[cover: 24 Books of Esoteric Philosophy by Alice Bailey.]

[The content of this article was extracted from Alice Bailey's books after atomatically searching the text “light in the head”.]

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<13> (The Light of the Soul, pp. 314-315.)

"... This point needs emphasis for there is too strong an inclination among students to search for the Masters or some Guru or Teacher who will "give" them light. They can only be found by the one who has lit his own light, trimmed his own lamp and thus provided himself with the means of penetrating into Their world. The more technical side of this matter has been well covered in the words of W. Q. Judge:

"There are two inferences here which have nothing to correspond to them in modern thought. One is, that there is a light in the head; and the other, that there are divine beings who may be seen by those who thus concentrate upon the 'light in the head.' It is held that a certain nerve, or psychic current, called Brahmarandhra-nadi, passes out through the brain near the top of the head. In this there collects more of the luminous principle in nature than elsewhere in the body and it is called jyotis—the light in the head. And, as every result is to be brought about by the use of appropriate means, the seeing of divine beings can be accomplished by concentration upon that part of the body more nearly connected with them. This point—the end of Brahmarandhra-nadi—is also the place where the connection is made between man and the solar forces."

It is this light which causes the "face to shine" and is responsible for the halo depicted around the head of all saints and Masters and which is seen by those with clairvoyant vision around the head of all advanced aspirants and disciples.

Dvivedi also gives the same teaching in the following words:

"The light in the head is explained to be that collective flow of the light of sattva which is seen at the Brahmarandhra which is variously supposed to be somewhere near the coronal artery, the pineal gland, or over the medulla oblongata. Just as the light of a lamp burning within the four walls of a house presents a luminous appearance at the keyhole, so even does the light of sattva show itself at the crown of the head. This light is very familiar to all acquainted even slightly with Yoga practices and is seen even by concentration on the space between the eyebrows. By Samyama (meditation) on this light the class of beings called siddhas—popularly known in theosophic circles as Mahatmas or high adepts—able to walk through space unseen, are immediately brought to view, notwithstanding obstacles of space and time." ..."

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<14> (The Light of the Soul, pp. 315-317.)

"... 33. All things can be known in the vivid light of the intuition.

There are three aspects of knowledge associated with the light in the head.

First, there is that knowledge which the ordinary man can possess, which perhaps is best expressed in the word theoretical. It makes a man aware of certain hypotheses, possibilities and explanations. It gives to him an understanding of ways, means and methods, and enables him to take the first step towards correct ascertainment and achievement. This is true of that knowledge which Patanjali deals with. By acting upon this knowledge and by conforming to the requirements of the intended investigation or development, the aspirant becomes aware of the light in the head.

Secondly, discriminative knowledge is the next type utilized by the aspirant. The light having been contacted, is used, and the result is that the pairs of opposites become apparent, duality is known, and the question of choice comes in. The light of God is cast upon either side of the razor edged path the aspirant is endeavouring to tread, and at first this "noble middle" path is not so apparent as that which lies on either side. By the addition of dispassion or non-attachment to discriminative knowledge, hindrances are worn away, the veil which hides the light becomes increasingly thin until eventually the third or highest light is touched.

Thirdly, the "light of the intuition" is one of the terms which can be applied to this type of illuminative knowledge. It results from the treading of the path and the overcoming of the pairs of opposites, and is the forerunner of complete illumination and the full light of day. Ganganatha Jha in his brief commentary touches on all these three. He says:

"Intelligence is the emancipator—the forerunner of discriminative knowledge, as the dawn is of sunrise. On the production of intuitional insight, the yogi comes to know everything."

These flashes of intuition are at first simply vivid flashes of illumination, breaking forth into the mind consciousness and disappearing almost instantaneously. But they come with increasing frequency as the habit of meditation is cultivated and persist for increasingly long periods as stability of the mind is achieved. Gradually the light shines forth in a continuous stream until the aspirant walks in the full light of day. When the intuition begins to function, the aspirant has to learn to utilize it by turning the light which is in him upon all matters "obscure, subtle and remote," and thus enlarging his horizon, solving his problems, and increasing his efficiency. What he sees and contacts through the use of this spiritual light has then to be registered, understood and adapted for use by the man upon the physical plane, through the medium of the brain. Here is where the rational mind plays its part, interpreting, formulating and transmitting to the brain that which the true spiritual man on his own plane knows, sees, and understands. Thus this knowledge becomes available in full waking consciousness to the incarnated son of God, the man on the physical plane. ..."

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<15> (The Light of the Soul, pp. 319-320.)

