Quick Notes & Excerpts RE: Breathing, on Saint Crispin’s Day (the “missing” Saturday post) October 25, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Buddhism, Dharma, Faith, Fitness, Healing Stories, Health, Life, Meditation, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Science, William Shakespeare, Wisdom, Writing, Yoga.Tags: 988, Anne Tyler, Battle of Agincourt, Battle of Balaclava, breathing, Henry V, literature, Nyanasatta Thera, pranayama, prānāyāma, Saint Crispin, Saint Crispin’s Day, Saint Crispinian, Satipattthana Sutta, shakespeare, William Shakespeare, yoga, Yoga Sutras 1.30-1.34, Yoga Sutras 2.46-2.53
add a comment
Peace. wisdom, and knowledge to all, every day and especially on Saint Crispin’s Day!
This compilation of excerpts is the “missing” post for Saturday, October 25th. Note: I did not reference Anne Tyler’s biography (or other books) this year as I have in previous years. You can request an audio recording of this practice or a previous practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
“This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispine Crispian shall ne’er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembred;”
— quoted from Act IV, Scene iii, of Henry V by William Shakespeare
Today, October 25th, is Saint Crispin’s Day, also known as the Feast Day of Saint Crispin — although, technically, it is the feast day of Saint Crispin and his twin brother1 Saint Crispinian. It is also the birthday of the the novelist, short story writer, and literary critic Anne Tyler (b. 1941).
Click on the excerpt title below for more about why we remember Saint Crispin Day.
“We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;”
— quoted from Act IV, Scene iii, of Henry V by William Shakespeare
The post excerpted above highlights the fact that we are all connected through breath and the act of breathing. One of the things highlighted in Anne Tyler’s Breathing Lessons is the fact that many people are not taught the importance of breathing… or even how to breathe.
Click on the excerpt title below for more about Anne Tyler, Breathing Lessons, and the practice of prāṇāyāma (the awareness and extension of breath).
“‘Breathing lessons – really,’ [Fiona] said, dropping to the floor with a thud. ‘Don’t they reckon I must know how to breathe by now?’”
— quoted from Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler
“‘Oh honey, you’re just lucky they offer such things,’ Maggie told her…. ‘I mean you’re given all these lessons for the unimportant things–piano-playing, typing. You’re given years and years of lessons in how to balance equations, which Lord knows you will never have to do in normal life. But how about parenthood? Or marriage, either, come to think of it. Before you can drive a car you need a state-approved course of instruction, but driving a car is nothing, nothing, compared to living day in and day out with a husband and raising up a new human being.’”
— quoted from Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler
Click on the excerpt title below for more about the the practice of prāṇāyāma (and commentary on the video below).
For Those Who Missed It: Third Step: Repeat the First & Second Steps
The practice begins ~5 minutes in….
“Mindfulness of breathing takes the highest place among the various subjects of Buddhist meditation. It has been recommended and praised by the Enlightened One thus: ‘This concentration through mindfulness of breathing, when developed and practiced much, is both peaceful and sublime, it is an unadulterated blissful abiding, and it banishes at once and stills evil unprofitable thoughts as soon as they arise.’ Though of such a high order, the initial stages of this meditation are well within the reach of a beginner though he be only a lay student of the Buddha-Dhamma.”
— quoted from the commentary on the Satipatthana Sutta (The Foundations of Mindfulness) by Nyanasatta Thera
Saturday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “10272020 Pranayama II”]
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
1NOTE: Some scholars describe Saint Crispin and Saint Crispinian as twins; some simply as brothers; and some indicate that they were brothers in Spirit.
### “How Do You Know You’re Breathing?” ###
Even More Light [especially for siblings] (the “missing” compilation post w/excerpts for Wednesday) October 22, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Baha'i, Books, Faith, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Mantra, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Babi, Baha'i, Baha’u’llah, bahai-faith, Baháʼí, Bábism, Birth of Baháʼu'lláh, Birth of the Báb, Committee at the Bahá’í World Centre, Diwali, Festival of the Twin Birthdays, Franz Liszt, Gāyatrī Mantra, Habib Taherzadeh, Kali Puja, Katha Upanishad, light, Love, Poetry, Qayyúmu’l-Asmá’, Shoghi Effendi, siblings, Swami Nikhilananda, the Báb, Thomas Edison, Yoga Sutra 1.36, Yoga Sutras 2.46-2.53
add a comment
Happy Diwali and Kali Puja! Happy Festival of the Twin Birthdays! Blessings, light, love, and peace to everyone, everywhere!
