Today is the festival of lights. Diwali means the festival of lights. Each one of you is a light to yourself. This festival is celebrated throughout India, Nepal, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Mauritius, Suriname, Trinidad, and South Africa. People wish each other ‘Happy Diwali’ and exchange sweets.
During Diwali, we let go of all the past burdens in the mind. Whatever is suppressed in the mind, you light firecrackers and let it go. Like crackers, the past is gone, all burnt out and a fresh new mind begins. This is Diwali.
One candle is not enough. Everyone has to be happy and light up. Everyone has to be happy and wise. The light of wisdom is lit. Symbolically, we will light the light of wisdom and celebrate today. What do you say?
The Diwali message is: Let go of the past. Celebrate life with wisdom. Without wisdom it is not true celebration at all. The wisdom is in knowing that the divinity is with me.
Today is the day that you also look at all the wealth you have. You remember you have so much wealth and feel the abundance. Otherwise the mind is always in the space of lack, - ‘oh! This is not there, that is not there, sorry for this, sorry for that’. From lack, move on to abundance. The ancient custom is to put in front of you all the gold and silver coins. You bring all your wealth in front of you nd say, ‘look God has given me all this. I am so thankful! ‘
The Bible says,’ those who have more will be given to them; those who do not have, whatever little they have will also be taken away’. Feeling that abundance, you recognize you have been given plenty.
Then we do Laxmi Pooja. The Goddess of wealth and prosperity is worshipped, and Lord Ganesh – that impulse of consciousness that removes all the obstacles in our path to happiness – that chanting is done today.
For each country we will light one lamp. There are 27 countries in Europe. We will light one lamp for each country.Then we will meditate for a few minutes. When we meditate we thank the Universal spirit, power for giving us in abundance. We also pray for more so that we can serve more. Yes?
Gold, silver is all just an outer symbol. The real wealth is deep within us. There is so much love, peace and joy. What more wealth do you need than this? Wisdom is the real wealth. Your character, your peace and confidence are the real wealth.
When you move with a connection to the divinity there is nothing that is richer than this. That rich feeling comes inside you when you feel connected to the divinity, connected to the infinite. When the wave remembers that it is connected to the ocean, that it is part of the ocean, that strength is enormous!
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