In a world where we often seem to be overfilled and consumed by external activity and information, Adyashanti clarifies what emptiness really means.

Here are a number of clips that inspire wisdom within about inner truth, being present, releasing ego, self awareness and much more.

We hope this series is found to be useful and inspiring, bringing more peacefulness into your life.

What do you Really Want?

Turn Around of the Heart

Association with Truth

Falling Away

Welcome to Reality

Wisdom of “Do Nothing”.

Energy of a Free Being

Surrender or Suffer

Gaze of Eternity

These video’s have been on the Symbolic Living forum for years.  This wisdom is worth reviewing.

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We don’t want to give away the storyline details, but will let you know what kind of experience and impression you’ll have watching it.

It’s more than a movie, it’s the experience of life.  When you watch Eat, Pray, Love it feels a little slow at first, and you may be unsure if you’ll like it.  There have been some less than pleasing reviews by some critics, and some people say the trailer looks boring. After watching it though, it’s difficult to understand why.

Honestly, after watching this movie you’ll see others, and yourself in a new light.  Eat, Pray Love reflects back to you, the beauty of humanity, the beauty of yourself, and the beauty of those you love.  It’s a movie that is awakening.

The main character Elizabeth Gilbert played by Julia Roberts you’ll love, but the other people she meets along her journey are also so interesting you’ll care about them as much as you do her.

We’re so used to going to the movies to see films that lack any depth of meaning.  This film turns that all around and brings you back to seeing the magic of living.  This movie also had a quality to it that wasn’t based on things such as synchronicity, and doesn’t feel at all like a “new age” movie whatsoever that can sometimes lend a flavor of flakiness to movies intended to be meaningful.  It’s unpredictable, unlike so many movie scripts, because real life is unpredictable. This movie is about a life adventure that re-awakens purpose and meaningfulness.  It’s about the complexities of living that blossoms into beautiful experiences and self-love and awareness.

There is much symbolism and meaning with Elizabeth’s experiences, but it’s not overdone, it’s authentic.

There are many small messages of wisdom brought up that happen through Elizabeth’s journey from New York to Italy, India and Bali.   What an experience.  Each person has something unique to offer her and she soaks it all up, and in return gives what she can as well. It reveals the value of human interaction and shared living.

This movie has what so many movies these days are lacking.  It leaves you feeling self aware, and full of loving kindness.  Eat, Pray, Love has the quality of magic that moves you. You’ll leave the theater feeling the way a movie should make you feel – moved, alive and inspired.

The director, Ryan Murphy, creator and director of Glee, did an amazing job keeping the story feeling real and inspiring, rather than cliche, corny or flaky.  This movie is anything but corny.  Seeing the “chick flick” previews before this movie started, is like night and day.

Highly recommended.  One of the best movies that are truly meaningful you’ll have seen in a long time.

This movie truly captures an essence of what symbolic living is all about.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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A pleasure to watch and to meditate on the mysteries of existence.

We hope you enjoyed this video and others we will be sharing.

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New moon’s are a good time to get started, and initiate a new direction for yourself.  Today the New moon is in Pisces, an emotional, intuitive water sign, the last in the zodiac before returning to Aries.

A new moon in Pisces indicates sensitivities may be strong catalyst to initiate changes. If you’re emotional to begin with, you may feel your emotional self more strongly at this time on an inner level. Your home and personal space may be where you feel more connected at this time, take advantage of that.

The moon is in conjunction with the Sun, Mercury, and Uranus.  Conjunctions show us that these planets have a stronger influence on one another, and are really connected at this time.  The Sun will be moving into Aries soon, but for now, the Sun is making it’s connection with the moon, and is still in Pisces.  When the New Moon officially arrives, the sun and the moon will be in the same degree in Pisces.

The Sun being masculine fire and the Moon feminine water these aspects are blending in Pisces with a conjunction.  This indicates that although their energies are generally opposite in nature, there may be less focus on the contrast of their natures needing to be reconciled.  Instead, more merging of their aspects for wholeness in your personality and emotional self awareness is taking place.  There is a reflective, mirror quality here in terms of their conjunction and this provides the opportunity for parts of your personality to be awakened at this time. This will come about through internalized emotions bringing you more clarity of who you are during the new moon. Your personality seen by others will likely be more in tune with who you are, and how you are feeling on a deeper, personal level. However, Saturn, as noted below, shows there are some challenges here.

Mercury is also bringing it’s influence in conjunction with the moon.  Your clarity of thinking and ability to analyze yourself through self awareness will be supportive in resolving any emotional parts of yourself.   What you think may have strong influence over your emotions too, so be sure to not let your thoughts and emotions feed each other in a negative way. The clarity offered by mercury now may make this easier for you, but still be aware of how your thoughts and emotions are working on each other. Because Pisces is compassionate, you may find your thoughts lend themselves to being more loving towards yourself and others.  This is important, because it will give you the opportunity to overcome hurdles with a more respectful and giving part of your self. Your thoughts will likely be drawn to the more mystical side of yourself, and you may feel the need to keep things a little more secret than usual. Making note of your dreams will be helpful and  try to stay organized in your thoughts if you can. Pisces corresponds to the 12 house, so make sure you don’t become too escapist.