May you be healthy, wealthy, and wise!
This “missing” compilation post for Wednesday, October 22nd, features some new and previously posted content, plus related excerpts. Please note that linked excerpts direct you to posts that will include content related to a specific year and, therefore, may include references to different holidays/events. You can request an audio recording of this practice or a previous practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
“Yama said: ‘The goal which all the Vedas declare, which all austerities aim at and which men desire when they lead the life of continence, I will tell you briefly: it is Om.’”
— quoted from Katha Upanishad (Part I – Chapter II, Verse 15) translated by Swami Nikhilananda
Since Diwali, the Indian festival of lights, is a lunar calendar-based holiday, it falls at different times on the Gregorian calendar. In 2025, the fifth day of Diwali — which continues the focus on relationships, this time between siblings — overlaps the Festival of the Twin Birthdays (on the Baháʼí Faith calendar); the anniversary of the birth of Franz Listz (b. 1811)1; and a successful lightbulb moment (for Thomas Edison, in 1879).
Click on the excerpt title below for more about how the fifth day of Diwali shines light on siblings.
“Brighten our hearts, O my Lord, with the splendor of Thy knowledge, and illumine our sight with the light of such eyes as are fixed upon the horizon of Thy grace and the Dayspring of Thy glory.”
— quoted from “– XXXI –” in Prayers and Meditations by Bahá’u’lláh (Translated by Shoghi Effendi from the original Persian and Arabic)
As I mentioned earlier in the year, the Baháʼí Faith is a monotheistic faith that believes in the oneness of God and religion, as well as the oneness and nobility of humanity. The community believes that, historically, there has been a “progressive revelation of religious truth” which has been shared with the world through the voices of the prophets or Divine Messengers, known as “Manifestations of God” (which include “Braham, Krishna, Zoroaster, Moses, Buddha, Jesus Christ, Muhammad, and, in more recent times, the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh”). People within the faith are taught to honor the value of different religious and philosophical traditions as well as the value of education, especially in science (which is viewed by some faiths as being contrary to religion).
The Bahá’í calendar begins around the Vernal (Spring) Equinox in the Northern Hemisphere and has 19 months with 19 days — each named for one of the 19 names/manifestations/attributes of God. For example, “Knowledge” is the English translation for ‘Ilm, the current month of this solar calendar.2 The fact that light can represent knowledge is one of the reasons I find this year’s overlap with Diwali particularly auspicious.
This last two days of Diwali (2025) overlap two of the nine Bahá’í Holy Days: the birthdays of the twin founders of the faith. Known as the Festival of the Twin Birthdays (or the Twin Holy Birthdays), the birthdays of the the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh started at sunset on Tuesday night and continue through sunset on Thursday night. The birthdays are celebrated as one continuous 48-hour “day” — even though the two prophets were born two years apart.
Born in Shiraz, Iran, on October 20, 1819,3 the Báb founded the Babi faith (or Bábism), which evolved into the Bahá’í Faith. While there are still people who follow the original messianic tradition, most people within the Babi community converted to the Bahá’í Faith. The Báb is sometimes compared to John the Baptist, in that he is seen as the herald or messenger born to announce the importance of Bahá’u’lláh.
Recognized as the founder of the Bahá’í Faith, Bahá’u’lláh was actually born two years earlier than his religious predecessor, in Tehran, Iran, on November 12, 1817.4 He outlined the laws, practices, and holy days of the Bahá’í Faith in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas (the “Most Holy Book”) and later explained that the Twin Holy Birthdays were seen as one (by God) and that “… two great festivals have been joined into one, auguring a brilliant future.” These are work-free feast days full of joy and considered a celebration of the twin founders as well as of the unity of community.
