Flip on the "light."
Why?
Because we need to "see".
The use of illuminating light started when pre-historic man discovered how to create fire at will. Up until that point lighting up anything was solely a function of nature. Lightning lit up the night skies, lightning bugs flittered amongst the trees leaving the glow of light behind and fires started by lightning lit up vast areas. The only problem with fire was, man couldn't control it, but he sure wanted to for fire could be very destructive.
As man learned the intricacies of cooking and lighting his caves with fire he put more thought to lighting up his residence during the night. Torches were created from bundles of sticks. Torches could be placed anywhere and could easily be transported but still posed a danger when they burned down to the end. Myths were created around the use of fire and Gods took shape to explain the questions. Eventually, the use of fire created a desire to control the darkness more consistently. Fire had a tendency to burn itself out, so man started experimenting with burning things other than wood. Animal grease was a natural progression. Soon stones, shells and horns were filled with grease and a wick and caught on fire. Archaeologists discovered these pre-historic oil lamps dating back as far as 15,000 years so we know darkness had been conquered long ago.
As man progressed to a more agrarian society light took on more and more meaning. Artificial light, possessed by the wealthy in the form of fats and oils, would ordinarily be consumed by the poor, but revered none the less.
Some cultures worshiped the sun, understanding that light was necessary for things to grow. The Egyptian sun god Ra created the first divine couple, Shu and Tefnut, who are the parents of the earth and sky. Man was born from the tears of Ra, created from his flesh and in his image,
while the earth was created to provide care and support for mankind. Hmmmm... sounds familiar?
Light is composed of waves and particles but there is actually no way to simultaneously find both the position and path of the particle. Light surrounds us and nurtures everything we need to grow, so it stands to reason that it would be revered. We are part of the light. We need it for life.
This morning, while swimming, the sun was refracting through the water. In the Caribbean it is a beautiful sight. One that imprisons you in light beams that undulate, tremble and palpitate upon your very core. If you take a moment to relish the experience the light leads you to explore the entire underwater world. All sizes of fish, turtles and mammals, flash and flick their bodies...coral, sea fans, sand, everything moving and immobile is pinpointed in the beams as you move through the water. You are focused on the all and the connection through the light. It is truly a spiritual experience.
Philosophers, scientists, shamans, rabbis, imans, preachers and probably every human being alive has at some point considered "light" and its effect on us. Sunsets, sunrises, rainbows, light reflections in ponds or any body of water are immortalized in poems, literature and religious texts. People who have had near death experiences tell us they have seen the light and come back to talk about it.
"Curiously enough, the message from all of those who have encountered the light and returned is the same. All of the beings of light are in firm agreement, and they tell the dying: Stay on Earth and resist the transcendental temptation; focus on life not death; use your human powers of love and compassion in work to make this material world-the world of the here and now and the world we all inhabit-a better world, the best world it can possibly be. This is the one thing on which all of us-the believer and the skeptic-can unanimously agree. This is the true light we all should see."
Robert Baker
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