Scintilla
Published in the book The Dark Nights of the Soul by Thomas Moore
“Being open to the beauty of the world and of life, you become susceptible to the divine force that lies at the very quick of life.
The alternative (to being open) is not absence of health but mediocrity.
What is mediocrity in life? It is the failure to let the inner brilliance shine.
Medieval theologians described this personal brilliance in the Latin word scintilla, the spark that lies at the heart of a person. When that inner genius shows itself in personality, way of life, values, and expression, mediocrity disappears. It is the cloud that prevents the spark from being seen. Mediocrity is the attitude of “do only what is necessary and sufficient.”
Dark nights of the soul play a role in transcending mediocrity. They force you to consider your situation and to feel the dark material out of which the spark arises.
Jung writes pages and pages about the spark, concluding ... “Numinosity entails luminosity.” The numinous is that mysterious power of life, seen in nature, people, and
works of craft and art, that inspires a sense of awe. It is the heart of religion and involved in the experience of falling in love. Something deep in you perceives something of immense value in the world.
Mediocrity covers over this a life-giving scintillation in yourself and in your world.”