--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You have to go through the darkness to…" description: "\"You have to go through the darkness to truly know the light. This may sound like a cliche, but it's true nonetheless. Often the greatest doubts occur j..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/surya-das-12161_bad-mood_you-have-to-go-through-the-darkness-to-t_477580.jpg" --- # You have to go through the darkness to truly know the… ![“You have to go through the darkness to truly know the light. This may sound like a cliche, but it's true nonetheless. Often the greatest doubts occur just before a breakthrough.” quote by Surya Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/surya-das-12161_bad-mood_you-have-to-go-through-the-darkness-to-t_477580.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/surya-das-12161_bad-mood_you-have-to-go-through-the-darkness-to-t_477580.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/09d/surya-das-12161_bad-mood_you-have-to-go-through-the-darkness-to-t_477580.jpg) > “You have to go through the darkness to truly know the light. This may sound like a cliche, but it's true nonetheless. Often the greatest doubts occur just before a breakthrough.” [Surya Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surya-das/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. To gain true insight, one must endure hardship, as darkness precedes illumination and breakthroughs often follow periods of doubt. **In simple terms:** Endure darkness to appreciate light; breakthroughs follow doubt. Key Takeaway Embrace challenges as pathways to insight. Themes spirituality growth challenge light breakthrough Mood hopeful reflective Type motivational philosophical When to use this quote - personal development - spiritual practice - creative problem solving - academic research Key Concepts mindfulness inner transformation Questions to Reflect On - What darkness are you currently navigating? - How can you transform doubt into a catalyst for growth? A Different Perspective It may romanticize suffering without addressing its harmful effects. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad mood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-mood/) [Breakthrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakthrough/) [Cliche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cliche/) [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Doubts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubts/) [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Mood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mood/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) ## Related quotes > [Realize that your present difficulty is only a small part of you, and the rest of you is doing quite well, thank you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-grabhorn/realize-that-your-present-difficulty-is-only-a-small-part-of-you-and/) [Lynn Grabhorn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-grabhorn/) > [Discouragement is a negative emotion with more than one trick up its dark sleeve. It tricks you into mentally or emotionally dwelling in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-finley/discouragement-is-a-negative-emotion-with-more-than-one-trick-up-its/) [Guy Finley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-finley/) > [Your life is a learning process - you can only become wiser from learning. Sometimes you might have to attract making a painful mistake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/your-life-is-a-learning-process-you-can-only-become-wiser-from/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [“Your breakthrough is on the way. Don't be discouraged if things are not working out right now. God is working it all out behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/your-breakthrough-is-on-the-way-don-t-be-discouraged-if-things-are/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [Light makes photography. Embrace light. Admire it. Love it. But above all, know light. Know it for all you are worth, and you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eastman/light-makes-photography-embrace-light-admire-it-love-it-but-above-all/) [George Eastman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eastman/) > [In order to know the light, we must first experience the darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/in-order-to-know-the-light-we-must-first-experience-the-darkness/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [I was saying as a joke the other day that I love film editing, I know how to cut a picture, I think I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/i-was-saying-as-a-joke-the-other-day-that-i-love-film-editing-i-know/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [“All you need to know about the light is in being in the dark.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/all-you-need-to-know-about-the-light-is-in-being-in-the-dark/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [“Let's say a person says: "I am the light. 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You have to know all this technical stuff about directing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/you-have-to-know-everything-you-have-to-know-how-to-light-a-scene-you/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [“Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star. How I wonder… what? Do you know your light is just a shadow of the giant you once were? Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenifer-mohammed/twinkle-twinkle-little-star-how-i-wonder-what-do-you-know-your-light/) [Jenifer Mohammed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenifer-mohammed/) > [ We should try to learn the nature of \[the spirit of revelation\]. . . . This is the grand means that the Lord has… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorenzo-snow/we-should-try-to-learn-the-nature-of-the-spirit-of-revelation-this-is/) [Lorenzo Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorenzo-snow/) > [To go in the dark with a light is to know the light. To know the dark, go dark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/to-go-in-the-dark-with-a-light-is-to-know-the-light-to-know-the-dark/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## More by Surya Das > [I think that's what's important, to see how we ourselves can become all that we are and can be. Everybody says they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surya-das/i-think-that-s-what-s-important-to-see-how-we-ourselves-can-become/) [Surya Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surya-das/) > [I always thought he gave me that name because I have a kind of outgoing or sunny disposition. And in those days I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surya-das/i-always-thought-he-gave-me-that-name-because-i-have-a-kind-of/) [Surya Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surya-das/) > [So we're all living spirit. It's not about isms and schims or religions. Religions are almost like political institutions, but the heart of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surya-das/so-we-re-all-living-spirit-it-s-not-about-isms-and-schims-or/) [Surya Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surya-das/) > [But you know the difference between sex and love. And sex can be part of love, but what moves your heart, what's really intimate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surya-das/but-you-know-the-difference-between-sex-and-love-and-sex-can-be-part/) [Surya Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surya-das/) > [But you know, eventually that does kind of veneer, chemical veneers that you apply, they sink in. 