We are part of a continual, cosmic display of light.
It struck me recently, sitting watching the sunset with a group of strangers, how a universal reverence seemed present as we all sat looking towards the light.
A quiet stillness was born. I felt that there was nothing better to do and nowhere better to be other than in that moment witnessing the light changing colors.
The first time I meditated with my Tibetan Buddhist teacher, Anam Thubten Rinpoche, I had the sensation of a sunrise. I immediately felt the hearts of everyone in the world all at once. It stopped my mind. The only place to be in that moment was in my heart.
This heartspace, Boddhicitta, is a feeling of loving kindness for all beings; no one is left out. As Rinpoche explains, the moon does not decide to only shine on some parts of a lake, and not others. The moonlight shines on everything at once. In the same way, Boddhicitta is loving kindness for all living beings.
Moonlight is soft and bright at the same time. It has a magical quality to transform that which it touches with a poetic brush. Boddhicitta is the inner moon that dispels the darkness of the mind. When our minds are moistened in loving kindness, we do not reject or attach onto any thoughts or feelings. As we turn on our lovelight, the inner moon of compassion and kindness, we can see all our thoughts, feelings, desires and dislikes with a sense of clarity, softness and acceptance. In this light, we also see one another as refections of ourselves. We are all made of the same love.
So in this time of the Solstice, as the sunlight begins to shine longer, let’s tend to our own inner light, or heart space. While the planetary light show may be beyond our control, we can tend each day to our own inner light show and see it’s magical effects in our lives.
Shine your Lovelight: Think of those you love, things that make you happy; your children, pets. Take a moment to drop from your thinking mind down to your heart space. It’s like turning on a light switch. Now, notice any sensations you may feel in this area of your chest…do you notice a color? Close your eyes and imagine as you breathe, this light or sensation of loving kindness gets brighter. It’s fun to notice how others may respond to us when our lovelight is on.