Invite the Light of Health, Healing, and Awakened Living
A contemplative teaching on health and healing rooted in spiritual wholeness, discernment, divine remembrance, and the ever-present light within and among us.
Contents
Inviting the Light of Health, Healing, and Awakened Living
Remembering That We Are the Light
Discernment as a Spiritual Foundation for Healing
Spiritual Resources and the Power of Remembrance
Forgetfulness, Satsang, and Remembering Truth
Health as Wholeness, Not Merely the Absence of Disease
Wholeness of the Soul as the Basis of Health
The Omnipresence of Divine Life and Healing
Intention, Faith, and Spiritual Practice in Healing
Healing Revealed Through Community and Compassion
Discovering Healing Presence Right Where We Are
MEDIA: Invite the Light: Healing, Wholeness, and Awakened Living
Health and healing are revealed here as expressions of spiritual wholeness, awakened discernment, and the light that is always present within and among us.
What follows is an invitation to consider health and healing from a spiritual foundation rather than a purely material one. Through discernment, remembrance, and lived experience, this reflection explores how light is brought forth in times of darkness and how wholeness reveals itself in unexpected and compassionate ways.
Inviting the Light of Health, Healing, and Awakened Living
The phrase that came to me in terms of spiritual practice during this time is simple and direct: Don’t fight sickness—bring in health. Don’t fight darkness—bring in light.
"Don’t fight sickness, bring in health.
Don’t fight darkness, bring in light."
Remembering That We Are the Light
This naturally raises a question: how do we do that? How do we bring forth light in times of darkness, or health in times of sickness or distress? The place to begin is by remembering that we are the light. We must access that truth within ourselves and allow it to come forth for health and healing.
To bring forth light in times of darkness, or health in times of sickness, we first need intention. We intend to do it, and we have faith that it is possible to bring forth light, healing, and health. We also need a spiritual practice—especially one that quiets the mind so that the light that we are can illumine the mind and the heart, and help us remember what we are.
Discernment as a Spiritual Foundation for Healing
A foundation for this way of living is discernment: our capacity to recognize spiritual truth, even in challenging times. The mystic Julian of Norwich said, Begin with the heart. This refers to the spiritual heart, not the emotional heart. The practice is to nurture the spiritual heart of divine remembrance.
Throughout life, there are moments when spiritual truth is revealed or remembered—divine meetings that leave an imprint. These impressions, known as samskaras, can be positive or negative. The positive ones, those rooted in spiritual truth, often return to us in times of need.
Spiritual Resources and the Power of Remembrance
One such memory has been returning to me recently: a conversation with Ila Gandhi, the granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi and a peacemaker in her own right. I had the privilege of spending time with her in South Africa and learning from her about apartheid from a deeply personal perspective.
She described what it was like during those years when those resisting the regime were killed or arrested. She herself was placed under house arrest for nine years and continued her resistance work underground. Her beloved son, who was active in the movement, was murdered. As she spoke, I fell apart. I could not fathom how she persevered, and I told her so.
She offered me a profound medicine. She said that those in power had everything—money, authority, military might—but they were not afraid and did not lose hope because they had spiritual resources.
We all have spiritual resources for healing, though sometimes we forget that this is our primary resource.
Forgetfulness, Satsang, and Remembering Truth
A favorite poem of mine by Kabir, translated by Robert Bly, speaks directly to this human forgetfulness. It reminds us that the same spirit that loves birds, animals, and ants is the one that gave us radiance in our mother’s womb. Is it logical to believe that we are now entirely orphaned? The poem suggests that we turn away from ourselves, enter the dark alone, and forget what we once knew.
When people gather in satsang, a truth gathering, they come together to remember what was once known—sometimes something remembered only yesterday but forgotten this morning. Such gatherings strengthen the light of hope.
Health as Wholeness, Not Merely the Absence of Disease
Turning now to health and healing, it is worth asking how we define them. In Western culture, health is often confined to the physical level, understood as the absence of disease or debilitation. Yet health, in its deepest meaning, is far more than that. Its root is wholeness—whole, sound, complete, vital.
The Sanskrit word svastir carries this holistic meaning of well-being. A chant from the Upanishads expresses it clearly: Let there be well-being for all. Let there be peace for all. Let there be wholeness and blessedness for all. Health is not merely personal; it is collective. It is the felt knowing, I am blessed—and may all be blessed together.
Wholeness of the Soul as the Basis of Health
In the Christian tradition, a salutation in the Gospel of John says, Beloved, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers. As the soul is already whole, may life express that wholeness.
When we go into the dark alone, we forget to take the light with us—the light of divine truth, the knowing that the divine within us and within all is abundantly resourceful. As spiritual beings, expressions of one life and one reality, we are never separate from wholeness.
The Omnipresence of Divine Life and Healing
It is not possible to be outside of the omnipresent reality we may call God, Spirit, Life, or Truth. If the word “God” is not comfortable, another word may be used. Spirit does not mind. What matters is the awareness that this presence is the foundation for health, healing, and awakened living.
Life is always supporting healing because healing is a restoration to divine remembrance and wholeness.
Intention, Faith, and Spiritual Practice in Healing
During my sabbatical, I witnessed many ways that life supports healing—sometimes mysteriously, sometimes through challenge, sometimes in unexpected ways. Without intention, faith, and spiritual practice, such divine support can go unnoticed.
Three elements are essential: the intention to be aware of healing presence, faith that healing is possible for oneself and for the world, and a practice that keeps the mind quiet enough for awareness to shine.
Healing Revealed Through Community and Compassion
This became clear to me through a difficult personal experience. I suffered a traumatic fall and survived it, thankfully, but my arm was shattered. Surgery followed, and healing began. At the same time, I was in sabbatical, withdrawn from community support. I could not cook, clean, drive, or even walk safely.
During that time, neighbors—people we had scarcely known for decades—began to help. They walked our dog, drove me to physical therapy, and cooked meals. One evening, a neighbor walked toward me carrying dinner in a simple shoe box, smiling. In that moment, I was face to face with divine compassion—unasked, unprovoked love bringing nourishment for healing.
It was a revelation of omnipresent love expressing itself through ordinary kindness.
Later, I wrote inside the lid of that shoe box a quote by Raimon Panikkar: The future will not be a new tower of power. The future will be built along well-trodden paths from house to house.
Healing arose through community, compassion, and connection—through life insisting on bringing people together.
Discovering Healing Presence Right Where We Are
Human life is designed for discovering the divine right where we are. Healing power surrounds us, indwells us, and reveals itself as love and compassion among us. Discerning and experiencing this truth brings an end to sorrow.
Listen to a recording of Yogacharya's message below.
Invite the Light: Healing, Wholeness, and Awakened Living
Health, healing, and spiritual awakening are natural for everyone because those inclinations are innate to the soul and align with Life’s inherent purpose. Invite the Light of awareness to heal your heart and mind, and allow healing to come forth now.
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