Letter # 46: “Ponder the Halo”

Here in the north, it’s the winter solstice, and an apt time to welcome the turn in the sun’s journey back, the return of glorious light, comforting warmth, and renewed growth. Have your ever noticed the “sun disk” or halo that is depicted around the heads of holy persons? As you go about this Christmas, you might notice it around the head of baby Jesus, in nativity scenes. Funnily enough, we fallible humans often have a deep desire to wear a halo, and get into trouble for trying. English author and utopian, HG Wells’ (1866-1946) points out: “Moral indignation is jealousy with a halo.”
While the word halo first entered the English language in 1646, halos appeared in religious art well before then, even dating back to ancient Egypt; and Christianity adopted the symbol. The disc of light, the halo, around a holy person or deity represents the effulgence of God. The word halo has Greek origins, from halos “disk of the sun or moon, ring of light around the sun or moon”, also “threshing floor” and “disk of a shield”. Indeed, the sun induces awe and wonder. Genesis speaks of the two great lights created by God, the sun and the moon [1:16]. The Koran states: “When he saw the sun rising in splendour, he said, ‘This is my Lord; this is the greatest’…” [6:78]. Krishna says, “The splendor of the sun, which dissipates the darkness of this whole world, comes from Me. And the splendor of the moon and the splendor of fire are also from Me.” [BG 15:12].
So join me in welcoming the return of the sun and in remembering the Power that created it.


God Bless; Allah Hu Akbar; May The Forces Of The Universe Bring You Harmony; Hare Krishna; Radha-Swami; and Nanak Naam Chardi Kala Tere Bhane Sarbat Dha Bhalla.

I wish to express my gratitude for your comments, which inspire me to carry on writing. Please forgive my fallibilities in presenting this material. Also, feel free to send this message on to someone that you might think would like to receive it. If you do send it on, my only request of you is that you send it as it is, in its entirety, and to not alter or modify any of the text, references or authorship information. Thus you will help to give credit or liability to where they are properly due.
Jas Bhopal
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“Practicing goodwill makes for a good life."
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References: "The Holy Bible" Online version; "The Koran" (As translated by SV Mir Ahmed Ali 2005 ISBN 0-9761870-0-0); "The Bhagavad Gita As it Is" by Srila Prabhupada (ISBN 0-89213-268-X); "I Am That" Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj ISBN 0-89386-022-0; The Dhammapada ISBN-10:1-84483-344-5; The Sacred Sukhmani ISBN 81-7205-098-4; Wikipedia.