During a visit to the Monte Verde Cloud Forest in Costa Rica I was first introduced to concept of Light Gaps. Essentially, when a large canopy tree falls, usually during a storm, it takes out a section of the forest canopy thereby creating a Light Gap that allows direct sunlight to reach the forest floor. Dormant seedlings suddenly have the opportunity to germinate and grow. This energy has a direct and immediate effect on its environs.
“Heliotropism” is the scientific name for this kind of solar-centric behavior, behavior that in some sense represents nothing more than brute reflex, evidence of a biological need so fundamental that its denial would mean the difference between life and death. Plants need light, so they move toward it. End of story.” by Arika Theule-VanDam http://www.rca.org/Page.aspx?pid=6515
I like what Arika implies here – that there is an urgency, an imperative that demands we give our ideas, dreams and aspirations a chance. We need light – our souls demand that we explore the possibilities of worlds outside the limited cage of our logical rational world. In the absence of that opportunity – illness, addictions, aberrant behavior like forest floor parasites, are given their opportunities to use and eventually kill their hosts – end of story. I also believe we all experience our own light gaps during the course of our lives. An illness, sudden death, loss of a job or a serious accident – any number of things act like that giant tree falling in the wind – ripping away our canopy of complacency and offers light to the emergent and urgent needs of the truest nature of ourselves. We have the choice of what to do with that opportunity. In our tender, dark and private forest floor moments, I believe we all yearn for a light gap of our own.
I decided to create my own Light Gap this sabbatical year. To explore what Brezsny calls the alternate realities of the unconscious, the dreamtime, the spiritual sphere, the intelligence of nature and the realm of the ancestors. This site is a venue for just such exploration. And, to insist on a hard and fast direction or one concrete path at the start of this journey seems to me to negate the very notion of a light gap in its infancy. The forest floor – once availed of the light – produces all manner of plant species. It is only over time that those strong enough and meant to grow to full height and maturity will overtake the weaker, less relevant species and fully engage their environment. They will then contribute their unique attributes to the overall ecosystem. The outcome is a mystery – the whole being greater than the sum of its parts.
I am going to let all my up-til-now dormant ideas, writings and ruminations have their voice – finally. See what they have to say. Over time – organically – the ones meant to nurture not only myself but hopefully inspire others and add positively to the whole will make themselves known. Lumen Hiatus is not focused on one plane of thought but rather allows myself and a reader to experience a renaissance of thought without the constraint of parameter or agenda. And, in its turn, may perhaps inspire others to create their own Lumen Hiatus.
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