“O peoples of the earth! Verily the resplendent Light of God hath appeared in your midst, invested with this unerring Book, that ye may be guided aright to the ways of peace and, by the leave of God, step out of the darkness into the light and onto this far-extended Path of Truth.”
— quoted from the Qayyúmu’l-Asmá’ (cf. Qur’án 5:15–18), as printed in Selections From the Writings of the Báb by the Báb (Compiled by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice and translated by Habib Taherzadeh with the assistance of a Committee at the Bahá’í World Centre)
Click on the excerpt below for more about Thomas Edison’s 1879 “lightbulb moment”.
“However, the fact is that during the night season everyone perceiveth the light which he himself, according to his own capacity, giveth out, oblivious that at the break of day this light shall fade away and be reduced to utter nothingness before the dazzling splendor of the sun.
The light of the people of the world is their knowledge and utterance….”
— quoted from the Persian Bayán (VIII, 1.), as printed in Selections From the Writings of the Báb by the Báb (Compiled by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice and translated by Habib Taherzadeh with the assistance of a Committee at the Bahá’í World Centre)
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Diwali (Day 5) for 10222025”]
NOTES:
1My only commentary about Franz Listz was that his music and biography brought a little light to Anne Frank (and her family) during the darkness that was the Holocaust.
2Since it is a moveable feast, the Festival of the Twin Birthdays can fall a month earlier or later, during Mashíyyat (“Will”) or Qudrat (“Power”). Bahá’u’lláh originally indicated that if the festival coincided with a fast, the feast would take precedent.
3The birthdays of the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh occur on the first and second days of Muharram, the first month on the Islamic calendar.
4Prior to 2015, Baháʼí living in the Middle East celebrated the Twin Holy Birthdays according to the Islamic calendar (as noted above), while members of the community in other parts of the world used the Gregorian calendar dates.
Yoga Sūtra 1.36: viśokā vā jyotişmatī
— “Or [fixing the mind] on the inner state free of sorrow and infused with light, anchors the mind in stability and tranquility.”
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk,you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
### Put Your Lights On ###
Even More Light [especially for siblings] (just the music & blessings) *UPDATED w/excerpt* October 22, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Baha'i, Books, Faith, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Mantra, Meditation, Music, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Bahá’u’lláh, Baháʼí, Birth of Baháʼu'lláh, Birth of the Báb, Diwali, Festival of the Twin Birthdays, Franz Liszt, Gāyatrī Mantra, Kali Puja, light, Love, siblings, the Báb, Thomas Edison, Yoga Sutra 1.36, Yoga Sutras 2.46-2.53
add a comment
Happy Diwali and Kali Puja! Happy Festival of the Twin Birthdays! Blessings, light, love, and peace to everyone, everywhere!
May you be healthy, wealthy, and wise!
Even More Light [especially for siblings] (the “missing” compilation post w/excerpts for Wednesday)
Click on excerpt title above for more.
Please join me today (Wednesday, October 22nd) at 4:30 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Wednesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Diwali (Day 5) for 10222025”]
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
### 
###
Getting [Double, Maybe Triple] The Light On (a quick note w/excerpts) October 21, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Changing Perspectives, Faith, Healing Stories, Hope, Life, Love, Mantra, Meditation, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Science, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Alfred Nobel, Atharva Veda, Birth of the Báb, Diwali, Gayatri Mantra, Gāyatrī Mantra, Kali Puja, light, Love, Thomas Edison, Yoga Sutra 1.36, Yoga Sutras 2.46-2.53
add a comment
Happy Diwali and Kali Puja! Blessings, light, love, and peace to everyone, everywhere (and especially for those preparing to celebrate the Birth of the Báb !
“I go around your mind just as the sun[light] goes around heaven and earth
May you be the one loving me only, not another
may you not go away from me”
— Atharva Veda 6.8 (translated by Dr. R. L. Kashyap)
In addition to being the fourth day of Diwali, which is a day that shines light on love and devotion — especially between husbands and wives — October 21, 2025, is the anniversary of the birth of Alfred Nobel (b. 1833) and (may be) the anniversary of a successful moment in the life of Thomas Edison.
Click on the excerpt title below for more about the fourth day of Diwali.
