Once Bawa Muhaiyaddeen, a truly remarkable holy person of God, said to one of his close disciples, artist Sulaiha Denise Sati, while she was studying with Bawa back in 1982 in Sri Lanka:

“Sulaiha, the Light is within you. If you carry the lantern it will become heavy. If you carry the Light it is easy. The Light is Wisdom ... it is subtle and light. If you do this, then you can travel anywhere, Lightly!”

When compared to the Infinite Wisdom of the Divine, we all are children, little babies and as characteristics of children, we lack true wisdom, we are veiled with our ignorance and our ego which loves to put a claim on whatever little knowledge it has.

Thus we may often be caught in pride about the lantern which seemingly occupies our attention more than the light within, which is much subtler and untouchable even. But we can hold the lantern, we can touch it, marvel at is engraving etc. The parable of lantern is like our apparent intellectual knowledge, thought of our opportunities and our material advantages compared to others... then what is the best way not to be caught with the lantern carrying job?

What is the best way to be aware that we are carrying the heavy lantern and learn to focus more on the light rather than the lantern?

And in the sayings and writings of Bawa, the Sufi master, when asked,

"Why do all living beings naturally always like happiness? Why do all living beings naturally always dislike unhappiness?"

Bawa shared the following wisdom in this paraphrase of his response:

God is happiness itself, within all lives in the form of His true nature. To know one's true self  is to experience this happiness. To know one's natural, divine self is happiness. Know yourself, and you will know God.

Sulaiha shared that according to Bawa's teaching on the Silent Zikr,  La Ilaha, illa Allahu  (Silently Remembering God within one's heart with the left and right breath, and wisdom), there, within the subtle breath aligned with concentration and the intention to know GOD, can one access that Light, that Nur, that True self.

Everything else is just the lantern: the body, the mind, book knowledge, negative emotions, the mental thoughts, regrets,  revenge, religions, the desire, the darkness, differences, the duniya, the passing dramas of the world -  all this is La Ilaha.

All this is the unreal other than God. So all that remains is Illa Allahu,  the Absolute Power and Grace, the Only One Reality that Exists infinitely and eternally.



Image credit: Denise Sati Design

# Related:
* To learn more about Denise Ann Sati, visit her website: Denise Sati Designs
* Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship
* Painting with a Sufi Master | Interview with Denise Sati

* Radiant Reflections | Glimpse of Denise Sati’s Garden of Wonder