"... The first aspect via the monad reaches to the pineal gland—the point where spirit resides in man. The second or consciousness aspect, via the ego, makes a point of contact with the heart centre, whilst the third aspect or third part of the sutratma links up with the centre at the base of the spine, which is the main source of the personality or bodily activity.

Through concentration, therefore, on the light in the head, knowledge of the spiritual worlds and of those pure spirits who work and walk in them is achieved, for Atma or spirit shines there. Similarly through concentrated meditation upon the heart, knowledge of the second aspect, of the conscious intelligent principle which makes a man a son of God, is gained.

Through the development of the head and the use of the head centre, the will is brought into functioning activity. It is the characteristic of spirit, and demonstrates purpose and control. Through the unfolding and use of the heart centre the love-wisdom aspect is similarly brought into use and the love of God is seen working out in a man's life and work. For the mind of God is love, and the love of God is intelligence, and these two aspects of one great quality are brought into play for the working out of His will and purpose. Of this the Christ was the outstanding example to the Occident, as Krishna was to India, and this has to be reflected and manifested also in every man. ..."

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<16> (The Soul and Its Mechanism, pp. 142-144.)

"... Another effect claimed for this relationship between the two head centres and their corresponding glands is that the interplay between the two produces the shining forth of a light. There is much corroborative evidence in this connection in the Scriptures of the world, including Christ's injunction to His followers to "let their light shine." There is cumulative evidence also in the lives of the mystics, who again and again in their writings bear testimony to a light that has been seen. I sent out a letter to a group of students (who have been studying meditation for several years) asking if they were aware of any phenomena of interest as the result of their work. The letter was not sent to neurotics and visionary types, but to men and women of good standing in the business, artistic and literary fields, and with accomplishment to their credit. Seventy-five per cent testified to seeing a light in the head. Were they hallucinated? Were they the victims of their imaginations? What was it they saw? and constantly see?

An interesting field for investigation lies here also, and the results may have a basis in the fact, now recognised by science, that light is matter, and matter is light. When the soul is functioning and the man has achieved conscious union with that soul, he may then, through the extra stimulation involved, become aware of the light of the etheric body at its main point of junction with the physical body at the most important centre in the body, the head centre. Professor Bazzoni says:

"We have seen that all forms of matter on the earth are made up of 92 different kinds of atoms grouped into molecules which, taken together in countless millions, form all of the bodies which we see about us and indeed for that matter, our own bodies. Now, any one of these 92 kinds of atoms when stimulated in certain ways well known to science can be made to give off light—generally coloured light—and the nature of this light is peculiar and characteristic for each of the 92 atoms."{*} ..."

{*} Bazzoni, C.B., Kernels of the Universe, p. 31.

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<17> (The Soul and Its Mechanism, pp. 147-148.)

"... The whole subject of the vital body and its effects on the nervous system and the glands open up an immense field for study; whilst the relationship of the ether-body of man not only to his nerve apparatus but to the planetary etheric body or the ether in which he, as an organism, has his place, is yet an untouched field.

Secondly it should be possible to gather testimony as to the fact and nature of the light in the head to which so many testify.

The recent spectacular experiments into the nature of telepathy are tending in the right direction, but this technique of telepathy is as yet in its infancy; much will be revealed when a distinction is made between communication from mind to mind, which is mental telepathy, and that much rarer form of communication between soul and soul and between soul and brain. This latter form has been called inspiration and has brought into being the Scriptures and the so-called "inspired" writings of the world, and has guided the mental processes of the great inventors and scientists, poets and artists. ..."

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<18> (From Intellect to Intuition, pp. 169-173.)

"... When we arrive at the physical level of consciousness and of the reaction to the illumination which is streaming down into the brain, we have two predominant effects, usually. There is a sense or an awareness of a light in the head, and frequently also a stimulation to an activity which is abnormal. The man seems driven by the energy pouring through him, and the days are all too short for what he seeks to accomplish. He finds himself so anxious to co-operate with the Plan which he has contacted that his judgment is temporarily impaired and he works, and talks, and reads and writes with a tireless vigor which does, nevertheless, wear out the nervous system, and affect his vitality. All who have worked in the field of meditation, and who have sought to teach people along these lines are well aware of this condition. The aspirant does enter the realm of divine energy, and finds himself intensely responsive to it; he senses his group relations and responsibilities and feels as if he must do his uttermost to live up to them. This registering of a constant pouring in of vital force is eminently characteristic, for the co-ordination between the soul and its instrument, and the subsequent reaction of the nervous system to the energy of the soul is so close and exact that it takes the man quite a little time to learn the necessary adjustments.

