Here in Europe, I have come across a couple of people who talk about “dark forces” or entities, and claim to have seen them.
It’s quite possible that something may appear as dark forces, and yet…..
It’s so easily a distraction. It can be made into a belief, which in turn can be stressful and misleading. It can put a cause out there and a victim here.
Here are some other ways of looking at it, which may be more helpful:
It’s all lila – the play of life (AKA the divine). The appearances, our interpretations and everything else.
It’s all happening within and as what we are (AKA awareness, capacity).
It’s all unfindable. I cannot find it – forces, entities, dark, light, causes, outside, inside, me – outside of words, images and sensations.
It’s a projection. Whatever I see “out there” is also here. I can take any story I have about what’s out there, and find how it’s true for me too. I can find a specific example of how it’s true for me, and then another, and another.
None of this is saying that what can appear as dark forces/entities doesn’t exist. That question is not so relevant in this context. (Although it could be interesting as a research topic.) What’s more interesting to me, is what’s more true. And for me, that’s lila, that it’s happening as what I am, that it’s – all of it – unfindable, and that I can find in me and here what I see “out there”.
There are also other stories about this that are as or more true, at least for me, than the standard ones I have heard. For instance, it’s all love.
These forces reflect back to me what’s here, helping me to see it and take responsibility for it, and that’s love.
It’s (unquestioned, unloved) fear and wounds in me that makes me behave in ways that may appear dark and self-destructive. These parts of me wants to protect me, and that’s love.
I can hold these parts of me in quiet presence and love. That’s the invitation, and – in a sense – what they seek and wish for.
In all of these ways, it’s really love. It’s love all around. (It may seem scary, and the opposite of love, before it’s met with curiosity and love, before it’s questioned and loved.)
A final thing here: This is not condoning any harmful or hurtful action. To the contrary, this allows for a more clear and wise action, including saying “no” to certain behaviors. I can find presence and love for hurt and wounded parts of me, and that makes it more possible for me to not act on them in hurtful ways. (Not that it’s always that easy or straight forward. There is often a confused phase before the way I relate to these hurts and wounds heal, and perhaps they heal too.)
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– some folks, talk about dark forces/entities etc.
– and yet, so easily a distraction….. (and a belief, which can be stressful and misleading – putting the “cause” out there + a victim here)
– a projection of what’s here, take responsibility here (own fears, wounds, hangups, which makes me act in ways that can be labeled “dark” or “self-destructive”)
– can also see as lila + happening within/as what we are + unfindable (holding it more lightly)
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There are also other stories about this that are as or more true, at least for me, than the standard ones I have heard. For instance, it’s all love. These forces reflect back to me what’s here, helping me to see it, take responsibility for it, and hold it in love. It’s (unquestioned, unloved) fear and wounds in me that makes me behave in ways that appear dark and self-destructive, so I can meet them with love.