--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In Western culture, there's a dichotomy…" description: "\"In Western culture, there's a dichotomy between the easy narratives of God and the Devil. I now believe in this greater overarching spiritual thing. We..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12b/kevin-sessums-9486_believe_in-western-culture-there-s-a-dichotomy-b_1550667.jpg" --- # In Western culture, there's a dichotomy between the easy… ![“In Western culture, there's a dichotomy between the easy narratives of God and the Devil. I now believe in this greater overarching spiritual thing. We are the light and the dark, and have to own the darkness. It's part of us. It's not evil. It's needed. You need to own both of them to be whole…” quote by Kevin Sessums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12b/kevin-sessums-9486_believe_in-western-culture-there-s-a-dichotomy-b_1550667.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12b/kevin-sessums-9486_believe_in-western-culture-there-s-a-dichotomy-b_1550667.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/12b/kevin-sessums-9486_believe_in-western-culture-there-s-a-dichotomy-b_1550667.jpg) > “In Western culture, there's a dichotomy between the easy narratives of God and the Devil. I now believe in this greater overarching spiritual thing. We are the light and the dark, and have to own the darkness. It's part of us. It's not evil. It's needed. You need to own both of them to be whole. Absorb it, and live it as part of your life.” [Kevin Sessums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sessums/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Balancing light and dark aspects within oneself leads to wholeness; embracing both is essential for personal growth. **In simple terms:** Accept both good and bad parts of yourself. Key Takeaway Integrate shadows to become whole. Themes self‑acceptance spirituality wholeness Mood reflective introspective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - therapy - personal development - spiritual practice - creative expression Key Concepts dualism shadow work integration Questions to Reflect On - What part of yourself do you resist? - How can embracing flaws improve relationships? A Different Perspective Neglecting the dark side can cause repression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Darkness Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness-evil/) [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) [Dichotomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dichotomy/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Narrative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/narrative/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Western](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western/) [Western culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western-culture/) ## Related quotes > [This is a concept that western culture has forgotten : everything is one! The idea of dichotomy is deeply wrong and nothing is better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiziano-terzani/this-is-a-concept-that-western-culture-has-forgotten-everything-is/) [Tiziano Terzani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiziano-terzani/) > [I believe in the Devil. I believe there's a God, too. I met God at church - the Catholic Church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trippie-redd/i-believe-in-the-devil-i-believe-there-s-a-god-too-i-met-god-at/) [Trippie Redd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trippie-redd/) > [To worship the devil, you have to believe in it first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-skiba/to-worship-the-devil-you-have-to-believe-in-it-first/) [Matt Skiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-skiba/) > [“You might not believe in the devil, but do you believe evil lurks in this world?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicki-elson/you-might-not-believe-in-the-devil-but-do-you-believe-evil-lurks-in/) [Nicki Elson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicki-elson/) > [When we are born we are magical and loving and full of wonder. But darkness and ignorance surround us at every corner. Until the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-ridley/when-we-are-born-we-are-magical-and-loving-and-full-of-wonder-but/) [Philip Ridley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-ridley/) > [Too many Christians live their lives like slaves - to the devil - because they believe his lies more than they trust God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/too-many-christians-live-their-lives-like-slaves-to-the-devil-because/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [They want you to think that darkness or evil is only something that gets inflicted on you by the outside world, but I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-bracken/they-want-you-to-think-that-darkness-or-evil-is-only-something-that/) [Alexandra Bracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-bracken/) > [“I can’t control the world. I can’t make the world a safe place for my children. They may face trouble and they may struggle.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-forrest/i-can-t-control-the-world-i-can-t-make-the-world-a-safe-place-for-my/) [Bella Forrest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-forrest/) > [There are many ways to portray darkness and evil and it isn't all in being mean and tough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-mcnerney/there-are-many-ways-to-portray-darkness-and-evil-and-it-isn-t-all-in/) [Mat McNerney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-mcnerney/) > [He had no one but himself to blame, for he’d opened himself up to it. Just a fraction at first, like a crack in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gena-showalter/he-had-no-one-but-himself-to-blame-for-he-d-opened-himself-up-to-it/) [Gena Showalter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gena-showalter/) > [In Western Catholicism, darkness was evil. In the colonial and imperial context, dark skin was always weak, powerless, subjugated. If you see these images…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-james-marshall/in-western-catholicism-darkness-was-evil-in-the-colonial-and-imperial/) [Kerry James Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-james-marshall/) > [“But they were doughnuts of darkness. Evil, damned doughnuts, tainted by the spawn of darkness . . . . . . which could obviously be redeemed only by passing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/but-they-were-doughnuts-of-darkness-evil-damned-doughnuts-tainted-by/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“And perhaps, Mrs. Morgan on Lanypwll