The Festival of Lights

Happy Diwali!

This wonderous and blessed holiday celebrates light and goodness. Occuring on the darkest night (the new moon) during the Fall equinox, Diwali or Deepawali ("array of lamps") focuses on personal victory from spiritual darkness and embraces all beings with light and brightness.

I recently learned about the dark, very dark, Goddess Kali, who is one of the many representations of God according to some Hindu's beliefs. She is also one of the most misunderstood of all the gods, as she can appear quite scary. To me, she represents the duality of the good and the bad in all of us. She brings death to the ego, which can be painful, but absolutely necessary, as then and only then can the real divine self emerge, illuminated and full of light and goodness!

Diwali takes place during the Fall equinox which is significant as this time of the year is marked with great change and is a crossroads not only for climate and tilt of our planet towards the sun, but also to all of us individually as we experience transition in our lives. This month, I find that I often take time to observe and reflect on not only personal change but dramatic global changes (including this volatile economy) that affect all beings.

We always attend a particular party hosted by our dear friends on this evening surrounded with family and loved ones and of course plenty of Indian outfits! Many families attend this party after pooja ceremonies. I love the symbolism of light with all the glowing candles during this joyous festival.

Oh, to be in India during the festivities. Can you imagine the magic of thousands of floating candles on the River Ganges!? What a sight...now that would be a photo. Perhaps you've been? If so, indulge me...please tell me all about it!

A Poem By Kumud Biswas

...................................................The autumn has covered with her veil
...................................................All the lamps of the sky of this winter night

...................................................She has sent her call to every home,

...................................................‘Light up all your lamps, your Diwali lamps

...................................................And dress the earth with light.’

...................................................There are no flowers in the garden

...................................................The singing birds do not sing

...................................................Along the banks of the river

...................................................The reeds have shed their flowers

...................................................Sweep away all shadows and sadness

...................................................Light up your lamps, your Diwali lamps

...................................................And sing of the victory of light.

...................................................The gods are looking on

...................................................Wake up O ye children of the world

...................................................Wake up the night with your light

...................................................When the day is done and darkness comes

...................................................Light up your lamps

...................................................To win over the darkness with your light.

Bindi Time

I rarely have the opportunity to wear a bindi (other than around my home - yes, my husband thinks I'm a nut) but a few evenings ago we attended a lavish birthday party of a good friend and yes, we got to get all dressed up in Indian Chic.

Turban-wearing shirtless men (who have spent way too much time at the gym) balanced like statues on tall pillars holding long torches with wildly burning flames, made for quite the grand welcome to this elaborate party in a very hip gallery in the far nether regions of West Chelsea in Manhattan.

3 mendhi artists were also on call, which you know yours truly took full advantage of. See....

Below are some bindi's in my personal collection, which of course I don't get to wear in public nearly as often as I would like.

Bindi's are originally a sacred symbol but are also used as adornment, such as when attending festivities. Quite flattering as a fashion accessory, they come is all shapes, colors and sizes. Plus, they make me feel Indian so I'm always a fan of that. =)

The bindi is placed on the spiritual (or third) eye, which is in the middle of the forehead. Hindus believe this sacared part of the body to be for spiritual sight. While highlighting the third eye, the bindi also protects it which helps to cultivate spiritual vision. Through the third eye, Hindus believe to see all that which cannot be seen through the two physical eyes.

In my yoga and meditation practice I've been focusing more on my third eye, drawing energy all through the central line of the body and the effects are deep and powerful. My teachers also stress the benefits of the spiritual eye making contact with the floor during balasana, or child's pose, when the body can surrender to gravity and the overactive mind can become quiet thus enabling the third eye to open. It is believed that when the individual's spiritual eye opens he attains true enlightenment and gets closer to God.