How to emerge from our darkness

To understand how to emerge from the darkness into the light, we need to first understand the Crone’s darkness.

In our menstrual phase the slow, withdrawn energies of the Crone can tend to take over our lives. Whether we like it or not – and we often fight hard – the Crone calls out to us from the darkness at the heart of the labyrinth and, entranced, we journey deep into her realm of rest. We may also experience her energies in the softness of the night, in the withdrawal of the Dark Moon, in the stillness of Winter, and in the deep pauses in life that force us to stop and reflect.

For some of us, resting at the heart of the labyrinth in the darkness of the Crone is a blessing – a sanctuary away from modern life and its ceaseless demands. With the Crone under the Earth we are safe, and nothing is urgent or important. We are protected from the turbulent emotions of the pre-menstrual Enchantress and from the driven ego of the Bright Maiden. It is a sanctuary where we can daydream our future, reflect on the past, and discover our direction for the next month. We may not wish to emerge from the darkness into the light where we can be seen and judged and found to be ‘not enough’. We may wish to stay longer in the Crone energies where we feel totally accepted and loved, and gaze at the stars and feel connected to the Universe and to our soul.

But for others who struggle with the darkness and make the mental decision that the darkness is lasting too long, the Crone’s calling is strong. When they try to force themselves to climb the steps and escape the labyrinth, they tumble back into the darkness.

The Crone calls to us when we need to stop, to rest, to listen, and to realise when we are going in the wrong direction. But our society tells us that it is wrong to stop, and our ego fears the lack of light and energy and the lack of outside achievements and activities that give it status and meaning. The Crone waits with infinite patience for us to understand what feels wrong and to then turn towards what feels right. For those of us who wish to stay in the darkness, this brings us the confidence to leave – and for those who have fought the Crone, we will have met her requirement and she will finally release us with her blessing.

We cannot hurry the Crone. We cannot hurry the change from Winter to Spring, we cannot force the new Moon to appear in the sky, and we cannot force our change from menstrual Crone to Maiden. Our role in the heart of the labyrinth is to look at ourselves and our lives and to see what feels right and what we enjoy – because it is joy that is the path out of the darkness.

The Crone gives us the opportunity to discover what we love – love to have, love to do, and love to be with. Then, when we know, the Crone puts on her apron and takes the cauldron down from the shelf and she starts to blend the energies to create our future. She gives us a candle lit from our love and we take it to the steps and, slowly and cautiously at first, we start to climb out of the darkness. We cannot see all of the path ahead, but we can feel our way by focusing on what brings us love and joy.

Then the snows of winter melt and the sun’s rays reach into the labyrinth and we no longer need the candle, because once again the light of the outer world shows us the way. We can run and jump, and laugh and play, and see the world full of new and exciting opportunities and ideas.

But we can only do this if we listen to the Crone and hear the message that lies in the candle that she gives us – you are enough, you have enough, you love enough, you are safe enough, you do enough.

When we feel deep within that we are enough, Winter leaves us, and new light and growth enter our lives.

Each day ask yourself:
If I am enough,
have enough,
love enough,
am safe enough,
and do enough,

what am I now free to do?