Spiritual Light

[idiot_stimpy]

What does it mean when people ask to receive more light, or experience spiritual light?

 

Any pointers would be appreciated.

[Aeran]

Could you provide a context?

 

Possibly a reference to the astral light?

Edited February 17, 2014 by Aeran

[Ish]

You may see a bright light in your meditation, or simply may feel like your body has dissolved into light or a bright energy. Pretty common stuff which may be a few of the experiences related to your question.

[C T]

Spiritual light is the light which brightens awareness enough to dissolve conceptual frameworks, so that what remains is just light, pristine awareness, empty cognizance, direct seeing, direct connection with sounds and objects, not filtered thru the senses which means the complete letting go of names, memory and labels. Objects are seen in their own light of reality, without being tainted or superimposed over with our deluded mental identifications. You can call it 'spiritual light' but basically its clarity merged with emptiness, both functioning evenly, without any hint of fluctuation.

 

This is how buddhas' body, speech and mind is, unwaveringly constant, whereas we only get glimpses of such enlightening states now and then.

 

There are other interpretations, i'm sure.

[C T]

CT, or anyone else, can you see the spiritual light in others?

Yes and no, in my case.

 

For example, sometimes we come into the presence of holy beings or realized masters, and the mind goes into some state of no thoughts arising, or all thoughts dissolving (same thing) but we still experience, and we still see, but the experience and the seeing which arise is not tainted by any deluded overlapping thoughts, just present awareness happening. Because its untainted, the experience transpires as bliss, and the seeing transpires as light.

 

When we find ourselves in the presence of heightened awareness (like deep love or moments of infatuation, for example) we find that often we tend to drop the mental/emotional guardrails. The temporary abandoning of these ego-shields allow us to see things extra clear, as if aglow even. So i guess one could say that the basis of everything is simply light, but because we have habits which get in the way of recognition, we tend to miss seeing this in others in our daily interactions. It could be said that if the basis is not pure light, then clear seeing, untainted by past imprints, can not arise.

 

Hope that makes sense...

[Jeff]

Spiritual light is the light which brightens awareness enough to dissolve conceptual frameworks, so that what remains is just light, pristine awareness, empty cognizance, direct seeing, direct connection with sounds and objects, not filtered thru the senses which means the complete letting go of names, memory and labels. Objects are seen in their own light of reality, without being tainted or superimposed over with our deluded mental identifications. You can call it 'spiritual light' but basically its clarity merged with emptiness, both functioning evenly, without any hint of fluctuation.

 

This is how buddhas' body, speech and mind is, unwaveringly constant, whereas we only get glimpses of such enlightening states now and then.

 

There are other interpretations, i'm sure.

 

Worth repeating as an answer. I would only add that clarity can also been thought of as a deeper component of emptiness (rather than something to merge with). As it goes "deeper", it is sometimes called the emptiness of ultimate reality.

 

Rainbowvein - it is not possible to "see" the light of which CT describes. It is more the clear light of the "framework" of mind and can only be known or felt. Any seeing is an arising of the mind itself and subject to the obscurations.

[C T]

Worth repeating as an answer. I would only add that clarity can also been thought of as a deeper component of emptiness (rather than something to merge with). As it goes "deeper", it is sometimes called the emptiness of ultimate reality. Rainbowvein - it is not possible to "see" the light of which CT describes. It is more the clear light of the "framework" of mind and can only be known or felt. Any seeing is an arising of the mind itself and subject to the obscurations.

In the primordial state, emptiness and clarity are already conjoined. Always already that.

 

This 'going deeper' is just how we choose to conceptualize the path of union to bring more understanding. I think in reality, no such process happens.

 

[Jeff]

In the primordial state, emptiness and clarity are already conjoined. Always already that.

 

This 'going deeper' is just how we choose to conceptualize the path of union to bring more understanding. I think in reality, no such process happens.

 

 

Agreed. But, hopefully the words are useful for the mind as a pointer/description.

[idiot_stimpy]

Thank you very much for your replies.

 

Very informative.

 

 

What about the light you see as halos around Saints heads?

 

Is this the same light that is also called the Spiritual Fire/Kundalini that is raised up the spinal column?

 

 

I'm currently reading a book about Gopi Krishna would raised the Kundalini

 

 

 

 

I had read glowing accounts, written by learned men, of great benefits resulting from concentration, and of the miraculous powers acquired by yogis through such exercises. My heart began to beat wildly, and I found it difficult to bring my attention to the required degree of fixity. After a while I grew composed and was soon as deep in meditation as before.

When completely immersed I again experienced the sensation, but this time, instead of allowing my mind to leave the point where I had fixed it, I maintained a rigidity of attention throughout. The sensation again extended upwards, growing in intensity, and I felt myself wavering; but with a great effort I kept my attention centered round the lotus. Suddenly, with a roar like that of a waterfall, I felt a stream of liquid light entering my brain through the spinal cord.

Entirely unprepared for such a development, I was completely taken by surprise; but regaining self-control instantaneously, I remained sitting in the same posture, keeping my mind on the point of concentration. The illumination grew brighter and brighter, the roaring louder, I experienced a rocking sensation and then felt myself slipping out of my body, entirely enveloped in a halo of light.

It is impossible to describe the experience accurately. I felt the point of

consciousness that was myself growing wider, surrounded by waves of light. It grew wider and wider, spreading outward while the body, normally the immediate object of its perception, appeared to have receded into the distance until I became entirely unconscious of it.