Farm put all this much better in the speech of symbolism, when she murmured about the children of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-machen/and-perhaps-mrs-morgan-on-lanypwll-farm-put-all-this-much-better-in/) [Arthur Machen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-machen/) > [Is it true.. That we all have darkness in us? That some are more evil, dark, and enrage with hate than others? If so,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lajunejean/is-it-true-that-we-all-have-darkness-in-us-that-some-are-more-evil/) [LaJuneJean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lajunejean/) > [“Who am I to judge others for the choices they make? If a soul is born to be wild, it will only grow angry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-hamm/who-am-i-to-judge-others-for-the-choices-they-make-if-a-soul-is-born/) [Emma Hamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-hamm/) ## More by Kevin Sessums > [ \[Calvin Trilllin\] is not writing about things that I can criticize. I can call these other people out for what I think they are… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sessums/calvin-trilllin-is-not-writing-about-things-that-i-can-criticize-i/) [Kevin Sessums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sessums/) > [I get rejections from the New Yorker. When I had to give a little talk to the people graduating from the MBA program at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sessums/i-get-rejections-from-the-new-yorker-when-i-had-to-give-a-little-talk/) [Kevin Sessums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sessums/) > [ \[Larry Kramer\] thinks Charles de Gaulle was gay. He thinks Max Schmeling was gay. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sessums/larry-kramer-thinks-charles-de-gaulle-was-gay-he-thinks-max-schmeling/) [Kevin Sessums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sessums/) > [I was raped. That was a hard thing to write about. I never owned that part of it. Guys don't look at themselves as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sessums/i-was-raped-that-was-a-hard-thing-to-write-about-i-never-owned-that/) [Kevin Sessums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sessums/) > [ Sometimes if I am walking down the street and thinking about my panoply of God, Ganesha, Parvati \[Ganesha's mother\], I say "Lucifer," because he… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sessums/sometimes-if-i-am-walking-down-the-street-and-thinking-about-my/) [Kevin Sessums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sessums/) > [To some people, knowledge and science are everything. To me, God is everything I don't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sessums/to-some-people-knowledge-and-science-are-everything-to-me-god-is/) [Kevin Sessums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sessums/) > [I was not "shoe." That's a misuse of the term "shoe," which is derived from "white shoe."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sessums/i-was-not-shoe-that-s-a-misuse-of-the-term-shoe-which-is-derived-from/) [Kevin Sessums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sessums/) > [My father always wanted me to be president of the United States, and his fallback position was that I not become a ward of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sessums/my-father-always-wanted-me-to-be-president-of-the-united-states-and/) [Kevin Sessums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sessums/) > [I just so desperately wanted to be published in New Yorker, and I'd so desperately try to get something in it. But I'd always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sessums/i-just-so-desperately-wanted-to-be-published-in-new-yorker-and-i-d-so/) [Kevin Sessums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sessums/) > [ We didn't know each other \[with Larry Kramer at Yale\], but we had a lot of mutual friends. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sessums/we-didn-t-know-each-other-with-larry-kramer-at-yale-but-we-had-a-lot/) [Kevin Sessums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sessums/) > [ David Remnick \[the New Yorker's editor in chief\]is about as interested in anything gay as I am interested in anything to do with baseball.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sessums/david-remnick-the-new-yorker-s-editor-in-chief-is-about-as-interested/) [Kevin Sessums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sessums/) > [ I believe we really became friends \[with Larry Kramer\] when we bonded at our fifteenth class reunion in 1972. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sessums/i-believe-we-really-became-friends-with-larry-kramer-when-we-bonded/) [Kevin Sessums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sessums/) > [ One of the few nice things about \[time in Yale\] was you got to know people before there were labels on them, so you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sessums/one-of-the-few-nice-things-about-time-in-yale-was-you-got-to-know/) [Kevin Sessums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sessums/) > [I wrote an essay too, and mine started something like, "When I was asked to contribute to this book, I said, 'I could do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sessums/i-wrote-an-essay-too-and-mine-started-something-like-when-i-was-asked/) [Kevin Sessums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sessums/) > [When one person mentors, two lives are changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sessums/when-one-person-mentors-two-lives-are-changed/) [Kevin Sessums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sessums/) [Explore all 72 Kevin Sessums quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sessums/) ## More Believe quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/) [Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/) > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/) [Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/) [Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/) [Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/) > [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/) [Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/) > [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/) [Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/) Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In Western culture, there's a dichotomy between the easy narratives of God and the Devil. I now believe in this greater overarching spiritual thing. We are the light and the dark, and have to own the darkness. It's part of us. It's not evil. It's needed. You need to own both of them to be whole. 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