245. Spiritual Enlightenment Includes the Dark - Deborah Eden Tull

Deborah Eden Tull's spiritual journey has included a deep exploration of endarkenment, which is her term for learning to embrace her shadows with fierce compassion and equanimity to discover and reclaim her full, luminous power. "We don't awaken by hanging out in our comfort zone. We can't know the power of our inner light if we are pushing away darkness." Eden is a spiritual teacher, mentor and author of "Luminous Darkness", a book exploring the importance of embracing both light and dark in our spiritual journey. She spent 7 years in a silent Zen Buddhist monastery, exploring the power of deep listening and the sacredness of both light and dark. In the monastery, she lived off the land in a little house off the grid, and she came to appreciate the importance of the darkness and the importance of its balance with the light. She realized she must embrace the darkness and that spiritual practice should invite one to meet the mystery with reverence and respect. She discusses the importance of befriending the darkness and listening to life with every cell in the body to experience the full spectrum of life and develop a resiliency from discomfort. She also shared her experience of two stars in the night sky that held her attention and reminded her of the importance of deep listening. In this episode, you will learn the following:  1. Embracing the Unknown: How can we explore darkness and use it to grow spiritually?  2. Befriending the Night: What can we learn by listening to our shadows and wounds with curiosity and non-judgment?  3. Endarkenment: How can we become more equanimous and open to all forms of life and emotion? Resources: https://www.deborahedentull.com Books: Luminous Darkness Relational Mindfulness