Become Transparent

You have to be transparent, so you no longer cast a shadow, but instead let the light pass through you.

“You have to be transparent, so you no longer cast a shadow, but instead let the light pass through you."
Kamand Kojouri

Such a beautiful phrase that made me reshape my wonder about what we mean by the word “transparency” (or being a transparent person).

Dictionaries define transparency (as it relates to people) as follows:

”Having thoughts or feelings that are easily perceived.”

This definition above is how I’ve always used the term as well. But maybe the origin of the term comes from what Kamand talks about. That if you’re transparent, you can let the light pass through. “Light” is another metaphor here. I’d interpret it as “goodness” (or God, or source, or love). So when you are transparent, you let the light pass through you and illuminate—enlighten—what lies before you.

When you are transparent,
you let the light pass through you,
illuminating what lies before you.
me <3

Another metaphor for becoming transparent.

If you’re transparent, one can see through you as if you were a ghost—a spirit. Aren’t ghosts or spirits of another world? Will you then “leave this world” when you become fully transparent? In a way, yes. If you let go of all desires—non-attachment, as some eastern traditions talk about—then you’re not “bound” to this world anymore.¹

unbound, ethereal

So is becoming transparent the practice of spirituality, then? I’m not sure, maybe I’m making connections that are too out there, but it does feel like a coincidence that’s too beautiful not to relate.

What happens if you’re not transparent?

You will cast a shadow, darkening what lies before you. Your shadow will be darker the more solid—or less transparent—you are. Is this what eastern traditions mean by (the negatives of) attachment? That if you attach yourself to the world—to matter—you will block the light, casting a shadow.²

Sounds likely, to me.

The shadow here represents the parts of us we don’t want to look at, the parts that we’re attached to and hide—pain, trauma, shameful thoughts, guilt, etc. The dark things we all carry with us—karma, you might say. We have to, at some point, acknowledge it and do something with it, or else it’ll lash out in our lives while we’re unconscious of it. Casting a shadow.

Ignore your shadow at your peril.

Carl Jung, famous for talking about the shadow, has an interesting quote that relates:

“Everyone carries a shadow, and the less it is embodied in the individual's conscious life, the blacker and denser it is.”

It essentially says the same thing, the less transparent you are to yourself, the darker your shadow.

To become transparent, understand yourself.

But if we understand our inner worlds better, we can detach, acknowledge, accept, and then let go of our shadow. I wonder if this is what some people mean by being “enlightened?” Or holy? I.e., "holy" people lost (a big part of) their shadow through a deep understanding of themselves and, in the words of Nelson Mandela, are now letting their light shine and giving others permission to do the same.³ (Hence halos are depicted around their heads.)

I think this is a good quote to end this on. For now.

“As we let our own light shine, we consciously give other people permission to do the same.”
Nelson Mandela

Thanks for reading.

Bright regards,

Jibran

1. At least the metaphorical world. For one could say there are as many worlds as there are people cause we “hallucinate” our world based on our inner and outer inputs.

2. This is not bad per se. Without attaching, at first, we wouldn’t make or do anything. We wouldn’t survive and be here. The attachments helped us through life. But at some point, they may not serve us anymore.

3. Full quote: “We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we consciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” - Nelson Mandela