What do they mean by ‘the Light of God’?
“I came to [Experiment with Light] by accident, almost, because I was not into things like meditation or spirituality at the time. I was very much an intellectual. I was happy; I was a university academic. But I was getting stuck on some very important aspects of my own life. My personal life, but also my understanding. […] I was doing some research on the Quakers, and I wanted to know, what do they mean by ‘the light of God’? And ‘that of God’? It’s a strange phrase. […] What do they mean by that? So I said, ‘Alright, I’ll find out.’”
— Rex Ambler, interviewed by Craig Barnett, 2018
Experiment with Light. Recorded by Charlie Blackfield.
Reader Reflection
What makes you feel close to Spirit?
“First, it is important and necessary to be clear that we are always close to the spirit – God dwells in us. This query is really asking when are we paying attention? I find that I am more aware of God within me when I am more aware of my physical body – when I pay attention to my breath, and my heartbeat and the sensations on my skin. Then I can know that the breeze which I feel on my arms and face is Spirit breathing with me. Then the warmth from the sun is God’s love radiating through me. What I find essential is that I make space in my life, every day, to pay attention. My thoughts can distract me, my worries can distance me from God, and my plans and responsibilities can take up all my time." Fritz W., Portland, ME, USA
“One of the simplest ways for me to connect with the Spirit is through hiking. It offers many opportunities for deep listening, with each step guiding me forward. Whether amidst towering mountains or observing the resilience of tiny plants sprouting from urban cracks, I am constantly enveloped in the awe-inspiring embrace of nature." Sarah S., Switzerland
“I feel so close to spirit all the time. I am moved by spirit (it seems to me) on so many things. But I feel closest to spirit on the things I have begun, then abandoned. Because I'm moved by spirit to abandon the thing that I thought spirit had moved me to begin. " David T., Bassendean, Australia
Next Week’s Query
How can spiritual discipline enrich your life?
This Week’s Messages
The Refuge of the Inner Chamber
A true mystic believes that all men have, as he himself is conscious of having, an inward life, into which, …
The Lord Give Thee the Clear Discerning
So, be still and quiet, and silent before the Lord, not putting up any request to the Father, nor cherishing …
There Are Many Ways to Be Contemplative
I’ve never, and still don’t really, find myself easily called to sitting in silent centering prayer. I haven’t given up …
What Discipline is Right for You?
It is part of our formation in a listening spirituality to find which practices, at this time in our lives, …
Investing in your relationship with God
The great spiritual traditions suggest that the relationship with God is cultivated like other relationships: as we turn our attention …
Journeying Together
The purpose of journeying together in spiritual friendship and spiritual community (whether there are just two of you or whether …
