A person who learns to find the light within will always shine like the sun and the darkness of the cave will be a stranger, says MAMTA SEHGAL, suggesting that we always see the bright side in our life
Light and darkness are the two most prominent opposites in this world and both are important and real in our lives. Here is a story that beautifully explains this reality. There were two very close friends who symbolised these two scenarios aptly: the sun and the cave. The sun, we all know, signifies light. The darkness of night fades with the first ray of light. Isn’t it wonderful to see how it takes only a single ray of light to illuminate the surroundings? The cave, on the other hand, denotes total darkness and probably is unaware of the phenomenon called light.
One day, the sun and the cave got into a conversation. The sun said it didn’t know what darkness meant and had trouble understanding how it looked. The cave confessed it didn’t equally understand what light meant. So, in order to make each other understand the two expressions, they decided to switch places.
The cave went up to the sun and was overwhelmed with the brightness of the shining natural light. But, at the same time, the cave became morose at the kind of condition she lived in. So, she invited the sun to come to her abode to see the condition she was in.
The sun went down to the cave and saw no difference. Everything was illuminated with its light and that is why the sun could not see any darkness in the cave. The cave, too, was astonished to see how all the darkness was gone on the arrival of her friend.
This story explains a simple truth that the enlightened ones take their light wherever they go and illuminate the entire atmosphere with their positivity and brightness. They can never be pushed to darkness, because they carry their light on their shoulders.
On the other hand, someone full of negativity, fear, insecurities and doubt, unknowingly becomes a cave, which sees no light. It’s a hell within and no matter how much knowledge one accumulates, one remains hollow and is surrounded by complete darkness.
Therefore, it is very crucial that we keep ourselves illuminated by burning the light within. By realising we have everything ― all the light within ― we don’t have to fear the darkness. If we get to know the light within and are illuminated with its brightness, like the sun, then the darkness of the cave would never matter.
In spite of being in the worst situations, we will still be able to find our light or blessings in things around us and we will be carrying our heaven within us. Darkness and the situations people bring in, would vanish and all that we will see is light.
It is thus nothing but a matter of clear perspective in life. Life sometimes throws us into many dark scenarios, but it is for us to keep the light within shining, so that it removes the darkness and gloom of our life and always keeps us bright and shiny.
Thus, a person who learns to find the light within will always shine like the sun and the darkness of the cave will be a stranger. So let’s see the light within and let us be guided by it to brighten our life.
A fashion academician and author of two books, ‘The Perennial Journey’ and ‘Rooh-e-Rumi, Mamta’, Mamta Sehgal is a regular columnist with leading dailies. She has spent over 20 years teaching, mentoring and partnering with leading academic institutions. Now a full-time social entrepreneur, she and a friend have spearheaded ‘Joy Story Foundation’, a social venture.
Indeed! It is the awareness within, which is the light-of-the-soul.
This is the most delightful light which not merely lights up the inner space, but wherever one goes. As Mamta ji says, it is but a matter of perspective. Identifying with the Sun within we align with light, identifying with the cave we become darkness’s captive.
There is a beautiful Vedic verse which says: तमेव भान्तं अनुभाति सर्वम् । It is His light alone which lights up everything, from the womb of an atom to the inner space of human being. Discovering it is the ultimate delight and being it in itself is the only way to dispel darkness which as such is the ultimate Joy of Being.