In the new moon, we are in a phase of re-emerging who we are.  Sometimes at this point we’re getting very internalized.  Too much internalization of our emotions can sometimes lead to depressive states, so if you feel like this now, don’t despair because the moon will symbolically be revealing it’s light soon enough, your light will begin to emerge as well.  Mercury in this position to the moon may be indicating some light gossip may be noticeable from you and those close to you such as family members.

A strong sense of freedom is with you now, especially in terms of emotions.  This is Uranus merging with the moon.  Although you may express your emotions you may have some feelings still within.  It’s as though you want your freedom through personal feelings and emotions to be on your own terms, not what others may dictate to you.  Stepping away, and getting connected to yourself and doing something that lets you express yourself freely will be good for you.  Sometimes being too close to family and those close to you means there are barriers to fully feeling free.

This really speaks well to what’s going on with Saturn also.  Saturn is in opposition to the moon, so you may feel like you’re wearing a mask over your emotions.  Although there is tension here, remember that there is some strong aspects to the Sun and Mercury working with the moon.  So the tension with Saturn could be the tool to awaken a breakthrough in your personality and your ability to communicate those, by digging deep into your emotions.

Saturn is really having a wallop of a time, and is in opposition to a lot of these planets that are near the moon.  Venus, Mercury, the Sun and Uranus all have their work cut out for them.  Being in opposition to the Saturn there’s a lot of tension making things feel difficult.  Saturn opposing Venus means you may feel like your money situation isn’t so great, and may worry you.  Venus will move on soon enough, so don’t worry. God knows though, when money is tight, it can really play with our emotions.  Stay strong. If you can tap into your emotions and be aware of how they are a driving force behind your moods, actions and communications, you may find yourself having utilized the tension Saturn is placing on you to help you achieve goals of becoming a better you.  Although you may feel a burden of discipline and hard work, realize that these things always make us stronger and better in who we are.

Although Jupiter isn’t close enough to the other planets in Pisces to be considered highly influential, we can still see that just being there, in Pisces is enough to give us some hope that luck will be on our side and on its way.

Last week was a really difficult week for me, and it’s been noted that others haven’t had an easy go either. Wednesday last week Mars went direct.    With each of us having our own natal chart and planets in different houses, it’s natural for us to feel the Mars’ very direct energy play itself out uniquely in different aspects of our lives.   For me, I felt a strong sense of bearing down on my identity and it wasn’t easy.  The funny thing was, I had completely forgotten what day the Mars direct was going to happen on because I was so busy in my everyday life.  I wasn’t really in tune with what was going on Astrologically. Suddenly, in Mars fashion, out of nowhere conflict came into the picture.  I had no idea where all this drama was coming from.

Interestingly, Mars has been hovering around my Natal Mars, called a Mars return.  Here around my first house, it’s been moving around for some time in retrograde, then Wednesday it went direct, and did it ever make itself apparent. It wasn’t until a couple days later I realized Wednesday was precisely the day Mars went direct. The first house being about expression into the world, our outward projection, relating to our sense of identity it made total sense. Conflict over my identity. I realized though that after all was said and done Mars really was supportive, even though it felt like I was at war for a while.  That passionate, direct, willing individual personality shone through all the drama and created a stronger sense of self identity and awareness. Ego was there, of course I’m not perfect, but it was there in just the right amount to allow for the identity to stand strong and firm in who I am.

For me, it had a lot to do with my personal spiritual path.  Being open minded to world cultural beliefs isn’t always easy when others wish you’d choose their personal path and make your own as a replica of theirs.  Each of us though have our own lives, we each see the world in a slightly different way, which makes us unique and in my opinion makes for a much more interesting world. We’re all drawn to things in a natural way in life that resonates specifically with us, and aligns with what feels right to who we are.

Speaking of Mars, as a note, the Ides of March was a Roman celebration of the god Mars and of course is the day Julius Caesar was killed.

I think this week, the new moon shares with us the awareness that we have the opportunity to become renewed in who we are.  It isn’t always easy.  Saturn shows us there is work to be done, but it will be worth it, and we have support and empowerment from nearby planets. We’ll delve deep into our emotions, or if we’ve already done that recently we have the opportunity to look at the lessons and renew ourselves as the moon supports us to grow.  Many of us may find our personalities and how we communicate who we are to the outside world from our inner thoughts will be challenging.  We may find some conflict there, but we’ll be more attuned to speaking our truths by knowing ourselves that much better. Like tides in the ocean, the moon pulls us upwards, and in waves of emotion and self realization we rise.  The full moon is in a couple weeks.  By then you’ll be shining bright.

This week, don’t let your emotions take over your character to the point of self sabotage, to yourself or to others.  Utilize that inner you, and all those feelings to know yourself better.  You may feel discouraged at points, but remember there is support.  Tap into it. You may feel the need to make sacrifices for others, but please not to the point where you lose yourself in the process.  You can be in the service of others, and likely compassionately so, but take care of yourself too. Find the balance.

