The Light Within...

Have you ever noticed that if we are driving in dark at night and suddenly someone turns the inside lights on, the outside visibility becomes poor?

The brighter is the light inside, poorer is the vision outside.

Similarly, the more spiritual light we develop inside, less we see the outer world. 

The more enlightened we become, less would be our interest in the outer worldly pleasures and positions.

If the mind is still entangled in worldly dilemmas and concerns, if there is still a strong desire to achieve more wealth and power, higher worldly status, name and fame, then the inside light has not yet been lit properly. 

Even if the light is not so bright to be able to see properly, but if it makes us aware of the things lying around us, we can still avoid stumbling onto them, by being careful of our surroundings and continue to search for what we are looking for.

Similarly, our mind would also not stumble over worldly distractions because of the spiritual light; even if it is not yet fully illumined.

Even a little light of Gyaana, can guide us through the path of enlightenment to keep searching for what we want.

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Now the question is what are we searching for and where?

Everyone wants happiness and peace and everyone seeks it, but where; within or outside?

And is there enough light where we are supposed to be searching?

If there is no light or not enough light inside the mind, then we would start looking for everything outside.

I remember a story, which I heard in my childhood.

Once, during the night time, an old lady was searching for something on the road.

A young man saw her and asked " Mata ji, what are you looking for?"

She replied, "I dropped my sewing needle and can’t find it now."

The young man also started looking for it.

After searching for a while he asked the old lady,

"Could you please tell me where exactly did you drop it?"

The old lady said “I dropped the needle in my house."

"So why are you looking for it here?" The young man asked.

She said “there is no light in my house and since there is a lot of light out here on the road so I thought, I will look for it here.

“Vastu kanhin, dhoondat kahin, Kis vidhi aave Haath”

                                                                

"How can you find an object, if you are not searching at the right location?"

                                                                                     (Sant Kabir Ji)

Few days ago, our doorbell rang at around 11:30 at night. We were surprised as we were not expecting anyone in middle of the night. I tried to see thru the window, but could not see anyone as the light outside was not enough.

I thought if we turn the inside lights off, we might get a better view.

So I turned off the lights inside the house. Even though outside light was quite dim but the view became clearer after the inside light was turned off.

Since we want to search for happiness and peace in the outside world, we turn off the inside light.

We have to turn it off....... Because when the inside, when our mind is fully illumined with Gyana, the view of the outer world starts to fade out, we stop searching for peace outside.

The truth is...

Sabẖ kicẖẖ gẖar mėh bāhar nāhī.
Bāhar tolai so bẖaram bẖulāhī.
Gur parsādī jinī anṯar pāyeā, so anṯar bāhar suhelā jīo ||

                                                                   (Guru Arjun Dev ji)

Everything is within the self; there is nothing beyond.
One who searches outside is deluded by doubt.
By Guru's Grace, one who has found it within…. is happy, inwardly and outwardly.

                                                                                       (SGGS Page 102) 

Happiness and peace is achieved and experienced only within the mind, and not from outside, therefore it is important to fully illumine the light of Gyana in our mind.

                                                            ‘Rajan Sachdeva’