Deepavali 2019 is nothing short of a blessing. It is a first for us as this is our first trip to India and thus our first Deepavali in India as well as our first with our dear baby girl who is also celebrating her first Deepavali. In every sense it is a true celebration of life and understanding self, it is filled with priceless moments and being showered by an abundance of blessings. More so it is in every sense a day of being thankful for all blessings and a day filled with great humility and gratitude.
October 27, the most celebrated day of Deepavali, began in prayer, first with humble prostrations to our Sadguru, His Holiness Param Pujya Dr Sri Sri Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji and it continued with prayerful supplication throughout the day. We were able to join with hundreds of others to witness His Holiness Param Pujya Dr Sri Sri Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji perform Puja on the auspicious day of Deepavali 2019 and to participate in Puja. A great blessing this most certainly was!
Photo Credit: Ganesh Aps
As the day unfolded it presented so much that needed to be experienced with the heart and soul and not captured by phone or camera. It just needed to be experienced in its purest form, with energy at its purest and fullest- another step in understanding the self and the path being travelled. Energy, we can all agree comes in various forms. Energy, at its purest, is peaceful and calming. More so it is soothing and incomparable to anything else. There is no pressure, no stress, no pain, no negativity- just positivity!
Then came an opportunity to see the pieces of a puzzle (if one can call it such) come together as the Divine Master provided answers that for years I have not fought to find but accepted that faith would bring answers to if indeed they exist. It was like the unravelling of a story that for years has gotten the better of so many and has also denied them their true existence.
On the auspicious occasion of Deepavali 2019 He did exactly this! He provided answers and direction. Western Doctors who have resigned one’s fate to medication and dependency on medication they prescribe are no match for His greatness and knowledge, His compassion and His commitment to humanity. Being in the right place at the right time is one thing but being exactly where the Master wants you to be is another. It is absolutely the best part of the story ever! A way forward is what is received and it is better than being stuck which has been past reality.
Then to add to an already perfectly blessed day where your day begins with you seeing the Crowning Glory of the Universe, Nada Brahma, the epitome of Truth, Knowledge and Bliss, where it continues with you understanding how blessed you are by seeing more of what makes Him great, the epitome of perfection and the Master of the Universe you get your first real taste of Kriya Yoga which echoes the need to take care of oneself. Blessing after blessing most certainly! This is how I choose to see it and it is also how I choose to describe it.
It requires no searching, no stress, no fighting! That is not my life! No energy for it!
Then to bring Oct 27, 2019 to a close we had the beautiful opportunity of having a parent who lives downstairs where we stay do a rangoli design for our baby girl. Baby Sumanasa loved it and seeing how happy the daughters of these parents were made the occasion even more special.
Mere days earlier, on Dhanteras, Oct 25, 2019 this year, the first day of 5 days of Deepavali celebrations, we were fortunate to witness His Holiness Param Pujya Dr Sri Sri Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda perform Abhishekam for Lord Venkateshara. It was a sight to behold and truly an experience to be experienced through one’s own eyes and one’s own heart.
Then today, October 28, 2019 being able to witness Appaji’s return to Ashrama was certainly a most memorable occasion.
Celebrate today! Why should you do this everyday? For starters you should celebrate it today because you are alive and you are reading this! Consider too it is a new week, new month and look to each new day with hope and faith that it brings you one step closer to your goal.
Photo Credit: SGS Posts- Simple Good Sayings 29 Aug. 2019
For those who may think that there is nothing to celebrate, let us focus on what there is to celebrate- life, the ability to make decisions for ourselves, the ability to chart our individual journey, the ability to see things for what they are.
As we celebrate today let us focus primarily on now and let us focus primarily on you. What should you be happy about? Let’s see:
• You just opted to make some time for yourself.
• You didn’t get to start worrying about tomorrow
Photo Credit: SGS Posts- Simple Good Sayings 30 Aug. 2019
The truth is both are important. Firstly you should always make time for yourself as it is a key component of loving yourself. Neglecting yourself means losing out on an opportunity to have the things you need to grow and to be a better you. For example it is what you need for your peace of mind. Have you ever observed what happens to something when you neglect it? Now ask yourself this: What will happen if you neglect yourself? Let the answers you come up with be enough to encourage you to make time for you! Do the things you love, do the things you want to do but even more so, do the things you need to do.
Secondly, why worry about tomorrow when tomorrow is promised to no one? For those who can recall these are three things I always urge you to do:
Always focus on what you are sure about and that will help you deal with each situation. It will in essence help all the pieces fall into place. In short, it will help you to get clarity and figure out how to move forward.
Always give your best. When you give your best there is no room for self doubt. It will help you deal with past actions and it will also help you move forward.
Keep your faith and your belief. Accept that you are unique and you are specially made. If you have no control over situations worrying can only serve to do negatives- you overthink, you increase your blood pressure, you make rash decisions, you may lose your ability to analyze and assess. If you believe in God and in His greatness how can you not trust Him to set your situation right? Once this is done, breathe and celebrate.
What is there to celebrate? There is a lot. Your life, your family, your friends, your experiences, your successes, your challenges, your disappointments, the people who don’t like you, the money in your pocket (no matter how little it is), the hardships you faced, the struggles you have overcome.
With some asking why you should celebrate negatives like challenges, disappointments and some of the other things I have mentioned, I will gladly explain. Challenges and disappointments make you stronger and they help to develop your drive and your determination. It fuels you to persevere and helps you assess whether it is really worth it. By that time you realize how much you want it.
Photo Credit: SGS Posts- Simple Good Sayings 28 Aug. 2019
Celebrating people who don’t like you is not something you should invest a lot of time in. What it means is that you should realize that people who don’t like you either inspire you to work harder or they are not meant to be in your life. That’s where the ‘scissors of life’ concept comes in. Cut out the unnecessary baggage and the unnecessary people.
Agreeably too we can agree that not everything can be celebrated and I maintain that no one can tell you how to feel unless they are in your shoes. Some circumstances are very different and change us forever. I would never ask you to celebrate death but I would ask you to celebrate life and celebrate each moment you share and have shared with your loved ones. Let that be your comfort and let it help you smile.
Don’t give up!
Don’t ever think you are alone because you are not!
Never limit yourself but challenge yourself!
Make every moment count!
Live without regrets!
Use these pointers everyday! Let it help you be a better you and let it help you manage the challenges each day brings.
Celebrating Existence 