Word Nerd: Nyctophilia

Nyctophilia is a preference for the night or darkness and in Greek it mean “friend of the dark“. A nyctophiliac  (one who has nyctophilia) is one who finds a sense of relief and comfort in darkness. Nyctophilia is not very well known since many are more familiar with nyctophobia, which is the fear of the dark. To know nyctophilia is to understand the comforts that come with the settling of the night in all it’s deep, darkness. To feel the embrace of the unique sort of stillness that comes from the quiet darkness as it surrounds and imbues one with it’s velvety deepness. The dark is not inherently scary or comfortless, in fact it’s one’s thoughts that cannot be hidden or kept at bay in the still of the dark that can make it seem so. To a nyctophiliac, the darkness is peace, safety, a haven from an otherwise relentless, chaotic world. 

Darkness of the night, my friend / a close companion where release depends. / I run no longer from the deep / the edges of my soul I seek / for in those depths I find myself / facing truths my will sorts out. / The vastness of the night draws near / I find a freedom, a peace secured. / Not lost, but found / a velvet rest / In that darkness a whole confessed. ~ Nyctophilia a Poem by Ella

Nyctophilia is a rather gorgeous word and something of a soul-soothing practice, for where but in the deepest of darkness can one recognize the light within?

Namaste ~ Ella

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