Emergent Light
Every form of life is an emerging point of light. Whether considering the life that animates a flower, an animal foraging in the forest or the existence of a human being, at their core, each is an expression of divine light. Though the nature and kind of light may differ from one to the other, there is, nonetheless, radiant quality that each can express. When considering a flower, its light can be recognized as the beauty it conveys, and for the animal—through the charming glow of its instinctual nature. Yet when considering a human being, the highest type of radiance that will eventually emerge is the light of the soul shining deep within.
Light is known by what is reveals. When pondered beyond the usual references to physical light, this notion is actually quite profound. It leads us to consider the revelatory value of light in its many forms—such as the light of love, the light of wisdom, and the light of life. These are just a few of the many forms of light seeking to radiate through a human being, and each is divine in its origin and revelatory in its effect. In this regard, revelation and light are inescapably intertwined.
In its essential nature, light is an emergent quality that reveals the divine principles underlying human existence. Through its expression, an aspect of the Divine can gradually be realized. When we experience the light of love, for example, we are participating in the energy of attraction inherent within the Greater Life (God). Indeed, one’s capacity to feel love gives testament to the unitive field that underlies all things. This is what love really is. Love is the magnetic force innate within the Greater Life as it holds all things within a cohesive whole. Feeling love therefore awakens within us a transcendent relationship to God. In this way it has revelatory value—the effect of which is to feel an inner unity between lover and the beloved.
Given this understanding, it becomes clear that to walk the Path is to consciously see oneself as an agent of emergent light. It is to accept responsibility for bringing light into dark places. This can manifest in many ways, such the ability to convey an embryonic idea (inspired by the light of intuition) in order to stimulate new and progressive initiatives; or the light of wisdom as it awakens a wider perspective and cultivates enlightened public opinion. When an individual delivers any type of uplifting force in the world, it is essentially an act of light-filled service.
Whether considering the light of compassion, the light of grace, or the light of intelligent activity (to name just a few), each is a manifestation of divinity expressing itself through form. The question to be asked is…. how well do we radiate these soul-inspired lights? To be more conscious of this question can bring us to a deeper understanding that we are each carriers of emergent light in support of humanity’s evolution and betterment. In truth, there is much wisdom in the popularized aphorism to “let your light shine.” May it be so for all.