Another year has ended, and a new year has begun. We have left behind our past and we are focused on the new experiences to come, periods of darkness and light may come to your door, but here there is an important lesson for the new year that has begun, and you are the main star. Join me and together let’s find a new key to making this year the most wonderful of all!
Living above the Article Circle, in a beautiful city called Tromsø, in Northern Norway, has not only provided me with fascinating landscapes, amazing nature and unique experiences but it has also taught me two important lessons: The Darkness is temporary, and the light will always find its way to shine again and the second lesson is: The darkness will remain as long as we decide to find our own light, because there is no brighter light than the one we have within ourselves, an unstoppable source of light capable of providing light in the darkest places. What do I mean with this? Let me explain you.
In Tromsø you can experience what is called “The Polar Nights”. During this period that begins on the 21 November and lasts until the 21 January, the Sun remains under the horizon, this means that for two months we cannot see the Sun, only having between 3 to 4 hours of daylight, a beautiful bluish color but no Sun, after those hours you experience full darkness. Can you imagine it? No sun, no light, only darkness.
“The real meaning of enlightenment is to gaze with undimmed eyes on all darkness.” – Nikos Kazantzakis
During this period your body and mind feel tired, you lack Vitamin D, you might feel more depressed and with less energy. From the “Midnight Sun” with 24 hours of daylight in summer to almost 24 hours of darkness. Your mind loses track of time and space, you cannot focus, you are irritable and want to sleep the whole time, and you end up having two options: You either succumb to this period of darkness, ceasing to control your emotions letting sadness, anger, stress, and frustration be part of your daily life or you can decide to make the best out of this period, taking back the control of your emotions providing your own light along the way.
This does not mean you will not feel sadness, frustration or anger, but you will know that you have the control to transform those emotions into the ones that will make you feel better. Here, in Tromsø, you can see during this period the Northern Lights, the magical green light shining in the dark sky, you can see the stars and the moon most of the time when there is clear sky, you can find the way to see beauty in such darkness, you get extra vitamins, you find the way to feel better, and the most important thing is that you have the power to find light within your own soul, and in the end, darkness is as beautiful as the most wonderful summer days.
“Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” – Desmond Tutu
I learned that actually this period does not always happen between those two months, but it actually can happen at any time and everywhere, it is part of the cycle of life, we can experience during our whole lifetime several periods of “Polar Nights” where we enter a period of complete darkness and we might feel sadness, anger, frustration, we might feel tired and depressed and our whole life may seem to be out of our control, but the key is to see this period as an opportunity rather than a punishment, it is a period to reconnect with whom we really are, it is an opportunity to make our light shine and bring light were there is only darkness. The day you realize that you can control how you feel regardless of your current circumstances, it is the day that you will have mastered the key to a life of less suffering and more joy, less sadness, and more happiness.
It is important to know that one day the sun will rise again, but, it is more important to know that in the end, it is not the current circumstances what really determines how we are gonna feel, because sadness, feelings of emptiness, depression can happen in the most brighter days, but it is our own strength, courage, perseverance and willing to sparkle the light in our own souls and bring light to our life.
If the sun does not shine, you shine, and if it shines, you shine brighter, because it is your own light, your true self, what makes this world a beautiful place. Shine like the stars, lit your soul and with the fire bring light and warmth to the human hearts! May this New Year be the year you make your soul shine!
