One of the esoteric spiritual practices is to be filled with Divine Light. Some teachings would say that to be filled with Light could only be a gift from God, a gift to only special people, so there is nothing one can do to make this occur. It is just up to God.
But the esoteric teachings show aspirants how to be filled with Light. Divine Grace is still at work, and one is still dependent on Grace, but there are steps one can do to open the door for this Grace. Some people do seem to receive Divine Light by no effort on their own. It just happens unexpectedly. Now we might hope that it happens to us unexpectedly and without any effort of our own. But these people receiving unexpected grace actually were prepared. They probably had already developed the necessary attitude and receptive mode of being, in order for this Light to enter them.
So we need to prepare ourselves, and we can do this consciously and intentionally, in order to come into the right receptive mode for the Divine Light to fill us. There is no sense remaining in a passive state, waiting for God to choose us or waiting for some Guru to direct Light into us. Take responsibility for your own work.
Remember that the human being and the Divine Power are in a relationship, whereby both sides must function together. The Divine Power of Light is like a source of electricity, and we are like a lightbulb and a switch. The Light source will consistently perform its function, but nothing will actually work unless we perform our necessary part. In one sense, there is an ultimate dependency on the Divine, because any actualization of light depends on the source of light. Yet in another sense, there is an ultimate dependency on the human being to open up the channel, open the switch, and allow oneself (like a bulb) to be filled with Light. Thus, there is mutual dependency or inter-dependency in this relationship of human and Divine.
By another analogy, the Divine is like water from the sky, and we are like bowls or chalices for this water. Without a receptive bowl, the rain from heaven is not contained, so it merely recycles back to into the sky. But if there is a receptive container for this precious water, then the water can be carried to places of need and it can become useful for various purposes. Our physical bodies are containers of water, and if not for this movable body of water there would be no life as we know it. So it is necessary, in our relationship with the Divine Power, that we become useful containers of Light, or receptive chalices for the Divine, and also that we open up to the Light, open the skylight of our house and let it in, allowing the Divine Light to fill the whole of our inner space.
It is also important to be consciously present to what is unfolding from within, because there won’t be any experience of Light without consciousness. The Light of God fills the self when the self surrenders, allows, and is present to what is. If one is completely still inside, relaxed, and consciously open to the Grace of God, the Divine Light spontaneously emerges. The Light simply appears. It is revealed. It emerges as being present. In other words, it is all of sudden present.
Now, the reason that the Light suddenly appears is because the mind has finally become still and quiet, receptive and open, and also consciously present to what is already here. It is like when noises or talking finally subsides, and in this quietness one hears a subtle music or a beautiful singing, which was already going on but one never heard it because of the surrounding noise and chatter. Quiet the noise and chatter, let it go, and begin to listen in the silence, for the Divine is already singing, and when one finally hears this beauty the heart is filled with joy. Listen for this beauty coming from deep within the heart. The Divine is singing. Shush, be quiet, be still, listen.
The Divine Light emerges like this. In a sudden moment it appears. All of a sudden there is this experience of Light filling the heart and mind, until there is no heart and mind, but only just Light. This suddenly happens at the point when one finally lets go of the inner talking and the holding on to some idea of self, and it also depends on one’s inner stillness, openness and receptivity.
Now it might seem from this way of speaking that mind and heart are separate, or that Light and Love are distinctly different. Yet mind and heart are only distinct in our usual level of experience. At deeper levels of mediation, mind and heart are one. Here, we could say that the heart is full of consciousness and intelligence. Or we could say that the mind is full of heart love. We could say that the heart has mind, and the mind has heart. But in speaking this way, we are making distinctions that are not really experienced at the deeper levels of meditation; for at this deeper level, the notion of distinction simply does not arise. For here, one is simply experiencing the truth of being. Here, there is depth of sincerity (which can be termed heart) and expansiveness of consciousness (which can be termed mind). Yet the experience itself is much more of a unity.
