“I have learned things in the dark that I could never have learned in the light, things that have saved my life over and over again so that there is really only one logical conclusion. I need darkness as much as I need light.” ~ Barbara Brown Taylor

They say you teach that which you need to learn, and whenever I think about my most popular article, 15 Things You Should Give Up To Be Happy, which is also the title of my first book, I can’t stop laughing because I realize that in there are the many lessons I needed to learn. In there are the things that were meant to help me discover more about who I truly am underneath it all, and why I was born into this physical world.

With everything that had been happening in the past two years – all the challenges, dark periods, the ups and downs, and all the changes that have been taking place within me and all around me, I understood once again that “Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you need? Because this is the experience you are having at the moment.” ~ Eckhart Tolle

We are so used to seeking pleasure, wanting to feel joyful and ecstatic at all times, and because we have this idea in our heads that we are entitled to have only happy and blissful experiences, whenever we feel some sort of pain, when darkness swallows us, and when suffering comes knocking at our door, we freak out and we start to look for all kinds of ways to control, “fix” and “repair” things.

Life is a lot wiser than we are. It knows that even though we are entitled to all kind of wonderful and magical experiences, in order for us to feel all sorts of blissful and ecstatic emotions, we will first need to be cleansed of everything that is dark, impure and inauthentic. We will first need to LET GO of everything that’s not real and truthful.

“If a man wishes to be sure of the road he’s traveling on, then he must close his eyes and travel in the dark.” ~ St. John of the Cross

We are so afraid of the dark, so terrified of pain. And even though nobody in their right mind would want to go through dark and painful periods, what I have discovered over the years is that we need to embrace our darkness in order for us to return to our center and awaken from the sleep we have been in for all this time.

“When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.” ~ Peter Marshall

When life knocks us down, it’s not because it wants us to suffer or because it wants to punish us in any way. No! Nothing like that. On the contrary, it does this because it loves us a great deal. And it wants to free us of everything that’s inauthentic, hurtful and damaging. It does this because it wants us to walk in the truth, light, and love of who we are.

When life hits, it doesn’t hit us, it only hits those things that we are meant to let go of. It only hits our toxic thoughts, limiting beliefs, excuses, unhealthy habits, damaging relationships and our many attachments to anything that’s tormenting our heart and Soul. And if it hurts, it’s only because in time we have fallen into this trap of thinking that we are one with them and are clinging on to them.

“Darkness and coarseness will always be with a soul until its appetites are extinguished. The appetites are like a cataract on the eye or specks of dust in it; until removed they obstruct vision. The affections and appetites deprive them of a treasure of divine light. Any appetite, even one that is but slightly imperfect, stains and defiles the soul.” ~ St. John of the Cross

You were born whole and complete; filled with unconditional love, wisdom, and bliss. And as long as you continue to look outside yourself for everything you think is missing from within yourself, life will continue to knock you down. And it will do so until you let go and learn to look inside. Because like Carl Jung said, “Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.”

You are not a beggar. None of us are. And the time has come for you to look within for all the things you once so desperately for searched outside yourself because only by doing so, will you experience the beauty, the greatness and the wonder of who you truly are.

“Do you know what you are? You are a manuscript of a divine letter. You are a mirror reflecting a noble face. This universe is not outside of you. Look inside yourself; everything that you want, you are already that.” ~ Rumi

~love, Luminita 💫

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