It is the most joyful of occasions because we choose to be illuminated by our inner light that shines in our homes and outside. It is yet another year of victory over evil.
Theoretically, Diwali is celebrated as Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya after the grand defeat of Ravana. While Lord Rama signifies good, Ravana represents evil.
Deepawali spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair. In this world, where base means to achieve our ends is so rampant, it is easy to fall prey to our own greed, even if it means using the wrong means to the end.
“We must all face the choice between what is right, and what is easy.” ~ Dumbledore, Harry Potter series.
If you’ve watched or read the universally famous Harry Potter series, you are not going to forget some of the very noble words used by Dumbledore that focus on always choosing the light.
“We’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are” ~ Dumbledore.
They say that good and evil resides within the same person and so we all have darkness and light within us. It depends on which we choose to tap within ourselves, the good or the evil side.
The use of lights and Diyas is a celebration of yet another year of not letting our inner demons win over us, it is celebration of good over evil. There is a reason why we light diyas on the pathways of our homes. It is not just to illuminate our own path, but to ignite the path for others as well.
Diwali is a reminder to use the right path, the one lit with human goodness, brotherhood and comradery. Another famous quote by Dumbledore in the Harry Potter series goes, “It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” Since the light is within us, it is only then our choices that define who we really are.
The festival of Deepavali has a deep spiritual meaning, it essentially means the Awareness of the Inner Light. In a way it is the celebration of the awakening and awareness of the Inner Light which has the power to outshine darkness and clear all obstacles in life. So then, Diwali a reminder every once in that year, that we also have an inner light within us. Diwali is also a reminder that while there is darkness within us, there is also light. All we need to do is light up that inner light within us.
Throughout the year while we are running a rat’s race, ensuring everything is in place as far as our careers, homes and lifestyle is concerned, we forget that we are human beings with feelings, with emotions, with goodness within us.
Diwali is that little pause you take to review your entire year that has gone by, celebrate your victories, mend your older ways and correct what has gone wrong. It is that time, that you look inwards and seek the light within you.
“Every day, every hour, this very minute, perhaps, dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle’s walls. But in the end, their greatest weapon… is you.” ~ Dumbledore.
This means we are all empowered within ourselves to choose our own path. There is no good or evil outside of ourselves. If we choose the good, we attract the good, if we choose the evil, we attract the evil. In essence, we attract what we choose to define ourselves by.
So the question then is, what would you want to be this coming New Year? What side of you would you want to embrace? How would you want to achieve becoming that person? And what would you do differently from the version of yourself a year ago? A question to pause at while you begin celebrating the festivities.
Happy New Year! May your path be lit up by your inner beautiful self.
