To understand true darkness . . .?

Question

must we live in it ??

Answer 1

Interesting question. Many authors have written about this, too.

All of us have fears and weaknesses. In some religions, finding, facing and conquering those fears is the key to further enlightenment. I would argue that for most people (those who aren't living under external pressures such as war, famine, etc.), true darkness lies within. All of us are capable of evil, as we are of good as well. To understand and conquer that evil side might require the person to go through life experiences or lessons that are "dark" or unpleasant. Finding and understanding these fears and weaknesses is a difficult process. But a person who is really interested in improving and finding enlightenment will probably go through this. I think of it as a take on the saying "suffering is good for the soul."

Answer 2

If you've been through true darkness and didn't take your life as a way out, then there's nothing left in the world to stop you. Let's just hope before you go you find something worth living for that keeps you alive.
but, I believe understanding true darkness is loving someone thats been through hell. Theres only so much you can do to help and you always want to do more because you love them.

Answer 3

Yes. I believe that is what life is about.

Let's say you and I stood in a ethereal form and looked down on this reality and saw darkness. We see the chaos and self destruction below us but we can't understand it completely. Without a personal experience it would be hard to sum up completely. Seeing the darkness helps put a conclusion to what we are and it starts to define good for us but we're still missing the experience and knowledge of what this dark truly is. What we know to be good isn't enough truth for us yet because we don't really know bad. We need a solid comparison. We want to find this out with our own eyes and ears so we step into this experience to gain more light by living in the dark.

Answer 4

We must ACCEPT the darkness & all that is within it. You must enter into the darkness if you are to ever have a true understanding of what it holds within. It is a choice that should not be entered into lightly & once you have entered, you must have NO FEAR in order to walk out alive & be able to share your experiences with others. The problem is....when you think you have an understanding of something, it changes & if you can't change WITH it & adapt, it can rip you to shreads & leave you in complete darkness with no way out! To RESPECT & HONOR the darkness insures that you will find your way.

Answer 5

to understand "true darkness" you must first understand truth, then darkness as separate entities. first truth... Truth- what a person perceives as being, things that one takes as real form and are existent always but only to the perceiver of that truth. truth will vary for every person. now darkness... Darkness- a state that we find when the light fades out of a life. a state that we come to when the eyes of our souls closed to truth.
as for the question "must we live in it". well the simple answer is no. no you will never be forced to live in the stated darkness for in that darkness there is always the light that created it. one without the other is not possible. so should you sit in the darkness and refuse to move that is the choice you have made. there is as always the choice to step from this to the place of incandescent light and instead sit yourself in the middle of it and stay. now neither is right for as there is a balance to both light and dark we must also exist in this way. there must be light there must be dark, but my dear never take a lack of light as true darkness, for you are both.

Answer 6

Three weeks ago I was camping out at Lake George on Mt. Rainier. I woke up at 12:30 a.m. and it was so dark I couldn't even see my hand in front of my face. I mean not a glimmer of a star or anything. Now that is dark. I understand that it is simply the absence of light. If you understand light then you will have no problem understanding darkness, it's just the opposite.

Answer 7

If you mean the darkness as in "The Heart of Darkness"... the deeds humankind is capable of...

No, you do not have to live in it... to understand it, you must recognize and accept that it lives within you.
Cherish it as the source of inconceivable acts, both horror and heroism, and accept responsibility for the power of choice you have.

Answer 8

for most people yes they would have to live it to understand. but there are some people who have lived in darkness at different parts of their lives so they could help the others understand

Answer 9

yes, but to get a more complete understanding, you must also live in the light. you need perspective. darkness is the absence of light, you can't truly understand that if darkness is all you know.

Answer 10

I suggest that facing the abyss inside of oneself is the true way to understand darkness. In dealing with that wihic causes fear and accepting the ugly and weak aspects of ourselves, the darkness is reveald simply as being an indication of that which can educate us. I refer to inner darkness. I have a lot of this and befriended the catcombs of my heart and mind mostly -although it can still temporarily prevail...