Likewise, Light and Love are not really distinct in the deeper levels of meditation. At the very Essence of Reality there is no distinction, for they are essentially the same. And so it is in our own experience, for in our deepest experience of Being these are essentially the same reality. It is only at the level of Intellect that Light and Love are distinguished. In deep meditation, there is no doubt that Light radiates from the heart. This Light radiance is the natural state of the heart. So light is obviously not just an attribute of mind, but also of the heart. Thus we can say that the heart has consciousness. It is certainly possible to have a conscious heart, an awakened heart, an enlightened heart, or a heart full of Light.
As the inner state of oneself changes and comes into the right receptive attitude and mode, the Light will then suddenly be unblocked, the channel will suddenly be open, and Light will then be able to come through. The Light will suddenly be present, because the usual objects of mind and turmoil of emotions will finally cease to obscure the Light that is already behind this usual drama of mind and emotion. Once the obscurations disappear, the Light behind the clouds suddenly appears. The Light is then clearly revealed. Once the window is clear of dust and clutter, the Light can then shine with clarity. Once the lens is clear, the Light is clearly experienced. Once veils are dropped, the Light shines through evermore brightly.
Our mind is like a window or a lens for the Light of God. So if the mind becomes clear, the Light easily shines through. Thus, one important key is clearing the mind of all obstructions, or letting go of all thought and identification. Let the mind be a clear window and a pure receptive space. Then just be awake to the Light that is already present. Don’t think about it; just be present in the Light. This is the Light of Divine Being, which comes through the clear and receptive mind. We are simply uncovering this Light, or discovering it.
Of course, one could also say that this is the essential light of our own mind, or the light of our intellect. Yet it is also the Light of God, because our own light is reflective of God’s Light. God knows through us. And our knowing is dependent on the Light of God. The light of our own mind depends on the Light of God and is reflective of it, just as the light of a lightbulb depends on its Light source and is essentially Light Itself. So our mind and heart reflects God most essentially when our mind is clear and full of Light. But we do not need to invent this Light or try to make it be. For the Light just is, when the mind is clear.
Then, when one is fully in the Light, or when the Light is full in us, it naturally radiates out to all beings. The Light that we allow into us or through us, or the Light that mind is able to experience, is the amount of Light that radiates from us to all other beings, as we become a channel or centre of radiance for this Light. This is what we can give or share with the world, esoterically or secretly. Our light, or the Light that we know, is our secret and it secretly radiates out into the world, serving the gradual spiritual enlightenment of humanity. We are serving, sharing instruments of Light. We are channels for Light, or centres of radiant Light. We could say the same in relation to Love. For the degree of Love that is full in us, is the degree of Love that secretly overflows into the hearts of others. But this has to be a Love that is pure and unobscured by self-centered emotions.
Enter into the House of God, which is the Source of Light and Love. Enter into Light Consciousness and Love’s Embrace, in the Presence of God, in the Heart of the heart. Be cleaned, healed and filled with this Light and Presence of Love. Stay in this House of God, this Presence of Lighted Love, for as long as need be. But at some point the next step is to turn from the Sun to face the world of need, and in this direction become a radiant servant of Light and Love. Become the giver, pouring Radiant Love into the world and all those who live there. Become the magician of Love’s Light descending into the waiting world. This is to be a servant of God.
The first stage is ascendance, openness and receptivity. The is the stage of the spiritual inward Breath, though it may last many actual in and out breaths. Next is the stage of Light’s descent, which we participate in consciously and willingly. This is the stage of service and of being like a channel for the Divine. The first stage is arms and hands open up, so to be embraced by the Divine and ascend into God’s House. The other stage is a spiritual outward Breath, with hands outward in blessing to all of life and those in need, especially those in need of love and enlightenment. Thus, in greater terms, this is the rhythm of Spiritual Breath, which we can consciously participate in.
