The Living Dark Manifesto

A (re)orientation for new and returning readers

Dear Living Dark reader,

For months now this publication has seen an ongoing influx of new readers. It recently broke the 3,000-subscriber mark. And while I don’t usually talk about things like subscriber count, since my interest is not in numbers as such but in high-quality writing and communication in pursuit of our mutual interests and callings, I thought it might be a good idea to pause with a short post to orient all of you who are new around here—and to remind those of you who have been here for a while—of what this is all about.

Such a thought is given all the more weight by the fact that in the past few weeks I have devoted time and attention to revising and optimizing the text on the About page, and also the text of TLD’s official “short description,” based on how this newsletter has evolved over the past two years through the interplay of my personal (and transpersonal, and supra-personal) interests with yours. Through nearly two years of publishing regular posts and interacting with readers, the focus has sharpened. A year ago I leaned heavily into the subject of inspired creativity in the mold and mode of the muse/daemon/inner genius, even as the theme of nonduality and clear spiritual seeing was also moving toward center. And of course cosmic horror and numinous dread continue to lurk around the edges of everything. The guiding vision for The Living Dark, while inherently and permanently eclectic, has become clearer.

What is The Living Dark? (short version)

Here is the recently updated short description. This is what shows up in Substack search results when someone finds TLD:

“Unraveling creativity and life purpose through nonduality and the daemon muse. Tapping the inner genius by embracing the unknown. Insights for writers, seekers, and spiritual wanderers by a seasoned author and educator.”

What is The Living Dark? (longer version)

Here is some of the newly revised and updated text from the About page. I think it represents a leap forward in describing TLD’s core content and themes in a way that is both accurate and evocative in relation to the general vibe and outlook:

I’m Matt Cardin, and The Living Dark is my personal online journal exploring the intersection of writing, creativity, spirituality, and metaphysical dread. My goal is to create and maintain a haven for writers, creators, and spiritual wanderers who are drawn to ponder the depths of human experience and the mysteries pulsing beneath the surface of the everyday. A sanctuary for those who share my sense of fascination and fear at the intersection of nonduality and spiritual enlightenment with the sense of creativity as an inner collaboration, a partnership with a daemon muse. In short, this is a chronicle and guidebook for waking up at the confluence of creativity, religion, cosmic horror, life purpose, apocalyptic unveiling, and the numinous unknown.

My overarching purpose is to process and share what I have learned in 26 years as a published writer, 15 years as an English teacher and professor, and five decades as a human being figuring out what I’m doing here. I also have a lifetime of experience as a classically trained pianist. Creative work, combined with education, has been at the center of my life’s journey.

The Living Dark tracks many of the same themes and interests that have animated my books, with an extra emphasis on creativity and the inner genius.

Topics you’ll see addressed include:

• Insights into writing and the creative process

• Deep perspectives on spirituality, nonduality, and the daemon muse or inner genius

• Musings on cosmic horror, ontological nightmares, and existential dread

• Advice on aligning creative work with deeper purpose

• Explorations of philosophical, metaphysical, and cultural questions

• Reflections on finding your path by embracing the unknown

• An ongoing series of Reading Notes featuring excerpts from my recent reading, accompanied by commentary and reflections

I should also mention that, along with refining that text, I have now adopted a regular publishing schedule. I will publish a new post each Friday, and will alternate paid posts with free ones. I will also publish occasional extra posts on weekends or other days—the current post being a case in point.

Paid subscriptions support the long-term advancement of this project, which includes both a podcast and potential books to spin off from essays published here. The podcast, as longtime friends and subscribers know, has only a single episode at this point. I’m still waiting for life bandwidth to open up and allow me to invest more time in that aspect.

But regardless of your subscription status, I’m pleased that you’re here, and I hope you find things that resonate with your interests and concerns.

Okay, so this didn’t exactly turn out to be a manifesto. But it is an accurate description of why I’m writing this, and of what you can expect to encounter in these pages. Whoever you are, wherever you’re from, and however you got here, I invite you to settle in, keep your eyes and mind open, and embrace this shared journey with me as we find our way forward into the living dark.

Warm regards,