This painting explores the self’s capacity to protect and empower itself through the release of its inner light and creative energy. The central figure, represented by a blue body with red hands, cradles a tree that grows from a fertile blue foundation, which represents the waters of life. The tree bears fruits of creativity, and one of these fruits grows into a mighty heart that carries the sun’s brilliant, protective shine.

The hat, initially a symbol of protection, is revealed to be the sun itself. As the figure removes the hat and prepares to speak, it releases the sun’s light, showing that by shining, the self asserts its existence. This act of shining not only expresses the self’s creativity and vitality but also darkens the forces around it—rendering invisible anything that could threaten its being. The protective darkness shields the self from external forces that could otherwise eliminate it, emphasizing the dual nature of light: it reveals what is essential while making invisible what might overwhelm the self.

The moon, a carrier of the self’s story, flies outward into the universe, symbolizing the transmission of ideas, meaning, and joy. It represents the self’s ability to release its creations into the world, while the nurturing darkness of the universe ensures the self’s continued protection. The hands of the figure hold the tree of life, suggesting the balance between creation and preservation, as the self's light not only gives life but also shields it from being overtaken by external forces.

By releasing its inner light, the self creates both visible brilliance and a protective shadow, ensuring its continued vitality in a universe where forces of creation and destruction are constantly at play.