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Light of consciousness



When we close our eyes we see endless amounts of forms, that we call thoughts or images. They are connected with our sanskaras — imprints of impressions, they are the reflections of our current state. These imprints come from our daily actions and emotional reactions. The number of emotions and actions is huge, and it leads to a big amount of thoughts, that is hard for people to cope with. But there is one interesting point of view. The objects appear in our mind in all the forms that we can see or imagine because light reflects from the object and it becomes visible. All the world for our consciousness is the intersection of light and boundaries from which it reflects. When we enter a deep state of meditation, our consciousness temporarily detaches from the objects of outer and inner world, and we can discover that consciousness is Light itself. In this state, we see the world as Light that has no limits, not bound by time or space. This Light of consciousness is called Prakasha in Sanskrit, and when given the characteristics of form, we can observe ourselves as the form of light too. Our thoughts and images in our mind are the forms of light themselves.


There is a reason why we need the reflection of light — it is discovery. The discovery of the world would not be possible if light didn’t reflect from objects. In Yoga and Tantra this is called Vimarsha, reflection. It is the ability to see other objects but not only as forms, but as the light too, with the understanding that this light has the same nature as the whole world around us. This gives us a unique ability to comprehend the universe in all its diverse forms. The universe itself would not exist if it was formless as it would not be able to reflect the light.


Though it is hard to comprehend the whole universe at once, as our consciousness is limited, we can embrace a reasonably small amount of objects. This is why Yoga suggests we start with our own body that is the closest object to our consciousness. And by learning about ourselves we can discover that there is no difference between us and the world. This knowledge is a door opener into the many other states. Yoga brings the connection between the internal light of our minds and the external light as we see it in the form of the universe. When we achieve purity in our vision about ourselves, we project this purity onto the whole world and we widen our limits of comprehension. One gets more knowledge about the world, about themselves, and their life. Such a person starts shining. This is an internal purity — when you close the eyes and see not the millions of thoughts-reflections but the light itself. This is how the world is known.


Yogin becomes aware of the body first. To become aware of body as light, the yogin drifts away from the gross forms. This way consciousness attains the form of light and this is how the whole world becomes known as light itself. For this Yoga provides different meditation techniques… In Nath Tradition there is a specific practice with 16 points (adharas) located in different parts of the body. Meditation on adharas leads from gross forms and sensory experiences to abstraction, to the inner light. There are meditation techniques on the light in different parts of the head. There is meditation on light in the heart. These are the most common practices that help to fill the body with light and reflect all the world in the consciousness at once. This is the path of Yoga and how Yoga becomes a path of self-awareness — the awareness of the internal light.

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