I’m taking a short break from my 4-part series “Navigating the Storm of Global Change” to offer some reflections on my process that I hope may be relevant for you in dealing with whatever challenges you may be facing during these initiatory times. (For those new to this series, here are the links to the first two essays:
Thanks for filling us in David about your wrestling with the darkness around us. Indeed the manifestations of fear and the consequences of lies and aggression do touch in deeply to most, as we know within ourselves their realities. Our own inner reactions to them can lead to reactivate moments in our own lives when we were not heard or were not able to dialog because of power struggles in some form or another; mother, father, sister, brother, teacher, coach, neighbour, boss etc.
We are rightly startled about all the nefarious things being flaunted and implemented in our so called democratic societies; but then are they so democratic? Who is the gang going to bash or teach a lesson to ? Hopefully not me (again). How do we react to being cheated and lied to / threatened or simply not listened to ? They all illicit reactions in us, but can we respond peacefully in accordance with the philosphy we try to base our lives upon without wanting to bash them back?
It doesn't seem enough to be, each individually, 'as entire's as we possibly can, but it seems that the separation happening is to give us each a time to reflect upon and to relate to our own darkness. That which doesn't seem to go away unless we can hold and love 'it'.
I know it may sound too philosophical, but those who are most perverse, have probably suffered the greatest perversities. Can we stand up to anger, violence, to ignorance ? We have to be able to; if not for ourselves then for future generations. we must be prepared with Peace; as only in peace with ourselves can we intuit and act together.
Thanks for this perspective. I really agree about the rigid boundaries around discourse, the attempt to control or eradicate all alternative perspectives, and the distance I feel from so many family and friends who I have felt in harmony with for many years. The more the mainstream media tries to vilify alternative opinions (especially alternative health) and cancel them, the more suspicious I get. What don't they want us to know, and why?
Let us not allow ourselves to be identified by the divisiveness of the world. Or to be identified by our perspectives on what has become a narrow focus of attention. There is life living beyond the spectrum of Homo sapiens and a virus.
Living and dancing with our own shadows is so important, as we bring light to these dark skies. But we must remain aware of what is our individual darkness, who we must explore with kindness, and what is the global darkness we may be taking on, that is not our ours. I find such awareness to be acutely necessary during these shifting times. We are being bombarded by different forces, and certainly through the onslaught of relentless messaging, and we must recognize when we have absorbed this, when it is not who we truly are.
I call this time a time of "retrograde wisdom", a time to reflect and integrate, to go slow and remember why you came here, and not be distracted by forces that are not yours. Pluto is certainly playing out, as are Mercury and Venus Retrograde, putting our relationships under a microscope. I am certainly finding I am Thinking before Speaking, and if necessary, stepping away, before sacrificing relationships with family and friends, that may be an intrusion of darker forces. What is our common ground? Why is the resonance changed, and no longer there?
In some cases, our circles may have changed, as each of us evolves at a different pace. But it is also worth taking the time to make sure we are not allowing in the divisive and separation forces that are highly at play right now. Thank you David, for your thought-provoking words....and yes, this is global as I am hearing the same sentiments from around the world, with respect to relationships with friends and families being tested on many levels.
Jan 20, 2022·edited Jan 21, 2022Liked by David Nicol
Bravo, David, for seeking to articulate the nuances of navigating the darkened day of this storm. It is so deeply important. Your naming "subtle activism" moons ago has been a pillar of light that's helped me find, step by step, my way in the gathering gloam that is now showing itself to be so dark a night. Wherein each of us, all of us, find ourselves, as we remove the veils, the filters, to see the opacity as an absence of light that nonetheless shines above the thunderheads, beyond the spin of mother earth. The dark absorbs all color. Holds it. Keeps it, till we recognize the containing it serves. We've survived untold atrocity to breathe the air of this day. And it lives within us waiting for the light of our consciousness to recognize our own evolutionary journey as consciousness. No walk in the park! Though it can be a careful walk in the dark forest. One that requires each of us to adapt our night vision to the environment of our reality, writ collectively large and infinitesimally unique to our inner landscape. A writer myself, I've been ... struggling ... with how to speak into this place. This purpose. This perilous "hero's journey" beckoning us to enjoin. I, too, have moved to a heavily wooded scape with my beloved on the New England coast, and find great comfort and clarity in the elder trees overseeing this wildness Thoreau and Emerson roamed seeking wisdom, understanding. Healing. I haven't read your former essays, but will seek them out. For your words — and the keen sight within them — are a great comfort along this way. Many thanks for the grapple to engage them, set them aloft, that we may find them to shine us on.
