Amy Rose, LCSW
I’m a therapist and social worker, writer and spiritual seeker, and for many years I’ve studied and practiced Taoist principles in my life and work. Taoism is a way of living in alignment with the energy of nature, in order to bring the individual, community and world into greater harmony. I spend a lot of time appreciating the beauty of nature, and as you can probably tell, I absolutely love roses!
In fact, I’ve come to believe that everything you need to know about your true nature, you can learn from the energy of a rose. A rose emerges from the soil with its roots deeply planted in the earth, reaches for the light, and offers its beauty and majesty for all the world to see and delight in. It can remind us of a very important principle in nature, which I believe is essential to understanding and coping with a dark night of the soul.
As you probably know, we plant a seed in darkness because this is what triggers its inherent capacity to reach for the light, and reaching for the light is how all things grow. That means we actually need darkness in life in order to have the capacity to grow, change and evolve through the seasons of our lives.
But when you are struggling or suffering in life, it can be hard to accept that your dark moments are actually helping you to grow and blossom into something beautiful. I struggled to accept this when I experienced my own dark night of the soul and I know what it feel like to have your life implode and suddenly have everything you once loved disappear. It took me many years of practice to learn how to reach for the light and today I have enormous empathy and compassion for the pain and suffering of others.
Compassion awakes our desire to help others, which is another thing the energy of nature can teach us. Everything in the natural world exists in relationship, and there is no concept of separation or isolation. Eventually, everything in nature gives up its form in order to serve a higher system. Since we are part of nature and the natural order, it is natural for us to live in relationship with our community, allow for change that serves the common good, and reach for the light.
So, how do we reach for the light? I believe it begins by recognizing that the essence of who you are is a spark of the divine, and when you are able to restore your connection to this light and power inside of you, healing and transformation occur. As you allow your light to shine in the world around you, you light the way for others who may be struggling with their own dark night of the soul, and to me, this is how we form a community that can delight the world.
One of the greatest examples of a community that does this, is Findhorn Foundation, which is a spiritual community, a learning center and an Ecovillage in Scotland that has served as a source of deep inspiration to me in my own journey (www.findhorn.org).
Findhorn was founded on the principles that: work is Love in action, wisdom comes from listening to and honoring the spirit within, and the commitment to co- create with nature leads us to make choices that support our personal wellbeing, as well as the wellbeing of our planet and global community.
These principles have become the foundation of my own spiritual practice and are what I want you to know about who I am and the counseling and mentoring I offer my clients. I hope we can join together and create a community that reaches for the light and delights the world.
In fact, I’ve come to believe that everything you need to know about your true nature, you can learn from the energy of a rose. A rose emerges from the soil with its roots deeply planted in the earth, reaches for the light, and offers its beauty and majesty for all the world to see and delight in. It can remind us of a very important principle in nature, which I believe is essential to understanding and coping with a dark night of the soul.
As you probably know, we plant a seed in darkness because this is what triggers its inherent capacity to reach for the light, and reaching for the light is how all things grow. That means we actually need darkness in life in order to have the capacity to grow, change and evolve through the seasons of our lives.
But when you are struggling or suffering in life, it can be hard to accept that your dark moments are actually helping you to grow and blossom into something beautiful. I struggled to accept this when I experienced my own dark night of the soul and I know what it feel like to have your life implode and suddenly have everything you once loved disappear. It took me many years of practice to learn how to reach for the light and today I have enormous empathy and compassion for the pain and suffering of others.
Compassion awakes our desire to help others, which is another thing the energy of nature can teach us. Everything in the natural world exists in relationship, and there is no concept of separation or isolation. Eventually, everything in nature gives up its form in order to serve a higher system. Since we are part of nature and the natural order, it is natural for us to live in relationship with our community, allow for change that serves the common good, and reach for the light.
So, how do we reach for the light? I believe it begins by recognizing that the essence of who you are is a spark of the divine, and when you are able to restore your connection to this light and power inside of you, healing and transformation occur. As you allow your light to shine in the world around you, you light the way for others who may be struggling with their own dark night of the soul, and to me, this is how we form a community that can delight the world.
One of the greatest examples of a community that does this, is Findhorn Foundation, which is a spiritual community, a learning center and an Ecovillage in Scotland that has served as a source of deep inspiration to me in my own journey (www.findhorn.org).
Findhorn was founded on the principles that: work is Love in action, wisdom comes from listening to and honoring the spirit within, and the commitment to co- create with nature leads us to make choices that support our personal wellbeing, as well as the wellbeing of our planet and global community.
These principles have become the foundation of my own spiritual practice and are what I want you to know about who I am and the counseling and mentoring I offer my clients. I hope we can join together and create a community that reaches for the light and delights the world.