Saibung or Saibhung means Self-Illumined. I love this concept. Or, is it an elemental state? Technically, it’s only an adjective, but what a powerful one.
Self Illumined. Lit from within. Radiant. Needing no outside source. This is the Yogi’s way of describing one of the myriad qualities of human beings. But how often do we come across someone who truly allows their light from within to shine? Not often enough. It seems complaining, suffering and grudges abound. All of these states of mind diminish the light within.
Marianne Williamson captures this light hiding phenomena beautifully in her book A Return to Love:
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
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