“I have not failed 10,000 times. I have not failed once. I have succeeded in proving that those 10,000 ways will not work. When I have eliminated the ways that will not work, I will find the way that will work.”
— (attributed to) Thomas Edison
At some point, late on the evening of October 21st, or sometime in the wee early morning hours of October 22nd, 1879, Thomas Edison, age 32, tested what we now consider the first successful (commercially viable) electric light bulb.
Click on the excerpt title below to discover more about Thomas Edison and Dr. Alfred Nobel.
“If I have a thousand ideas and only one turns out to be good, I am satisfied.”
— Dr. Alfred Nobel
Please join me today (Tuesday, October 21st) at 12:00 PM or 7:15 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into in the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or by emailing myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Tuesday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Diwali (Day 4) 2020”]
If you are struggling, thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
10/23/2025 Revised: Updated the second excerpt.
### KEEP LETTING YOUR LIGHT & YOUR LOVE SHINE! ###
Quick Notes & Excerpts RE: Light, Love, & Bones (the post-practice compilation for Monday) October 20, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Books, Faith, Food, Healing Stories, Health, Hope, Life, Love, Mantra, One Hoop, Pain, Philosophy, Poetry, Religion, Science, Suffering, Wisdom, Yoga.Tags: 988, Atharva Veda, Bones, Bruce H. Kramer, Cathy Wurzer, Diwali, Gayatri Mantra, Gāyatrī Mantra, International Osteoporosis Foundation, Kali Puja, light, Love, Matthew Sanford, Mishlei, Proverbs, World Osteoporosis Day, Yoga Sutra 1.36, Yoga Sutras 2.46-2.53
add a comment
Happy Diwali and Kali Puja! Blessings, light, love, and peace to everyone, everywhere on World Osteoporosis Day!
This post-practice post for Monday, October 20th, is a compilation post featuring some quick notes and excerpts. Please note that linked excerpts direct you to posts that will include content related to a specific year and, therefore, may include references to different holidays/events. The 2025 prompt question was, “How do you let your little light shine?” You can request an audio recording of this practice or a previous practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
“The light of the eyes makes the heart happy; good news fattens the bone.”
— Mishlei — Proverbs (15:30)
Monday, October 20, 2025 was the the third day — and, for some, the biggest day — of Diwali. In some areas, this celebration is also known as Kali Puja. Since the five-day celebration of Diwali is based on a lunar calendar, it falls at a slightly different on the Gregorian calendar each year. This year, the biggest celebrations fell on the same day as World Osteoporosis Day!
Click on the excerpt title below for more about the first three days of Diwali.
Click on the excerpt title below for more about how relationships are highlighted on the third and fourth days of Diwali.
“It’s Unacceptable!”
— the 2025 theme for World Osteoporosis Day
According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, “osteoporosis remains severely underdiagnosed and undertreated—especially among those who have already sustained fragility fractures. Shockingly, up to 80% of patients with osteoporotic fractures receive no follow-up diagnosis or treatment. The consequences are devastating: chronic pain, disability, loss of independence, increased risk of future fractures, and premature death. Families, healthcare systems, and economies also shoulder the heavy burden of this neglect.” The 2025 theme highlights the fact that it is unacceptable for over 500 million people, worldwide, to live with a condition that is underdiagnosed, undertreated, and preventable.
Click on the excerpt title below for more about World Osteoporosis Day and how our practice helps our bones.
“Those who practice yoga say it is life changing. Those of us who are as flexible as a piece of lumbar are not so sure. I admire yoga’s rich history, more than five thousand years old, but I run into a few mental roadblocks in understanding concepts like grounding and spinal energy. In fact, I was sitting in my slumped-over and crooked version of the lotus position during a special yoga class taught by Bruce’s mentor Matthew Sanford, when Matthew said to a student, ‘Breathe into your spine for God’s sake!’ I had no idea what that meant. The student understood though, and he made proper adjustments. What was remarkable was that both teacher and student were in wheelchairs.”
— quoted from “24. Dis Ease Yoga” in When Know How This Ends: Living while Dying by Bruce H. Kramer with Cathy Wurzer
There is no playlist for the Common Ground Meditation Center practices.
