‘There can be no rebirth without a dark night of the soul, a total annihilation of all that you believed in and thought that you were.’
Hazrat Inayat Khan
I think about the above quote a lot. I’ve had it on my wall visible since last August, when I came to the page in my inspirational page a day calendar. This was a couple of weeks before my hysterectomy surgery, which I now realise was life transforming and so freeing for me. No more adenomyosis pain! At the time I didn’t realise what an effect it would have on the quality and living of my life.
That whole experience for me – the months of continual bleeding, the months of pain, the months and months of letting go of my business life… of my social life. Yes it was an annihilation of who I thought I was. My complete being, as she was, at that time. But now as I emerge months later – like the butterfly from the chrysalis – I realise what it was all about. I can feel truly free and it is an amazing feeling.
So as I read this quote today, I know that there is truth that a dark night (or months!) of the soul can result in huge NEW – new everything. I look at the world after months of Covid-19 and all that it has brought. The health challenges, the sickness, the deaths, the grief, the mental health challenges, lockdown, job furlough, job losses, the loneliness… wow what can be more dark night of the soul?
At the end of May with most of the world two months + into lockdown and at home because of the virus, there was a huge highlighting of racial injustice. There was the video of Amy Cooper in the New York park calling the police on a Black man, using her full force of white privilege to oppress another for doing the right thing (he had rightly asked her to put her dog on a lead in an area where there were birds). And then with the world watching, at home due to Covid-19 – not distracted by other things, George Floyd was killed on camera. That was also an annihilation of what people believed in – a fair and just society. Of course if you are of colour, then you know that society was never truly fair. Equality has been spoken about for years – here in the UK there have been a number of recent enquiries into racial equality and institutional racism – but when you come into contact with the systems of health, education and others, then you realise that you are looked at differently, you are treated differently. The discrimination is there for all of us to see.
So an annihilation of structural racism is perhaps where we now find ourselves – what a wonderful thing. This dark night of the soul will yes lead to rebirth… it will lead to a NEW society. One where we can all be equal. Before that, there will be the need for healing – deep healing – for all of us, regardless of skin colour, culture or country. This world needs a deep healing from the past. It needs to confront, to realise, to heal… We are better evolved now, we can do better and yes, we must!
Much love to you all during these transformative times – where you will experience a range of emotions and feelings. I have a new soul-led life coaching program for you, should you need extra guidance to help you through: Your Luminous Self
I can’t wait for us to connect, Bx
