THE PLAY OF LIGHT AND DARK

The sages teach that without the sacred there is no profane and without the profane there is no sacred.

They are different sides of the same reality.

They are unique but not separate from the whole.

The play between light and dark, positive and negative, good and evil is a vital part of the human condition. There must be tension for perfection and growth. Without conflict there would be no challenge and no chance for transformation, spiritual or otherwise. The choice of which road we go down is entirely ours. Free will governs these opposite polarities. We cannot say the devil or anything or anybody else made us do it when it comes to the end of days and are confronted with our karmic record.

We could divide the play of light and dark forces into two components.

Inside the Human Condition and Outside of the Human Condition.

Factors Inside of Us

The dark side of our own nature (Shadow, an unskillful Monkey Mind and Ego) must be properly confronted - neither dismissed nor conquered but acknowledged for what it is, even valued as such. 

The closer we come to the Light the more the negative inclinations plague us. They attempt to interfere, dissuade and corrupt. They cause doubts, create fears and make for insecurities. They will try to subvert our striving for spiritual growth. The attack is often so well disguised it can even persuade us that it is our better judgment, our concern for the other. These cut us off from access to our deeper and purer selves.

It is possible to transform potential transgressions into merits. Redemption is always possible.

“S/He who still harbors an evil inclination has a great advantage. He who has no evil inclination at all cannot give perfect service. What counts is to restrain the blaze in the hours of desire and let it flow into the hours of prayer and service.” The Talmud

These negative inclinations that come from inside of us can be manipulated by the dark forces outside of us to their advantage. Our evil inclination or shadow can be aggravated by ego and monkey (Narrow) mind as well as by outside forces. Our own inner demons can be enhanced by the inner demons of those we meet. They can attack our fragile vulnerabilities. We need to be careful of negative forces that can influence us. What we touch, touch touches us, and where we immerse can pollute.

Action must continually be weighed against intent to make sure it serves honesty and purpose.

Drives toward power, acquisition, sensory pleasure and self-oriented experience are not evil in themselves but can lead to evil when they go unchecked or are put to solely selfish or wrongful use. When, however, they are controlled and properly channeled by the inclination to do good they can lead to responsible actions, to good purpose and to sanctified relationships.

“To confront a person with his own shadow (Evil Inclination) is to show him his own light.” Carl Jung

We have a dark and a light side to our nature. To make a choice, inclination for both good and evil (Shadow) must operate freely. The dark side of our nature must be properly confronted – neither dismissed nor conquered but acknowledged for what it is, even valued as such.

Our Evil Inclination or Shadow can override our Inclination to do Good when it is to the ego’s advantage. Monkey Mind - our survival mind - is linked  to a sympathetic, flight of fight response. It’s main purpose is to keep us safe. However, the dark side of Mind is also subject to our wants, desires and compulsions which can become our habits and even our addictions. This Mind, unlike Spacious or Big Mind, can also connect us to our primitive emotions such as hate, envy and the desire for vengeance which potentiate the shadow and the ego. 

...We must beware of anger and pride which are weapons of chaos, connecting us to our destructive instincts. These cut us off from access to our deeper and purer selves.

On the other hand Spacious Mind connects us to our higher consciousness, our ideas, notions, ideals, concepts, discriminations and discernments. 

Ego, Monkey Mind, our Shadow and tricksters need to be subordinated to the Higher Self, Spacious Mind, our Inclination to do Good and our Guides. Our challenge is being in a sentient body where gratification of the small self or ego can disrupt spiritual transformation.

It is not the job of our good inclination to do away with our evil inclination nor to overcome it, but rather to balance and guide so that our drives, attitudes and instincts may support our soul's purpose.

While it is true that “Evil Inclination” is a collective name given to the drives and attitudes of our baser instincts, these instincts are necessary for our physical survival and while they can interfere with our spiritual growth and closeness to the Infinite One, it is the Creator who has put within us this inclination just as it is He who put within us the inclination to do good.

Most are unaware of the wiles of the “evil inclination” who is a master of disguises all appealing to our lesser self.

His job is to make the rigors of spiritual growth seem wearisome, dull and drearily repetitive rather than exciting, adventuresome and cherishingly ritualistic.

His is an instinctual and immediate gratification which is why he can be an inner challenger of great value if you choose to appropriately engage but do not let him convince you that obstacles and difficulties need to be cleared away in order for you to transform.

Remember that good prevails by being what it is not by dispossessing, defeating or winning but rather simply by being more and more of what it is.