Dictionary of all Scriptures & Myths

LIGHT

A symbol of Truth, Wisdom and Knowledge, and of the consciousness which apprehends reality or relativity in each.

"This is not lawful for some and unlawful for others, but what is lawful for all extends on continuously through the wide-ruling air and the boundless light." - Empedocles, FAIRBANKS, 425.

The law of the Infinite is relative to the state of the soul, and to those qualities as yet undeveloped. The soul's early ideas of wisdom and truth would be folly and falsity; but so much of the Infinite as may be apprehended is everywhere present, and through the mind (air) is perceived; and then there is increased perception through the intuition and up to the spiritual, or buddhic, levels of Wisdom, Truth, and Love.

"Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee." - Is. lx. 1, 2.

The soul hails the approach of Truth and the rising within it of the Higher Self to perfection and power. The darkness of ignorance covered the lower nature and its activities, but the Self shall manifest within the soul, and his perfection shall be apparent to all the higher qualities.

"That he may recall their souls from corruption, and enlighten them with the light of the living (JOB XXXiii. 20). They who still live for this world are in darkness in the light of the dying. But they are enlightened with the light of the living, who, despising the light of the world, return to the splendour of the in-ward brightness that they may live in that place where they may see, by feeling it, the true light, where light and life are not different from each other, but where the light itself is life also." - ST. GREGORY, Morals on the Book of Job, Vol. III. p. 77.

Sayings by Plotinus: "We are not cut off or severed from the Light, but we breathe and consist in It, since It is what It is." "In the moment of Union, we are able to see both Him and ourself,—ourself in dazzling splendour, full of spiritual light, or rather one with the pure Light Itself; our life's flame is then enkindled." "There the soul rests, after it has fled up, away from evil, to the place which is free from evils, and the true life is there. Arrived there, the soul becomes that which she was at first." (Enneads, VI. ix. 9). - F. VON HUGEL, Mystical Element, Vol. II. p. 96.

"This Light of the everlasting world, which has risen by such wonderful steps till it has overspread our sky, is but the Heavenly Light given us in such measure as we could bear it; given in the degree proportionate to time and mortality, and our stage of being; given to men, not who have won their appointed place, but who are preparing for it. This Light, to which all that was before was darkness, is itself only the beginning and promise of the Perfect Light to come." - R. W. CHURCH, Cathedral Sermons, p. 89.

See Also

AIR
CANDLE
CONSCIOUSNESS
DAYLIGHT
EARTH
GATE OF SALUTATION
GLORY DIVINE
LAMP
MATTER
QUALITIES
RAIMENT
SUN