Many cultures around the world revere at least one kind of dark goddess, and while this can certainly refer to skin color, it also suggests a certain kind of energetic expression having to do with deep mysteries of the human and cosmic experience.

Kali, Cybele, Ereshkigal, Dakini, Spider Woman, the Morrigan, Hecate - all these are ancient names of power relating to the goddesses of the night. Yet, that night is also a rich symbol of the dark, unfathomable mysteries in our human experiences - life, death, sex, transformation, and the bottomless wellsprings of love.

Take one look at our current Western culture, and it's not hard to see that we have issues with all of the above. Life? We spend so much time repressing it that we often miss it altogether. Death? Oh, forget it. We avoid, bargain with, cheat it, yet also court it at the same time. We deny it altogether (Terri Schiavo, anyone?), or use it as a blackmail tool (Sept. 11). Sex? Does anything really need to be said? Transformation terrfies us, usually, because it relates to death and endings. And love? Well, in a country where large groups of people would rather spend their time protesting a same-sex couple's right to express their love legally, I think the issues here are obvious.

One only needs to see these and countless other examples of societal derangement to discover that our relationship to the Dark Mother needs some serious work. Once we begin to embrace these qualities within ourselves, we can begin to heal them and engage in the world around us in a remarkable way. Making peace and even love to our deepest passions allows us to reach heights of great compassion for others and the world around us. A breaking heart or one that sings with joy is one that can connect to peoples of all backgrounds.

Recognizing that all of our experiences - life, sensuality, death, - are part of the divine "lila"/play of Shakti, yoga's primordial goddess power, means that absolutely everything is sacred. We are never out of the loop of holiness. We are always hooked up to Mystery. We can make poor choices, ones that hurt others and ourselves, but that doesn't mean we're somehow beyond the pale. Often through those very bitter nights, we come to appreciate the light of day in ways that were previously unimaginable.

Embrace the night and the delirium of moonlight. It might just change your life and even the world.