Hello Darkness My Old Friend 🌒

EDITION 14

This week, I’m asking myself: What do you do with your hope, your faithful routines, when the world seems determined to test every ounce of it?

That feeling crept into my bones today.

Disillusionment is the only word I can find to describe it.

You spend weeks—months, even—doing your best to stay positive, tending that little flame of faith through all the dips and dead ends. You face the “you shall not pass” moments (like I wrote about in Edition 11) with the same gusto as Gandalf at the Bridge of Khazad-dûm. And yet, opportunities still fade, promises are broken, and doors (le sigh) shut without explanation.

Sometimes, no matter how gently—or steadfast-ly—we hold onto hope, the universe replies, Not yet, Sarah... or, Not this way, Sarah.

And you’re left confused, like: “But... which way, then?!”

It’s easy to let those moments sink deep into the fabric of your days. Disappointment creeps in, clouding your previously peach-tinted horizon and convincing you there’s nothing more ahead.

But, fair friend, give not up.

(Yes, you read that correctly.)

If you pause—just for a breath (or three, in my case)—and let yourself sit with the ache and the silence, a deeper wisdom will bubble up.

This is the space where remembering happens: remembering the light within the darkness, even in the funkiest funk of uncertainty.

There’s a saying: “The only way out is through.” That’s one piece of the puzzle. The other? Standing still long enough for the noise to fade away. Giving yourself space to let silence become the unexpected ally you never knew you needed.

Picture yourself as the moon, pausing at its brightest before the waning phase.

Yes—I believe even the moon takes a moment.

So, if you’re feeling upended or unmoored, here’s your invite:

• What are you still giving your precious energy to, even though it’s ready to end?

• What might happen if you let go—even for a moment—and allowed yourself the gift of quiet?

• Is there a “full moon” in your life right now—something needing closure that you’ve been afraid to face?

Sometimes the hardest part is seeing things for what they are, and then giving yourself the grace to actually let go. Because even after the loudest endings—inner or outer—there is always a pocket of quiet possibility, waiting to be witnessed.

MINI CONTEMPLATION FOR THIS WEEK

Sit with tonight’s moon (or just take a quiet moment) and ask yourself:

• What echo or old story is loudest in your mind right now that you’d like to pack away for good?

• What would it look like to let stillness in, to “clear the field” for whatever is ready to be planted next?

• What hope, word, or wish could you carry forward with you, in the absence of all that old noise?

It’s worth us all remembering, dear friend:

No matter what endings or confrontations this wild (and often unpredictable) road brings, there is always a place for silence, for breathing, and for letting a new truth be born—if we will it so.

Sometimes, all you need to do to keep the light in your life is to make space for it.

That’s all for now.

Until next week!

Always light,

Shanna "letting in the quiet" Lindinger

P.S. If you’re clearing any fields, closing cycles, or simply noticing where the moon finds you—hit reply and share. Sometimes, saying it aloud is how the real letting go begins.

P.P.S. If you’d like to geek out on fun moon facts, you can follow this link.

P.P.P.S. The edition’s title and subline are inspired by Simon & Garfunkel’s classic, but I adore Disturbed’s version—give it a listen if you haven’t.

WILDER ESSENTIALS

What's On Shanna’s List of Things Right Now

▶ Thinking Spot: Coastal path walks with the pooch

▶ Podcast pick: The Rich Roll Podcast

▶ Current read: The Divine Matrix by Gregg Braden

▶ Writing setup: MacBook Pro + simple notebook and pen

Let’s keep exploring together