Springing Forth into the Light

“Light gives of itself freely, filling all available space. It does not seek anything in return; it asks not whether you are friend or foe. It gives of itself and is not thereby diminished.” ~Michael Strassfeld

Last night, time finally sprung an hour forward – a comforting sign that spring is at the door. As the short, cold and gloomy days of winter are ready to retire, many of us are ready to get out more and play in the sunshine.

It has long been proven that light has a beneficial effect on the mind. In fact, people who live in countries where sunshine is an occasional luxury are more prone to depression. The long dark hours in the winter stimulate us to remain indoors more, often alone, and push us to face ourselves.

I find it very interesting that night time is always associated to spooks and crazy events. All that we fear seems to lurk in the darkness – facing ourselves can also lead us to unexpected, scary realizations we would sometimes prefer to avoid.

Getting out in the sunshine is a break from our inner introspections. It allows us to catch our breath before diving in again the next winter, and gives us the chance to grow stronger as we gradually dig a little deeper. Very few beings can survive away from the light, as its essence melts down the ice of our fears, and improves our focus.

Assuming that our physical world is but a reflection of our inner world, we can easily determine the importance spiritual light has on our reality. If a plant is given enough water but not enough light it will quickly wither, as although it has the physical nourishment it needs, it’s not able to convert it into what it needs to sustain itself. Similarly, we can have all we need to physically survive, but if light is missing from our world, we are unable to adequately process the blessings around us.

As the light of the sun, spiritual light is an endless source of rebirth. It can spread out in all directions and never go to waste. When we choose to share our light with others, we can do so regardless of who they are. If they are ready to use it at that point of their life, it will trickle toward them and soak in. If, instead, they are not ready to accept it at that time, it will bounce off and affect someone else around them.

Everything has an antidote – everything can be neutralized by its opposite. We can’t fight fire with fire, or hatred with more hatred; we can’t stop the properties of an acid but with a base; we can’t stop hunger until we are ready to offer nourishment.
The light of unconditional love is a blade able to slice through the barrier of darkness. It’s a flame of peace and acceptance that will chase away the monsters that lurk deep within.