purple cabbage bloom

How To Bloom in the Dark: Self-Compassion, Compost & Nature

How to bloom in the dark? Sounds like a strange question, right? My latest article for Sounds True is inspired by something beautiful I found in the darkness. I think back on it often when I need a reminder that the dark times fuel some of the brightest times, even if they don’t feel like it at the time. In dark times—both literal and symbolic—we can be hardest on ourselves and others. Here is where self-compassion becomes such a powerful transformer. Compassion is the magic ingredient that turns our personal “compost” into personal evolution.

And if you know me at all, you’ll know who my ultimate role model is, but if there is question, read on to find out.

“Some time ago, I found a strange bloom in the kitchen. It was elegantly twisted, like a dragon at a Chinese New Year celebration. It was frilled, purple, and pungent. This exquisite thing grew out of a chunk of purple cabbage that I’d put under the sink to go out for compost. Instead of fading quietly however, it burst into new life in the dark grotto of my cabinetry. It blossomed into something unexpected, unusual, and fiercely beautiful.

Reflecting on the discovery of this “flower” in the shadows, I’m reminded of, and heartened by, the fertility of dark times. Many people are feeling a collective spiritual darkness now, exhausted and frustrated, maybe also angry and scared. Having compassion for ourselves and others is especially important in times of literal and metaphorical darkness. How can we do this if we already feel overloaded?…

READ MORE on the Sounds True Blog

Understanding how to work with the cycles of nature is part Shamanism for Every Day: 365 Journeys.

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