Inner Light

[Nakosis]

Krishna then grants Arjuna a spiritual vision of his divine form. If the light of a thousand suns were to rise in the sky at once, it would be like the light of that great spirit. Arjuna saw all the universe in its many ways and parts, standing as one in the body of the god of gods. 23 Arjuna reports on his vision: I see you blazing through the fiery rays of your crown, mace and discus, hard to behold in the burning light of fire and sun that surrounds your measureless presence.
https://www.opencenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Andrew-Vidich-Overview-Hinduism-.pdf

When I awoke in the middle of the night to see an orb of brilliant white Light hovering at the side of my bed, it wasn’t an ordinary light that my eyes are accustomed to seeing. This was different. It was magnificent, made of Light beyond my logical comprehension. However, the truth is that we are all made of this very same Light, and this Light is what threads all of Life together in one unified tapestry. It’s the same Light that those who have had Near Death Experiences (NDE) or Out of Body Experiences often refer to. It’s usually described as a never-ending ocean of pure Love. And that is God.
Awakening Our Inner Light - The Edge Magazine

The inner Light, the Light of God, is the same Light referred to in the word "enlightenment". Its intensity can range from a subtle glow to the brilliance of many millions of suns. It is through the inner Light and Sound that we come to know God.
Light of God - FREE Quanyin Meditation on Inner Light and Sound Enlightenment and Spirituality spiritual guide Light of the God

This "inner light" is it something seen during meditation of is it a metaphorical phrase? A figurative description of enlightenment or a realization of spiritual wisdom?

 

[sojourner]

Krishna then grants Arjuna a spiritual vision of his divine form. If the light of a thousand suns were to rise in the sky at once, it would be like the light of that great spirit. Arjuna saw all the universe in its many ways and parts, standing as one in the body of the god of gods. 23 Arjuna reports on his vision: I see you blazing through the fiery rays of your crown, mace and discus, hard to behold in the burning light of fire and sun that surrounds your measureless presence.
https://www.opencenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Andrew-Vidich-Overview-Hinduism-.pdf

When I awoke in the middle of the night to see an orb of brilliant white Light hovering at the side of my bed, it wasn’t an ordinary light that my eyes are accustomed to seeing. This was different. It was magnificent, made of Light beyond my logical comprehension. However, the truth is that we are all made of this very same Light, and this Light is what threads all of Life together in one unified tapestry. It’s the same Light that those who have had Near Death Experiences (NDE) or Out of Body Experiences often refer to. It’s usually described as a never-ending ocean of pure Love. And that is God.
Awakening Our Inner Light - The Edge Magazine

The inner Light, the Light of God, is the same Light referred to in the word "enlightenment". Its intensity can range from a subtle glow to the brilliance of many millions of suns. It is through the inner Light and Sound that we come to know God.
Light of God - FREE Quanyin Meditation on Inner Light and Sound Enlightenment and Spirituality spiritual guide Light of the God

This "inner light" is it something seen during meditation of is it a metaphorical phrase? A figurative description of enlightenment or a realization of spiritual wisdom?

For me it's a vision seen during meditation. There's a reason the saints are painted with halos around their heads. Since my tradition (as well as others) teach that we are fundamentally beings of light, it stands to reason that it's more than a metaphor. Some people can physically see auras of light around people and objects. I can see them around vehicles. Go figure...

 

[stvdv]

This "inner light" is it something seen during meditation of is it a metaphorical phrase? A figurative description of enlightenment or a realization of spiritual wisdom?

I have experienced a few times this "inner light". Always after prolonged concentration practice.

There is a video (also on youtube) claiming that if you do the practice for the number of minutes you are old (50 minutes in my case, when I did it; would be 56 now), you can get this experience. I did it twice, and twice it happened (was in a time I was doing more practices, lately I have been doing less, so I expect I first need to be more in tune to get this experience again, or maybe it is just Grace if it happens).

And once I was singing in a church for 12 hours continuously, after ca. 08 hours of intense concentration/contemplation I saw this unbelievable light, brighter than the sun. Amazing. The problem that we normally don't see this, is that we are too much occupied with the material world. That's why it took me 08 hours of mantra I guess.

So, I know from personal experience that this is real.

