What Does Light Mysticism Entail?

Divine light, also known as divine radiance or divine refulgence, is an aspect of divine presence perceived as light during a theophany or vision. It has always been associated with religious and philosophical symbolic meanings, considered a source of not only personal experiences but also spiritual ecstasies. Mysticism is the practice of religious ecstasies during alternate states of consciousness, together with the belief that light is the opposite of darkness.

Light is a discursive tool that Sufis have drawn upon over the centuries to elucidate systems of thought and practice. In medieval Islamic thought, light was closely associated with the soul as a symbol of God. The new Conservative chumash, Eitz Hayim, offers a profound commentary on the lighting of the cathedral, stating that the holy light within it is the soul, spirit, or emblem of the Holy Ghost. This light is mystical, representing Truth, Reality, Love, and the fullness of all Beings.

Mystical light is used in support of a vision of religious space that is simultaneously human and divine. It celebrates the embodied nature of ourselves and our connection to the Absolute. In the Jewish tradition, “light” is a magnet for notions of duality and unity, with the gemartria of light equaling 207.

In Iranian mysticism, the root of this thought lies in Zoroastrian beliefs, which define the supreme God, Ahura Mazda, as the source of all existence. Science explores the facts of this light as a quantifable, measurable phenomenon, but its qualitative meaning is ultimately a religious, not a scientific question.

Does light believe in God?

Light Yagami, also known as “Death Note,” is aware that there is no afterlife and is unapologetic about his grandiose sense of self-importance.

What is the religion of the light?

The Holy Assembly of the Luminous Religion from Daqin is the official name of the Assyrian Christian faith in China, which was brought to China by an Assyrian missionary named Mar Alopen in the middle of the Tang dynasty. Christianity gained recognition from Tang emperor Taizong in 635. During this period, Christians actively cultivated prominent Confucians, recognizing Confucianism as a system of behavior and moral code without doctrinal underpinnings that brought it into contact with Christian theology.

Buddhism, on the other hand, has been hostile to Christianity in China since the beginning. Both sides recognize that the philosophical worldviews of Christianity and Buddhism are irreconcilable. Christianity treats mankind and the world as meaningful creations of a personal Deity, while Buddhism treats mankind and the world as transient aggregations emerging naturally from underlying conditions.

What are the three types of mysticism?

R. C. Zaehner categorizes mysticism into three main types: theistic, monistic, and panenhenic. Theistic mysticism includes Jewish, Christian, Islamic, and Hindu mysticism, while monistic mysticism is based on the unity of one’s soul and includes Buddhism and Hindu schools like Samkhya and Advaita vedanta. Nature mysticism refers to non-categorised examples.

Walter Terence Stace distinguished two types of mystical experiences: extrovertive and introvertive mysticism. Extrovertive mysticism involves the unity of the external world, while introvertive mysticism is an experience of unity devoid of perceptual objects. Unity in extrovertive mysticism is with the totality of objects of perception, while in introvertive mysticism, unity is with a pure consciousness. These experiences are nonsensical and nonintellectual, suppressing the whole empirical content.

Stace argues that doctrinal differences between religious traditions are inappropriate criteria for cross-cultural comparisons of mystical experiences. Mysticism is part of the process of perception, not interpretation, and the unity of mystical experiences is perceived and only interpreted according to the perceiver’s background. This may result in different accounts of the same phenomenon, such as an atheist describing unity as “freed from empirical filling” and a religious person describing it as “God” or “the Divine”.

Do mystics believe in God?

A mystic in the Catholic Church is defined as a Christian who adheres to the belief that personal understanding of God is the key to attaining and practicing divine love.

What is the spirituality of light?

Light has long been associated with religious and philosophical symbolic meanings, serving as a source of both physical and metaphysical illumination. It is often seen as a structural component of every being, including physical ones, and a metaphor for spiritual light. The term “light” has been widely used in spirituality and religion, referring to the revelation of hidden truths and the revelation of truth in the shadows.

What is light in Kabbalah?