NOTE: I reference the Gāyatrī Mantra and Atharva Veda (6.8) during this practice, both of which are on the playlist available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Diwali (Day 3-4) 2022”]
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
### Light On Dem Bones! ###
FTWMI: “Have Light, Let It Shine” October 19, 2025
Posted by ajoyfulpractice in Art, Bhakti, Books, Changing Perspectives, Dharma, Faith, Food, Healing Stories, Hope, Japa, Japa-Ajapa, Kirtan, Life, Mantra, Meditation, Music, Mysticism, One Hoop, Philosophy, Religion, Wisdom, Women, Yoga.Tags: 988, Babul Sharma, Choti Diwali, Diwali, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Garth Brooks, Gayatri Mantra, Gāyatrī Mantra, Kali Puja, light, Mahābhārata, mantra, puja, Rig Veda, Rāmāyaņa, The Ramayana, Tom Walker, Yoga Sutra 1.36, Yoga Sutras 2.46-2.53
add a comment
Happy Choti Diwali, Diwali, and Kali Puja! Blessings, light, love, and peace to everyone, everywhere!
For Those Who Missed It: The following is the 2024 version of a 2023 post. Date related details and links have been updated/revised.
“oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ
tat savitur vareṇyaṃ
bhargo devasya dhīmahi
dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt”
[Conscious, subconscious, unconscious mind, and every plane of existence, we meditate on the (adorable) Light, that it may inspire us, enlighten us, and remove our obstacles.]
— “Gāyatrī Mantra” from the Rig Veda (from Mandala 3.62.10)
During the darkest times of the year, people all over the world celebrate light. In each culture’s stories and traditions, light overcoming darkness is a metaphor for good overcoming evil; life overcoming death, wisdom overcoming fear; love overcoming hate; hope overcoming despair, and knowledge overcoming ignorance. Once again, the celebrations kick off with Diwali, the Indian festival of lights.
Diwali is a five-day celebration which takes its name from Deepavali, which are rows and rows of lamps. It is a lunar calendar based holiday observed throughout India, parts of Southeast Asia, and the diaspora by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Newar Buddhists. Each day has different rituals and customs, which may vary between religious, cultural, and regional traditions. But, the common threads are the (clay) lamps and other great displays of light; pujas (“offerings”); feasts and sweets; epic tales of heroes and heroines prevailing; and a focus on relationships and also on wealth.
While some communities start earlier, most people’s Diwali celebrations begin with Dhanteras (October 18, 2025), a day that the Indian ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy designated as “National Ayurveda Day” (in 2016). Many pujans (“offering ceremonies”) are dedicated to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, fertility and abundant crops, and overall good fortunate. People also create decorations, including rangolas, which are associated with Lakshmi; clean their homes; and buy something new — usually gold, silver, clothes, and gadgets.
The second day of Diwali (which is today in 2025) is known as Choti (“little”) Diwali and, also, as Naraka Chaturdasi. Naraka is a Sanskrit word for “hell” and the day is associated with the story of Krishna defeating the asura (“demon”) Narakasura. Again, the elements of the story — as well as the rituals and traditions of the day — have symbolic significance related to the ways people live their lives and the ways their souls can be liberated from suffering (i.e., hell). Some people spend the day praying to the souls of their ancestors, sending light for their afterlife journey. In some regions (e.g., Tamil Nadu, Goa, and Karnataka), Choti Diwali is the main Diwali day. People get oil massages and take ritual baths. Some people also spend part of the day visiting their temple. For people celebrating the “little” Diwali, the second day is a day to visit friends and family and share sweets and gifts.
“Fiery-eyed Durga astride a golden lion; Saraswati resplendent in white along with her swan; a glowing Lakshmi seated on a lotus in bloom; and Kali with her frightening garland of skulls. The legends that surround them are told over and over again and soon the children know them by heart. For them, as it is for me, these beautiful lotus-eyed goddesses are not just religious icons but part of one’s family. They laugh and cry, quarrel with each other over petty things, they have fragile natures despite their powerful forms. They are often jealous, angry, greedy and plot deviously against their enemies but still they need to be loved by their devotees, Then they appear, splendid, glorious and benevolent, to dazzle us with their all-pervading light.”
