Integrating my dark side was a fairly torturous process for me, partly because I made it harder than it had to be. Apparently I do that a lot. :) One of problems at time was my inability to get out of my own way and I continually tried to micro-manage process rather than giving in to it and going where it wanted to take me. Part of that was from my own misconceptions about light and dark and my reactions to them. Many of us spend a long time trying to suppress various elements of our light and dark sides partially because we're taught to believe that light is 'good' and dark is 'evil' as if 2 extremes didn't exist in all of us. For example, a lot of healers tend to shy away from dark side and when it does manifest it's usually in some context that healer may be shocked by or ashamed of. Thereafter healer may have a negative connotation with dark side of their being. Sometimes these connotations can come from events that happen when we're small children or even possibly be hold-overs from past lives. It's important to find examples of dark and light that can be manifested positively and enjoyably as everything has to balance and it’s unnatural for us to always be one or other. Music, dance, theatre, movies, martial arts and sexuality are some of ways that you can find positive examples of both dark and light. In reality you can find positive examples anywhere, these are some that I personally enjoy. This is where self awareness part of kundalini awakening comes in. You have to know yourself well enough to become comfortable with all aspects of your personality, and to find creative ways to balance your proclivities. If you spend all day giving reiki treatments and listening to soothing new age music then take some time in evening and pop in a suitably dark movie or some nice dark music on stereo. If you choose music then turn off lights, close your eyes and do some moving meditation and ecstatic dancing. You might be surprised at what you’re able to clean out of your system this way. What’s important here is to learn to be comfortable with your dualities, and then get beyond them. This can be a journey of self discovery that can take you places that you didn’t know you could go.

Dealing with Negativity Once you begin to become comfortable with your dualities you can begin to associate with positive (good for you) light and dark traits and abilities. Keeping a positive mindset is extremely important here as you’re pushing your comfort levels to new extremes. We usually lump negativity into ‘Dark’ category, but having a negative attitude isn’t a positive dark trait.  Remember that this is all about developing your own sense of personal mastery. When you give in to negative feelings and emotions then you are giving away your personal power.

It’s important to establish a daily practice and then stick to it. This doesn’t mean dedicating 12 hours a day to meditation, it just means creating a space in your home where you can take a few minutes and meditate and do exercises. I advise people to start with some of basic exercises and devote 10 -20 minutes a day as they develop their physical and mental abilities. Many people quite simply overload themselves and expect too much too soon, then get discouraged when they don’t see results they thought they should see.