The light goes on

A Svadhyaya Reflection: Finding the Steady Flame

Reading these lines again today feels like an intentional act of Svadhyaya—the practice of using self-study to look into the mirror of our own lives. Spanning a twenty-year journey of writing, returning to these words allows me to see them with entirely fresh eyes.

When I wrote this, I was exploring the interplay between darkness and light, and how we navigate the journey back to a cantered self. Look at the progression within the lines: it begins with the light flickering on, confronts the ways "delusion dissolves," and ultimately anchors itself in a "flicker-less flame" of pure consciousness and realization. It is a poetic map of nervous system regulation—moving from the chaotic barriers of the mind back to the warmth of the steady, internal sun.

Revisiting these words is a powerful reminder that the "joyous journey" isn't a destination we reach and stay at forever. The day-to-day struggles of life, parenting, and simply being human mean that we constantly cycle through these states. Some days we feel the "darkness dares to dispel," and other days we are operating from that "inextinguishable beacon" of bold bravery.

The beauty of self-study is realizing that even when the external world feels turbulent, that flicker-less flame of faith and awareness is always accessible within us. It is a permanent sanctuary we can return to, breathe into, and move forward from wisely.

Continue the Journey Inward

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