Loving and Divine Soul,

Let the choicest blessings of God and the masters be upon all of you. I take this opportunity to pray for you as we celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Light, which takes place on November 7, 2018.

Diwali always falls on the new moon day in the month of Kartika (October–November). It is a day dedicated to worshiping the Divine Mother in the form of Mother Kali as well as Mother Lakshmi. People also believe that Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya on this day after fourteen years of exile. On his return, the city of Ayodhya was decorated with lights to greet the Lord.

In India, every house is decorated with lamps and lights during Diwali. Darkness is ignorance, fear, death, and suffering. Light is a symbol of life and knowledge, and light bestows fearlessness. When people meditate with eyes closed, they experience light within.

The sun is luminous, but the clouds between our eyes and the sun can cause darkness. In nature, birds such as owls don’t see the sun because they go out at night. This is not the sun's mistake. Similarly, although God is omnipresent, we cannot perceive Him because of our ignorance.

What is the cloud-like covering that stands in the way of divine experience?

It is the disease of desire and passion. A Sanskrit saying states, nasti kama samo vyadhih: "There is no more deadly disease than kama (desire, passion)." Passion makes us blind, while compassion improves our vision. Passion generates greed and anger. It is the root of many vices.

How can we eliminate the disease of desire and passion?

We must practice the following:

1. Pray and meditate regularly,
2. Study good books,
3. Remain in the presence of good company,
4. Limit desire, and
5. Distinguish between need and greed.

Let our lives be filled with the light that leads to real enlightenment.

Let us pray to the Divine Mother, asking her to free us from the devilish and delusive attack of passion; let us experience the divinity within.

I am praying for all of you on the occasion of Diwali and wishing for spiritual times ahead.

With Love,
Prajnanananda