The sun is an awesome symbol for this as it literally enables life to flourish. Constantly changing, its presence is there in the darkest of nights, its light behind the heaviest of clouds, bringing forth each day and every night, transforming elements, enabling growth.
The late Reverend Robert Llewelyn used an image of the sun to explain Lady Julian of Norwich's revelations “in a nutshell”, in his interview for a BBC “Songs of Praise” programme: “An illustration I often use is this. If the sun were shining into your sitting room you could, if you wished, draw the curtains and live in the dark. But one thing you could never do, however thick the curtains and deep the darkness, you could never turn the sun's light into darkness. Draw the curtains back and there is the sun's light waiting once more to fill your room with light. And I could, if I wished, draw a curtain across my heart to separate myself from God's all-compassionate love and live in my own little darkness. But one thing I could never do, however thick the veil across my heart, I could not change God's compassionate love into wrath. Draw the curtains back and there is that all-compassionate love waiting to stream into my life.” See the video clip of Robert talking about Julian on this site in the section 'People, "Robert explaining Julian of Norwich"'
For many years Julian's mystical experience and her writing have for me been life-changing. She affirms divinity at our heart – 'the substance of the soul is always at one with God' – and offers a way to realise and draw closer to that Love within us. She gives insight into how much we are loved and the preciousness of every human being. It is a message of hope and love; there is no blame, only reassurance, encouragement and a deep understanding of the human condition.
Tibetan friends and attending talks by His Holiness the Dalai Lama have inspired me to try to live with compassion, and to bring into my life love and respect for all beings. I have realised that daily spiritual practice – mine Christian, theirs Buddhist - can be lived. It can transform even the deepest suffering such as losing loved ones, your homeland, because you have the freedom to transform your attitude, to love and to be kind. This is a truly wonderful gift in life.
The late Reverend Robert Llewelyn used an image of the sun to explain Lady Julian of Norwich's revelations “in a nutshell”, in his interview for a BBC “Songs of Praise” programme: “An illustration I often use is this. If the sun were shining into your sitting room you could, if you wished, draw the curtains and live in the dark. But one thing you could never do, however thick the curtains and deep the darkness, you could never turn the sun's light into darkness. Draw the curtains back and there is the sun's light waiting once more to fill your room with light. And I could, if I wished, draw a curtain across my heart to separate myself from God's all-compassionate love and live in my own little darkness. But one thing I could never do, however thick the veil across my heart, I could not change God's compassionate love into wrath. Draw the curtains back and there is that all-compassionate love waiting to stream into my life.” See the video clip of Robert talking about Julian on this site in the section 'People, "Robert explaining Julian of Norwich"'
For many years Julian's mystical experience and her writing have for me been life-changing. She affirms divinity at our heart – 'the substance of the soul is always at one with God' – and offers a way to realise and draw closer to that Love within us. She gives insight into how much we are loved and the preciousness of every human being. It is a message of hope and love; there is no blame, only reassurance, encouragement and a deep understanding of the human condition.
Tibetan friends and attending talks by His Holiness the Dalai Lama have inspired me to try to live with compassion, and to bring into my life love and respect for all beings. I have realised that daily spiritual practice – mine Christian, theirs Buddhist - can be lived. It can transform even the deepest suffering such as losing loved ones, your homeland, because you have the freedom to transform your attitude, to love and to be kind. This is a truly wonderful gift in life.