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Ram Dass was like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surya-das/spiritual-joy-is-devotion-it-s-like-a-virus-you-know-it-s-a/) [Surya Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surya-das/) > [Spiritually speaking, everything that one wants, aspires to, and needs is ever-present, accessible here and now - for those with eyes to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surya-das/spiritually-speaking-everything-that-one-wants-aspires-to-and-needs/) [Surya Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surya-das/) > [Contributing to others, not converting others, but for those who are interested, going where invited, speaking when asked, teaching when asked and so on,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surya-das/contributing-to-others-not-converting-others-but-for-those-who-are/) [Surya Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surya-das/) > [Ram Dass, Krishna Dass, we all spoke through interpreters. There were good interpreters there, educated people in India speak English but Maharaji was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surya-das/ram-dass-krishna-dass-we-all-spoke-through-interpreters-there-were/) [Surya Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surya-das/) > [When the sunset of life arrives, and its twilight shadows fade away; while dreams of the next begin to appear more vividly; may the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surya-das/when-the-sunset-of-life-arrives-and-its-twilight-shadows-fade-away/) [Surya Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surya-das/) > [I never really wanted to have a Guru, I was more interested in Buddhist philosophy and meditation, and had a psychological background in college,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surya-das/i-never-really-wanted-to-have-a-guru-i-was-more-interested-in/) [Surya Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surya-das/) > [If we accept and internalize the fact of our own mortality, then, by definition, we have to deal with the essential questions of how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surya-das/if-we-accept-and-internalize-the-fact-of-our-own-mortality-then-by/) [Surya Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surya-das/) > [People who spend a great deal of time in their gardens attest to the natural mindfulness that gardening requires. What could be more naturally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surya-das/people-who-spend-a-great-deal-of-time-in-their-gardens-attest-to-the/) [Surya Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surya-das/) > [Also not being afraid to stand up for what you believe in while taking into account that you could very well be wrong, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/surya-das/also-not-being-afraid-to-stand-up-for-what-you-believe-in-while/) [Surya Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surya-das/) [Explore all 56 Surya Das quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/surya-das/) ## More Bad mood quotes > [Sometimes I'm in a bad mood, sometimes I'm in a good mood. It's like everyone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/sometimes-i-m-in-a-bad-mood-sometimes-i-m-in-a-good-mood-it-s-like/) [Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/) > [Revenge is a dish better severed cold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushan/revenge-is-a-dish-better-severed-cold/) [Sushan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushan/) > [You say I have a bad attitude. But have you ever stopped to check yours?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasha-marie/you-say-i-have-a-bad-attitude-but-have-you-ever-stopped-to-check-yours/) Tasha Marie > [No music + Bad TV = Bad mood & no pages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/no-music-bad-tv-bad-mood-no-pages/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [Take a deep breath. It,s just a bad day not a bad life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/take-a-deep-breath-it-s-just-a-bad-day-not-a-bad-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nina said, “Have regular facial expressions.” That was a command from their inventory of facetious devices they used to josh one another out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-rush/nina-said-have-regular-facial-expressions-that-was-a-command-from/) [Norman Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-rush/) > [“She then laid more aggressively into her ex-partner and his philosophy, which she felt was disconnected from the reality that she had just experienced:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beno-t-peeters/she-then-laid-more-aggressively-into-her-ex-partner-and-his/) [Benoît Peeters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beno-t-peeters/) > [No matter how well you behave with people around you, THEY will treat YOU according to their NEED & MOOD.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-matter-how-well-you-behave-with-people-around-you-they-will-treat/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My middle finger is used when words aren't enough for people to understand that they're annoying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-middle-finger-is-used-when-words-aren-t-enough-for-people-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“A shrug. “I wasn’t sent to you until now.” “Are you serious?” Incredulity sharpened my tone. “Is your boss in a bad mood, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/a-shrug-i-wasn-t-sent-to-you-until-now-are-you-serious-incredulity/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [Temporary anger is okay, but permanent anger will make you bitter and ruin your chance at happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/temporary-anger-is-okay-but-permanent-anger-will-make-you-bitter-and/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [I don't often get into a bad mood, since it does not help anything and clouds my judgment, but I can certainly see that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/i-don-t-often-get-into-a-bad-mood-since-it-does-not-help-anything-and/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [This is all about the awesome TILLU!! 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