Divine Nourishment is an important metaphysical analogy. It is similar to 'the Radiant Light', but it especially gives emphasis to the importance of being divinely nourished. Divine Nourishment flows from the Source, Divine Being, then into the receptacles of existence. Divine Being nourishes existence. Of course existence is none other than Divine Being, but existence is Divine Being in its dimension of temporal limitation and progressive evolution. Divine Being (as absolute Source) nourishes existence with its powers of Love and Intelligence (and the various related powers of these). This nourishment transforms/evolves existence towards its intended fulfillment – which is the Fulfillment of Being in existence, or the manifestation of Being as existence.
Thus, 'existence' (or the many existences/lives) can be understood as the receptacle(s). As humans we can open to and receive this Nourishment, like infants receiving milk from the mother. In fact, our openness and receptivity is necessary, in order for the Nourishment to flow effectively. The Divine Nourishment is also known as the Water of Life, and each existent-being has a capacity to receive a certain amount of this Water or Nourishment, depending on the preparation of the physical, emotional and mental receptacle. Humans can always receive more of this Nourishment and also finer degrees of it; so one need not be concerned about reaching a limit or of receiving too much.
As this Divine Nourishment (which we can understand as Love or as Light) enters our being (through our spiritual heart), it also enters into the world in general. To repeat, as we receive Love and Light, or as we consciously realize or experience it, this Divine Energy (this divine Nourishment) enters the world. That is, we become like mediums or channels for the Divine Energies entering the whole world, through our own conscious receptivity.
The metaphysics of this is that our world is a receptacle for Divine Energies (Love and Light) emerging from the reservoir of Divine Being (which is the Potential for our world). Everyone is a possible channel or receptacle, so any conscious receiving of this Light and Love will add to the Light and Love in our world. This is part of our responsibility to be of service and fulfill our potential function in the overall creative Work.
Many spiritual practices are to contact and align with and receive from the Divine Source, or God, the Central Sun, then to be nourished and transformed by this. So of importance is our connection and being consciously in this nourishment. Thus, an important spiritual goal is to receive and be guided from the higher/deeper Spiritual Dimension, by way of our conscious connection. Then, many lesser concerns naturally fall away, and our life is known to have a cosmic purpose. By making this connection and being in it, we serve the polar cosmic purpose, which is to be transformed and renewed by the Source, so that we can be strong and loving in our worldly interactions. So seek the Divine, for inner power, love, guidance and healing.
We are receptacles, or containers, for the Divine Love and Light. These Divine energies of Love and Light are the essences of all spiritual qualities; as for example, peace, harmony, goodness, healing, and wisdom. So, be open to receiving all spiritual qualities, then radiating these out. We are like a chalice, receiving divine energies and then pouring these forth to the rest of the world. So the best spiritual receivers and containers are the best chalices for the pouring of spiritual energies to the world.
Just be open to receiving. Allow, let in, and accept what is given. It is that simple. We should not receive and accept every kind of energy from others and the world, because not all energies from people are positively good. But it is good to open our heart and mind to Divine Love and Light, because this is always good energy and also spiritually transforming.
Actually, the Divine Light and Love is already present, but obscured by thinking, doubt, worry, resentment, and all of the etc. of ordinary ego experience. So the receiving, in a sense, is actually an awakening or a recognition of the Light and Love already here. It is simply a matter of veils being dropped.
Once we live as a chalice for Divine Light and Love, and if we are in conscious recognition of this Light and Love filling the space of our being, then this Light and Love naturally overflows into the world around us. It naturally overflows and also naturally radiates vibrationally into the world. So whatever degree of Light and Love we have in our being is also our service to the world, by the esoteric law of vibration.
God and man, Source and receptacle, have a certain kind of relationship. God is the Giver, man the receiver. God is the Source, man is the destination. These exist as relations within the Unity of Being, so we are not speaking of two opposing realities. There is a mutual dependency in these relations. We depend on God, the Radiant Being, like the earth depends on the sun. Yet God depends on man (and woman), the receptacle of Being, like water needing something to contain it and give it shape.
God is the Radiant Giver of Life, Love and Light; and God does not alter Its nature of being ever radiant, compassionate and giving. But man has the free possibility of not being open to this radiance of God. God is ever conscious in Its own Being. But man may not be conscious of his/her true divine being. In fact, the real purpose and potential destiny of man is to become open to the Radiance of Divine Being and become more conscious of Divine Being, both within and all around. We are here to realize more of Being and give Being form in the world.
God is all around us, above and surrounding us, but God is also within. We can find the Divine love and power within. So in this sense, the Divine is received from within – it is coming from deep within us; which is different from understanding God as transcendentally outside of us. Though both understandings are equally true. God is all around and within. In either view, there is a relationship between God and man/woman; God being the Divine Source and man being the receptacle or the instrument of realization and expression.
So to complete the working relationship between God and man, we need to consciously enter into an attitude of opening to God and being receptive to God's Radiance (God's Love and Intelligence, or God's Will). And in order to be in this right attitude, we need to first have the attitude of dependence on God as the Source of ongoing spiritual realization and self-transformation. Thus, we need to maintain an attitude of dependence, opening, and receptivity. This is our responsibility in this divine relationship. This dependence on God does not mean that everything just depends on God. Some teachings have made this confusion. We are dependent on God, but who we are and what we do is also very dependent on ourselves. For the spiritual Purpose will not actualize without our needed cooperation – including our right attitude and spiritual intention.
What we receive from God, or from higher levels closer to the Source, are higher realizations, higher intelligence, and higher qualities of Being. In one sense these are received like gifts from on High (or out of the blue). In another sense, they are uncovered like treasures already within us – as we clear away the clouds of conditioned thought and attachments which obscure these realizations and qualities. In either sense, there is a need for us (the receptacle for God and the reflective manifestation of God) to be free of old self attachments and old motivations, and to be empty and open. Then, these Gifts (these awakenings) flow naturally from Being Itself, the One Being of whom we are. For all of this is in the very nature of Being, and in our own being. It is also in the nature of Being to radiate and express the Realizations and Qualities in it.
Thus, the ultimate spiritual path is to return to Being. Or allow Being to realize and express through us. This is also the meaning of God's Will. For it is God's Will that we realize God and express God through ourselves and in the world. If this seems too high of aim, then we can at least aim to realize and express our higher or deeper true self.
Esoterically, The Way is deeper and deeper realizations of Being (God). It is knowing God, which is being conscious of God as around us and within us. God is around us because we are in God. And God is in us because our being is essentially God-Being. Thus, we are in God and God is in us. These are two ways of knowing God/Being, but in the deepest realization there is only God-Being and we are of it. Thus, the Way (and Will of God) is to realize or awaken in God, which is to realize and awaken the Qualities and Powers of Being in us. If we are in this realization, this consciousness, then we are consciously in True Being, and awake in True Being. This is the aim of any true spiritual path, and it is the deeper meaning of 'surrendering to God'.
Intelligent and loving action proceeds from these higher realizations (assuming that we remain in the realization long enough). In other words, if we are in a higher realization of Being, in the realization of our deeper true Being, then action and response in the world will proceed from this state of consciousness. In this higher realization, the sense of 'following' the Will of God is replaced by the sense of 'expressing' the Will of God. In other words, one naturally expresses the realized God-Being (to the degree that it is realized), which is synonymous with expressing God's Will (to that degree of realization). God's Will is then emerging from this realization of Being.