It’s brilliant to celebrate the light before going into the season of darkness. Keeping the gratitude of what we have in the forefront of our consciousness, is the perfect antidote for lack and scarcity that used to be a physical reality for us when we lived in nature. Now, we feel the effects of Vata Season in more emotional ways: loneliness, restlessness, victimization, feeling unanchored.Diwali is also a celebration of the Goddess Laxmi. Often reduced to a simple avatar of abundance, she’s representative of the energy of being free and able to meet your needs, which to me, is a much deeper embodiment of abundance than simply being rich. I know a lot of wealthy people who don’t feel this freedom and ease.
Free and able to give yourself what you need to feel good-– Breathe into that. You can see how this feeling is opposite to the vata-imbalanced emotions I listed above. As always, in Ayurveda, we bring in the opposite qualities to counter whatever we are feeling that is unpleasant.I put together a short and sweet Diwali Celebration ritual for all of you, that you can do at home alone, or with loved ones:
1. Set up an “altar” space somewhere that feels good. Anything that symbolizes light, abundance, freedom, ease and support would be appropriate. You want to be facing North, East, or North East.
2. Light a candle. Gaze at the flame as you bring your attention to the present.
3. Close your eyes, and start to imagine all of the ways you would feel as you prioritize your needs, as you meet them, and as you meet those of others. Take some time here, and really focus on pumping out some of the good feelings that happen when you fill your cup and give from a place of overflowing. When you get a place of feeling lovely inside and have a smile on your face, open your eyes.
4. Share or journal: how do you wish to show up for yourself in the coming new year? Which patterns and habits will you focus on releasing now to begin that evolution? Keep it simple and without a lot of effort. Stay in ease and lightness. Try to keep obligation, external pressures, and ‘shoulds’ at bay.
5. Take an action, any action to line up with your words and your intention. That could be a hot bath with some essential oils, or joining the growing tribe of us loving our Ayurvedic life-view by registering for my upcoming intro course, MEET AYURVEDA.
At least one action that feels like how you want to feel in the coming year. One simple action my family takes at the end of our ceremony is to feed each other sweets–so we all feel nourished and supported and indulged.
Mantra: Om gum laxmi – yei namaha (108 times) …free and able to give yourself what you need
Here’s a big fat ladoo in your mouth that you have to smile and chew on for 10 min while your aunty who put 3x as much sugar as you would ever eat in them stares at you for a compliment,
Siva (hehehe)