© SymbolicLiving.com

Course is Astrology at SymbolicLiving.com

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Of Five main points, Light discussed two points from world religions.

1. Light is the ‘prima mater’ from which the entire Universe is created,

2. There is only one God, and only one Light. Light is the source of all. God is that Light and, as Supreme Creator, he sculpts the Universe from the pure essence of His own Divine radiance.

Part 2 of Light discusses points three to five offering insights into ancient literature of world religions that discuss the universality of light.

Please feel free to leave comments at the end of the article.

3. Light is beyond description, as it cannot be perceived by the senses.

The Katha Upanishad of Hinduism, discussing the bliss associated with experience of the Light, indicates the need to

“…think of the indescribable…”

In the Flower Ornament Scripture of Buddhism, we find a similar sentiment in a description of

“…seeing the Pure, radiating a great Light inconceivable…”

It is to the Christian faith that we must turn to find the most detailed discussions, which highlight the difficulties inherent in attempting to describe the phenomena. Whilst the mainstream generally accepts that Light is

“…beyond the grasp of the physical senses…”

St Symeon, a mystic of the Eastern Orthodox Church, around 1000CE, indicates that:

“God shows himself in the form of an incomprehensible, inaccessible and formless light…”

Gregory Palamas, the 14th Century mystic, goes further, believing that

“The human mind [only] can attain to that Light, and become worthy of a supernatural vision of God. That vision, though marvellous, remains incomprehensible and unnameable…”

Within the Judaic tradition, Philo, an Alexandrain Jew much influence by Greek thought, similarly notes that:

“The Light is not perceptible to the senses… but can only be grasped by the mind”

Continuing that:

“This Light which is accessible to the mind is the source of all light – what we see with our eyes is simply varying degrees of dimness away from pure Light.”

A sentiment which parallels many of the Hindu religious texts, which concur that

“The Universe is constituted of various gradations of [Divine] Light…”

4. Light, or a particular aspect of it, resides in everything. All beings radiate, or house, an aspect of the Light: a direct consequence of being a creation of Light, by the Light.

This is most evident within the Hindu tradition, in which the Upanishads make it clear that Light is an essential component of the human soul.

Within the Maitreya Upanishad we find the description:

“I am free from space and time. Mine is the joy of the unclad…
My form consists of total Light; the Light of pure consciousness am I.”

Which continues even more explicitly:

“…the Light which shines higher than this heaven…
is the same as this Light which is here within a person.”

The Brhadaranyaka Upanishad is quite expansive on the subject:

“This self is like honey to all creatures. All creatures are like honey to this self. And that Person in this self, who consists of Light, who consists of immortality, that indeed is he who is that self. This is the immortal. This is Brahman. This is the All.”

The Maitreya Upanishad goes further, making a clear identification of the inner Light with God:

“I am Siva… I am the Seer of all…
I am the emancipated One… I am the Light…”

Perhaps the most compelling verses are found in the Bhagavad-Gita, which not only identifies Divine Light within the self, but identifies the location within the body where this Light is to be found:

“Also this is said to be the Light of lights
That is beyond darkness;
… It is seated in the hearts of all…”

The Tibetan Book of the Dead, from the Buddhist tradition, advises the need for prayer (to the Five Orders of those who have passed into Happiness):

“…by thus praying, one recognises one’s own inner Light.”

Whilst the Sikh text, the Adi Granth, makes the clearest statement of all:

“the Eternal Light indwells in the human mind,
and the human mind is the emanation of that Light.”

Further indicating that:

“the best light is the Light of God in the heart.”

Guru Nanak expands on this, clarifying that:

“…in Thy creatures is Thy Light…in every heart there is the same
Light…”

“Within every body Is the Lord hidden; Within every body Is His Light.”

St. Symeon, the Christian mystic, relating his encounter with the Light remains metaphorical:

“…I perceived a Divine warmth. Then a small radiance that shone
forth… Then a fire kindled in my heart… Then appeared to me as it
were a light in the night… What a marvel!

“At once I realized that He whom I had thought to be in heaven was
within me…”

George Fox, the 17th Century Quaker Mystic is more direct:

“…take heed and hearken to the Light within you, which is the Light of
Christ and of God.”

Whilst Jacob Boehme, the Lutheran mystic, contemporary of Fox, bridges both concepts:

“…there is hidden [within man] a spark of the Light and power of God”,
declaring

“…in its substance the soul is a magical fire-source, out of God the
Father’s nature body…”

Within Judaism, the references are obscure, and again largely restricted to the mystical aspects of the religion.

Within the Zohar, a literal connection is made by inference. When God said,‘Let there be Light, and there was Light,’ and ‘let us make man in our image, after our likeness,’ the Zohar points out that ‘in our image’ corresponds to Light, and ‘after our likeness’ implies that an element of Divine Light must necessarily reside within.

