The cosmos can surprise us with moments that change us forever. One of these moments happened in my life over 30 years ago, and its radiance is still lighting my path today. We are all able to have these moments of grace. The key is being able to get out of the way so that the light can shine into and through us completely. Here's how it happened for me.
It was an early fall morning in Stone Mountain, Georgia. I awoke before dawn to escape the noise and busyness of my relatives’ house. My daily routine, then as now, included a morning walk and meditation, so I slipped outside and began walking. I walked for over an hour on wooded streets and rolling hills until I discovered a beautiful lake with a few homes nestled around it. I headed down to a wooden dock where I sat in my yoga pose, legs crossed and hands open on my knees, facing east as the sun peeked over the trees. I closed my eyes and began the practice I’d been doing a couple years: using a deep exhale to empty the personal self, inhaling and filling up with God's presence as light, and breathing that light all the way down to my toes.
Suddenly, all noise stopped. A stillness pervaded my being. Then whoosh! I was lifted up and out of my body to a realm of light. My personal self dissolved into this golden-white shimmering light. The light and I were one: pulsing, expansive light with no beginning or end. Time stopped.
Then my body fell over and hit the dock hard. That’s when I realized something amazing had occurred. Before I opened my eyes I lay there and felt the light permeating my being. Then, as if by magic, I felt my body reappear. I gently opened my eyes but I was not ready for what I saw. Everything was a radiant light. There was no lake and no trees. Then stroke by stroke, the way an artist paints, all the sights around me returned. My physical reality returned but I was never to be the same, for I had glimpsed the truth of my being. I am light!
A deep peace filled my heart and a broad smile graced my face. My body was buzzing with energy. I felt more alive than I ever had. I looked around and could see the auric glow around the trees and feel the pulse of life in all. I was connected to my cosmic source and it was real! My mind swirled with this new awareness. I had by the grace of the divine tapped into the truest essence of my being. I walked back home and sat at the table with everyone, unable to eat breakfast. I felt like I was existing in two worlds at once.
This light has been a constant gift guiding me to my most radiant self, helping me in my hardest moments. You too can have this awareness if you allow yourself to get out of the way. Find a practice that helps you let go of your attachments to a personal self, and to what you think you know. The key ingredient is a deep and heartfelt desire to know God, the cosmos, or your true nature. It is the energy of love in the heart that opens the window to this infinite and life-changing radiant light.
Getting Out of the Way So Your Light Can Shine
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- Written by Liah Howard