Let There Be Light

Within the world's religious scriptures, many significant passages involve light-be it the "burning bush" experience of the lawgiver Moses on Mount Sinai, the "light brighter than a thousand...
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Within the world's religious scriptures, many significant passages involve light-be it the "burning bush" experience of the lawgiver Moses on Mount Sinai, the "light brighter than a thousand suns" of which the Bhagavad Gita speaks, or the teaching of Jesus of Nazareth, "If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be filled with light" (Matthew 6:22, KJV). Numerous esoteric references to Inner Light appear not only in the scriptures of the distant past, but also within the personal experiential accounts by Masters, sages, and seers across the centuries, as well as wisdom stories and folktales from many of the world's cultural and ethnic traditions.

We also draw attention to a number of significant related references and accounts by teachers and practitioners of the closely related phenomenon of Inner Sound, which is also known within various teachings or mystic lineages as "audible sound current," Naam, Word, "celestial music," or other descriptions.

Testimonies are provide by persons who have experienced aspects of Inner Light and Sound in a variety of circumstances outside of formal religious or spiritual contexts. These may be precipitated, for example, by being profoundly moved by uplifting music or Nature, sudden personal epiphanies, near-death experiences (NDEs), out of body experiences (OBEs), and during the dying process itself.

One common thread among great teachers, sages and practitioners of spiritual traditions have emphasized throughout the ages is that Inner Light and enlightenment can be most directly accessed by going within, utilizing the meditation, prayer and other contemplative practices.

Today humankind collectively is faced with a host of great challenges: political, socio- economic, and ecological-which ultimately are spiritual in nature. Fortunately, possibilities for transformational changes are also plentiful. Increasing numbers of people of all ages around the planet individually and collectively, are seeking to tap into resources that will enhance self-understanding and recognition of a "deeper" shared level of consciousness within themselves and in the world.

A number of questions emerge. Simply put, can enough persons of goodwill find sufficient common ground to pull together and live into being a unifying ethos for humanity? Will our daily thoughts, words and actions be consistent with the name of our species, homo sapiens (wise people)? What will it take to build a, nonviolent, sustainable world upon foundations of lovingkindness, compassion and social justice, beginning within ourselves, our families and communities, and expanding throughout the planet?

It has becoming increasingly clear that there can be no real peace in the world until there is peace within and between religions, and it is encouraging in this regard to witness increased participation among the faith traditions in interfaith dialogue. Other harbingers of positive change include the interspiritual movement, which draws people from a wide range of perspectives, highlighting a growing awareness that the basic core of fulfilling spiritual experience draws from the same wellspring(s).

When the word enlightenment is broken down into its separate components, its root meaning "in-the-light" can be envisaged as pointing to an often 'hidden treasure'.

We sincerity hope that Let There Be Light can help contribute to thoughtful questioning, appreciative listening, and openhearted dialogue as seekers after truthful living come together to share their spiritual journeys with each other.