Recognizing My Own Light : A Reflection on Faith, Discernment & the Soul

By Trish Briggs

Would I recognize my own soul - my light - if I saw it?

I recently came across a teaching that stopped me in my tracks. It said that after death, a radiant being of light will appear before us - a reflection of our truest self.

We are offered three chances to recognize this being. If we do, we are ready to transition to another level of existence. If we do not, it simply means there is still work to do. That thought lingered with me. Not in fear - but in honesty.

Would I recognize my own soul? Would I know my own light? Stripped down to its essence, the question became almost startling in its simplicity: Would I recognize myself?

Certainty, Doubt, and Discernment

That question stirred a memory of my mother.

She had an unwavering faith. She said, with absolute certainty, that she would know Christ at His second coming. She believed she could discern the true Christ from the anti-Christ without hesitation.

There was no wavering in her voice when she said it. And I remember quietly wondering if I would be as certain.

We are told the anti-Christ will be charismatic - so convincing that many will be deceived. I knew my own humanity. I knew my doubts, my blind spots, my imperfections. I did not trust that I would discern so clearly. I stood in awe of her conviction, but I did not yet share it.

Recognizing Truth Within

Looking back, I see that both pauses - hers and mine - carried meaning.

Her certainty came from deep inner alignment. My hesitation came from not yet fully trusting my internal gauge. And that is when something shifted for me.

Recognizing my soul after death is not so different from discerning truth in this life. It is not about the charisma of what stands before me. It is about the clarity within me.

If I expect to see and know my higher self after death, then I must first recognize it while I am alive.

The Practice of Trust

That recognition begins with trust. Trusting my discernment.Trusting my connection to Spirit.Trusting that the light within me is not imagined - but real.

Do I believe in the goodness within me as deeply as I believe in God and Spirit? Do I trust that the love I carry is enough? Do I trust myself?

These questions feel quieter now than they once did. Less sharp. More invitational.

I am beginning to understand that preparation for any “after” is not about waiting for a future event. It is about learning to see clearly now. Seeing the beauty that already resides within.

Not the surface version of myself. Not the personality or the roles or the appearance. But the fundamental love and goodness that shines through when I live with sincerity, kindness, humility, and faith.

Heaven Begins with Recognition

Perhaps the radiant being of light is not some distant mystery. Perhaps it is the truest version of me - unobstructed. And maybe the real work is not proving myself worthy of recognizing her someday…But allowing myself to see her now.

Because to truly see our own light - without shrinking, without deflecting, without dismissing it - may be one of the most sacred acts of faith there is. So perhaps the question is not whether we will recognize our soul after death.

Perhaps the question is:

Are we willing to recognize it while we are still here? Because perhaps heaven begins the moment we do.