The Library of Light
Coming Soon
"I have abolished duality from myself.
I have seen the Two Worlds as One!
One I seek, One I know
One I see, One I call."
- Rumi
As human beings we are all seekers. The quest to reconcile the thoughts generated from our minds with the impulses generated from our hearts presents an ongoing challenge - and ostensibly between these two poles lies the energetic force we often define as "the spirit."
The drive to embrace a higher purpose and explore what makes our lives feel meaningful can be fed by turning to the shared wisdom, both ancient and contemporary, of the many writers, thinkers, philosophers, theologians, seers, healers, and more who have trodden this path before us, enhancing and expanding our journey along the way. But with such an abundant range of content available online (of arguably varying quality) and without the resources to necessarily make informed decisions, it can prove daunting - even paralysing - to navigate, sift through and distill the choices at hand. Our mission is to help light the way. To offer signposts that inspire and encourage readers to find what they are looking for, and hopefully open relevant and perhaps unforeseen doors in the process. Having surveyed a vast range of texts within this space across numerous genres, The Library of Light attempts to identify and purposefully curate what we deem to be the most edifying and eloquent texts within the "umbrella" of spiritual literature, including but not limited to the following categories: Self-Help, Science, Divinity, Philosophy, Mythology, Esotericism/Theosophy, Folklore, Fiction, Explorations in Consciousness, Reincarnation, Energy Healing, Poetry, Children's literature, as well as experiential handbooks/manuals offering practical information on "applied" spirituality such as yoga and meditation. All on an entirely free and not-for-profit basis. We make no academic or religious claims in our endeavours, and while thoroughly researched and professionally evaluated, our targeted recommendations are governed by heart over mind. Our intended objective is to further expand the dialogue surrounding these nuanced subjects in a way that is elastic and continues to evolve organically over time as we continue to dig deeper and to hopefully receive feedback from our users.
Ultimately, The Library of Light is about asking the questions - rather than purporting to provide answers. To help guide our collective search for inspiration, solace, perspective, wisdom, comfort, truth and/or enlightenment in whatever form that takes. And insofar as reading remains a deeply subjective and intimate exercise, the website will be designed in a way that is both prescriptive and bespoke. The website also aims to eventually feed directly into the 3D platform of LightEn's larger educational goals, amplified via additional formats including podcasts, lectures, video content, audio content and more.
For more information about the Library of Light, contact elizabeth@light-en.org
Elizabeth Byng
Library of Light Curator
In October 2017, Elizabeth joined Peters, Fraser & Dunlop as Senior Agent and Executive Director of the Books Department where she is also a member of the Executive Board bringing her clients along with her, including, among others, Booker shortlisted author, Steve Toltz (A Fraction of the Whole, Quicksand, Here Goes Nothing), PEN International President and National Book Award nominee Jennifer Clement (Prayers for the Stolen, Widow Basquiat, GunLove), human rights activist Rupert Isaacson (The Horse Boy), New Yorker cartoonist Marisa Acocella Marchetto, business guru Julia Hobsbawm, economist Azeem Azhar (Exponential), iconic feminist author Erica Jong, UK journalists James Harkin (Vanity Fair/The Guardian) Sean O’Hagan (The Observer) and Mick Brown (The Telegraph), Oscar-nominated filmmaker Mira Nair, art dealer Philip Mould (presenter of the popular BBC TV series, "Fake or Fortune") acclaimed designer/illustrator Marion Deuchars (Let's Make Great Art series), William Sieghart, Founder of the prestigious FORWARD Poetry Prize and National Poetry Day in the UK, award-winning UK architect/designer Thomas Heatherwick, zoologist Jackie Higgins, top UK surgeon and bestselling author, Dr. Andrew Jenkinson, international Grand Master Chess champion Jennifer Shahade, the Intelligence Squared book division, the Leith’s School of Food and Wine, exiled Russian journalist and war correspondent Mikhail Zygar (winner of the International Freedom Press Award), Angela Kelly, Royal Dresser and Personal advisor to The Queen (The Other Side of the Coin), iconic musicians Nick Cave and Johnny Marr, and acclaimed producer and director Julie Taymor, creator of The Lion King.
Founded in 1924, PFD is one of the most well-established literary and talent agencies in the UK, representing a large and dynamic list of authors, speakers, and distinguished literary estates both in the UK and abroad.
Elizabeth has sat on the Creative Council of the Aspen Institute's Summer Words Festival, has served on the faculty of the Breadloaf Writer's Conference in Middlebury, Vermont, and has been a featured speaker at the Exeter University MFA writing program, the Oxford Summer Books Program and at Trinity College in Dublin. She has done charitable work within the book world raising funds as former Co-Chair of the New York Public Library Young Lions, and while completing her English degree at Columbia University in NewYork she helped create and implement literacy program for schools in Harlem to build reading and writing skills for children aged 6-15, targeting underprivileged urban communities.
