Brilliance: Everything Reflects and Everything Connects

By Lezli Censullo

When I first started musing on the word “brilliance”, all I could think of was the story of Indra’s Net, found in ancient Indian and Mahayana Buddhist lore: 

In the abode of the King of Heaven, known as Indra, hangs a vast and wondrous net that, much like a spider’s web, stretches out infinitely in all directions.  At each crossing point or node, hangs a single brilliant, glittering jewel.  And since the net is infinite and unending, so too are the jewels infinite in number.  Each jewel is supported by the net, intricately connected to every other jewel.  And if you look closely, you will see that the polished brilliant surface of each and every jewel reflects all the other jewels in the net, ad infinitum.  Thus, each jewel requires and is required by every other jewel in order to shine its own brilliant hue; and each jewel weaves and sways with every other. 

And when I close my eyes and imagine this Net that holds each and every one of us, the brilliance just ripples through my entire being, and perhaps into yours as well.

And this speaks to me particularly of Aquarian brilliance.  It is more than intelligence.  It is the ability to apply creative and innovative thinking in a way that illuminates something in a new way; and that generates insight for all. 

Synonyms for brilliance might include intense shine, splendor, brightness, sparkling depths, vivid radiance.  It seems to me that in order for something to be brilliant, it needs to be seen. And shared. I find myself thinking of the Hermit in the Tarot, who guards and nurtures their brilliant light all the way up the mountain, and then must return to share their light with the World. 

So, as an Elder, what brilliance do you have to share?  What light have you been nurturing your whole life long, that is now begging to be shared with the world?  What is your Super Power that the Net of Indra couldn’t exist without?  I really want to know.