My Master always says "If you do part time sadhana you get part time result". That makes sense to me. Same if you want to achieve something in the world

 

[Vinayaka]

Krishna then grants Arjuna a spiritual vision of his divine form. If the light of a thousand suns were to rise in the sky at once, it would be like the light of that great spirit. Arjuna saw all the universe in its many ways and parts, standing as one in the body of the god of gods. 23 Arjuna reports on his vision: I see you blazing through the fiery rays of your crown, mace and discus, hard to behold in the burning light of fire and sun that surrounds your measureless presence.
https://www.opencenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Andrew-Vidich-Overview-Hinduism-.pdf

When I awoke in the middle of the night to see an orb of brilliant white Light hovering at the side of my bed, it wasn’t an ordinary light that my eyes are accustomed to seeing. This was different. It was magnificent, made of Light beyond my logical comprehension. However, the truth is that we are all made of this very same Light, and this Light is what threads all of Life together in one unified tapestry. It’s the same Light that those who have had Near Death Experiences (NDE) or Out of Body Experiences often refer to. It’s usually described as a never-ending ocean of pure Love. And that is God.
Awakening Our Inner Light - The Edge Magazine

The inner Light, the Light of God, is the same Light referred to in the word "enlightenment". Its intensity can range from a subtle glow to the brilliance of many millions of suns. It is through the inner Light and Sound that we come to know God.
Light of God - FREE Quanyin Meditation on Inner Light and Sound Enlightenment and Spirituality spiritual guide Light of the God

This "inner light" is it something seen during meditation of is it a metaphorical phrase? A figurative description of enlightenment or a realization of spiritual wisdom?

It is something you see. It can be flashes, a moon-glow, or brilliant.

 

[King Phenomenon]

Metaphor

 

[Jedster]

@Nakosis IME it is real.
I have been seeing light during all my meditation years.
As a theist, I believed that the light is god.
Nowadays, as a non-theist, I still see the same light which I now believe is , wait for it...., light.

 

[Nakosis]

@Nakosis IME it is real.
I have been seeing light during all my meditation years.
As a theist, I believed that the light is god.
Nowadays, as a non-theist, I still see the same light which I now believe is , wait for it...., light.

That would be my next question, what do you think it is?

I was told it was God's divine light. I had no reason to doubt it @ seventeen.
I use to like to sit in a completely dark room and "see" the light.
I can understand why people would see this as some aspect of God. When they talk about the light, I assume this experience is what at least some of them refer to.

I don't know what it is or how it works but it generally is a comforting peaceful experience.

 

[Jedster]

That would be my next question, what do you think it is?

I was told it was God's divine light. I had no reason to doubt it @ seventeen.
I use to like to sit in a completely dark room and "see" the light.
I can understand why people would see this as some aspect of God. When they talk about the light, I assume this experience is what at least some of them refer to.

I don't know what it is or how it works but it generally is a comforting peaceful experience.

Ditto(I was 24).

At that time, I knew nothing about meditation/looking within, so I fell for the god explanation in a BIG way.
Since leaving the group, after 23 years, I began to speak with people outside the group and discovered that lots of people 'see the light' including non-theists.
Also, since the advent of the internet I discovered that seeing light(plus other experiences) has been known about for centuries and was not the exclusive knowledge of anyone, as was claimed by DLM.
(I now wish that I had stumbled upon this in a more secular way, where my beliefs were not intruded upon. )

From my reading of many world scriptures, I have no doubt that references to light, sound, nectar and holy name(mindfulness?) were mostly not metaphors, and it was reasonable, all those centuries ago, that people believed this is to be god.
Nowadays I just think of this as an inner extension of our senses, sight, sound, taste(smell), emotions. Something obviously physiological or 'I just don't know'.

 

[atanu]

This "inner light" is it something seen during meditation of is it a metaphorical phrase? A figurative description of enlightenment or a realization of spiritual wisdom?

When you see the object-less illumination, who is that sees the light? What is the nature and form of the seer?

PS:
As per Yoga and Vedanta (and also much of Buddhism), consciousness is that which illuminates and knows. ‘Illuminates’ means that It illumines ‘space-time-objects‘. The ‘knowing’ means that it knows what it illuminates.

So, if one has advanced to the stage of witnessing object-less realm (akin to pure white light) in meditation, one should persist with the enquiry “Who witnesses the light?”

Needless to say that intellect can go this far only.
...

 

[Jedster]

@atanu Nice post.

When you see the object-less illumination, who is that sees the light? What is the nature and form of the seer?

Initially it is 'me' who is looking at the light and I can enjoy the sights.
However, sometimes the light becomes almost overwhelming & fills everything.
In that state there is no 'me', just light.
No seer there, only familiarity.

 

[Nakosis]

When you see the object-less illumination, who is that sees the light? What is the nature and form of the seer?

PS:
As per Yoga and Vedanta (and also much of Buddhism), consciousness is that which illuminates and knows. ‘Illuminates’ means that It illumines ‘space-time-objects‘. The ‘knowing’ means that it knows what it illuminates.

So, if one has advanced to the stage of witnessing object-less realm (akin to pure white light) in meditation, one should persist with the enquiry “Who witnesses the light?”

Needless to say that intellect can go this far only.
...

There is no seer. When I let go of all identity there is no seer, nothing to observe. There is no I, just a state of not being. Didn't like it to not have separateness/differentiation. Nothing to orientate existence from. If this non-existence in the truth, then I prefer MAYA.

