Use Darkness to Shed Light

During these winter solstice days, I'd like to share one of my very favorite insights from the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus:

"It is disease that makes health pleasant, hunger that makes fullness good, and weariness that makes rest sweet."

There is a lot to think about in these words, and obviously this insight can be interpreted in several ways. But today I believe the creative strategy Heraclitus has in mind is:

“Use darkness to shed light.”

Heraclitus is saying that we don't fully appreciate something until we have thought about or experienced its opposite. For example, success is more rewarding if we've tasted defeat, life more precious if we've been close to death, and love dearer if lost and regained.

As the German novelist Hermann Hesse put it, "Any life expands and flowers only through division and contradiction. What are reason and sobriety without the knowledge of intoxication? What is sensuality without death standing behind it? What is love without the eternal enmity of the sexes?"

Expressed another way, piano virtuoso Artur Schnabel once explained the secret of his artistry by saying, "The notes I handle no better than many pianists. But the pauses between the notes — ah, that is where the art resides!" The 13th-century Sufi poet Rumi had a similar insight, "Every craftsman searches for what's not there to practice his craft."

So, the questions this insight suggests are: What's “dark” or missing in your current situation? How does it shed light on what is there?

For me personally, the short days shed light on the many good things that have happened to me this year. This includes the health and well-being of my family and the people close to me.

I'm also quite grateful for the many opportunities I've had this year including travel to Japan, China, Vietnam, and Morocco; getting the Ball of Whacks to market; participating in the FINA World Masters Swimming Championships; and diving into the blogosphere (finally) and meeting some very interesting people from all over the world.

To all who read this: may the light shine on you!

Comments

[Patrick]

That's something good to think about. I like to graphic above that looks like a question mark one way and a Phoenix the other way.

[David Armano]

Patrick, I had no idea that was a question mark. I always assumed it was a Phoenix! Wow, that's an insight as to how I view the world.

Roger, was the graphic meant to look like a Pheonix as well?

[Roger von Oech]

Patrick: And if you look at it upside down, it looks like a seal bouncing a ball on its nose! Glad you like it. It's a graphic I did a long time ago when I started my company.

[Roger von Oech]

David: Yes, it was meant to look like several things. I was trying to emphasize the old "figure/ground" Gestalt idea, namely that when you reverse "figure" and "ground" of any situation, new things become apparent. I based the question mark on one from the font "Clarendon" (bold). (The type enthusiasts will recognize that.)

I think (hope) the graphic ties in with the message of the post which is: "Use darkness to shed light." (Or flipping your perspective gives new insight.)

[Tony D. Clark]

Awesome post, Roger – and I love the graphic. From the view of non-duality/duality, there is often the interpretation that one parallel cannot exist without the other – war/peace, dark/light, right/wrong, etc. One of the great principals of this is stillness – that all action arises from stillness. And action is what creates results.

Great food for thought...

[jonny]

great thought roger - have a great christmas!

[Paul McEnany]

always making us think...

kudos, another good one to chew on!

[Ann Handley]

Reminds me of what I say to my kids, "How can I miss you if you won't go away?"

No...just kidding. I never actually SAY that.

Great solstice post AND Rorshock graphic...all in one.

Merry, merry....!