This Divine inner Light is expressed as the soul:

“The essence of man is his soul; the skin, flesh, bones and sinews
are but an outward covering, the mere garments, but they are not the
man. When man departs from this world, he divests himself of all these
garments… skins are a garment which protects a garment, viz, the
extension of the heavens which is the outer garment [of the Divine]”

The reticence of the Jewish mystics to declare, outright, that a part of God resides within Man is shared with their Islamic counterparts. This should perhaps not be surprising, given the obvious implication of doing so in the religious climate within which these mystics were operating.

The Sufis, usually so poetically expansive, unusually rely upon inference to make their point:

“The Essence of the First Absolute Light,
God gives constant illumination,
Whereby it is manifested and it brings all things into existence,
Giving Light to them by its rays.”

5. The ultimate goal of all religious experience is Union with the Supreme Creator (Light). The experience of this Light / Union is associated with feelings of extreme ecstasy, joy or bliss.

The Bliss, of Hinduism, the state of intense joy associated with encountering God, is described in various texts.
Within the Brhadaranyaka Upanishad it is indicated that

“…he whose world is Brahman becomes an ocean, the one seer, free from duality…. This is his highest bliss.”

In other Upanishads we variously find that

“Brahman is the all-illuminating”, “the bliss greater than the great”, “the form of eternal bliss…”

The Yogin who successfully comes to realise Brahman is described as becoming

“…immersed in an ocean of bliss”.

The Vedanta Sutra simply states

“God is All-Bliss.”

Nirvana, the ‘state-of-being’ to which all Buddhists aspire, goes by many names, each of which is associated with extreme bliss.

The Flower Ornament scripture simply makes the point:

“Pure Light…gives rise to joy.”

The attainment of Buddha-hood is described as causing

“…all to give up suffering and attain peace and bliss.”

The source of this joy is without doubt:

“The Buddha in vast aeons past amassed an ocean of joy, endlessly deep; … Such is the realisation of Exquisite Light… all who see or hear receive benefit, causing them to dance for joy… This is the liberation of Blissful Happiness.”

The Ecstasy, of the Christian mystics, is likewise described as a state of supreme joy and bliss.

St Teresa of Avila tells us that union with God

“…is above all earthly joys, above all delights, above all consolations, and still more than that.”

St. Symeon indicates that

“…he who perceives the Light… is in ecstasy. The infinite Light of His gracious Godhead brings unutterable and unending joy.”

Whilst Thomas Merton, the 20th century mystic, speaks of

“…our joy in the bosom of the serene darkness in which His light holds us absorbed. This joy of emptiness, of nothingness,… is the true light that shines in everyone…”

Encountering the Divine Light, within the Judaic tradition, is described as the Joy of Joys.

The Zohar speaks at length of the Union with

“The King of Peace… He Who emanates the light of the supreme joy from the fullness of his joy”,

indicating that after God

“…divided the Light from the darkness… Light continued to emanate from the supernal radiance, and through that radiance to bring gladness to all”

“… [when] the streaming, inexhaustible light bursts forth in splendor and beauty, be prepared for the joy of joys”

Within Islam, ‘The Rapture’ is described as a joyful, loving, blissfully ecstatic feeling that accompanies the Vision of Light sought by the Sufi.

When the Sufi sees God and His Light:

“…all the earth’s joys are dust beneath the feet…
In union I felt my self-consciousness
And my self-hood had bereft me.
Joy came to dwell in my soul
And now do I keep my body and soul
in a state of bliss.”

The love poems, found throughout the Sufi literature, act to reflect the intense feeling that the Sufi and God share through Divine Union, and stand as a direct allusion to the state of bliss afforded by the connection to God, and the
Light.

Khwaju of Kirman indicates:

“In ocean waves of love Divine
The lover’s soul is not aware of tranquil shores
And those who watch the ocean waves
from tranquil points of distant shores
Are not aware of shoreless love.”

Whilst Nuri, explained the mystic love of God thus:

“So passionate my love is, I do yearn
To keep His memory constantly in mind;
But O, the ecstasy with which I burn
Sears out my thoughts, and strikes my memory blind!”

The bliss associated with the Light, can lead the mystic to seek continuous attachment to it: the result being that the separation between God, the Light and the Self can become indistinct. Many have made the identification too direct between themselves and God – blasphemy of the worst kind to the Orthodox Muslim.

Rumi expressed it thus:

“What is to know of the Unity of God?
It is to extinguish oneself in the presence of the One.
Shouldst thou desire to be as bright as day…
He who loses his separate existence
The result of what he does is always full of bliss.”
“I am plunged in the Light like the sun;
I cannot distinguish myself from the Light.”

Fakhruddin ‘Iraqi echoes Rumi, coming rather closer to the blasphemy:

“No, I am the Light: All things are seen in my unveiling and from
moment to moment my radiance is more manifest…”
“Look: I am the mirror of the shining Essence. These lights which arise
from the East of Nothingness are myself, every one – yet I am more….”

Although most Sufi mystics, like their Judaic and Christian counterparts, shied from declaring an absolute identification with God, the main point of all spiritual practice is revealed. The closer the aspirant becomes to the Divine Light, the more the Self becomes One with God, and subsequently, the more the Self recognises its place, and purpose, within the Divine Plan.