Kabbalah describes two types of light in Creation: Sovev Kol Olmin, which represents Divine transcendence, and Mimalei Kol Olmin, which represents immanence. Sovev Kol Olmin is rooted in the Ohr Ein Sof, the primordial “Infinite Light”, and descends through the Seder hishtalshelut (Chain of Worlds), representing Divine transcendence in each level. It could be revealed in a blessing or miracle above the vessels and limitations of that realm. Souls in their essence transcend the body and all the Worlds, and the Torah is inherently transcendent in all Worlds.

Mimalei Kol Olmin is the Divine light of immanence, rooted in the Kav (first “Ray” of light) after the Tzimtzum in Lurianic Kabbalah. It descends immanently to every level of the Chain of Worlds, creating every spiritual and physical vessel of each World. Hasidic thought sees the ultimate advantage of this lower light, as the ultimate purpose of Creation lies in this lowest realm. Hasidic thought also describes a higher type of miracle that is immanently invested within the physical laws of this World, without breaking them.

These terms are equivalent to the parallel notions of Makif (“Outer”) and Pnimi (“Inner”) taught in Hasidic philosophy.

What is the mystical meaning of light?

Light is a fundamental aspect of the “Infinite Reality” and is celebrated during the Festival of Lights, a religious holiday. It is considered a symbol of spiritual awareness and has fascinated scientists, theologians, philosophers, astronomers, and healers for centuries. In the quantum universe, light’s behavior changes depending on whether it is being observed, a discovery that has disturbed some of the greatest minds of our time, including Albert Einstein.

This raises the question of whether light has consciousness, as light can change its behavior regardless of our observation. The mystery of light’s consciousness remains a perplexing and fascinating subject for both scientists and spiritual seekers.

What is the metaphysics of light?

The term “metaphysics of light” refers to the concept of the divine as “light” and its elusive meaning, resulting from the combination of metaphorical language and participatory metaphysics in Plato’s Republic. Access to content on Oxford Academic is typically provided through institutional subscriptions and purchases. Members of an institution can access content through IP-based access, which is provided across an institutional network to a range of IP addresses, and through signing in through their institution, which uses Shibboleth/Open Athens technology to provide a single sign-on between their institution’s website and Oxford Academic.

What are the 4 marks of mysticism?

The mystical phenomenology is distinguished by a set of characteristics, including ineffability, a mystical quality, transiency, and passivity. James posits that this latter quality represents the most challenging aspect to convey in verbal form.

What is divine of light?

In the East, a humble ‘Namaste’ or ‘Namaskar’ is often greeted with folded hands, symbolizing the recognition and honor of the divinity within oneself. This process aligns individuals with God, akin to passing on a benediction. Ancient beliefs suggest that sneezing temporarily results in a loss of consciousness, making individuals vulnerable to evil thoughts. The greeting or invocation dispels evil and helps return individuals to self-control.

When thirsty, water is the only solution, as other drinks made from water are not 100% water. Material assets, such as cars, houses, or phones, provide temporary joy, but they cannot provide lasting happiness. True happiness requires connecting to the everlasting source of love and abundant joy, the divine light, from which everything originates and merges. In essence, the greeting or invocation serves as a reminder to be mindful of our actions and to seek true happiness.

What is the God of light?

Apollo, the Greek god of light, was commonly referred to as Phoebus, meaning “bright”. This epithet was widely used by both Greeks and Romans, reflecting his diverse roles and duties. However, only a few of Apollo’s appellations appear in Latin literature. Other Greek deities, such as Aegletes, Helius, Lyceus, Phanaeus, Phanaios, Phanaeus, Phoebus, Sol, Lycegenes, and Lycoctonus, also had various epithets, reflecting their various roles and aspects.

Aegletes, meaning “light of the Sun”, was associated with Apollo’s mother Leto, the patron goddess of Lycia, who was associated with the wolf. Phanaeus, meaning “giving or bringing light”, was associated with Apollo’s mother Leto. Lycegenes, meaning “born of a wolf” or “born of Lycia”, and Lycoctonus, meaning “wolf” and “to kill”, were also used to describe Apollo’s nature.