A second effect, as we have seen, is the recognition of the light in the head. This fact is so well substantiated that it needs little reinforcing. Dr. Jung refers to it in the following manner:

"... the light-vision, is an experience common to many mystics, and one that is undoubtedly of the greatest significance, because in all times and places it appears as the unconditional thing, which unites in itself the greatest power and the profoundest meaning. Hildegarde von Bingen, a significant personality quite apart from her mysticism, expresses herself about her central vision in a quite similar way. 'Since my childhood,' she says, 'I always see a light in my soul, but not with the outer eyes, nor through the thoughts of my heart; neither do the five outer senses take part in this vision. The light I perceive is not of a local kind, but is much brighter than the cloud which bears the sun. I cannot distinguish in it height, breadth, or lengt....What I see or learn in such a vision stays long in my memory. I see, hear, and know at the same time, and learn what I know in the same moment. I cannot recognize any sort of form in this light, although I sometimes see in it another light that is known to me as the living light....While I am enjoying the spectacle of this light, all sadness and sorrow disappear from my memory.'

"I know a few individuals who are familiar with this phenomenon from personal experience. As far as I have ever been able to understand it, the phenomenon seems to have to do with an acute condition of consciousness as intensive as it is abstract, a 'detached' consciousness...,which, as Hildegarde pertinently remarks, brings up to consciousness regions of psychic events ordinarily covered with darkness. The fact that, in connection with this, the general bodily sensations disappear, shows that their specific energy has been withdrawn from them, and has apparently gone toward heightening the clearness of consciousness. As a rule, the phenomenon is spontaneous, coming and going on its own initiative. Its effect is astonishing in that it almost always brings about a solution of psychic complications, and thereby frees the inner personality from emotional and imaginary entanglements, creating thus a unity of being, which is universally felt as a 'release.'"{*}

These words any experienced teacher of meditation can unequivocally endorse. The phenomenon is most familiar and goes to prove surely that there is a close physical correspondence to mental illumination. Hundreds of cases could be proved, were people willing to relate their experiences, but too many refrain from so doing because of the mockery and scepticism of the man who knows little. This light in the head takes various forms, and is often sequential in its development. A diffused light is first seen, sometimes outside the head and, later, within the brain, when in deep thought or meditation; then it becomes more focussed and looks, as some express it, like a radiant and very brilliant sun. Later, at the centre of the radiance, a point of vivid electric blue appears (perhaps the "living light" referred to above) and from this a golden pathway of light leads out. This has sometimes been called "the Path," and there is a possibility that the prophet was not speaking merely symbolically when he said that "the path of the just is as a shining light that shineth more and more until the day be with us."

In this light in the head, which seems a universal accompaniment of the illuminative state, we have probably also the origin of the halo depicted around the heads of the illuminati of the world.

Much investigation remains to be done along this line, and much reticence and prejudice has to be overcome. But many are beginning to record their experiences and they are not the psychopathics of the race, but reputable and substantial workers in the varying fields of human endeavor. The time may shortly be with us when the fact of illumination may be recognized as a natural process, and the light in the head be regarded as indicating a certain definite stage of co-ordination and of interplay between the soul, the spiritual man, and the man on the physical plane. When this is the case, we shall have brought our human evolution to such a point that instinct, intellect and intuition can be used at will by the trained and fully educated man, and the "light of the soul" can be turned upon any problem. Thus the omniscience of the soul will be manifested on earth.

Let me close this chapter with some words written by a Hindu mystic and some by a modern Christian mystic, typical examples of the two points of view of the mystic and the knower. The Hindu says:

"They are called Brahmins only that have an inner light working in them...the human soul is a lamp not covered over with a bushel. The lamp emits not the rays of the flesh but the rays of mental light to illuminate all humanity and is therefore the channel for the world soul. The rays of mental light assist all humanity in its mental growth and expansion, and the lamp is therefore one of the Eternal World Brahmins. It gives light unto the world but takes nothing that the world can give."

The Christian writes:

"I saw a life ablaze with God!
My Father, give to me
The blessing of a life consumed by God
That I may live for Thee.
A life of fire! a life ablaze with God.
Lighted by fires of pentecostal love!
A life on fire! on fire with love for men
Lit by divine compassion from above.
A burning life, which God can take and drop
In house, or street, or whereso'er He will,
To set some other life alight for Him
And thus to spread the fire on further still."

Then we shall have evidenced the final stage of the meditation process which we call Inspiration. To the possibility of such a life the Great Ones of the ages testify. They knew themselves to be Sons of God and they carried that knowledge down into full realization in physical incarnation. They are inspired Declarers of the reality of truth, of the immortality of the soul, and of the fact of the kingdom of God. They are lights set in a dark place to light the way back to the Father's Home. ..."

{*} Wilhelm, Richard, and Jung, C. G., The Secret of the Golden Flower, pp. 104-105.