I was now all consciousness, without any outline, without any idea of a

corporeal appendage, without any feeling or sensation coming from the senses, immersed in a sea of light simultaneously conscious and aware of every point, spread out, as it were, in all directions without any barrier or material obstruction. I was no longer myself, or to be more accurate, no longer as I knew myself to be, a small point of awareness confined in a body, but instead was a vast circle of consciousness in which the body was but a point, bathed in light and in a state of exaltation and happiness impossible to describe.

 

kundalini the evolutionary energy in man - gopi krishna pg4

Edited February 17, 2014 by idiot_stimpy

[idiot_stimpy]

 

The principal idea is simple: semen is that fluid in the body most highly charged with prana. Occult anatomy envisages a direct connection between the genitals and the nervous system, either via brain and spine or via the blood. Loss of seed means loss of that vital essence which is the source of the living liquid light.

Semen must therefore be discerned and discharged upwards rather than outwards, thereby adding to the internal circulation of prana.

Bharati (op. cit.) speaks of the difference between Buddhist and Hindu attitudes. The former, as the Taoists, retain the semen; the latter discharge it (left-hand path of Tantrism) as sacrifice. In each of these varied traditions one idea stands out: the transformation of consciousness requires the transformation of sexuality which takes place through ritual.

Edited February 17, 2014 by idiot_stimpy

[C T]

Agreed. But, hopefully the words are useful for the mind as a pointer/description.

Thats true, words and conceptual frameworks are needed in the interim. And TTB is a good place to polish same, dont you think?

[C T]

@ Mr. Stimpy... a helpful book for exploring this subject ~ http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/ornament-stainless-light

[Jeff]

Thank you very much for your replies.

 

Very informative.

 

What about the light you see as halos around Saints heads?

 

Is this the same light that is also called the Spiritual Fire/Kundalini that is raised up the spinal column?

 

I'm currently reading a book about Gopi Krishna would raised the Kundalini

 

kundalini the evolutionary energy in man - gopi krishna pg4

 

Light seen as halos around saints heads is the "translation" in mind of viewer of the natural radiance of of the saint.

 

If someone views it as "raising kundalini", they have not yet realized the clear light (or the nature of universal mind). But, that which is often called kundalini definitely has an evolutionary effect on the human form.

 

[Jeff]

Good opportunity for me to clarify. When I wrote "see," I meant "know."

 

How well can one know the spiritual light of others?

 

I'm learning that it is a very rare quality.

 

True knowing happens when one "resides" in the light and one knows that there really are no others. When that is known and realized, one can directly be (or share presence) with any "other being". In Buddhist terms, it would be called the realization of emptiness as described in the Heart sutra, when one knows that Form=Void and also Void=Form. In some traditions, it is called residing in the "inner heart".

 

And yes, it is very rare. Many rate and judge others with "colors", but that is more what people call the 3rd eye (and of the mind).

[Jeff]

Thats true, words and conceptual frameworks are needed in the interim. And TTB is a good place to polish same, dont you think?

 

Yes, a very good place. If one can survive the gauntlet and discuss something here, they can do it anywhere.

 

Insight is one thing... Translating and sharing with other "mind streams" is quite another, don't you think?

 

Best wishes.

[C T]

Yes, a very good place. If one can survive the gauntlet and discuss something here, they can do it anywhere. Insight is one thing... Translating and sharing with other "mind streams" is quite another, don't you think? Best wishes.

True that.

[3bob]

CT, or anyone else, can you see the spiritual light in others?

 

there is an ocean of light, there is a Being of light that acts as a point or matrix in time and space for that light, then the Being returns to the ocean that they never really left. All of this is possible to SEE, but once inside the ocean or inside the light then such seeing is no more.

[silent thunder]

spiritual light to me means awareness

[Captain Mar-Vell]

...

A bright blazing golden disc of light radiating streamers of energy appeared above and behind me, immediately prior to my energetic event.

 

I don't really know what it was.

 

It made me think of the burning bush.

...

Edited February 17, 2014 by Captain Mar-Vell

[idiot_stimpy]

...

A bright blazing golden disc of light radiating streamers of energy appeared above and behind me, immediately prior to my energetic event.

 

I don't really know what it was.

 

It made me think of the burning bush.

...

 

Is this astral light?

[chegg]

.

.

Edited March 14, 2015 by chegg

[3bob]

"White Light Meditations" link:

 

http://www.himavanti.org/en/c/himavanti-1/white-light-spiritual-meditations-yoga-dhyana

[Ya Mu]

Sea of Light song http://store.qigongamerica.com (or just send me an email and I will send a download link) free to anyone that wants to listen to a dirty one-mic live recording

...

there is an ocean of light,

...

[Jeff]

Is this astral light?

 

Yes, the light described would be call "astral" as it is seen (or translated ) by the mind.

[3bob]

I'd add that the term "astral" is used in many ways by different schools.

 

For instance astral is sometimes divided into lower, middle and upper, (so to speak) with the lower astral referring to the hell realms where light is twisted into darkness and the higher astral referring to refined realms of shinning light and goodness; also there are the terms of mental and causal realms (often described as being above the astral) which of course also include "light".

 

Since many here have Buddhist leanings one might ask them where the transcendental and factual type (light) depictions of Buddha's standing or sitting on beautiful transparent lotus blossoms fit into such categories? (although such categories are nothing to get hung about imo)

Edited February 19, 2014 by 3bob