Shine a ‘little light’ on the subject

If you ever attended Sunday School you sang the little ditty, “This little light on mine, I’m going to let it shine; This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine; This little light of mine I’m going to let it shine; Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.”

It turns out it’s a good idea if this little Sunday School song rings in our ears at various moments throughout our lives. Letting our “little light” shine is not always as easy as we thought in those innocent days of childhood. And in this age, the innocence of childhood does not last long.

Keeping a aware of “this little light” that is our unique self can get lost in the pressures of living in the turmoil and wonder of today’s world. Being like, and liked, by your peers, wearing the right clothes, listening to the right music, and all the pressures of being a teenager can easily overshadow the real you that is in there somewhere.

As adults we can get caught up in career, parenting, and all the challenges of keeping up to it all in a fast-moving world. I remember serving as minister in a large and busy church. For years it was challenging and exciting and soul satisfying. But as the years went by it came to me that, yes, I was doing many things and doing them reasonably well. However, some deep level in me was not being satisfied or nourished. I was busy doing things because I was meeting the needs and demands of a large church and could do what was required. But “this little light of mine” was not shining. I changed my work and situation and the light came on, at least to some degree.

In Memories, Dreams, Reflections, Carl Jung reports having a dream about “this little light.”

“I had a dream that both frightened and encouraged me. It was night in some unknown place and I was making slow and painful headway against a mighty wind. Dense fog was flying along everywhere. I had my hands cupped around a tiny light which threatened to go out at any moment. Everything depended on me keeping this little light alive... through night and wind, regardless of all dangers. When I awoke... I knew that this little light was my consciousness, the only light I have.” (p 87-88).

This dream came at a point in Jung’s student days when he had to decide what direction his life would take. Sometimes the nudge to keep in contact with our inner selves comes with a dream. Sometimes through external happenings. Often it is a vague feeling, at other times a push in a very specific direction. For some, a great variety of activities nourishes our soul. For others, the inner directive is very specific.

One of the tragedies of life is to discover well along, perhaps as a mid-life crisis, that what we are doing, our work, our life, is not bringing us that satisfaction we would like. I think it was Joseph Campbell who said you can spend your time and energy climbing the ladder of success only to find the ladder was against the wrong wall.

Your life may have to change radically, and that will be daunting and perhaps impossible. However, more often a few adjustments will do. Most work has aspects that are mind-numbing. But there are usually aspects that do touch the imagination and creativity of your real self. Bal- ance your life with activities that you enjoy. Learn to play an instrument. Write that book. Join a yoga group. Join a major cause. Correct an injustice. Improve the environment. Call the government to account, or whatever. Be assured there are other groups and individuals already at work at whatever interests you.

We also need to do something, usually referred to as spiritual, to help us know that “this little light of mine” is part of the great light of the universe. The first order of creation, according to Genesis, was “Let there be light. And there was light.” At one point, Einstein mused that he could spend the rest of his life pondering the mystery of light. It is an elemental image and reality.

“Let your light so shine before the world that everyone may see your good works and praise the magnificent Universe that is our being and home”. (Matthew 5:15; very free translation).