In the first stage we are like children needing a Love hug and the nourishment of our Divine Mother/Father God. In the other stage we are like responsible servants of our Lord. How do we serve? By pouring forth Light/Love from what is already overflowing in us. We have become so full of Light/Love that we are now pouring out blessings. Sometimes this seems like it is coming from beyond us, but at other times it may seem like it is coming from our own heart-mind. Both sensings are true; each is merely a perspective about what is.
We learn to see the light within each other, and as we see the light it grows brighter, emerging more and more into manifestation and expression. This seeing is the key to invocation and healing. It is the seeing of the spirit within. We see with the inner eye of spiritual intuition and recognition. This is the highest form of psychic awareness, and as we learn to see the inner light within others and life around us, we begin to see the particular qualities of this light, the various qualities unique to this particular person or form of nature.
Each person, in their essence, is an emerging light, with a unique set of qualities or colors, and these unique qualities form the beauty of their emerging essence. We need not try and make someone into what we think they should be or into a particular color of beauty which we personally like. This kind of subtle manipulation is not healing, even if we do it with a good intention to help. We need not create beauty in others, nor create light in them. All the light of which they are, and in which they need, is already within them, just waiting to emerge in brilliance and in various qualities of beauty.
Healing is an allowing of the inner light to emerge into expression. It is the free unfoldment of the personal seed within, allowing that which is wanting and waiting to come forth into expression and actualization. Healing is basically relieving the frustrated light within, by allowing that light to come out to be and to dance. When the light within is freed to come out and express its many forms and qualities, then the person feels healed. There is, then, nothing holding them back, as the light is free to emerge in its own spontaneity and in its fullness of radiance. This is the fearless, uninhibited light, free because of a right attitude in mind.
We need to learn to see others how they truly are, not how they were yesterday or even a few moments ago, but how they are now in this present moment. For only in the present moment can we see the light emerging anew and revealing what we previously had not seen. This is the Light of Surprise, emerging out of the dark and in the present moment. Here, light spontaneously reveals new colors and qualities, one’s which were already there in potential, or maybe even already manifesting, but which we have yet to see. So this emergence is a surprise to us. It may seem totally unexpected, like in one moment this light, or a quality of this light, just suddenly appears. Suddenly it is there, expressing through this person. This is good. It means the perceiver is in the present moment, because sudden awakenings and immediate surprises only emerge in the present moment.
We must raise ourselves out of the sludge of expectation, where we never see anything new because we live in the presumption that we already know it all, we’ve seen it all. We already know this person or this lover. There is nothing new about her. She’s always the same. That is the great illusion, the great deception. But it is our own fault. It is of our own doing. We are believing that this other person is already fully known and that we’ll never find anything new or different, other than what we presume is always there in their personality or self-expression. But this kind of presumption is blinder to seeing a person anew or seeing what we have yet to see.
Sure, we all have personality patterns which appear to repeat themselves again and again. There is an element of sameness to us, and many people feel comfortable with this. But there is also much more in everyone, much more potential as yet unmanifested, and much more beginning to emerge which is not yet being recognized or acknowledged. So, one needs to be open the the Light of Surprise, being open and Recognizing of that which is beginning to emerge, or of that which is seeking to emerge right now in this present moment. This new emergence is being held back only because of a lack of receptivity and a lack of respect.
Everyone has a greater light hiding within them, which wants to come forth into brilliance. This light is hiding within. It may be hiding out of some fear or because of previous unrecognition. It may be hiding or veiled for many reasons. It may be suppressed. But it is still there, in essence, hiding and awaiting recognition and expression. The light only emerges when love and trust are present, first present in that person’s own attitude, but also needed in whomever is on the receiving end of this potential expression of light.
The beginning step of love is respect, that is, self-respect and respect for the individual uniqueness of others. And respect is a willingness to see anew, to re-spectate oneself or another. To respect is to give the light a chance to come out and be accepted. And this is similar to trust, when we trust the light and the goodness emerging from ourself or another. Even if the other person, or ourself, appears to be dark, depressed, or in rejection of the light, we need to have some trust that the light is nonetheless present within and awaiting its accepted and allowed emergence. So the light needs love, respect, trust and allowing.