The Kena Upanishad says that the Self ‘shines through the mind and senses,’ which is a poetic way of saying that it is the power of the Self which allows the mind and senses to function. So the eternally conscious Self is what makes us conscious. Essentially, it is light.
Sally Kempton Sally Kempton, a non-dual teacher and author, writes:
“The Kena Upanishad says that the Self ‘shines through the mind and senses,’ which is a poetic way of saying that it is the power of the Self which allows the mind and senses to function. So the eternally conscious Self is what makes us conscious. Essentially, it is light. At times when our inner vision becomes pure enough to let us see through the layers of psychic debris that thickens our consciousness and make it opaque, we realize that everything is actually made of light. This is why so many people’s experience of touching the Self are experiences of light – visions, inner luminosity, or profound and crystalline clarity.”
(Sally Kempton, Meditation for the Love of It.)
I live in a gift economy, so I give all of my writing freely to you. I depend on your good will and generosity so that my family and I may live, and so that I may continue to write, share insights, and build community. If you were inspired by this, I invite you to also give, to participate in "the Gift". It only takes a moment. I express my deepest gratitude to you for your Gift! (Transactions are securely processed through Stripe.)