 

[Vinayaka]

@Nakosis IME it is real.
I have been seeing light during all my meditation years.
As a theist, I believed that the light is god.
Nowadays, as a non-theist, I still see the same light which I now believe is , wait for it...., light.

Where did you get the idea that it was God? In my sect, it's always just been light. Inner light, sure. But you can give yourself inner light just by pushing on your eyes. Maybe that has something to do with pressure on the optic nerve, I don't know. In meditation, there is nothing external to 'start' it.

Is DLM Divine Life Mission?

 

[atanu]

There is no seer. When I let go of all identity there is no seer, nothing to observe. There is no I, just a state of not being. Didn't like it to not have separateness/differentiation. Nothing to orientate existence from. If this non-existence in the truth, then I prefer MAYA.

And who discerned the state of 'not being'?

 

[Nakosis]

And who discerned the state of 'not being'?

No one, nobody. Who knows the reality but my experience was a struggle to exist. At the last second, I did not want to let go of being. I was afraid that if I totally let go of me, there would be no coming back from that.

I never completely let go, so I can't tell you what that is. Maybe someday but no interest in it right now.

 

[atanu]

No one, nobody. .....

I never completely let go, so I can't tell you what that is. Maybe someday but no interest in it right now.

Do you see the contradiction in the red part and the blue part? But forget about yourself. Did Buddha or similar other accomplished ones did not discern the ultimate emptiness? If there was no discernment at all then how come we have the teachings?
...

 

[Jedster]

@Vinayaka


Where did you get the idea that it was God?
The Guru's claim was that this knowledge is the Truth/God. He invited people just to try it and leave it if not satisfied. There was no demand to change religion or anything else and it didn't matter if you were an atheist.
I thought this a bold claim as most religions/groups at the time demanded some faith.

Re:Initiation 1974
We were first shown where this knowledge is in many scriptures.
At the initiation we were shown 4 secret techniques and we were forbidden to tell them.
We practiced the techs for a while and everyone was blown away.

At the end of the session, we all had to do full pranam to the picture of the guru and make a statement of devotion 3 times".
If anyone in the room was an atheist, there's no way they remained so.

In my sect, it's always just been light. Inner light, sure. But you can give yourself inner light just by pushing on your eyes. Maybe that has something to do with pressure on the optic nerve,

Yes, I think most kids have discovered that.
Pressing eyeballs was one of the techniques which was updated some years later to, just touching to stop movement.


I don't know. In meditation, there is nothing external to 'start' it.
Well, these days I have no need to touch my eyes to see light.
We were told that these are Raj Yoga techs

It all appeared fantastic at the time and the Lord is here and everyone will know by 1980(LOL)


DLM was Divine Light Mission?

 

[syo]

This "inner light" is it something seen during meditation

Yup.

 

[Nakosis]

Do you see the contradiction in the red part and the blue part? But forget about yourself. Did Buddha or similar other accomplished ones did not discern the ultimate emptiness? If there was no discernment at all then how come we have the teachings?
...

I don't know. I don't know how you get from ultimate emptiness to an illusion of self. Seems an impossible task. I can't imagine that first step of desire to be something from nothing. Even if I accept it happened, it is beyond what I can fathom.

 

[atanu]

I don't know. I don't know how you get from ultimate emptiness to an illusion of self. Seems an impossible task. I can't imagine that first step of desire to be something from nothing. Even if I accept it happened, it is beyond what I can fathom.

You know that you don't know. Doesn't that indicate the existence of the subject that knows that it does not know who experiences the light?
...

 

[Vinayaka]

@Vinayaka


Where did you get the idea that it was God?
The Guru's claim was that this knowledge is the Truth/God. He invited people just to try it and leave it if not satisfied. There was no demand to change religion or anything else and it didn't matter if you were an atheist.
I thought this a bold claim as most religions/groups at the time demanded some faith.

Re:Initiation 1974
We were first shown where this knowledge is in many scriptures.
At the initiation we were shown 4 secret techniques and we were forbidden to tell them.
We practiced the techs for a while and everyone was blown away.

At the end of the session, we all had to do full pranam to the picture of the guru and make a statement of devotion 3 times".
If anyone in the room was an atheist, there's no way they remained so.

In my sect, it's always just been light. Inner light, sure. But you can give yourself inner light just by pushing on your eyes. Maybe that has something to do with pressure on the optic nerve,

Yes, I think most kids have discovered that.
Pressing eyeballs was one of the techniques which was updated some years later to, just touching to stop movement.


I don't know. In meditation, there is nothing external to 'start' it.
Well, these days I have no need to touch my eyes to see light.
We were told that these are Raj Yoga techs

It all appeared fantastic at the time and the Lord is here and everyone will know by 1980(LOL)


DLM was Divine Light Mission?

Thanks for the info. I'm in the slow but steady lane. I think most folks learn that after awhile, as the promises keep failing. Some Tamil acquaintances of mine, at that time, were briefly in that group.