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As I am writing this newsletter, it is the first day of Diwali, which is known as the festival of lights or the symbolic victory of being led through the darkness into the light. In the Hindu tradition in India, there are various celebrations and rituals related to this sacred time. In northern India, Diwali marks the return of Lord Rama, his wife Sita, and his brother back home after Rama defeated the demon king Ravana. They were guided home by the lamps lit by people in their community. This lamplight ritual continues today. In other parts of India, Diwali is the celebration of Lord Krishna’s victory over Narakasura, who had held the captives Krishna set free. The Goddess Lakshmi is very much connected to the Diwali celebration as she is considered the goddess of wealth, prosperity, and abundance.
Being led home by the light; being freed from the bondage of captivity (i.e., freedom from patterns that keep us stuck in unhealthy behaviors); appreciating the gifts of abundance even in times of struggle or seeming scarcity, are themes of resilience that stand the test of time.
I believe that we can all relate to the feelings of celebration and safety that we might experience moving from darkness into light. Regardless of our spiritual or religious background or where we live in the world, we all experience times of darkness. We have also experienced the other side of the coin in the transformation of stepping into the light. Sometimes this transition into the light is slow and feels a bit arduous, while other times it is sudden and joyful and feels almost like a miracle.
Diwali is celebrated in the midst of the season of autumn here in the northern hemisphere. India is also in the autumn / retreating monsoon season. This is the season we often think of letting go as we mirror nature and trees releasing leaves. Typically, we may think of late summer as a season connected to abundance, harvesting the fruits and vegetables of our labor; while autumn and winter are seasons of releasing and letting go, a paring down of what is extraneous.
I wonder what it might be like to consider the abundance that surrounds us in ALL of our seasons, both nature’s cyclical rhythms as well as the seasons of our lives. The Goddess Lakshmi, who is connected to wealth and abundance, teaches us that abundance comes in many forms:
● Dhana Lakshmi (wealth)
● Dhyana Lakshmi (agricultural bounty)
● Gaja Lakshmi (animal husbandry)
● Santana Lakshmi (children)
● Veera Lakshmi (courage)
● Vidya Lakshmi (knowledge)
● Vijaya Lakshmi (victory)
It can be easy to get caught up in ABUNDANCE equaling material or fiscal wealth, and when we feel lacking in that area, we may forget the many other forms of abundance: access to food and water, connections with community or family, knowledge through books and spiritual teachings, the gifts of our yoga and meditation practices, and the abundant gifts of nature.
Where do you notice the gift of abundance showing up in your life? This is something that can be cultivated even in times of darkness as we lean in towards the light. Finding ways to celebrate ourselves and the various ways we can experience gratitude on a daily basis is a beautiful way to step into an abundance mindset.
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