Shining Light on the Lights

On this edition of “Becoming Today”, we embark upon a new level of our shared journey. Continuing on this week’s overall theme of revisions and first, we are beginning another weekly study

One that I hope will aid in your enlightenment as well as  assisting us  in radiating more light, and love, to all those we encounter.

Much of what we will be discussing was learned and came to me by revelation during the 11-day odyssey, I’ve com,e to know, love and share as “My Revival”. 

During this time of travel, restoration and intense reflection I found myself being guided to numerous solutions and possible ways of “Becoming”.

Many of the answers I was led to were ones that at the time I didn’t even know I was, or was supposed to be looking for. 

This idea of the 8 Points of Light is among those. While it builds upon and expands some concepts we’ve previously talked about along our shared journey, it also introduced me and now I will introduce you to some amazing concepts that are already improving my life and overall levels of joy.

Contentment, rest, peace and happiness are in far greater supply and more readily available since I accepted this knowledge and leapt forward in Faith with it.

So that you will have the time and space to fully digest and reflect upon each of the points, I’ll be sharing them over the course of the next eight weeks, on Thursdays.

I have visualized the idea as a multi-colored flower, with eight petals. One for each point of light we have available to use and can be radiating within our environments. In the following weeks we’ll touch upon an individual petal and explore it’s beauty and significance. 

As you can see by the opening graphic here, I am not yet naming the points, each day beginning next Thursday, I’ll focus on a petal and like the Sacred Hoop, continue on clockwise as we keep our circles of lives in forward momentum.

The discovery, learning and the ongoing  process of coming to an increased understanding of each of these eight points of light, for me, certainly has been enlightening.

I’m hopeful and praying that it will be for you as well.

Seeking enlightenment is essential to our journey here. After all, what I’m talking about each day is much closer aligned with “Becoming” as a noun: ‘’the process of coming to be something or of passing into a state”. Coming to be always, “Becoming”. Growing, developing and shifting into an attitude and daily practice of always, “Becoming”.

That’s the essence behind, “Becoming Today”.

So today we’ll expand upon the idea as it relates to our individual and collective enlightenment.

To ensure a shared understanding, let’s agree that for our purposes we will define enlightenment as the “full comprehension of a situation” And  as an equivalent term for religious or spiritual insight. Enlightenment can be described as reaching the highest state of humanity.  

In Christianity, the word “enlightenment” is rarely used, except to refer to the Age of Enlightenment and its influence on the faith. Other terms in Christianity related to the idea can be  illumination, kenosis ( surrendering to God’s will),  and  revelation. The latter of which I can testify too is readily available for all of us who have accepted and live in a relationship with our Heavenly Father. 

To simplify it a bit, enlightenment is the seeking and finding of Divine Light.

Theologians also refer to divine light as divine radiance or divine refulgence. No matter which term they may understand more or choose to share, they all reflect an aspect of divine presence, in which we all can express ourselves through spiritual means, rather than through wordly methods.

The most widely accepted of these is prayer. 

Use of the term light as a spiritual aspect can be found in many of  the world’s philosophies and schools of brief. Both Western ad Eastern traditions have known and shared the concept. 

Light has been used in spirituality as a metaphor of truth, good and knowledge.

The term, the light of Christ originates in several passages found in the New Testament.

As it is written in  John 1:9, (KJV) “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world” . Another incomes from the  Apostle Paul‘s reference in Ephesians 5:14, “Christ will shine on you”

This search for enlightenment, like all fo life will vary greatly between individuals. While we come together at times here on our shared journey of “Becoming Today”, even then no two paths are alike. So no two understandings of beliefs will be identical either. 

The concept is also widely accepted in psychology and other philosophies. In these areas the terminology is slightly different , so let’s embark upon a study of three of those: self-realization, self-fulfillment, and self-actualization. 

Let’s begin with Self-realization.

Merriam Webster’s dictionary defines self-realization as:“fulfillment by oneself of the possibilities of one’s character or personality”.

This is an expression used in psychology, philosophy, and spirituality around the globe.

In my understanding it is perhaps best described as the “fulfillment by oneself of the possibilities of one’s character or personality”. 

In Eastern beliefs, self-realization is liberating knowledge of the true Self.

This is as they believe self-realization is one of the major pre-requisites to attain ultimate enlightenment and liberation. To do so this understanding of self-realization involves work and effort on the part of the individual.

Beginning with the peeling away for fabricated layers of one’s own personality to understand the true self and hence the true nature of reality. Much like I would say we need to break down our past realities and public identities, those roles we have positioned others to see us as and get down to the essential truths of who we truly are and what we want to be “Becoming”. 

Self-realization can also be considered the gateway to liberation or freedom. This is achieved by undergoing a rebirth, or being born again. 

Self-fulfillment

In philosophy and psychology, self-fulfillment is the realization of our deepest desires and capabilities. History traces this idea back  to Ancient Greek philosophers and today it remains a widely accepted concept. 

Defining self-fulfillment as “carrying to fruition one’s deepest desires or one’s worthiest capacities,” it also involves the attainment of a satisfying and worthwhile life.

To some, self-fulfillment is often seen as superior to other values and goals, claiming “to seek for a good human life is to seek for self-fulfillment”

Self-actualization, derived from Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, is the highest level of psychological development, where personal potential is fully realized after basic bodily and ego needs have been fulfilled.

Maslow defined self-actualization to be “self-fulfillment, namely the tendency for him [the individual] to become actualized in what he is potentially. This tendency might be phrased as the desire to become more and more what one is, to become everything that one is capable of becoming.”

However he used the term to describe a desire, while I see it as a distinct motivator or a driving force, that leads us to the realization of all highest potentials. 

Maslow’s idea of self-actualization has also been commonly interpreted as “the full realization of one’s potential” and of one’s “true self.” For example, who is it, that you want to be “Becoming”.

Self-actualization is also growth-motivated rather than deficiency-motivated.”

This explains that self-actualization cannot normally be reached until other principles of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs are satisfied. 

Self-actualization is considered the motive to realize one’s full potential. 

Carl Rogers  also wrote of it as”the curative force in psychotherapy – man’s tendency to actualize himself, to become his potentialities … is to express and activate all the capacities of the human being.

Regardless of which potential explanation you find yourself leaning towards o are in acceptance of, they all point to one thing seeking satisfaction. A very “Becoming” task.

Life satisfaction is perhaps best explained as the way in which people show their emotions, moods and how they view the future direction of their life.

It involves measuring personal  well-being, self-concepts, and what we believe are our  abilities to cope with daily living 

Life satisfaction involves embracing and nurturing an overall favorable attitude towards ourselves rather than just an assessment of current feelings. It is Always Being becoming, striving for and thriving in our daily walk of life, wanting to grow, become and share our internal light with one another.

I hope you found today’s conversation to be  enlightening . Take some time to reflect upon it, as well as what answers you specifically are looking for. Whether they concern yourself, your immediate circle or a greater community, come to an understanding of what you’d like to see “Becoming”.

Then join us as we continue this series next Thursday, here on “Becoming Today”.Then we’ll undertake an exploration of the first of the 8 Points of Light, which is ….

You really didn’t think I was going to let that one slip through the crack…  yet, did you?