Each of the traditions is quite clear about the best way for the aspirant to develop, in order to approach this Divine Union. Again, we find that each share surprisingly similar approaches.

The Hindu tradition includes many methods, each capable of raising the aspirant towards the Light. The most well known, and singularly important to the tradition, is Yoga. The emphasis of Yogic practices is on physical and mental preparation: for the moment of Divine Realisation is not one to be approached lightly. Unlike the ‘get fit’ class which Western Yoga has predominantly become; the ‘stretching’ exercises are merely a preliminary stage. Much more is expected, as encountering the Light is considered only possible through intensive practice of inward meditation.

In Hatha Yoga, a description of the final stages toward obtaining Divine realisation include the following step:

“With a steady mind and half closed eyes, fixed on the tip of the nose…
He who can see the Light which is the All, the seed, the entire brilliant,
…approaches Him, who is the great object.”

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, indicate that

“…the undisturbed flow of the ultra-meditative [state] causes Subjective Luminosity.”

The Bhagavad Gita contains additional detail, with various sections highlighting the need to apply appropriate effort, concentration, and to renounce material concerns:

“He whose self is unattached to external sensations
Who finds happiness in the self,
Whose self is united with Brahman through Yoga
Reaches imperishable happiness.
“Thus, continually disciplining himself,
The Yogin whose mind is subdued
Goes to Nirvana, to supreme peace,
To union with me.”

The Upanishads echo these sentiments:

“…meditate solely on Brahman, which is Self- luminous and allpervading.
A wandering ascetic who has renounced material
possessions is truly rich, for, with the thought, ‘I am He,’ he transcends
both knowledge and ignorance, both pleasure and pain. He shines with
his own Light.”

Beyond the path of the Yogi, Hinduism is incredibly versatile, with prayer and worship (of a substantial pantheon of Gods) being recognised as appropriate methods towards enlightenment. Similarly, the path of knowledge is recognised as useful, and possibly preferred by the more philosophical.

As Sri Ramakrishna explained:

“Many roads lead to the top of the mountain – just get yourself onto one of those roads if you hope to make progress.”

Buddhists too have devised numerous methods to promote experience of the Divine Light. Depending on the sect, and the preferred scripture, there are various points of emphasis that the aspirant may adopt.

The Maharatnatuka Sutra emphasises the need to perform “good works”, and to become detached from all physical craving (a central theme within Buddhism):

“One who realises the emptiness of the eye
Can eradicate desires forever:
Free of desire, he can emanate various Lights.”

Attempting to eliminate all negative impulses (sins) is also recommended:

“I vow to acquire the immeasurable Light of a Buddha…
I vow to eradicate all desire, hatred, and ignorance
And to eliminate the miserable realms of the world…
I shall acquire the limitless, superb, awesome Light”

Other texts focus on the need to think, rather than to act, correctly. The Shurangama Sutra specifies:

“In response to a thought, defiling objects vanish,
Becoming pure and wonderful
Perfect brightness…
If there is residual defilement, one must still study.
When the brightness is still ultimate,
That is the Buddha.”

The Flower Ornament Scripture indicates the importance of acquiring knowledge in the search for Enlightenment:

“The Buddha cultivated many practices over ocean of eons
In order to extinguish the ignorance and confusion of the world…
So it is with the Lights of the Great Being -
Those who have wisdom: all can see,
While ordinary folk with false beliefs and low understanding
Cannot perceive these Lights at all…”

The Tibetan Book of the Dead touches on the role of meditation, prayer, and acquiring a teacher who can properly assist the individual attain the state of bliss:

“…Along the bright Light path of undistracted listening, reflection, and
meditation, May the Gurus of the inspired line lead us…
May we be placed in the state of perfect Buddhahood.

The Sikh tradition exists as a Liberal admixture of the best of Hindu and Islamic thought. As such, many of the practices recommended to the Sikh aspirant are common to one or the other. In general terms, remembering God at all times is central to obtaining experience of the Divine Light. The excesses of self-denial, advocated by Hinduism and Buddhism, are rejected, as is the Islamic tendency to attach significance to shrines and pilgrimage.

Guru Nanak proclaimed:

“The true path to achieving salvation and merging with God does not require renunciation of the world, or celibacy, but living the life of a householder, earning an honest living and avoiding worldly temptations and sins…”

From the Adi Granth, we find that renouncing material concerns and constant meditation on God are key to achieving Divine knowledge:

“The ways of true devotees… [include] the abandonment of avarice,
covetousness, ego and yearning for riches of the world…
The mortal who abandons selfishness, greed, worldly love and ego;…
…by meditating upon His Word, achieves perfection.”

In common with their Muslim brothers, prayer is a daily ritual for all Sikhs. The Christian tradition, in likewise manner, attempts to aid the aspirant towards achieving constant mindfulness of God’s presence in all aspects of life. In this respect, Christian mystics generally do not stray far from the common practices of the laity. Prayer, mindfulness, and contemplation are all recognised methods for the Christian.

St. Symeon indicates that to become worthy, one must first repent from sin,

“…for penitence is the gateway that leads out of darkness into light.”

