--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is our light, not our darkness that…" description: "\"“It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us...There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/marianne-williamson-90_darkness_it-is-our-light-not-our-darkness-that-mo_2287814.jpg" --- # It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens… ![“It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us...There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you...We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.” quote by Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/marianne-williamson-90_darkness_it-is-our-light-not-our-darkness-that-mo_2287814.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/marianne-williamson-90_darkness_it-is-our-light-not-our-darkness-that-mo_2287814.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/marianne-williamson-90_darkness_it-is-our-light-not-our-darkness-that-mo_2287814.jpg) > ““It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us...There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you...We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.”” [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Our inner light, not darkness, frightens us; shrinking to protect others is unhelpful; we are meant to express divine glory. **In simple terms:** Light scares us more than darkness; we should not hide. Key Takeaway Embrace your inner brilliance. Themes spirituality self‑esteem authenticity Mood inspirational hopeful Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - leadership - personal development - community building - mental health Key Concepts divine purpose psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance light and darkness? - What does “manifesting glory” mean to you? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on light can ignore necessary shadows. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Darkness Frightens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness-frightens-406771/) [Enlightened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightened/) [Enlightened Shrinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enlightened-shrinking-2047499/) [Frightens Enlightened](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/frightens-enlightened-5363691/) [Glory of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/glory-of-god/) [Light Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light-darkness/) ## Related quotes > [It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/it-is-our-light-not-our-darkness-that-most-frightens-us/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/there-is-nothing-enlightened-about-shrinking-so-that-other-people/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [You are a Child of God. Your playing small does not serve the World,there is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/you-are-a-child-of-god-your-playing-small-does-not-serve-the-world/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/you-are-a-child-of-god-your-playing-small-does-not-serve-the-world-2/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. What scares you, is not your weaknesses, but your strengths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillaume-musso/it-is-our-light-not-our-darkness-that-most-frightens-us-what-scares/) [Guillaume Musso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillaume-musso/) > [“Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/our-deepest-fear-is-that-we-are-powerful-beyond-measure-it-is-our/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/there-is-nothing-enlightened-about-shrinking-so-that-other-people-2/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/there-is-nothing-enlightened-about-shrinking-so-that-other-people-won/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [“There is the darkness that frightens, the darkness that soothes, the darkness that is restful.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/there-is-the-darkness-that-frightens-the-darkness-that-soothes-the/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyson-noel/our-deepest-fear-is-not-that-we-are-inadequate-our-deepest-fear-is-13/) [Alyson Noel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyson-noel/) > [“There are different kinds of darkness,' Rhys said. I kept my eyes shut. 'There is the darkness that frightens, the darkness that soothes, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/there-are-different-kinds-of-darkness-rhys-said-i-kept-my-eyes-shut-2/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“There are different kinds of darkness,” Rhys said. I kept my eyes shut. “There is the darkness that frightens, the darkness that soothes, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/there-are-different-kinds-of-darkness-rhys-said-i-kept-my-eyes-shut/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/your-playing-small-does-not-serve-the-world-there-s-nothing/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-cassidy/your-playing-small-does-not-serve-the-world-there-is-nothing/) [Kay Cassidy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-cassidy/) > [There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you…As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/there-is-nothing-enlightened-about-shrinking-so-that-other-people-won-2/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## More by Marianne Williamson > [The goal of spiritual practice is full recovery, and the only thing you need to recover from is a fractured sense of self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-goal-of-spiritual-practice-is-full-recovery-and-the-only-thing/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [The reason so many of us are obsessed with becoming stars is because we are not yet starring in our own lives. The cosmic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-reason-so-many-of-us-are-obsessed-with-becoming-stars-is-because/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Great people are not people who have never fallen down. Greatness has to do with how you get back up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/great-people-are-not-people-who-have-never-fallen-down-greatness-has/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I feel that if your soul was branded by the sixties, you never lost the brand. It's like going into a nightclub and having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-feel-that-if-your-soul-was-branded-by-the-sixties-you-never-lost/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Until we have met the monsters in ourselves, we keep trying to slay them in the outer world. And we find that we cannot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/until-we-have-met-the-monsters-in-ourselves-we-keep-trying-to-slay/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [No matter how sad we might be, the universe is still planning our happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/no-matter-how-sad-we-might-be-the-universe-is-still-planning-our/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Love is who we are, and when we deviate from that love we're deviating from our ultimate, essential, eternal reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/love-is-who-we-are-and-when-we-deviate-from-that-love-we-re-deviating/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [For many, many people, getting married is one of the most important things they will ever do in the pursuit of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/for-many-many-people-getting-married-is-one-of-the-most-important/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [As all of us are only too aware, the loud and frantic voices of the outer world easily drown out the small, still loving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/as-all-of-us-are-only-too-aware-the-loud-and-frantic-voices-of-the/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [It is not too late. You are not too old. You are right on time-And you are better than you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/it-is-not-too-late-you-are-not-too-old-you-are-right-on-time-and-you/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I tell my mother I went to God in spite of my religious education. I feel that my religious education was inadequate, but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-tell-my-mother-i-went-to-god-in-spite-of-my-religious-education-i/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [You don't have to be a spiritual seeker, you can be a businessman dealing with the revolution in computers. You could be a congressman,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/you-don-t-have-to-be-a-spiritual-seeker-you-can-be-a-businessman/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Dear God, I surrender this thought to you, for I would see the miracle that lies behind it. Amen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/dear-god-i-surrender-this-thought-to-you-for-i-would-see-the-miracle/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Sex is not the ultimate high, but the ultimate high hangs out around sex. The ultimate high is the dance with another person, played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/sex-is-not-the-ultimate-high-but-the-ultimate-high-hangs-out-around/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) [Explore all 1,347 Marianne Williamson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) ## More Darkness quotes > [“Narrative cannot sustain formlessness any more than light can sustain darkness - it is the antithesis of formlessness, and so it can never truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/narrative-cannot-sustain-formlessness-any-more-than-light-can-sustain/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [“Wait here, wait here!" he cried and jumped up and began to run for help toward a cluster of lights he saw in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/wait-here-wait-here-he-cried-and-jumped-up-and-began-to-run-for-help/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [Strange - is it not? That of the myriads who Before us passed the door of Darkness through, Not one returns to tell us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/strange-is-it-not-that-of-the-myriads-who-before-us-passed-the-door/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Clear moments are so short. There is much more darkness. More ocean than terra firma. More shadow than form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-zagajewski/clear-moments-are-so-short-there-is-much-more-darkness-more-ocean/) [Adam Zagajewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-zagajewski/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > [I guess he'll have to figure out someday that he is supposed to have this dark side, that it is part of what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-guess-he-ll-have-to-figure-out-someday-that-he-is-supposed-to-have/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“I promise to respect and protect your aloneness, knowing that everything created must have its period of darkness: child and bulb, poem and personality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/i-promise-to-respect-and-protect-your-aloneness-knowing-that/) [anne morrow lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [The beauty of darkness is how it lets you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/the-beauty-of-darkness-is-how-it-lets-you-see/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [“Even in darkness your lips taste of sunshine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/even-in-darkness-your-lips-taste-of-sunshine/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [“Defy me not for gleam can only shine in my existence" said Darkness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/defy-me-not-for-gleam-can-only-shine-in-my-existence-said-darkness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What does he look like? The question was soft- tentative. I knew who he meant. I interlaced my fingers through Rhysand's and squeezed tightly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/what-does-he-look-like-the-question-was-soft-tentative-i-knew-who-he/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [The dream of coming back is becoming a reality. A lot of the uncertainty about the future has been cleared up. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tagliabue/the-dream-of-coming-back-is-becoming-a-reality-a-lot-of-the/) [Paul Tagliabue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tagliabue/) > [“Life is like coffee, the darker it gets, the more it energizes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankita-singhal/life-is-like-coffee-the-darker-it-gets-the-more-it-energizes/) [Ankita Singhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ankita-singhal/) > [Twinking tears in a sea of black. Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/) [Nicole Gentile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-gentile/) [Browse all 8,219 Darkness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us...There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you...We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marianne Williamson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/it-is-our-light-not-our-darkness-that-most-frightens-us-there-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Darkness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/it-is-our-light-not-our-darkness-that-most-frightens-us-there-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/marianne-williamson-90_darkness_it-is-our-light-not-our-darkness-that-mo_2287814.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/marianne-williamson-90_darkness_it-is-our-light-not-our-darkness-that-mo_2287814.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/marianne-williamson-90_darkness_it-is-our-light-not-our-darkness-that-mo_2287814.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us...There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so…” — Marianne Williamson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Marianne Williamson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It is our light, not our...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/it-is-our-light-not-our-darkness-that-most-frightens-us-there-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/it-is-our-light-not-our-darkness-that-most-frightens-us-there-s/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```