The Autumnal equinox is the precursor to shorter days and fading light and the growing darkness that lies ahead. As the Northern Hemisphere slowly turns its face away from the sun, nature begins its retreat to the underworld for repose and renewal.

We prepare as well, with rites and holidays that commemorate the changing seasons. The descending darkness becomes a metaphor for our own passage into our personal “darkness,” our inner world.

The dark can be nurturing. When we close our eyes all our senses respond; we soften the clamor of the world at large. The unfinished issues hidden in the shadows of our unconscious can surface.

This is the time to quiet our restive minds. And in that quietude, there is the opportunity to connect with our Self, bypassing the illusions of the ego-driven self. This is our opportunity to bring the unconscious into consciousness; the darkness to light. Out of the shadows, intentions can be reconfirmed, priorities realigned.

It is this process of making the unseen, seen, that brings healing. Letting go of false beliefs, forgiving shameful acts, making amends to others. In the darkness our inner voice can be heard. There is time to find the right words to say and the right place to say them … taking the restorative actions in service to our own healing, our becoming whole.

Just as nature transitions from summer to fall with winter soon to follow and spring waiting to bloom, there is a natural, orderly rhythm to our own life flow. Over time, in due time, we gain understanding of the complexity of human behavior, how things really work, what people are really like, a process that requires deeper thought and sometimes painful recalibration.

It is a paradox; in the “darkness” of our inner world we see a clear vision of what our lives can be.