dark luminaire

the fire was raging from a deep, dark pit.

the heat was heavy.

the air uneasy.

i wasn’t ready for what came next.

from the darkness a figure rose.

it struck straight into my fear, made my blood curdle on impact.

it looked at me like it was reading my soul.

i no longer felt human.

my body froze.

i couldn’t move or think the way i normally did.

everything i thought i was fell away.

all that remained was the essence of who i was not

and the fear that had been stopping me.

i couldn’t run.

i couldn’t fight.

the only thing left was to face it.

i stayed where i was

and began to soften.

i asked myself what it was about this figure that held such power over me.

i spoke to it.

asked it what it was

why it was here

what it wanted.

and slowly i began to understand fear at its core.

why it existed.

why it had taken this shape.

why i had created it as part of my own psyche.

understanding turned into acceptance.

acceptance into recognition.

i could see where it came from and why it stayed.

i thanked it.

i loved it.

i hugged it and said i love you.

that demon

that horror

that fear i had been running from

became my greatest ally.

it showed me where i was.

it helped me understand myself.

it gave me a way to grow instead of hide.

when you’re willing to descend into the depths of who you are

and accept every part without resistance

you don’t lose yourself.

you illuminate what was always there.

this is luminessence

the dark luminaire

the light that only exists because you were willing to face the dark.