Third Eye, Single Eye, Luminous Inner Light, Gospel of Thomas, Syriac Mysticism, and Sant Mat Inner Light Meditation
Gospel of Thomas Saying 24: His disciples say to him: “Instruct us about the place where thou art [you are], for we must know about it!” He says to them: “He who has ears, let him hear! If a light exists inside a luminous one, then it gives light to the whole world; but if it does not give light, it means that it is a darkness.” (Doresse translation)
Comment from a reader: I am often surprised at how rarely mention is made of the northern Indian mystical tradition of a self-luminous inner light, which proceeds from a primordial Sound or Word (see Sant Mat or Sikh writings) ‘projected’ into every living thing, but most actualized in humanity. This light is manifested at the pineal gland locus, called the Third or Single Eye, hence references to “If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.” Those interested in pursuing some very provocative explanations on the true role of Light in mystical teachings both east and west would do well to spend some time researching the above spiritual practices…a lot will become clearer. Above is excerpted from: http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/thomas/gospelthomas24.html
“If your eye be Single, your whole body will be full of Light.” A parallel to that saying attributed to Yeshua in Matthew 6:22 is found in the Gospel of Thomas, from saying 61: “When a person finds himself solitary, he will be full of light; but when he finds himself divided, he will be full of darkness.” (Doresse translation) “Therefore I say that such a person, once integrated, will become full of light; but such a person, once divided will become full of darkness.” (Bentley Layton translation) http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/thomas/gospelthomas61.html
Becoming “a Single One,” a spiritually whole person united with God, was the goal of the Thomas tradition of Syrian mysticism. “When you make the two into one… then you will enter the Kingdom.” (Saying Twenty-Two) The spirit, mind and body of the mystic all become united in God; its new way of being is “Singleness.” The word for “Single One” or “Singleness” in the Syriac-Aramaic language is “Ihidaya,” and is used to describe souls that enter into mystical oneness. (“Ihidayutha, A Study of the Life of Singleness in the Syrian Orient,” ARAM Society for Syro-Mesopotamian Studies) According to this book by Sebastian Brock of Oxford, the hermits of the Syrian tradition eventually were called “the Ihidaya.” However, “Ihidaya” isn’t merely a title, office, or a robe that one puts on, but is a matter of spiritual realization, an interior state of being, an individual experience, a mystical level of awareness that is reached by a solitary contemplative soul.
Kabir said, “The Light of one soul is equal to that of sixteen suns.”
“When the Father, who alone is good, visits the heart, he makes it holy and fills it with Light. And so a person who has such a heart is called blessed, for that person will see God.” (Valentinus of Alexandria)
“Faith in Christ is living, noetic Light. The Light of Jesus is noetic [spiritual] Light, and blessed is the soul which is accounted worthy to see it!” (Saint Isaac the Syrian)
“The sun of consciousness within my heart keeps on shining and shining, all the time. Neither does it set nor does it rise.” (Maitrey-Upanishad)
“Man’s soul shall become, when it leaveth the body, a great flood of Light, so as to traverse all the regions until it cometh into the Kingdom of Mystery… Seek, all of you, after the Light, so that the power of your soul that is in you may find Life. Do not cease seeking day or night until you find the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Light, which will purify you, transform you into pure Light, and guide you into the Kingdom of the Light.” (Gospel of Faith-Wisdom – Pistis Sophia)
“Thus as a result of recollecting all these things the impulses of the mind are extended from the sphere of material things towards those impulses which are without limit, that is to say, wonder at the New World, and the faculty of vision which belongs to contemplation [of God]. For when the vision of the mind is mingled with the Light…, all its impulses become infinite. For none of the Visionaries or ‘Gnostics’ is able to distinguish the identity of the mind as a result of the vision of that glorious Light that is seen ….. for all the innermost chambers of the heart are filled by that blessed Light….”. (Joseph the Visionary, Syriac Mystic quoted in, The Syriac Fathers on Prayer and the Spiritual Life, translated from the Syriac-Aramaic by Sebastian Brock)
“Blessed are those who have approached the divine Light, who have entered it and been absorbed by it, mingled in its brightness.” (Saint Symeon)
– Excerpted from my article, Summarizing the Spiritual Message of the Gospel of Thomas, By James Bean: https://medium.com/gnostic-studies-living-gnosis-now/summarizing-the-spiritual-message-of-the-gospel-of-thomas-by-james-bean-90862170ac8a
Also see, The Inner Divine Light (Dedicated to Sant Kirpal Singh, on Near-Death Experiences, and the Inner Light According to Sant Mat Mysticism): http://kirpalsingh.org/Booklets/Inner_Light.pdf
“The inner Light does not come or go. It is always there within. It appears only when we are attuned and concentrated and disappears as soon as there is the slightest dispersion. The Light will not vanish if you just keep your inner gaze constantly fixed.” (Kirpal Singh)
“To have inner experiences of Godly Light and Sound is no small thing and really only the fortunate few blessed from above receive them.” (Kirpal Singh)
“Once you discover this Light and learn to live by it, your whole existence will be changed. Love will permeate your very being and it will burst forth from the very pores of your body, transmuting all dross into sterling gold.” (Kirpal Singh)
See, Meditation Instructions to Initiates by Master Kirpal Singh: http://kirpalsingh.org/booklets/meditation_instructions.pdf