David, I love your choice of words in examining the darkness,,, "the hidden evolutionary role these destructive forces are playing..." On the heels of MLK day, one of my favorite quotes of his is, "Only in the darkness can you see the stars."
Wishing you well David. I’m recently drawn back to your work after listening to your recent Full Moon in Cancer, which has given me enormous benefit and wisdom on how to move forward, at a subtle level. I did your course The Subtle Activist Training several years ago. Since then my life has moved in a variety of directions, culminating in settling on the South Coast of NSW Australia, close to beautiful trees, birds, wildlife. Being moved to learn how to communicate with the trees and the elements. Facing the bushfires 2 years ago, losing our home to the fire at the same time of experiencing the absolute love of fire as it was raging around us (our lives were not threatened). And now the consequences of having to make the decision to turn away from the house, and all our connections to the past contained therin, and let it burn when we realised all was lost has opened a huge portal on my past, given me access to emotions from the past, not just memories, which are able to be processed. And I have a lot of physical pain as I’m moving through my past and a lot of sleep disturbances. Your recent teachings enabled me to realise that my job is not to heal myself, but rather, with the assistance of Moon, (with whom I have developed a close affiliation, since the fires), harnessing the love from the moon, to accept the pain and view it as a way of healing the pain of Mother Earth, and create a way of moving forward for the evolution of humanity. And I’m also influenced by a book just recently on the role of quantum mechanics in biology, including our own biology, which has grounded me more in doing this work.
So I just wanted to let you know of this one additional person, me, being attracted again to your work, and assisted to find clarity by what you’re doing. I haven’t read your other essay yet but I will seek them out.
Once again, best wishes as you find your way through.
Well-stated, David! We all do well to recognize dark forces as, in their core, being the absence of light-as well as the excessive diffusion of light, to the point its radiance cannot be discerned.
Thanks for filling us in David about your wrestling with the darkness around us. Indeed the manifestations of fear and the consequences of lies and aggression do touch in deeply to most, as we know within ourselves their realities. Our own inner reactions to them can lead to reactivate moments in our own lives when we were not heard or were not able to dialog because of power struggles in some form or another; mother, father, sister, brother, teacher, coach, neighbour, boss etc.
We are rightly startled about all the nefarious things being flaunted and implemented in our so called democratic societies; but then are they so democratic? Who is the gang going to bash or teach a lesson to ? Hopefully not me (again). How do we react to being cheated and lied to / threatened or simply not listened to ? They all illicit reactions in us, but can we respond peacefully in accordance with the philosphy we try to base our lives upon without wanting to bash them back?
It doesn't seem enough to be, each individually, 'as entire's as we possibly can, but it seems that the separation happening is to give us each a time to reflect upon and to relate to our own darkness. That which doesn't seem to go away unless we can hold and love 'it'.
I know it may sound too philosophical, but those who are most perverse, have probably suffered the greatest perversities. Can we stand up to anger, violence, to ignorance ? We have to be able to; if not for ourselves then for future generations. we must be prepared with Peace; as only in peace with ourselves can we intuit and act together.
Thanks so much for you great writing.
Thank you David, for your courage and your passion. Your first two reflections were very helpful to me.
David, I can relate rather closely to all you say here. Thank you for sharing this.
Thanks for this perspective. I really agree about the rigid boundaries around discourse, the attempt to control or eradicate all alternative perspectives, and the distance I feel from so many family and friends who I have felt in harmony with for many years. The more the mainstream media tries to vilify alternative opinions (especially alternative health) and cancel them, the more suspicious I get. What don't they want us to know, and why?
Let us not allow ourselves to be identified by the divisiveness of the world. Or to be identified by our perspectives on what has become a narrow focus of attention. There is life living beyond the spectrum of Homo sapiens and a virus.