Beyond this, there is an implied requirement to turn from the distractions of the world, and to eliminate the ego:

“…the mystic’s path requires strict solitude, and perfect obedience, with complete elimination of [one's] own will….”

Meditation, not an apparently obvious theme within the Christian tradition, is very much implied by Symeon who as well as recommending

“…the deepest contemplation of the inner Light…”,

indicates the advantages offered by studying under

“…an experienced guide or spiritual father, in order that one may learn the things that pertain to virtue and the difficult practice of the ascetic art.”

Gregory Palamas echoes many of these concepts, more familiarly associated with the Eastern traditions:

“One is able to see the Light when the soul …acquires inner peace and the stillness of thoughts, spiritual repose and joy, contempt of human glory, humility allied with a hidden rejoicing, hatred of the world, [and] the love of the sole God of Heaven.”

Jacob Boehme again approaches blasphemy, connecting the personal with the Divine, when he recommends:

“…with the inward eyes we must see in his Light: so we shall see him,
for he is the Light; and when we see him then we walk in the
Light…[by] lifting up thy thoughts and considering where God is…. then
thou [may] lay hold on him in his holy Heart…When this is done then
thou art as God is…”

The Judaic tradition places much on the practice of virtue. The primary method towards enlightenment is regarded as the pursuit of truth. As such, the path of knowledge and prayer are key components.

According to the Zohar, in order to approach the Light, one must make every effort:

“To be righteous … to pray to God, and to study and obey the Torah. …it is through the Torah [and knowledge of it] that man can make union with the Holy One.”

adding that:

“Prayer evokes a certain illumination…It is incumbent upon a man to offer up prayer and supplication each day so as to unite Himself with God… The earnest, devoted, and properly concentrated silent prayer, when heard by the Holy One, will result in a feast on the supernal radiances that will stream with added brightness from the supernal world.”

Rabbi Shneur Zalman’s Habad (an Hasidic mystic of the 18th century) believed that Torah study should be the only consideration of all mystics. For him:

“…while a person occupies himself with words of Torah… It follows [that at that time] the soul and these garments [of thoughts and speech] are also truly united with Ein-Sof…. Moreover, their unity is even more exalted and more powerful than the unity of God’s infinite Light with the upper [spiritual] worlds. For the Divine Will is actually manifest in the soul and its garments that are engaged in Torah study, since His Will proper is identical with the Torah itself…”

The attitude with which this study is approached is important, as one must constantly

“…harbour a great love for God alone, to do what is gratifying to Him alone, and not for the purpose of quenching his soul’s thirst for God.”

The Islamic tradition is much more pragmatic in considering how one can approach the Light. In effect, God leads the aspirant whom he chooses.

Abdul Karim, the sixteenth century Sufi, indicates that:

“God, the best of proposers, will unite the lover and the loved one…
He guides us to the Fount of Light, to Himself,
So to our source we all return…”

All mystical work in the Islamic tradition is, therefore, preparation for direct experience of the Light in case one has been chosen, and that if one has not been chosen, then there is no means by which the experience can be made
more likely.

For Maneri, however, pureness of heart is essential:

“When the mirror of the heart is thoroughly cleansed of the rust of human nature and selfish qualities, it becomes capable of reflecting lights from the extrasensory world….
As purity of heart increases, so too do the power and frequency of these lights….”

Rumi indicates agreement:

“Would you have eyes and ears of reason clear, tear off the obstructing
veil of greed! The blind imitation of that Sufi proceeded from greed:
greed closed his mind to the pure light…”

In keeping with the lay tradition, much focus is given to prayer, and remaining mindful at all times of the presence of God within our lives. The path of knowledge, as witnessed by the great scientific advances made by Muslim society during the middle ages, is also recognised as a suitable means of coming closer to God.

In summary, it appears that the differences expressed, between the various traditions considered, regarding the experience of Union with God tend to centre on the name assigned and the accompanying interpretation of what the
experience means. When we consider individual descriptions of the experience itself, however, it is striking how similar the accounts appear to be.

The techniques developed to reach this goal, are equally surprising in terms of their common threads of thought, focus and expectation.

The obvious conclusion, therefore, is that what is being described through the centuries, and across continents, is a core human experience. One which can be achieved through the application of a series of exercises which, though
developed independently, appear consistent across all cultures.

As indicated by Lama Surya Das:

“Almost inevitably a spiritual search becomes a search for divine or sacred Light. By cultivating our inner core, we search for this Light in ourselves as well as the divine.”

