Festival of Lights* Series Part 4 — Amavasya: The Festival of Inner Light

🌸 *Wishing you all a Blessed Diwali and a Joyous Lakshmi Puja!*

Today is the day —

to celebrate the victory of light over darkness,

abundance over scarcity,

and awareness over imbalance.

May every home be filled with the radiance of lamps,

and may every heart glow

with gratitude, peace, and inner illumination.

🌿

*Darkness is not the enemy of light — it is its first breath.*

In the dark sky of Amavasya (New Moon Night),

the seeds of new beginnings are hidden.

Diwali, therefore, is not merely a festival of lamps —

it is a journey inward to discover one’s own light.

Every home shines tonight,

but the true Diwali dawns only when

the mind is illuminated, thoughts are purified,

and peace blossoms within the heart.

Darkness does not mean the absence of light —

it simply means that light is yet to rise.

🌸

*Lakshmi Puja — a call not just for prosperity, but for awareness*

Today is Lakshmi Puja.

Lakshmi is not merely the goddess of wealth,

she is the energy of consciousness, harmony, and beauty.

She dwells only where purity, balance, and respect for effort exist.

Our ancestors said —

*Lakshmi is restless by nature —*

*she stays only where there is righteous action, surrender, and gratitude.*

Thus, Lakshmi Puja is not about worshiping coins or gold,

but about honoring inner generosity and mindful living.

True wealth is not what we possess,

but the contentment earned through right action, right attitude, and right intention.

🪔

*The True Meaning of Diwali — Lighting the Lamp Within*

Every lamp seems to whisper —

“I have no quarrel with darkness;

I simply shine — and the darkness disappears.”

The same principle holds true in life.

Our fears, anger, jealousy, and ego —

these are forms of darkness.

They need not be fought; they need to be illuminated.

When we light the flame of awareness,

all these shadows gently dissolve.

🌿

*The Scientific and Spiritual Significance*

Diwali is celebrated on the New Moon night of Ashwin month —

the night when the moon disappears

and the energies of nature realign themselves.

During this period, body and mind naturally become still,

a perfect state for meditation, reflection, and new beginnings.

Light vibrations affect the fatigue centers of the brain;

that is why the glow of lamps, fragrance of flowers,

and serene ambiance together refresh the mind.

Ayurveda explains that both light and fragrance awaken the sattva guna —

the qualities of clarity, peace, and harmony,

which are the foundation of mental well-being and spiritual health.

🌸

*The Lamp — A Symbol of Knowledge, Service, and Gratitude*

In Indian culture, Deep Daan (offering of lamps)

is one of the most beautiful concepts.

Lighting a lamp is not just about dispelling darkness —

it is a celebration of knowledge over ignorance,

service over selfishness,

and gratitude over discontent.

The lamps lit during Lakshmi Puja

invoke not only material abundance,

but also the energy of balance, effort, and devotion.

🌿

*The Lamp Within — A Message of Awareness*

Every Diwali, we light our homes —

but the real celebration is lighting our inner space.

Light the lamp within;

for no darkness can stay

where awareness shines.

This night is the night of inner illumination.

It is a time to step beyond the walls of “I” and “mine.”

The outer light may fade,

but the inner light — once awakened —

stays with us forever.

🌸

*A Moment of Inner Dialogue*

Diwali is not the end of a festival —

it is the beginning of a new journey —

from darkness to light,

from outer to inner,

and from I to We.

Pause for a moment tonight,

and ask yourself —

*Have I merely lit lamps outside,*

*or have I also awakened the light within?*

✨

*The True Message of Diwali*

“Do not fight the darkness;

just light one lamp —

and let the light do its work.”

🌿

Festival Reflections —

*Jayant Joshi*