# The Bright Dark

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/earth-dreams-zen-buddhism-and-the-soul-of-the-world-6415534/the-bright-dark
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/earth-dreams-zen-buddhism-and-the-soul-of-the-world-6415534/the-bright-dark.md
Podcast: [Earth Dreams: Zen Buddhism and the Soul of the World](https://stenobird.com/podcast/earth-dreams-zen-buddhism-and-the-soul-of-the-world-6415534)
Published: 2025-10-24T13:44:07+00:00
Episode link: https://amykisei.substack.com/p/the-bright-dark
Audio file: https://api.substack.com/feed/podcast/176945617/a4ce269d01daa86006fc9f7eec58c29c.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/earth-dreams-zen-buddhism-and-the-soul-of-the-world-6415534/episodes/the-bright-dark
Duration seconds: 1855

## Resource

Deep Autumn Greetings Fellow Travelers of the Way! As autumn becomes us, I have been contemplating darkness and the creaturely way my body seems to respond to the cold-dark. Maybe you too feel a little more intimate with the night and the dark creature of the body at this time of year. Sometimes I feel, and I know others feel, that we are living in dark times—and whether this feels true for you— I think we all know something about the dark . Whether its as the seasonal darkening of autumn, energetic darkness, or political, personal, emotional, technological, relational, spiritual—darkness is often something we fear or feel uneasy about. Is it what is potentially lurking in the dark, or the darkness itself that sends shivers up the spine, drops dread in the gut, and perpetuates a sense of an impending doom? We often invoke darkness when hope feels sparse. When the way ahead feels hard, dismal, heavy, untenable or uncertain. Will we be ok? Will those we love be safe? Will the things we value and care about continue to be available? Dharma teachings throughout time remind us that there is a light within the dark. Call it bodhi, the awakened heart, vow, love. When we recognize even just an ember of this light—liberation is unstoppable. I feel grateful for my dharma friend Taishin Michael Augustin for reminding me of the unstoppable nature of bodhi this week. Having friends and practice companions on this path is essential. Our warm hearts and bright minds can point out a path together, footstep by footstep through whatever apparent darkness. I’m grateful for the many teachers, guides and friends that grace my life—they are truly bright points of light in this great mystery. Sometimes, and I imagine you have experienced this as well, we even find the dark nourishing in itse…

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## Transcript

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