The Hindu festival of Diwali is upon us - a time to celebrate and to rejoice, a time of sharing, of being with family and friends and a time to fill not only the empty stomachs but, especially, the empty hearts and spirits. The festivals of Eid, Diwali and Christmas soon to come, serve to remind and to restore, the meaning and purpose of our lives. Without them our lives would be less colourful.

Diwali, often known as the ‘festival of lights’, is highly symbolic. In Hindu mythology, the celebration restored light and life into the kingdom, ushering a new dawn, a new age of truth and righteousness, as it marked the return of King Rama to the throne after being in exile for 14 years. The darkness, which is always followed by light, refers to the enlightenment of the soul, after having lived in ‘exile’ from its own truth.

Hence the lighting of the lamp, usually made up of a clay vessel and a white cotton wick, symbolises igniting the spirit of the soul while seated in the body of clay. The light is fuelled with the oil of knowledge through the wick of the intellect. The intensity of the light, generated through our thoughts, words and deeds, depends on the extent to which we absorb the oil of knowledge and increase understanding. In reality there is no darkness, only absence of the light of truth. This is why in life; importance is given to acquisition of wisdom and knowledge through scriptures, science and silence. Yet the authentic power lies in the implementation of these truths.

To every end there is a new beginning. Hence Diwali is an auspicious time, the confluence of the old and new. It is a time to close off old business accounts and to open new ones; a metaphor for checking the accounts of the soul, to map the future and fix a ‘budget’ for our thoughts, words and deeds.

Occasions such as these inspire enthusiasm and newness in our lives and it is only in this state of joy that we can think of resolutions and bring about sincere transformation. Try changing habits in a state of sorrow and it is difficult, but when the soul is healthy and happy then one can move mountains and illuminate the forgotten kingdom of the self.

Om Shanti (I am a peaceful soul)

Tel: +973-17-712 545, meditate@batelco.com.bh, www.bahrainmeditationcentre.org

Aruna is an international management development trainer, a teacher of meditation and a freelance writer currently based in Bahrain. She is also the director of the Bahrain Meditation Centre, which is administered by Brahma Kumaris, London, an international organisation with over 6000 centers in over 85 countries (http://www.bkwsu.org.uk) and she continues to coordinate various activities for them in the Middle East.

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