The month of Av is a strange balance of darkness and light. I’ve learned to love the darkness as much as the light. From a spiritual perspective, it might sound strange, let me explain.
If you don’t know, I studied art, and one of my classes was photography. Old school, dark room developing photos.
Here are some tools used in the darkroom.
Safe Light
The use of a darkroom is to print your photographs in the traditional way. It’s completely dark – apart from a red light called a “safe light”. This “safe light” is important because it allows the photographer to handle the light-sensitive materials necessary to make traditional darkroom prints. Darkroom papers are orthochromatic – which means they are partially blind to red light. Therefore they can be handled, under dim red light without exposing them and ruining the paper.
The Enlarger
An enlarger is a projector used to create your photographic prints. Shining light through the negative transfers the image from the negative and enlarges it onto your paper.
Focus Finder
A Focus Finder is used to help you focus on the enlarger. It is vital part of the process because if you don’t focus properly, you will get blurry prints. While looking through it, the image is magnified, and the actual grain of the negative can be seen. Helping you identify when the image is in sharp focus.
My Experience in the darkroom
I remember as a student walking into the dark room. You would step into this space small enough for only one person at a time. The door would rotate so that, no light would filter into the darkroom. Regardless of the dim red light in the room, I would take a moment and stand at the door to adjust to my surroundings. At first, you don’t see the red light, only darkness. During some of the processes in developing the photos, the safe light could not be used. It was so dark you could not see your hand in front of your face.
We had an opportunity to study the room with the lights on before we started the process, but you still needed time to know your surroundings. After a while, I knew where each table, developer trays, enlargers, tongs, tools, etc. was. I could see in the dark. I remember while at home, I would also do a lot more things in the dark. I still do to this day.
Hello darkness My old friend
Growing up in the church I was taught that darkness is bad, and you have to run away from it. But I’ve learned not to judge my dark moments and allow myself to adjust to the darkness until I can see the light.
Just like in the darkroom, there was a moment of adjustment. Standing still and allowing all my senses to acclimatize to my new surroundings. Once that happened, I could SEE!
In many ways, it is the same with life. When we can practice and learn to sit still for a moment in our deepest darkest moments we can acclimatize without reaction. Then we will be able to see the Glory revealed through the darkness. You will have eyes of red fire that can SEE no matter how dark it is. If there is a reaction in the darkness and panic rises, you will bump into all objects, and you can’t find your tools.
Focus
The Focus finder in my opinion is probably one of the most important tools in the darkroom. I remember turning the wheel, right, left, right, and left to find the perfect focus. Who wants a blurry photo?
During seasons in life, we might not have 100% clear, sharp focus. That’s why it is important not to run away from the darkness until you have the focus set at 100%. It might take a long time to find focus, but it could also be an immediate clear image. How would you know until you keep turning the dial for clear resolution?
This is the first part where you become the observer of the darkness, watching until you find the exposing light.
Not all light effects the darkness
In the darkroom, you have two lights, red “safe light” and the exposure light. Your exposure light would only come on for maybe 1-3 minutes. If the negative was very dense then maybe 20min.
The red light had little to no effect on the photographic paper. Only white light exposed the image that’s on the negative to the paper. In a blink of an eye, the time of exposure was up. After the exposure time, the paper would be placed into a developer, rinsed, and fixed. Wala, the photo is imprinted for life.
In the same way, the light that shines on situations in life might only be a glimpse. For a second you could see the door, the answer, the exposure. Imprinted in your spirit, and a glimpse seen in your soul.
But once it has gone through the developer, cleanser, and fixer, it is set for life, the journey to walk.
Don’t be in a hurry
Our eagerness to change things or fear of darkness can lead us to miss the Glory glimpse revealing the truth. When do we learn to be ok with sitting in the stillness in silence in dark places unless we practice it? When do we become the observers of the darkness, focusing our eyes, adjusting the lenses until we see the Glory sharp and in focus? Light needs darkness to be light, and the same is true for the darkness. Learn to become the observer of the darkness, until the Glory is revealed.
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Psalm 91:1
“He set darkness for his refuge and his tabernacle around him, and darkness of waters in clouds of the air.” Psalm 8:11
Excellent word as I am learning to be still and know my God who calls Himself that I Am God.
Growing up I was always afraid of the dark. This really opened up my thinking about the dark in a new way. Thank you Tan-Yah!
Having been in a dark room before I totally understand and could visualize your example. Thank you for this blessing!
That is Awesome Dorothy, I’m glad it could speak to you. Blessings