Discovering the strength of your inner light

In the dark, we find our light. Healing, evolution and spiritual connection, by Shannon Wysocki

Sometimes in life, in order to ascend to the next level along our soul’s path, we must first go down. Way down. How does that sentence make you feel? Does it seem unnecessarily cruel or punishing? Or does it spark a note of remembrance deep in your soul?

We are here to evolve. The hard and simple truth is no matter how much we wish we could avoid dark and painful experiences, those difficult times in our lives are the greatest catalysts for growth, transformation and evolution. When harnessed as such, the difficulties we encounter in our lives are a necessary part of the soul’s journey and contain the perfect ingredients to strengthen and deepen us. In other words, to quote the great Carl Jung, “No tree, it is said, can grow to heaven unless its roots are in hell”.

I have been on a spiritual journey of evolution and growth for my entire life that intensified greatly in 2020, when without warning, I was brought to my knees. For three years, I experienced an unforgiving mystery chronic illness coupled with an intense period of solitude and isolation. It was raw, painful, debilitating and restrictive, all things that felt like death to my freedom-seeking and adventure-loving self. I had always been the type of person that kept pushing forward despite whatever obstacles stood in my way. But this time was different. No matter how hard I tried, I could not push forward, I was forced to surrender, to rest, to simply be.

It was in the quiet darkness that I slowly discovered that it is my own light that would light my way forward through the inky blackness that was surrounding me. I was forced to dive into the depths of my own being and draw upon my deep reservoirs of inner strength that I didn’t even know I had, welcoming myself back home, back to my soul’s pure light.

At the same time, I strengthened my faith in God, my spiritual guides and the angels in heaven. I realized now more than ever, just how much things were not in my control and that I needed spiritual guidance to get me through to the other side. I learned that spiritual beings are lovingly witnessing us stumble and fumble our way through life’s trials and tribulations, and the ironic beauty is, they are closer to us than ever in the darkest times.

It is like I share in my book, A Brush with Worlds Unseen: A Memoir:

In this moment, I come to understand a great paradoxical truth. The further down into darkness and suffering I am plunged, the closer I am held and surrounded by holy energy and even more surprising, the closer I am held by God.

Looking back, I do not wish to go through what I did ever again, but I now see the invaluable worth of the growth, the expansion and the transformation that has occurred. I was able to use that growth to extract profound life lessons, to strengthen my faith and spiritual connection, and to write a memoir about my experiences, something I had long dreamed of doing. I say to my experiences now in hindsight, “Thank you. Thank you for all you have taught me and given me.”

As the spiritual great Ram Dass once said, “Everything in your life is there as a vehicle for your transformation. Use it!”

Wishing you much love and peace on your evolutionary journey towards the light.