Living and dancing with our own shadows is so important, as we bring light to these dark skies. But we must remain aware of what is our individual darkness, who we must explore with kindness, and what is the global darkness we may be taking on, that is not our ours. I find such awareness to be acutely necessary during these shifting times. We are being bombarded by different forces, and certainly through the onslaught of relentless messaging, and we must recognize when we have absorbed this, when it is not who we truly are.
I call this time a time of "retrograde wisdom", a time to reflect and integrate, to go slow and remember why you came here, and not be distracted by forces that are not yours. Pluto is certainly playing out, as are Mercury and Venus Retrograde, putting our relationships under a microscope. I am certainly finding I am Thinking before Speaking, and if necessary, stepping away, before sacrificing relationships with family and friends, that may be an intrusion of darker forces. What is our common ground? Why is the resonance changed, and no longer there?
In some cases, our circles may have changed, as each of us evolves at a different pace. But it is also worth taking the time to make sure we are not allowing in the divisive and separation forces that are highly at play right now. Thank you David, for your thought-provoking words....and yes, this is global as I am hearing the same sentiments from around the world, with respect to relationships with friends and families being tested on many levels.
Bravo, David, for seeking to articulate the nuances of navigating the darkened day of this storm. It is so deeply important. Your naming "subtle activism" moons ago has been a pillar of light that's helped me find, step by step, my way in the gathering gloam that is now showing itself to be so dark a night. Wherein each of us, all of us, find ourselves, as we remove the veils, the filters, to see the opacity as an absence of light that nonetheless shines above the thunderheads, beyond the spin of mother earth. The dark absorbs all color. Holds it. Keeps it, till we recognize the containing it serves. We've survived untold atrocity to breathe the air of this day. And it lives within us waiting for the light of our consciousness to recognize our own evolutionary journey as consciousness. No walk in the park! Though it can be a careful walk in the dark forest. One that requires each of us to adapt our night vision to the environment of our reality, writ collectively large and infinitesimally unique to our inner landscape. A writer myself, I've been ... struggling ... with how to speak into this place. This purpose. This perilous "hero's journey" beckoning us to enjoin. I, too, have moved to a heavily wooded scape with my beloved on the New England coast, and find great comfort and clarity in the elder trees overseeing this wildness Thoreau and Emerson roamed seeking wisdom, understanding. Healing. I haven't read your former essays, but will seek them out. For your words — and the keen sight within them — are a great comfort along this way. Many thanks for the grapple to engage them, set them aloft, that we may find them to shine us on.
Thank you, David, you are the perfect companion to guide us in these troubled times.
David, I love your choice of words in examining the darkness,,, "the hidden evolutionary role these destructive forces are playing..." On the heels of MLK day, one of my favorite quotes of his is, "Only in the darkness can you see the stars."
Wishing you well David. I’m recently drawn back to your work after listening to your recent Full Moon in Cancer, which has given me enormous benefit and wisdom on how to move forward, at a subtle level. I did your course The Subtle Activist Training several years ago. Since then my life has moved in a variety of directions, culminating in settling on the South Coast of NSW Australia, close to beautiful trees, birds, wildlife. Being moved to learn how to communicate with the trees and the elements. Facing the bushfires 2 years ago, losing our home to the fire at the same time of experiencing the absolute love of fire as it was raging around us (our lives were not threatened). And now the consequences of having to make the decision to turn away from the house, and all our connections to the past contained therin, and let it burn when we realised all was lost has opened a huge portal on my past, given me access to emotions from the past, not just memories, which are able to be processed. And I have a lot of physical pain as I’m moving through my past and a lot of sleep disturbances. Your recent teachings enabled me to realise that my job is not to heal myself, but rather, with the assistance of Moon, (with whom I have developed a close affiliation, since the fires), harnessing the love from the moon, to accept the pain and view it as a way of healing the pain of Mother Earth, and create a way of moving forward for the evolution of humanity. And I’m also influenced by a book just recently on the role of quantum mechanics in biology, including our own biology, which has grounded me more in doing this work.
So I just wanted to let you know of this one additional person, me, being attracted again to your work, and assisted to find clarity by what you’re doing. I haven’t read your other essay yet but I will seek them out.
Once again, best wishes as you find your way through.
Caroline Yabsley
Well-stated, David! We all do well to recognize dark forces as, in their core, being the absence of light-as well as the excessive diffusion of light, to the point its radiance cannot be discerned.