The “Dark Between Stars”
It is well known that the darker the skies are, the more brilliant the stars appear. In fact, if we look up at the night sky with our limited vision, we may observe more ink-black sky than stars. Yet, the immense darkness of the universe does not diminish the captivating beauty of the stars, but rather enhances their luminosity. The juxtaposition of dark and light is profound and evidence of life’s duality: where there is pleasure, sunshine and growth, there is also sorrow, rain and death.
Individually, we may experience overwhelming feelings of fear, doubt, uncertainty and loneliness. And on a collective level, throughout history there is evidence of global suffering and turmoil. These moments of our lives can be discouraging and may foster negative thoughts. Naturally, it is during our darkest times that we are inclined to question how to live with purpose and find meaning.
Kahlil Gibran, in The Prophet, describes the necessity of heartache for spiritual liberation:
Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding.
Even as the stone of the fruit must break,
that its heart may stand in the sun,
so must you know pain.
Spiritual teachings explain that every trial, setback or adversity enters our life with purpose and is part of the divine plan; these are the catalysts that provide opportunities to redeem ourselves through development and growth. The mystics say we are here to learn and realize our divine purpose.
So, this human experience, with all its dark and light, definitely has intrinsic value. In our so-called dark times, our spiritual practice fortifies the foundations on which we can rely to endure the challenges that come our way. As Maharaj Charan Singh explains in Quest for Light:
There are always ups and downs in life. Things never remain the same, and we should try to face these moments of trial with patience and courage, keeping full faith in him.… To make an effort is our duty, but the results are not in our hands. Sometimes we have to learn to live with our handicaps when efforts fail. This is the time of test for us and we should not lose our mental equilibrium, but say and sincerely believe that this is the will of the Lord and we accept it in all humility. Who knows? Things could have been worse. So our feeling of gratitude to him must never be lost.
The saints teach us that the light is always within us. Yet it is faith – which encompasses hope, courage and gratitude – that can be described as the “dark between stars” (a term coined by a contemporary writer known as Atticus). This “dark between stars,” though difficult, is the very stitching that binds together and enriches the tapestry of our lives. The faith it engenders not only holds and carries us through our lowest of lows but inspires within us love and longing for the Lord.
In this karmic dance of give and receive, the Lord’s grace can easily go unnoticed, as it is often granted in ways we may not recognize – through illness and hard times, for example. Yet, there is immense peace to be found in surrendering to and accepting the Lord’s will. Letting go of our expectations and desires leads to the realization that everything in life comes to us with the Lord’s approval.
Great Master, in The Dawn of Light, explains what it means to accept his will with humility:
Take for granted that all that has happened, is happening or will happen, is with His will. So whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, we should remain contented. If He sends us misery, we should accept it with pleasure, and if He keeps us happy, we should take it as His children. So do not consider that your life is not a bed of roses. Take it as His gift and be happy in it…. His mission is to take souls up, and a soul once initiated, is never deserted. This is the law.
As humans we are naturally inclined towards hope. It allows us to acknowledge that life isn’t always easy, but even when we feel as though we are suffering in darkness, we are still deserving of light. If we seek inspiration in our teachings and open our hearts in gratitude to our Master, we’re more likely to find hope. Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a human-rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, reminded us in his book Everyday Ubuntu that “hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”
Each morning our meditation is an opportunity to retreat to an inner sanctuary where we can embrace the bliss that is silence and solitude. We reinforce our faith in the Lord and our Master by attending to our spiritual practice every day. Meditation gives us the courage to live with a forgiving and resilient heart, in which hope cannot be vanquished. Rabindranath Tagore, the noted Bengali poet, philosopher and artist, encapsulates the beauty of hope in his line: “Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark.”
Being human is a sum total of all our experiences, moments of both light and dark. We are here on this spiritual journey to learn how to appreciate not only those moments of light, fulfillment and joy, but also how to imbue our hardships and struggles with faith, hope, courage and love for the Lord. For the Lord is everything. He is the stars, and he is the dark between stars.