The Many Meanings of Light

There’s than meets the eye

I enjoy reflecting on the multiple definitions of a single word, and connecting the different definitions in some meaningful way. Today’s post explores light. I initially thought of two definitions: light, as in an illumination source, and light, as in something that is not heavy. Physicists, please forgive me for my oversimplification later in this post.

Light, the Illumination Source

Everything we see is a form of visible light. Everything we see and observe is also a form of matter. Though matter appears to be solid, the more we zoom into it, the more we understand that each form of matter is actually energy vibrating at a particular frequency. If all matter is energy at its core, and matter is a form of visible light, then we can think of light as energy.

Light, Not Heavy at All

Photon is our scientific word for a particle of light. In terms of mass, photons are the lightest — see what I did there — particles around. In fact, they don’t have mass. And, if we factor in Einstein’s theory of special relativity, it can be said that light doesn’t experience time. This has to do with how the faster you move, the more time slows down for you, and at the speed of light, time is effectively zero.

The Deeper Meaning

Light has a significant spiritual significance. It illuminates all the energy, or matter, around us. To pause for just a moment here, that includes living beings. You too, are a form of light in a deeper, more spiritual interpretation. That means there is a deeper, timeless, and weightless dimension to who you are. It is beyond the constraints of the physical and phenomenal world. The miracle of being human is that you are capable of connecting with this dimension by strengthening your awareness of its presence.

Inspired by Light

I feel we can all be inspired by the nature of light. What emotional entanglements, conflicts of mind, and other unresolved questions add heavy weight to our daily experience? Which of these can we let go of, in an effort to emulate light and reach a feeling of weightlessness, or lightness, within? And when we do let go, do we feel closer to who we truly are? Many of the issues in our mind are bound by time. They are carried from the past, or they provoke anxiety about the future. There’s something subtle yet profound about the timelessness of light and the idea of living in the present moment. Your life presence is weightless and unbounded by time. It is your spiritual nature beyond the material world.

I try to pause and remember these reflections often, when I feel the warmth of sunlight, or I see something beautiful in nature. It’s a reminder of the divinity within you that shines and illuminates, just as divine light illuminates our Universe.