According to all traditions, most of us remain oblivious to the Divine Light within. This is unfortunate on many levels. By recognising and honouring the Light, which connects us all to each other, as well as to the Divine, and by accepting that our common spiritual goals culminate in an experience recognisable across all cultural boundaries, a new possibility emerges…

Sources:

Hinduism
“The Bhagavad Gita”, trans. by Winthrop Sergeant
“The Thirteen Principal Upanishads”, R.E. Hume
“Thirty Minor Upanishads”, K. Narayanasvami Aiyar

Sikhism
“The Adi Granth”, trans. Dr. Trilochan Singh, et.al.
“Guru Nanak: His Mystic Teachings”, J. R. Puri
“Three Muslim Sages”, S. H. Nasr
“The Feminine Principle in the Sikh Vision of the Transcendent”,
Nikki-Guninder Kaur Singh

Buddhism
“Buddhist Scriptures”, Donald Lopez
“The Tibetan Book of the Dead”, Trans. Robert Thurman
“Awakening to the Sacred”, Lama Surya Das

Christianity
“The Bible (New Testament)”, KJV
“Symeon: The New Theologian”, trans. C.J. de Catanzaro.
“Hildegard of Bingen: Book of Divine Works”, Matthew Fox, ed.
“The Journal of George Fox”, John L. Nickalls, ed.
“The Confessions of Jacob Boehm”, W. Scott Palmer, ed.

Judaism
“The Tanakh”, Jewish Publication Society
“Zohar”, trans. by Harry Sperling, et.al.

Islam
“The Qu’ran”, trans. A Yusuf Ali
“The Mystics of Islam”, Reynold A. Nicholson
“Sufism and Human Destiny”, Mehdi Nakosteen
“Sufi Thought in Persian Poetry”, Mehdi Nakosteen,
“Dimensions of Classical Sufi Thought”, R.S. Bhatnaggar

Article submitted by Haruth. Member of the Symbolic Living Forum.

Image: http://i274.photobucket.com/albums/jj245/shekinaspeaks/granduniversebyantifanrqn8.jpg

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Ancient descriptions, including both the Egyptian and the Tibetan Books of the Dead, include substantial reference to Light.

Light, then, is a Universal Motif: one that attempts to convey something beyond comprehension, knowledge or direct description. Prior to religion, light was just light. The importance of light, in the context of human experience, created a primary source material that would evolve, with the history of mankind, into an archetypal Light. This archetypal Light, interpreted according to cultural and religious beliefs, became “Divine Light” which, depending on regional teaching, found a unique range of expression.

Light is constant. As a fundamental energy, it belongs to no single group, tradition or system of belief. The experience of both light and Light varies little across disparate manifestation of the human and spiritual condition.

Within the Hindu tradition, the Upanishads, compiled between 800 and 500 BCE., are the primary source of material associated with religious mysticism. It is clear that the writers of the texts had, at some level, experienced “Divine Light”: devoting a great deal of space in an attempt to describe their experience, and to identify what it means; both at the personal level, and for human kind as a whole.

Similarly, in Buddhism, a natural development of Hinduism occurring around 500BCE, we find multiple references, throughout the Sutras of various sects, to the experience of “Divine Light”. Indeed, following the example set by the Buddha, the primary goal of the tradition is to experience this Light for one’s self: an act of union with the Divine referred to as enlightenment.

Sikhism, also emerging from Hinduism around 1460CE, uses similar language. The primary source is the Adi Granth, a compilation of scripture completed in 1604, and considered a perpetual Guru, rather than a holy book.Within it, we find considerable reference to human encounter with “Divine Light”. Indeed, the concept is addressed more specifically within the Sikh tradition than in any other, with the inherent symbolism, and the difficulties of description and interpretation, being openly discussed within the holy texts.

The Abrahamic religions of the West contain less frequent reference to Light in their authorised scriptures. It is to the writings of the early theologians and mystics of these traditions that we must turn in order to find the most comprehensive expressions of Light applicable to the Western systems.

This is not to say that these scriptures remain silent. Indeed, in the Tanakh of the Judaic tradition we find God’s “Glory”, a metaphor for the Light, often referred to, whilst in the New Testament of the Christian tradition we find possibly the most well known rationalisation of Light in the opening lines of the Gospel of St. John.

Despite many references and metaphors within the Tanakh, mainstream Judaism touches on the subject only briefly; mainly in the context of vision and direct experience of it; and the concept is never clearly developed within the scripture. The most abundant reference to, and description of, “Divine Light” is found in the Kabbalah which, like all mystic traditions, reflects the aspirant’s yearning to experience Union with the Light.

The holy book of Islam, the Qu’ran, on the other hand, contains many poetic descriptions of Light, with at least one Sura, veiled entirely as allegorical metaphor, almost entirely devoted to it. Indeed, it is the Islamic mystical tradition that furnishes the most fully developed concept of “Divine Light”. The writings of the Sufis so eloquently speak of the yearning towards direct experience of the Light, describing the result of such experience in a manner highly evocative of the Eastern traditions.

The major religions of East and West, especially the mystical traditions within each, describe the Light in ways that are surprisingly similar. Perhaps within the two regions, the similarities should be expected. After all, Buddhism and Sikhism developed from within Hinduism, whilst Christianity and Islam developed from within Judaism.

The coincidence, however, that the root religions should develop such similar expressions, which would later develop more fully within their offshoots, is less easy to rationalise.

Touching on five of the more obvious of these areas of correspondence makes the observation clear.

