10/20/2025
In Sanskrit, avidyā means ignorance, not only in the sense of not knowing facts, but also and perhaps more importantly of forgetting our true nature. Diwali, the festival of lights, invites us to recognize and shine light on that inner shadow. The lamps symbolize awareness and remind us that knowledge (jñāna) and discernment (viveka) are the means by which we find our way through the obscurations of the mind.
As yoga practitioners, the battle between darkness and light takes place each time we step on the mat, between grasping and letting go, pride and humility, illusion and truth. As we reckon with deep questions of integrity, lineage, and love, we are being asked to live our practice, not merely perform it. To keep seeking clarity, not comfort; truth, not pretense.
Across India, the mythical tales of Diwali shimmer in countless forms—Rāma returning to Ayodhyā, Kṛṣṇa defeating Naraka, Lakṣmī emerging from the cosmic ocean, or the illumination of Mahāvīra’s liberation. Each story, though different in geography and tone, shares a single pulse: the triumph of dharma over adharma, light over darkness, clarity over confusion.
Inner light cannot be borrowed or bought. It must be kindled within through study, sincerity, and the courage to face our own darkness. When we walk together in that light, the whole world shines a little brighter.
✨Happy Diwali ✨
Photo
