Day and Night: Symbols of Reason and Mystery
Daytime traditionally symbolizes clarity, rationality, and order, as the light of day embodies the manifestation of the visible, ordered aspect of the universe. In one source it is noted: "God, who created the universe, also created man (the human mind) in His own image and likeness. And it is precisely for this reason that we can comprehend the universe and govern it according to His will. In other words, the universe is understandable because God has predetermined a correlation between rationality in nature and rationality in man. And it is equally interesting that both require an immense intellectual effort when reconciled with atheistic and pantheistic worldviews." (source: link txt)Conversely, the night is traditionally associated with intricate mysteries, revelations, and primal power. The poetic perception of the night, where its opposition to the light is unveiled through images of boundless depth and unfathomable might, is well captured in the following excerpt: "'Day' and 'night', of course, are merely visible symbols of the two sides of the universe, which could be indicated without resort to metaphor.
Although the poet here calls the dark foundation of existence 'the nameless abyss', he also discerned its very name as he listened to the chants of the nocturnal storm: What do you howl about, night wind, What do you lament so maddeningly?What does your strange voice mean, sometimes deeply plaintive, sometimes boisterous? In a language clear to the heart, You speak of an incomprehensible torment, And at times you dig and unleash within it fierce sounds. Oh, do not yet sing those terrible songs About ancient chaos, about the native! How avidly does the realm of the nocturnal soul Listen to the tale of its beloved!" (source: link txt)Thus, daytime—with its illumination and order—symbolizes the human capacity for understanding and the rational management of the surrounding world, while nighttime enchants with its mystery, provoking a yearning for revelations and a connection with the primal force that lies at the foundation of existence.