1. Light is the ‘prima mater’ from which the entire Universe is created.

From the creation story of the Hindu tradition we learn that:

“Before time, there was nothing. There was no heaven, no earth, and

nothing else. There was only a vast ocean of nothingness, so large as

to be immeasurable. It was so large, no one would ever be able to

comprehend it. The waves of this ocean licked at the edges of

absolutely nothing, but in the middle of the ocean, there was a giant

cobra. This cobra was coiled around the Lord Vishnu. Everything was

utterly silent, and Vishnu slept in the coils, undisturbed by anything at

all.

“At one moment in time, from the depths of the ocean, a sound began

to tremble its way forth. It was a constant hum, one of urgency that

filled the entire ocean of nothingness with a throbbing of energy. Light

began to fill the spaces where darkness was, and in the heat of the

light, a flower began to bloom from the navel of the now alert Vishnu. In

the centre of that flower sat Brahma, the servant of Vishnu. Vishnu

looked at Brahma and said, The time has come. Let us create the

world.”

The Buddhist and Sikh traditions do not contain a Creation story specific to them: both being born of socio-political rebellion against the restrictions and obligations within the Hindu system. The Buddha and the Guru felt that these raised an unnecessary barrier between the individual and ‘God’. In fact, both religions do not even express an idea of Godhead: each preferring to focus on the expansion of consciousness possible through direct experience of the Light of Creation.

The three Abrahamic religions share, in common, the six-day creation myth.

The Islamic version is poorly defined in the Qu’ran, with reference only to the six days, with no detail given. Christianity, referring to it as the Old Testament, makes direct use of the version found in the Judaic Tanakh. Within the section known as the Torah, we find that:

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the

earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the

deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

“And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that

the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God

called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was

evening, and there was morning – the first day.”

Note the similarities in the content of both the Eastern and Western descriptions of the creation process. Before time there is nothing. This is described as a watery place, above which the Universal Creator was suspended. With the introduction of Light into the vast expanse of nothing, the act of creation begins.

2. There is only one God, and only one Light. Light is the source of all. God is that Light and, as Supreme Creator, he sculpts the Universe from the pure essence of His own Divine radiance.

Within the Hindu text, the Naradaparivrajaka Upanishad, the point is made that:

“[Vishnu is the] Light of all Lights.

He only is Brahma.

He only is Indra.

He only is Vishnu.

He only is Self-Shining…”

Whilst, in the Brahmarahasya Upanishad, we find:

“Brahma is the Light of lights. He is Self-luminous.

He is Supreme Light. He is ultimate light.

He is an embodiment of Light.

By His Light all else shines.”

Sikhism goes further. Guru Nanaak, discussing the poetry quoted above, states explicitly that:

“God is the Light of all Light”,

whilst a popular couplet from the Adi Granth states:

“From that One Light came the whole cosmos.”

Despite the infrequent references in the New Testament of the Christian tradition, we find 1 John unequivocal in stating that:

“God is Light.”

The introduction to the Gospel according to St. John, includes the concept more prosaically:

“There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light,

that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light,

but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the True Light,

which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”

The Light referred to, is the Christ, who, through the Christian doctrine of the Trinity, is also God. John, then, is here indicating that the nature of God is Light.

Christian mystics are much more direct on the matter. Hildegard of Bingen, the 12th century nun, relates numerous visions of God. In one, He told her that:

“…I, who am without beginning, am the fire by which all fires are enkindled…”

The Tanakh of Judaism includes several references to individual experience of the Light, but there is little by which to determine the nature of God as Light.

The prophet Ezekiel, however, witnessing a dramatic vision gives certain clues:

“And I looked, and behold, a whirlwind came out of the north,

a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself and a brightness was about it…

As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain,

so was the appearance of the brightness round about.

“This was the appearance of the likeness of the Glory of the LORD…”

For greater clarity we must turn to the Judaic mystics. Within the Zohar, we find that God designates Himself Ein-Sof (limitless) and, as the Cause of causes, calls his crown the “Source,” an “…inexhaustible fount of Light…”.

This Light,

“which illumines the supreme heaven, [is] a Light never ceasing…”.

Further, the Zohar states that:

“God wrought the Light as the medium for the creation of the world….

For all the generations of heaven and earth were produced by the

energy of that treasured-up Light…”

Islam is more specific, and in the Qur’an we find a clear identification:

“Allah is the Light of the Heavens and the Earth…

Light upon Light, Allah guideth unto His Light whom he will…”

Whilst the general tradition is specific, the mystic tradition of Islam, Sufism, retains the most exquisite and poetic expressions of the concept:

“The Essence of the First Absolute Light, God gives constant

illumination, whereby it is manifested and it brings all things into

existence, giving Light to them by its rays.

“Everything in the World is derived from the Light of His Essence

and all beauty and perfection are the gift of His bounty…”

“There is naught in the Universe save one Light!

It appears in a variety of manifestations.

God is the Light; its manifestations, the Universe…”

Coming up in part 2 of Light:

3. Light is beyond description, as it cannot be perceived by the senses.

4. Light, or a particular aspect of it, resides in everything.

5. The ultimate goal of all religious experience is Union with the Supreme Creator (Light).

Article submitted by Haruth. Member of the Esoteric Forum.

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