About The Living Dark
Welcome to The Living Dark
This is a publication and a community exploring the intersections of creativity, spirituality, philosophy, and culture. It is intended for writers, thinkers, and seekers—individuals drawn to deep inquiry and reflection on the nature of artistic inspiration, the meaning of personal identity and experience, and the evolving contours of contemporary life.
Themes include the role of the daemon muse in artistic practice, the implications of nonduality for creative work, and the presence of horror and the sublime in both literature and lived experience.
What You'll Find Here
The essays and reflections published here offer a blend of philosophical exploration, practical guidance, and literary depth, spanning multiple disciplines and areas of thought, including:
Creativity and the daemon muse — Engaging with the traditions of inspiration, from classical antiquity to modern theories of the unconscious and artistic flow.
Nonduality and the writer’s mind — Exploring the transcending of the individual in the creative process and its relationship to waking up to the reality of self and world.
The aesthetics of horror and the sacred — Examining the confluence of horror, religion, and spirituality in literature, film, and cultural thought.
Literature and intellectual history — Reflections on transformative texts, from mystical writings to contemporary speculative fiction.
Cultural and philosophical critique — Considering how our era’s ideological and technological shifts impact artistic and intellectual life.
Why Join The Living Dark
For those who engage with writing, art, and thought as an ongoing process of discovery, The Living Dark provides a space to reflect and explore. Essays range from philosophical meditations to literary analysis, cultural commentary, practical creative advice, and reflections on the creative life. Subscribers receive regular essays, with additional access to serialized book chapters and discussions.
What Readers Are Saying
“So happy I found your newsletter. Your insights on the writing process resonated deeply with me.” — Jennifer Sablich
“I’m so glad I found you, just as I was about to totally give up. Thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge.” — V.
“You’re writing some of the freshest stuff on spiritual creativity I’ve seen since Julia Cameron and Natalie Goldberg.” — R. J.
“Your writing has helped me tap into parts of myself I feel very strongly but often struggle to articulate, particularly my relationship to spirituality, creativity, and what it means (or doesn’t mean) to be a person.” — Andrew Sanger
“Thank you for sharing your writing. It has been a tremendous help in shifting how I see creativity and ultimately life itself.” — J. B.
“I really resonate with what you’ve written about creativity and spirituality.” — K.
“Thank you so much for all you have been sharing. I appreciate it so much. I went through a challenging relationship with my writing, and your voice is helping me find my way out of that particular dark. I think I am mostly out of it now, but you are keeping me on course.” — M. Rickert
“Your work has very much connected with me, especially the elements covering existential dread, Ligotti (of course!), and how we writers/humans can curate our own ‘meaning’ without coming apart.” — William Grabowski
What Critics Have Said (about my books)
“[A] thinking-man’s book of the macabre.” — Publishers Weekly
“Cardin’s accomplishments as a writer are paralleled by his expertise as a literary critic and theorist.” — Thomas Ligotti
“[A] landmark collection.” — Asimov’s Science Fiction
“Informative . . . engaging . . . a pleasure to read.” — Booklist (starred review)
“Fascinating.” — Kirkus Reviews
“Recommended.’ — Library Journal
About the Author
I’m Matt Cardin, a writer and educator whose work explores creativity, spirituality, and culture. With a master’s degree in religious studies and a Ph.D. in leadership, my writing spans fiction and nonfiction, focusing on the themes of horror, religion, and artistic inspiration. My books, which include To Rouse Leviathan and What the Daemon Said, have been praised by Asimov’s Science Fiction, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Booklist, and leading voices in the literary horror and weird fiction establishment. Beyond writing, I have worked as a professor, college vice president, media producer, and musician. My diverse background informs my approach to creativity as both a practical craft and a spiritual practice. To learn more about me, visit my author bio.
For Seekers and Creators
If you’re drawn to the intersection of creativity, spirituality, and deep inquiry…
If you’re searching for a space where writers, artists, and seekers can explore the depths of creative experience and uncover their unique voice, vision, and calling…
Then I invite you to join me in The Living Dark.