— quoted from the “Introduction” to The Book of Devi by Bubul Sharma
The third day (tomorrow, October 20, 2025) is the biggest day for most: Diwali! It coincides with the darkest night of the festival and is normally marked by people getting together, feasting and celebrating. In fact, this is a time when the youngest members of the family visit their elders; businesses owners give gifts to their employees; and, instead of the fasts that are commonly associated with some Indian religious rituals, there are great feasts. Pujas are again made to Lakshmi. For some people, however, pujans are dedicated to Kali, the goddess of time and change, creation, power, war, destruction, and death. In many ways, making an offering to Kali highlights the fact that Diwali is a day of renewal, new beginnings, and starting over.
The stories in the Rāmāyaņa highlight all of the themes associated with Diwali — and the end is particularly pertinent to the third day. In the epic poem (which is part of the Mahābhārata), Rāma, his wife Sītā, and his brother Lakshmana are exiled by the brothers’ father. Their great adventure includes Sītā being kidnapped by the demon king Ravana (and rescued with help from Hanuman, the monkey king); a great battle where an entire army gets sick (and ultimately healed, thanks to Hanuman); the defeat of Ravana; and the revelation that Hanuman overcame his doubts, insecurities, and fears by focusing on the love and devotion for Lord Rama that shined (like a bright light) in his heart. Finally, after 14 years of exile, Rāma, Sītā, and Lakshmana returned home to Ayodhya — on the day that is now celebrated as Diwali. According to the legends, people lit up the city in order to guide the travelers home and also to celebrate their return. So, every year, people from all of the different religions light up their homes, businesses, and temples to commemorate this auspicious homecoming.
SIDE NOTE: As they travelled home, Sītā requested a pit stop in Kishkindha, because she wanted to enter Ayodhya with a company of women as her escorts. The request and fulfillment are conveyed in just a few lines, making up a minuscule portion of the epic poem. Normally, I would not mention this tiny passage — even though, if you think about it, it is a powerful moment when a woman who has suffered trauma and drama asks for (and receives) what she needs before facing what could be more trauma, drama, and judgement.
It also highlights the power of a group of women standing up for each other — which I highlighted in 2023, because Diwali fell on the anniversary of the birth of the birth of Elizabeth Cady Stanton (the social activist, abolitionist, and suffragist who was born on November 12, 1815, in Johnstown, New York). I’m mentioning here it again, in 2025, just in case someone needs the subliminal message.
“The moment we begin to fear the opinions of others and hesitate to tell the truth that is in us, and from motives of policy are silent when we should speak, the divine floods of light and life no longer flow in our souls. Every truth we see is ours to give the world, not to keep to ourselves alone, for in so doing we cheat humanity out of their rights and check our own development.”
— quoted from Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s speech at the National American Woman Suffrage Association convention (and birthday celebration for Susan B. Anthony), February 18, 1890
Please join me today (Sunday, October 19th) at 2:30 PM for a yoga practice on Zoom. You can use the link from the “Class Schedules” calendar if you run into any problems checking into the class. You can request an audio recording of this practice via a comment below or (for a slightly faster reply) you can email myra (at) ajoyfulpractice.com.
Sunday’s playlist is available on YouTube and Spotify. [Look for “Diwali (2-3) 2022”]
If you are thinking about suicide, worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, you can dial 988 (in the US) or call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call this TALK line if you are struggling with addiction or involved in an abusive relationship. The Lifeline network is free, confidential, and available to all 24/7. YOU CAN TALK ABOUT ANYTHING.
White Flag is an app, which I have not yet researched, but which may be helpful if you need peer-to-peer (non-professional) support.
If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk, you can also click here to contact the TrevorLifeline (which is staffed 24/7 with trained counselors).
In the spirit of generosity (“dana”), the Zoom classes, recordings, and blog posts are freely given and freely received. If you are able to support these teachings, please do so as your heart moves you. (NOTE: You can donate even if you are “attending” a practice that is not designated as a “Common Ground Meditation Center” practice, or you can purchase class(es).
Donations are tax deductible; class purchases are not necessarily deductible.
Check out the “Class Schedules” calendar for upcoming classes.
A Joyful Practice 