even aware that you might be seeing. Not being aware of feeling, thought or any physical attribute.
It's a state of being one with every thing. Nervana if you will.
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Post by PaganOne on Nov 28, 2008 19:52:51 GMT 1
What does not hearing a bomb have to do with people dying? I don't get it. ??
In my opinion, the key to so-called balancing one's life is to not ignore the things that bother us or make us uneasy, to stop looking the other way at things that make us uncomfortable.
How many times do we avoid friends or acquantances when their child or spouse passes away. We say it's because we don't know what to say when in reality we are afraid their "disease" will rub off on us.
If nothing else, facing our fears lends us a greater understand of life's cycles and rhythms. Celebrating the Wheel of the Year helps me to understand and find my place in the Goddess's world.
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Post by Jen on Nov 29, 2008 6:19:57 GMT 1
I think WS was making a reference to the old adage "If a tree falls down in the woods and no one is around to hear it- does it make a sound?"
Even balance is a human concept.
Who's to say the universe hasn't and doesn't already take care of that in each of our lives?
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Post by PaganOne on Nov 29, 2008 16:00:35 GMT 1
Even balance is a human concept. Who's to say the universe hasn't and doesn't already take care of that in each of our lives? I've thought about that myself. I don't quite understand when people talk about finding balance (in reference to light and dark) in their lives, except when it involves making more time to enjoy life or making more time for themselves. |
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Post by kolohe on Nov 29, 2008 22:16:33 GMT 1
What is there to balance?
We do not need to know the parts for a machine to run smoothly.
Until one knows themself and the universe, how can we balance our illusions?
Everything changes and is as it was, but never will be again.
I can not see, hear or understand, yet my sand castles are shaken to the core.
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