Divine Light Invocation

Swami Sivananda Radha

The Divine Light Invocation is a concise, powerful way of bringing Light not only into your own life, but sharing it with others.  It’s a standing meditation that combines body, breath and mind for healing yourself on all levels.

Truly the Light is always there, but to identify with it and recognize the Light within is transforming. I believe the benefits only increase with continued practice.  It seems to me to be very heart-centered. I felt such an affinity for this practice from the first time I used it, I wanted to share it. I was very kindly given permission to post the Invocation instructions and Swami Radha’s picture here.

The Divine Light Invocation was given to us by Swami Sivananda Radha, a highly respected spiritual teacher, and to my mind, a pioneer.  From her bio we learn that Swami Radha was among the first Westerners and first women to bring yoga to the West.  She was 44 when she went to India after having a powerful visionary experience of her guru. This was in 1955. She left everything and traveled to India to meet Swami Sivananda. In February 1956, she was initiated into sanyas, a commitment to a life of selfless service and renunciation, and was asked to return to Canada to start an ashram and many centers of Light. Her remaining forty years were spent passionately committed to the teachings.

She founded Yasodhara Ashram and the Radha Yoga Centres, as well as Timeless Publishing, which has published her ten books on yoga. She also founded Ascent Magazine, which has blossomed into an international yoga magazine. Her book, The Divine Light Invocation, is the classic guide for this practice.  Read it for in-depth instructions and the extended story of the origins of the practice.

Many blessings to you all.

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The Divine Light Invocation Instructions

Stand erect, feet shoulder width apart. Keep your eyes closed and focus them on the space between the eyebrows. Lift your arms above your head at the same time as you smoothly and gradually tense the whole body while you inhale. (Your arms should be kept straight and the tension maintained throughout the body.) Hold the tension and the breath. Make the following affirmation to yourself silently, (with all the concentration possible):

I am created by Divine Light.
I am sustained by Divine Light.
I am protected by Divine Light.
I am surrounded by Divine Light.
I am ever growing into Divine Light.

Then slowly lower your arms as you exhale and relax. Keep your eyes closed and use your imagination to see yourself standing in a shower of brilliant while Light. See the Light pouring down upon you, flowing into the body through the top of your head, filling your entire being.

Now without raising the arms, keeping them at your sides, tense the body and inhale. Hold the tension and the breath. Mentally repeat the Invocation:

I am created by Divine Light.
I am sustained by Divine Light.
I am protected by Divine Light.
I am surrounded by Divine Light.
I am ever growing into Divine Light.

Slowly exhale and relax. With your arms at the side of the body, concentrate on feeling a warm glow of Light suffuse your entire body, outside as well as inside. Acknowledge silently to yourself:

Every cell of this, my physical body, is filled with Divine Light. Every level of consciousness is illumined with Divine Light. Divine Light penetrates every single cell of my being, every level of consciousness. I have become a channel of pure Light. I am one with the Light.

The Divine Light Invocation is an exercise of will, as well as an act of surrender. Be receptive to the Light and accept that you are now a channel of Divine Light.

Express your gratitude with deep feeling. Have the desire to share this gift with someone you wish to help. Turn your palms forward.

You can now share the Divine Light with any friend or relative. Keep your eyes closed and visualize him or her standing before you. Mentally open the doors of your heart centre and let the Light stream forth toward the feet of  this person. See the Light encircling this person and spiraling up in a clockwise direction, enveloping the body  completely. See the spiral moving high up into the sky, taking his or her image along with it. Finally, the person merges into the source of Light and becomes one with the Light. (You may even lift your head, following the spiral  of Light, keeping your eyes closed.)

When the person has passed from your view, relax and silently give thanks for the opportunity to help someone in need. (You are now ready to begin all over again, putting others into the light in the same way.)