Opening to Darkness

Eight Gateways for Being with the Absence of Light in Unsettling Times
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Opening to Darkness is a profound exploration of darkness, drawing on the ancient wisdom found in Zen Buddhism and African and Native American indigenous traditions. It is through this spiritual journey that we disrupt how we relate to darkness and blackness and our constant longing for light.

Full Description

“In darkness, we become devoted to clarity, courage, peace, and harmony. We discover the basic goodness of all humanity when we experience darkness together,” Zenju Earthlyn Manuel writes. “Life itself is a dark experience—a magical experience.” 

When you hear the word “darkness,” what does it make you feel—horror, danger, or maybe despair? We’ve been conditioned to fear and avoid darkness and blackness, yet Zenju Earthlyn Manuel challenges us to consider: “What if we chose to go deeper into darkness instead of running from it? What might we find there beyond our longing for light?”

Drawing on the ancient wisdom found in Zen Buddhism and African and Native American indigenous traditions, Osho Zenju reveals how a change in perspective and increased wisdom can help us awaken to the sacredness of dark experiences in our lives—so we may experience a reality beyond avoidance and fear.

Opening to Darkness will take you on a courageous journey into the mandala of darkness, a symbolic expression of your inner world, where you will travel through eight gateways that are inspired by Buddha’s Eightfold Path. Along your way, you will meet dark mothers from India, Nigeria, Japan, Haiti, and Dahomey, who both protect and destroy. Osho Zenju provides reflective inquiry, blessings, and meditations as you navigate your way through the vast depths of the unseen.

It is through this spiritual pilgrimage that we learn how to:

  • Experience the wonders of life that can flourish only in the dark
  • Discover a collective doorway to healing and deep transformation
  • Awaken to the illusory nature of light versus dark
  • Illuminate false perceptions and beliefs of darkness
  • Heal the fear and anxiety around darkness and blackness
Wrapped in gorgeous lyrical prose, Osho Zenju’s offerings provide deep soul relief and collective strength to embrace the dark—so we may reunite with the sacred process of darkness that flows through the canvas of our lives.
Format Details
Paperback Book eBook
Contents Paperback Book (240 pages) eBook (240 pages)
Dimensions 6 x 9 inches
Product Code BK06311 BK06311W
ISBN Number 978-1-68364-861-1 978-1-68364-862-8
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Zenju Earthlyn Manuel

About Zenju Earthlyn Manuel

Osho Zenju Earthlyn Manuel, PhD, is an author, poet, ordained Zen Buddhist priest, teacher, and artist, whose diverse background, education, and experience all provide a unique integral and cultural perspective within the space of religion and spirituality. She is the author of The Shamanic Bones of ZenThe Way of TendernessThe Deepest Peace, and more. Manuel is a native of California and now resides in New Mexico. Learn more at zenju.org.

Author photo © Vaschelle André

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