Lesson #12: Pathway of Light

Introduction
The Pathway of Light is the twelfth pathway. Light illuminates the twelfth Pathway of Spirituality. It is appropriate to walk this Pathway during the darkest time of the year. Many cultures celebrate the Season of Light, especially the Winter Solstice, with Hope that the sun will return at the end of this longest night. Our ancestors kept vigil with great bonfires to light the way for the sun to return.
Light is another word for God, as Light is necessary for all life on Earth. Light encourages us to open our eyes and see the visible universe. But we can also see the invisible universe with the aid of our inner eyes. Humans only see a small spectrum of the Great Light. Other creatures see different spectrums. In our modern times, we have made instruments that can show us more of the magnificent Light.
Light is energy and travels at 186,000 miles per second. Just as a prism refracts the Light into a rainbow of colors, so does spiritual consciousness refract the Light into aspects of God. These four aspects are: Hope, Joy, Peace, and Love. These are the four spiritual principles celebrated on the four Sundays of Advent before Christmas for the Christian faith. These aspects remind us of our true spiritual nature and are essential for our well-being.
Without Hope we would not be able to move forward. We feel Hope as anticipation of our good coming to us. Hope is the essence of prayer. Joy is our nature. We are created to be joyful beings, uplifted, overflowing with happiness, and sharing that happiness with others. Peace is necessary for us to grow into a deeper understanding of who we are. Calm, serenity, stillness all give our mind a rest, our emotions a respite, and our souls time to open to the Divine Light within. Love is the fourth aspect of Light and perhaps the most important. “God is Love” is as valid a statement as “God is Light.” All beings need Love to survive and thrive. Love warms us, comforts us, and renews us. Truly, Love is all there is and the answer to every question.
As you reflect on these aspects of Light, let your mind expand and your heart to listen more closely to the wisdom of your Soul and you will truly shine with the Light of God.
“To shine your brightest light is to be who you truly are.” – Unknown
“Never dull your shine for somebody else.” – Unknown
“Kindness is the light that dissolves all walls between souls, families, and nations.” – Unknown
“O God, give me light in my heart And light in my tongue And light in my hearing And light in my sight And light in my feeling And light in all body And light before me And light behind me. Give me, I pray, Light on my right hand And light on my left hand And light above me And light beneath me.” – Unknown
Prayer for Light
Most Holy and Divine Spirit of Light, illuminate my life with hope, joy, peace, and love. May I become a Beacon of Light and may my Light shine always. And so, it is. Pau.
Affirmation for Light
I am a Being of Light. I bring hope, joy, peace and love into my life and into the world, always expressing my Light through Love. I am the Light.
Meditation: Be Grateful for the Silence
Find your quiet space and sit in the serenity of the silence. Be grateful for the silence. Let your heart open to the feeling of Gratitude. Reflect on your greatest gift – the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life. Know that all the good in your life comes from this Holy Spirit for each blessing is filled with the presence of the Divine. Reflect on the blessing that you are alive, here on this beautiful blue planet, in a magnificent galaxy, amid the brilliant stars of the Universe. Reflect on how precious you are and let gratitude fill your heart, mind and spirit. Stay in this space for as long as you like. Then take a deep breath and return to the present moment, fully awake and feeling wondrous.
Spiritual Practices
Week 1 - Light: Seeing Clearly. Find a quiet place to sit. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Slowly open your eyes slightly until you are peering through your eyelashes. You just want to see the patches of light and dark around you. Notice the differences in the patches of light. This is how we see the world with our normal eyesight. Now open your eyes a bit more until you can just make out the blurred forms around you. This is how you see the world when you begin to learn spiritual understanding. Now open your eyes all the way and look around. This is how you see Creation as the God within you. Be grateful you have eyes to see the Light. Do this exercise indoors and outdoors. You are the Light that sees!
Week 2 - Light: Dancing with Joy. This week, take at least 5-15 minutes a day to dance with Joy. It doesn’t matter how you dance: you can dance sitting in a chair or moving around a room. Put on some happy music or sing your favorite song and move your body. Don’t worry about what other people may think, you are being joyful and expressing Joy. This will make your heart, mind, and soul happy. Be the Joy!
Week 3 - Light: Quiet Calm Peace. Be committed to at least 15 minutes of peaceful meditation each day. Slow down, breathe slowly and deeply. Quiet the mind and the emotions and open to the serenity of your soul. Be at peace with all your senses. Go deeper and deeper into peace with each meditation. Bring this peace into the rest of your day. Spend the next five minutes after your meditation moving slowly, slowly with your thoughts and feelings serene and peaceful. Affirm: “I am Peace.”
Week 4 - Light: Take a Love Walk. Make your daily walk a Love Walk this week. Smile as you go out the door. Smile lovingly at every person you meet – really put your loving energy into your smile. Bless each house with Love that you pass by and all its occupants. Say “I love you” to the trees and bushes you pass. Put your hands on their trunks and branches as you say, “I love you.” Speak to the clouds, the breeze, the warm sunlight, and to the shadows. When you return home, say “I love you” to your home and yard and family. Wrap your arms around your body and say to yourself, “I really love you.”
Week 5 - Light: Bless the Light. Be in a state of gratitude this week for Love and Light. Bless the visible and invisible Light wherever you see it. Appreciate the Light in Others and increase your own expression of the Light. Reflect on your past year and all the opportunities you had to bring Light into the world. Reflect on your new year and write down five new ways in which you can bring the Light into the world in the new year.