Happy Diwali! Above, a pretty NASA satellite photo of India during Diwali, the annual Hindu 5-day Festival of Lights signifying the triumph of good over evil. Union over divide. Gizmo over the Gremlins.
Mahatma Gandhi has called Diwali a reminder and an opportunity to “Be the change you want to see in the world.” It just so happens to be on a new moon and a solar eclipse. Triple threat presto chango!
Want to know more about it? Here’s President Obama to explain:
(note: we found this video is from 2009 and was a presidential first)
Yoga fans may be familiar with these traditional Vedic mantras from Brihadaranyaka Upanishad chanted on the holiday:
Asato maa sad-gamaya
Tamaso maa jyotir-gamaya
Mṛityor-maa-mṛitan gamaya
Om shaantiḥ shaantiḥ shaantiḥ
Lead us from Untruth to Truth,
from Darkness to Light,
from Death to Immortality.
Om peace, peace, peace
And all the yogis said, let there be light.
——
Earlier…
- Nike Introduces Yoga Shoes For Your Inadequate Lady Feet
- Lost in Translation: Adho Mukha Svanasana
- First Hindu American Congresswoman Will Be Sworn In Over the Bhagavad Gita
- Free Election Day Yoga, Does it Affect Your Vote?
- I Go To Yoga For The Loose Men
- So, Will the Legalization of Marijuana Lead to More Stoner Yoga?
YD,
A Very Happy fun-filled Deepavali to you !
BTW, the Iyengar Yoga Institute in Pune celebrated Patanjali Jayanti this Monday, Nov 12, 2012. Did YD cover that ?
This is so beautiful, and touching. It’s amazing if you can see the lights space!