How To See Light In The Darkness

There are vast, endless oceans that expand with infinite unforgiving beauty on this planet. Cascading like galaxies and nebulae, painting our world in their grandiosity.  They appear, at first glance, to disappear into endless horizons, and tell stories of mystery and wonder, revealing that there is an infinite multifarious amount of information in this existence that is forever continuing to be revealed, if we only search for it. A humbling view.

Deep down below the surface, there exists a darkness that no human can see in (without technological assistance), and it would be understandable at first sight to assume that no life would or could exist here. One would not be questioned for assuming that success for life would be impossible or scant without the life giving kiss of our ancient celestial solar neighbor.

However, upon further inspection, we realize that not only are their many beautiful creatures surviving here and creating new means of sight and existing here, but many are thriving, in an endless evolutionary arms race and game of adaptation, that is free from the limits of perception and limitations that our species can place on itself at times. In these depths, the darkness that infinitely penetrates and stretches for miles, is no deterrent to the creatures that have specifically adapted to the terrain, as they create their own magnificent light, using just the little bits of the sun’s rays they are able to get. For us however, we too can see in these depths, with a little bit of ingenuity and technological help, and in this lays, the key to how we can conquer any of our perceived limitations or problems.

Much like these deep depths that require specialized instruments to see in, we face darkness in our life each day, at one point or another and to varying degrees. We are fortunately endowed with a tool that is an infinite reservoir or energy and possibility. That tool that we can use to see in this darkness is information. It is knowledge, it is understanding that the faculties we possess far outweigh any challenge we can ever be presented with, and cognitive abilities we have. It is the ability to expand our perception. It is, loosely speaking, our means to assimilate and act upon an endlessly growing reservoir of pattern recognition, and make intelligent and ethical decisions within this spectrum based on that information assimilation. Pattern recognition is a concept and adaptive skill set lauded and studied by a wide range of prolific individuals, from astrophysics such as Neil Degrasse Tyson and EQ focused successful entrepreneurs such as Gary Vaynerchuk.

Our responsibility as benevolent and intelligent creatures on this planet can be summarized in a simple need to assimilate this information, process it, employ it intelligently in a seemingly alchemical endless elevation of understanding. This has played out in many forms and systems to date. The scientific method,the Socratic method Occam’s razor, these frameworks are all based on questions, hypothesis, test and measuring of results. Deductive reasoning to utilize our pattern recognition .

Asking ourselves the right questions, framing things in the context of past achievements, and understanding that we can be our own best friends and own worst enemies when it comes to perceptions of limitations or possibilities, helps us to understand our true potential, so we may serve others better. This is why inquisition can be so powerful. We don’t only want to know what, but we, more importantly want to know why. Motivations, ours and others and collective groups as a whole, can reveal ways for us to more intelligently, kindly and effectively navigate this existence with an ethos that inspires others and ourselves. One pattern that is easily identifiable is that of perceived limitations and its subsequent effect on effort that is made on things.

There are countless examples of human limitation being revealed to be nothing more than a matter of agreed upon perception. You can look throughout history, especially in world records or athletic feats, or musical or artistic or scientific breakthroughs, and whenever someone shattered the ceiling that up to that point had been seen at the “limit”, inevitably word gets around, and the average level of accomplishment elevates itself up to this new higher standard. And then it becomes just that, standard. Jim Rohn, has compared words and knowledge to a “Lamp for your feet”. The following excerpt from Jim Rohn speaks highly to this concept:

There is of course the concept of faith, but faith is useless without action and intelligent information, and action is what we must take to create real change in our lives. Intelligent action So, how do you see in the darkness? Educate yourself. Create action. Gather information, employ a test, measure the results and then check and adjust. Perhaps the soil is not untillable, perhaps the only thing you need are different, more refined tools. We all have times in our lives where we will face challenges. More so, this will undoubtedly be a daily, moment to moment occurrence,

Taking a note from Buddhism one could say that life is suffering. Which can easily play into the apathetic culture that can evolve around a seemingly endless number of problems on this planet. However, the dualistic nature of existence allows for simultaneous pleasure and pain. That is why the act of mindfulness, calmness, presence and taking stock, can be such an immensely powerful lynchpin for progress. Pattern recognition, inquisition and asking WHY. Asking ourselves how we got into our present circumstances, what was the hypothesis, what is the result, why are we doing things, what are our and others motivations?

These kind of questions can help us increase our sense of pattern recognition and thus improve our situation in the world and consequently improve the situation for others. I have felt darkness that moves me like a chilling spike through out each atom of my body, and I have felt light shimmering me in ways that I did not even think was possible. There is a dichotomy to the human experience the expounds the beauty inherent in every moment. You can’t have pain without pleasure and vice versa.

However, fascinatingly enough, we are able to make choices in our everyday life that can gain us a net larger volume of each. And even more tricky is the fact that we may have to endure small (or large) amounts of pain regularly to obtain sustainable long lasting pleasure, or we may allow ourselves regular instances of pleasure, but this more often than not leads to long term pain.

If we are going to suffer regardless, why not do so intelligently? With presence and perspective. Why not do so gratefully? If you are suffering you have an opportunity to grow beyond this suffering. Seeing light in the darkness means to see without seeing. It means to know that a way will be found before knowing how that way will be found. It means to form the hypothesis, using your pattern recognition, and acting upon it. We can’t do any of this without asking questions. Questions that cause us to look outside of our normal spectrum of behavior, patterns, thinking and reasoning.

“Whatsoever you can conceive and believe, you can achieve”

• Napoleon Hill

If we do so intelligently and with a bit of forethought, we can help ourselves and thereby help others. When we improve our situation in our world, we also improve the situation of others in the world. SO the question is, how do you see in the darkness? How do you provide a lamp for your feet? The same way anyone sees in the darkness, the same way anything goes from idea to fruition, with first having the idea of doing so, and employing the mental labor to tap into our infinite reservoir of ideas. You imagine it. We are blessed with cognitive analysis, and not using it intelligently is not displaying gratitude for the existence of it.

Ask, why? Ask, can we do better? Can we be kinder? The answer is always yes.

If we take the collective time to empower ourselves with the answers as to why we are doing things, if we look into our own personal motivations, we can each impact changes in ourselves, our community and our world, while we have this gift of life. Never stop questioning.