The Black Spot

 

 

When I was a boy I was an avid reader. I consumed (and was consumed by) any kind of adventure story – Last of the Mohicans, the Zane Gray books, Call of the Wild, and The Light in the Forest (which was based on real events in the very place where I lived) took me to the early frontier and gave me the thrill of being a skilled woodsman and fighter, bold and brave. Later on I caught the science fiction bug and devoured volumes and volumes of Bradbury, Asimov, Clarke and all the rest of the giants. I traveled through space and time, learning that there are no boundaries to the imagination, and that morality and clarity of thought exist everywhere in the Universe.

One of my early favorites was Treasure Island. I’d learned early on to decipher the rather elaborate language and writing style of the early classics, and actually enjoyed it.  I wasn’t a Hardy Boys or Tom Swift fan… too plain.

Treasure Island had it all, for me: adventure on the high seas, treachery and bravery, buried treasure and mystery… and pirates! I did identify with the young protagonist Jim Hawkins; but man, to be a pirate. Not a care in the world, even while facing constant danger from the Royal Navy as well as your own comrades. I didn’t know what rum or grog tasted like, but I was sure they must be like sweet nectar to a pirate.

Yaarrrr….

One of the things in the book that fascinated me was the pirates’ use of the “Black Spot”. It was invented by Robert Louis Stevenson, but I didn’t know that. What a device! When a judgment was brought down by the pirate crew,  the one judged was given a round piece of paper blackened on one side, with writing on the other side showing the sentence. It either involved imminent mutiny, or usually a death sentence, or both. At the time, I didn’t think to wonder why they gave the guy a heads-up like that. But, pirates apparently being a superstitious lot and generally without much structure, I’m guessing it was meant to give them a sort of formal procedure like a death sentence in court. It made it OK, in a way. To be given the Black Spot was to be given a way to make peace with your maker, who you would soon meet.

In my own life, I’ve sometimes used the symbol as a shorthand for some circumstances and situations in my life. Being called to the principle’s office is a black spot – uh-oh. Being asked to see the CEO of the company where you work can be a black spot… umm, see ya later and be out of the building in fifteen minutes. And anytime someone says, “we need to talk”, well.

Self-inflicted

But in the past few years, I’ve come to see the black spot as a slightly different metaphor. It will always stand for “foreboding”, but as I’ve begun my real journey into the world of spiritual and personal development, it also has taken on a new meaning: a small spot of darkness in the midst of the field of light.

Many of us (including myself), find ourselves at some point in a dark pit. There Is little light in there; or more properly we cannot see it. We hurt so badly that we’re blind to the light that’s available to us.

But if we don’t give up, keep learning and seeking our personal truth, eventually the light dawns. And if we keep at it the light grows into a radiance that shows we’re supported, that things are going to be OK, that there’s really no reason to be afraid.

But, being human and imperfect in this form, there is no rigid constancy. Some days you get the bear, some days the bear gets you a little bit. All part of the game.

But when we do get close to the perfection of positivity, to where 99% of our thoughts are positive or at least accepting, the more important the little black spots become. In your new field of light, those spots stand out more than ever before.

Dig them out!

The existence of those glitches in your outlook should be very obvious, but sometimes they’re so ingrained in your habitual thinking that you don’t see them (which is where a good coach or mentor can come in handy). Momentary residual negativity like resentment, fear, and holding onto grudges puts black spots into your otherwise translucently beautiful outlook, and therefore your ability to manifest the life you want is made just a little bit harder. It’s like putting drops of black paint into a pail of white. Keep doing that, and your beautiful white paint gets just a little more dull. Continue long enough and your bucket of thoughts becomes gray – and so does your existence.

Root out the black spots. Don’t allow yourself to hand you those foreboding notes saying you’re not good enough, you’re not loved, you won’t succeed. And if you need someone to help point those out, I’ll be here. We’ll play pirate together. 🙂