How does one embrace the darkness?

So how does one embrace the darkness? And what does the “darkness” even mean? I’ve heard it called many things over the years–flaws, dark nature, weaknesses, fears, character defects, negative qualities, demons–none of which sounded attractive to me. I understand why many of us would choose to ignore these aspects or lock them away so tightly we’ve convinced ourselves we’ve escaped or overcome them, only to find them popping up at a later time when we least expect them or in a most inopportune situation. At least in my life this has been the case and has resulted in many unnecessary experiences of heartache and emotional pain.

So I began asking myself “Why not simply slow down and begin to journey inward so that you can discover what darkness means to you?”

And herein begins the deepening of my own experience of surrendering into the darkness, into the dark void within…