A Transcendent Light motif

Book review on

Let there be light

by Henryk Skolimowski (2010)

Reviewed by David Lorimer, 2010 published in Network Review No 102

As Henryk celebrates his 80th birthday this year, he has written what is literally his most visionary book. Beginning with his work on eco-philosophy 30 years ago, he has published a series of works amplifying his ecological and spiritual vision which includes the participatory mind - an element of co-creation in an evolutionary universe. Thomas Berry famously stated that we need a new story of the universe, which Henryk provides here with his exposition of the centrality of light in evolution. He calls on us to rediscover the Universe and ourselves through the rediscovery of Light. He explains the ethics of light in terms of the principles of giving, generosity, sharing, solidarity, love, harmony, transcendence and spiritual rest. The universe emerged from light and its story is one of evolving light, intertwined with love: 'Light is the denominator which unites us all. We are truly one - because we are all made of light.' From the light of matter we are in the process of evolving to self-realisation or enlightenment, where the inner and outer aspects of light become one.

The chapters take the reader on a breathtaking journey showing the connections between light and joy, bliss, creativity, freedom, beauty and transcendence. It is an exhilarating read as one comes to understand the various stages of unfolding creativity, which Henryk categorises in six stages: the evolution of cosmic matter, the evolution of life (and photosynthesis), the evolution of thinking and art (logosynthesis), the evolution of sacred symbols (theosynthesis), the evolution of symbols of knowledge and the evolution of technological power. Religions are seen as filters of Light, and none can claim a monopoly of interpretation. Light can be adapted as a meditative practice, for which Henryk gives some practical instructions to realise various levels of identity with Light. This leads on to a series of inspiring aphoristic precepts: 'to live in communion with Nature is an incomparable joy... the birds fly in joy, the grass waves in contentment, the trees sing when the wind blows through them.... aim high, for your aspirations are part of your destiny....offer your gratitude to life every day....live each day fully and in glory.'

Creativity and transcendence run as currents throughout the book. We are reminded of our responsibility as creative beings: 'Because the Cosmos is creative, evolution is creative. Because of the Cosmos is creative, human consciousness is creative... and the creative process is present in all the next stages of the unfolding of the Universe.' In this sense, Henryk defines the genius of life as transcendence through creativity. We ourselves are constantly recreating our life through our thoughts. But not just any thoughts; Henryk urges artists to reconnect with beauty and rediscover their true role. He also warns of the perils of profane science and technology divorced from wisdom. When allied to a mechanistic and inhuman understanding, one can understand his unease, but I would not go as far as he does in describing technological creativity as lethal. It depends on the underlying vision of the human being and human life, but I do share with many others his unease with respect to the development of biotechnology for profit with scant regard for the implications for human health.

In his model, Henryk sees evolution, creativity and transcendence as co-defining each other. Extending the vision of Bergson and criticising neo-Darwinism with its restrictive and reductionist variables of chance and determinism, he calls for new dynamic concepts based on the logic of becoming, even proposing, somewhat tongue in cheek, the 'transcendentino' as a new particle or fifth force, but rejecting the idea of another form of reductionism. Here he could have introduced the work of Ken Wilber, who has written extensively about the various forms and levels of evolution.  We clearly need to transcend our limited thinking in both science and religion, dumping a number of outdated ideas in the process and identifying ourselves with the growing edge of the evolutionary process. This energising book provides a wonderful point of departure for a new understanding of the evolving Universe and our role in it.

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