Light Up Your Life – Happy Diwali

Light Up Your Life – Happy Diwali!

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Diwali is popularly known as the festival of lights. For Hindus on all five continents, Diwali is one of the most famous festivals and is celebrated with great pomp and splendor. But it was not until I came to Raja Yoga that I understood the deeper significance of this beautiful and colourful celebration.

The name ‘Diwali’ is a contraction of the word ‘Deepawali’, which translates into ‘row of lamps’. The ‘dipaks’, small clay lamps, are filled with oil, and a cotton wick is submerged in it.  The dipaks are lit primarily on the day of Diwali itself, although many begin to light them prior to the festival, as happens with Christmas. People create beautiful designs on their doorsteps with coloured sand known as Rangoli to welcome good omens.  They also clean their house thoroughly from top to bottom on the day before Diwali, and it is hoped that the cleanliness and these dipaks, which are kept burning all night, will attract Laxmi, the Goddess of Wealth to the house! Firecrackers are also burst because it is believed that they drive away the evil spirits.

Multicolor floral mandala
Rangoli

 

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Theresa May celebrates Diwali at 10 Downing Street

 

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Rangoli made from Indian rupee notes

 

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Godiva creates its first ever Diwali chocolate collection this year

 

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President O giving his Diwali message

 

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Singapore launched a Dipawali theme train to support Indian culture

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Diwali celebrated annually at Trafalgar Square, London. This years photos.

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On the actual day of Diwali everyone wears new clothes and greets family and friends, sharing specially prepared Diwali snacks, both sweet and salty.  Most devotee businessmen also insist on beginning new account ledgers on this auspicious day, believing it will bring Laxmi (wealth and abundance) to them throughout the year.

According to Hindu mythology, the most important aspect of Diwali is the return to the kingdom of King Rama after having being sent away into exile for 14 years. Diwali signifies the triumph of good over evil. As Rama arrived, the sad and solemn kingdom was brought back to light, joy and to cheer once again. Rows of dipaks welcomed the great King.

beautiful diwali lighting, selective focus

If we put all this within a spiritual context, we are in fact those living lights, the dipaks. The clay represents the body and the light, the wick, is the soul.  The oil represents the experiences of life itself.  Once we apply the oil of knowledge (wisdom) and strike the connection with the Supreme, we are illuminated, enlightened, and begin to share that light with others. When enough of us come together that critical mass will light up the world. All darkness of the world will disappear.

We too have to clean up our inner ‘home’, our mind and habits, and ‘invoke Laxmi’, meaning inner abundance, and the wealth of good qualities. And like King Rama, we also have to reclaim our sovereignty and return back to the subtle throne of our ‘inner kingdom’ – our true self-respect. As we each light up our own souls, the whole world will rejoice. A new era will dawn once again!

It’s Time… for NEWNESS!  To clean up our act, and to drive away old evil spirits.  To create new accounts, and renew our relationships. To cultivate a new vision and attitude. And most of all, to begin a new life. A time to share sweet words and to rejoice constantly – with or without the firecrackers!

 

© ‘It’s Time…’ by Aruna Ladva, BK Publications London, UK

 

 

 

 

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Pur Uma Bhanderi

On this special Diwali occasion I would like to thanks a lot for all the beautiful weekly blog. Baba thank you so much for giving us dear Sis Aruna…??????

ADITYA NARAYAN MISHRA

DIWALI is the best panoramic and pleasant festive occasion in India and all over the INDIAN LIVING Population in the world; it reminds us to make a journey from the sheer ignorance to the absolute spiritual enlightenment through the RAJ YOGA MEDITATION. ADITYA NARAYAN MISHRA

RAKESH ANAND

The correct and actual meaning of Diwali , we came to know now.
How Diwali signify to our life is very well explained.
Thank you so much Aruna didi.

kanta

Om shanti Di.
Please give audio
I like your voice.

Abhishek

This year will end; New year will come. I hope and pray that the light of Diwali illuminates the new chapter in your life. happy Diwali!