BIBLIOTHERAPY: Opening to Darkness by Zenju Earthlyn Manuel
As part of my Open Floor International training, I had to read this book. It was not one of my favorites, there was folklore and symbolism included that did not resonate with me, but it definitely provoked thoughts on my relationship to darkness and blackness.
Zenju Earthlyn Manuel in this book, states that we are in an era of deep darkness on this planet and in our culture due to social issues, climate change, and the recent pandemic. She believes that darkness and blackness have been misused and misunderstood in America. She shares that “a collective opening to darkness is crucial to love,” and to create a positive shift in our culture and on our planet. She asks for us to bring consciousness to the light and dark parts of ourselves, others, and spirit.
Historically, darkness has been tied to demons, evil, black magic, dirtiness, suffering, and death; dichotomously lightness has been linked with light, magic, goodness, God, cleanliness, healing, and birth. And yet, we are born from the dark and “We dance in the dark throughout our lives.”
“We are adverse to pain and suffering… We have access to a large market of remedies, practices, products, spiritual paths…. What causes us to avoid our suffering rather than go deeper into seeing what is there?” What keeps us from “feeling expansive, fierce, and capable in the dark?” How do we not only work to run from the darkness, but to dwell in it well?
One of my all-time favorite books is Healing through the Dark Emotions by Mariam Greenspan where she talks about the alchemy of fear, grief, and despair; how there is meaning-making and benefit to be found by sinking into our dark emotions. At Coriander Living Collective, we practice Brainspotting and EMDR, both of these practices include going directly into that which upsets us and discovering what is ALL there in an effort to release its hold over us.
Zenju says, “To be always comfortable is to not be alive. We are dead in constant comfort.” I think we need a balance of comfort and challenge to keep us engaged in living and growing, and to allow rest and resilience.
