As far as I know no light will pass thru a transparency in carrara. I would try aura's or light spheres and anything glows. I assume you have tried the glow channel. However, I am betting for the most part these effects can be done. Since I haven't done too much of this someone who has work with this kind of thing more hopefully will chime in. I will say that you should check out the glowing light tut on eovia3d.net and the glows tut in c backroom. You can make a volumetric light cone, but it just doesn't pass thru transparent objects.

No need to think outside the box....
    Just make it invisible.