Is the movement of light at Kasi and that of a lamp same? How is the light of Kasi or lamp different from that of Jvala? Let us take an inward journey to Kasi —not just to the destination, but to find why endings are a new beginning here.
The Hidden Light in the Darkness of Night
What appears as darkness in the expanse of night in fact hides layers of light emerging out of harmonious bodies moving through space, catching the eye, exhibiting a certain grace and elegance in their movement. This is the reason why in poetry, the night sky is romanced as the ultimate beauty. As much as the Moon and its light is a muse the poets often visit, it is also an engaging indulgence for visual artists to dissolve themselves for forms to reveal. Lastly, the darkness of sky is a language of the Masters through whom the tales of past, present and future whisper. In short, the night sky is the crown jewel of Creation!
Observation of Light in Space
Speaking of Creation, whenever Vedic hymns speak of Light, they tie light with the organ of sensory perception: cakshu, or the eyes suggesting for the functioning of sight to elevate. In fact, by associating Light for being the source of wisdom, knowledge was well-defined. The focus for the right way of knowing was kept on the potential, utility and essence of a substance rather than its physicality and appearance. Even today for interpreting or revealing the unseen, the Vedic knowledge system follows this foolproof, rigorous system for perception, deduction, comparison and testimony. The potential of light as knowledge in this way has also gotten reinvented, reinforcing and permeating through the length and breadth of all Indic literatures. With a clear horizontal and vertical of the framework laid out, the knowledge system effortlessly differentiated ‘seeing’ from ‘perceiving’, separating shadows within the darkness. This differentiation is important as light and life, both use darkness as the medium to travel.
Sources of Light: Fire, Sun, and Lightning
With the function of darkness laying the foundation of mark-making to understand light, sense-making involves an inquiry into knowing the various sources of Light. The Taittirya Upanishads venerated: the Fire, Sun and Lightning. While the Sun is an ideal substratum for Light as a self illuminating source, for sustaining light through darkness, lightning acted as another substrum that bridged the elements Fire and Sun. Their appearance in the sky thus became a measure of movement creating cycles of change. Based on this, theories of beauty were developed to amplify the silence of the night sky that resonated a power which could secretly fuel evolution by transcending its enigma and duality. To appreciate the three sources of light, this article will focus on the luminance and radiance in a body, since light and darkness cannot be separated.
The Radiance Within: Light and Fire in the Human Body
While on the discourse of radiance, often what gets missed is how certain elements of Fire can have a detrimental effect on the ‘self’, even consuming the medium holding it due to its destructive nature. In fact, the movie the Avatar: The Last Airbender categorically sketches the various functions of Fire through characters of Fire nation – Szeto (the Fire avatar), Iroh (the wise uncle), Zuko (the crown prince), Azula (the princess) and Ozai (the Fire Lord). Among them, the conflict that prince Zuko feels will be most relatable and is where most of us are trapped. On the same lines, in the Indian epic Mahabharata, a similar conflict can be equated to Arjuna, the greatest among archers, and the one time he lost his focus. Having said that, the one time when he lost his focus is also how humanity gained a wisdom text. A food for thought!
Tejas: Measure of Inner Light
If an attempt is made to perceive the night sky and its energies travelling from the near and far light sources along with their auroras, then the potential energies of the darkness and light impacts Earth at two levels – within a human body and in the geo-spatial plane. In the human body, the impact of these energies have a direct influence on our aura, or tejas. Tejas being a unique standard measure, indicates the luminance of sentient beings. To study and refine the intensity of tejas, Vedic practice disciplines developed which are still in vogue: Vedic astrology and Yoga are to name a few.
The underlying current in all this is, on movement of light: the inherent direction within fire is upward. As long as the movement of the flames is directed upward towards the sky, it can’t be harmful or destructive. However, in the earthly plane, fire can travel sideways, but such a movement happens through touch (sparsha). Wildfires in the forest are a classic that Nature demonstrates. So that’s the reason why the Vedic were sceptical about contact, touch and associations.
Since their goal was to free themselves from the cycles of Time; they constructed some rituals that had to either dawn a life’s purpose, gratify the pangs of passion, or find closure by healing a scar. In fruitifying any of these, the sideways movement of fire could be arrested. Else, the Fire consumed the vehicle, i.e. the body. This is the reason why ‘body’ in Sanskrit is described in two ways⏤ deha as well as sharira. As deha: the body would glow, as sharira: the body would perish. To increase the intensity of fire, to nourish the body, practices were suggested. Among the many practices was traveling to connect with the ‘self’.
Sacred Geographies: Fire and Light as Tirtha-s
The cultural architects of ancient India traced the second level impact of the energies as a phenomenon of light making geo-spatial planar arrangements. Referring back to the movie Avatar, the Last Airbender, this geo-spatial phenomenon is presented as a map showing tribe, kingdom, nomad and nation relating to Water, Earth, Air and Fire elements respectively.
In Indian culture, they are sacred geographies spreading across pilgrim destinations. Interestingly the geo-spatial co-ordinates of Fire spirals across the country closely mirroring the golden ratio and consist of 12 destinations. These destinations tracing the path of light identified as sacred crossovers (tirtha) can act as a catalyst for eliminating the shadows that hide the demons within the body for an initiated practitioner. The 12 co-ordinates forming a path of Light are the jyotir linga sthala-s, translating as destinations forming pillars of light.
The Beauty of Darkness revealed
Scientifically speaking, light is an electromagnetic movement and fire is a chemical combustion. But these are scientific observations and an external phenomenon. How does one work within the body? How can we benefit from knowing this phenomenon?
Well, to start with, the enlightened seers never separated light from fire as their functions overlapped. Since it is the burning of something that produces light, fire is also associated to perform purificatory functions. In contrast, the tejas which is inherent, is also many times usually diffused which needs kindling that will increase its intensity. However, what has to be burnt, and what needs to be kindled within a body? Would working on burning the calories alone do?
Movement of River Yoga Retreat: A Journey into Light
Mindful of all these factors, at Kasi, the experience of light that Jvala aims to spark through Movement of River yoga retreat will be neither destructive nor dull. Our destination experts are practitioners of oral traditions who have dedicated their life to integrating the art and science of metaphysics as a lifestyle. They have conceived the experience of Kasi as a shimmering floating lamp that will spread through the entire body to make it radiate like a pillar of Light. This means, curating the destination with activities and yoga practices according to the significance of the destination. Our yoga experts have accordingly identified that the goal of the Movement of River yoga retreat should establish a connection with the movement of prana as a golden river; when traced will awaken and nourish every cell in the body. Our experts believe that the golden river is already inside of you, and by sharing how to segregate and appreciate darkness in a sensitive ambience, the darkness will give way to reveal the light it hides. The destination as well as the yoga retreat will complement each other that will help seekers to accept some aspects of darkness and eliminate some others. Through guided practices and engaging exchanges, one will learn how to stop the light from scattering.
Besides being the City of Light, Kasi is also the pancabhuta sthala (geo-spatial destination for Water element). Experiences of the Movement of River is also designed to kindle thoughts and contemplate on the existential elements like Water to spark transformation. The transformation may not even happen, or will not be immediate. But…, the conversations will percolate and trickle down to touch the right chords that will surely change the way in which one would look at India, Indian culture and yoga thereon. Jvala’s Movement of River will be apt for those who are open-minded, intellectual and seeking.
Deepa is a performing artist, columnist and Founder of Jvala. Her expertise extends in Indology, Temple art and Oral traditions.