Find Beauty and Truth in the Dark of Night
DEEP PEACE of the DARK HUNTER moon to you
October 10, 2026
The Dark Night of the Soul
We have entered the season of the Hunter Moon. The crops have been harvested and stored and the cleared fields make it easier to see and hunt animals that are there gleaning leftovers. And those chonkers have also been storing up for winter so they’re nice and fat. It’s time to hunt and replenish our stores for winter.
But since many of us don’t hunt for our food—and I think it’s safe to say that none of us hunt as our primary source of sustenance—my question for you this season is, what are you hunting for?
I wrote my master’s thesis on spiritual darkness, and particularly about how we are taught by the Powers that Be to fear the dark. These people in charge want to coax us back to them in what I call “a patriarchal preference for light.” I often give this example of the sky to demonstrate what I mean:
On a sunny day with a clear sky, all we can see is a bright blue expanse spanning in every direction. And a spiritual leader who wants you to stay in the light is basically saying, there’s nothing more to see! This is all you need to know. (Pay no attention to what’s behind the curtain!) And if they had their way, we would never know what a vast and glorious, mysterious, and beautiful universe we are a part of. We would think there was no alternative reality to theirs, nothing beyond the horizon.
But of course, the sun sets every day. Winter comes every year. And in our lives, we inevitably have seasons of darkness, when the way forward is obscured. When our familiar surroundings become unfamiliar. Our experience of this can range from inspired to uneasy to actually terrifying.
There’s no wrong way to feel or respond to this experience. Many people feel like the rug has been ripped out from under them, and it’s incredibly disorienting in a very unwelcome way.
And yet—
If we only ever lived in the light, we would never know the stars. We would never know our neighbors, the other planets in our solar system. We wouldn’t see meteorites! We would probably find the moon to be very confusing. (Who is she? Where did she come from? Why does she keep changing shape??)
All that to say, there is not only disorientation in the darkness, but also beauty and truth. There is an alternate reality that is, in my humble opinion, far more layered and awe-inspiring than a blue sky on a sunny day could ever be.
Often the truths that we discover in our metaphorical dark night are things that have been buried deep within ourselves. We can ignore the whispers and nudges as long as we go along with the status quo, but it requires us to pretend that we didn’t see what we saw, or feel what we felt. It requires that we gaslight ourselves back into alignment with what powerful systems need us to be and do.
Those whispers and nudges are from our inner artist, adventurer, lover, designer, nurturer, freedom fighter. They have been shushed by the oppressive systems that can’t function if we’re at our most energized and creative. So we quietly put them away, because it’s practical to do so. Until we reach a point where that choice is no longer sustainable.
And that’s why seasons of darkness can be so disruptive. When the curtain is pulled back and the fierce, harsh beauty of the universe is revealed, it makes it very, very difficult to continue as we were before.
A gentle practice for venturing into the dark
So in the spirit of the hunter moon, and as we venture deeper into the darker half of the year, let’s spend some time in reflection and see what our hearts, our souls, and our intuition may be hunting for in the darkness. We’re going to go very gently. This doesn’t need to be about diving all the way in, head first. Just a soft getting used to the dark, seeing some beauty there, so that if you decide you want to venture further out later, you have a starting place to continue from.
And if you need to come out of it at any time, just open your eyes and move your body slowly—maybe get a drink, stretch, journal. Do what feels good to you.
Sit with it for a bit
Take a little time to notice what came up for you:
What did you encounter in the dark?
What desires emerged?
Did you notice any sensations or emotions?
Is there something you want to follow a little further?
You might want to journal about it, make some art, take a walk, or share with a friend.
Know that the darkness will be there for you when you're ready to visit again, and you're always welcome to bring your comfort item or person along.
Want some company in the dark?
Sometimes the things we discover when we turn inward are easier to explore with someone else. If you’re feeling called to go deeper, spiritual counseling can offer a space to slow down, listen to yourself, and explore what’s asking for your attention.
Or come practice with me!
If you’re in Baltimore, join me Saturday, October 10, 2026, at The Space Within in Hampden. I’ll lead you through this guided meditation, and then you’ll have a chance to share what came up and reflect together.
Photo by John Jennings on Unsplash.