Festivals have also marked victory of truth over evil, and the meaning of this is usually, more than the obvious! Rama's victory over Ravana, Durga's conquest of Mahishasura demon have not just been a triumph over evil mythological monsters, but these have also symbolically represented every individual conquering his personal demons to emerge victorious ! Festivals, thus also symbolize new beginnings, time for clutter clearing, clearing the cobwebs of the past, forgetting and forgiving all the hurts buried and otherwise, and coming together with the sole purpose of enjoying and expressing happiness!

In India, festivals express their exuberance in their own unique way, with most of them being celebrated as much as a part of the cultural and social set up of the society, as the religious! The vast diversity and contrasting regions in the country make the interpretation and celebration of each festival unique and memorable! A Durga Puja in the eastern regions of the country ( refer to an essay on Durga to understand some remarkable aspects of this Goddess ) and Navratri in the Western, is very much a part of the same celebration, yet each festivity is unique and special !

Join us in our celebration this month through the festivities of Durga Puja, Dussera and Diwali as we attempt to cover some unique aspects of the festive season through series of essays on Ganesha and Laxmi, two main deities of Diwali…….and other related stories…

Another unique aspect of the festival, which is the enactment of Ramlila, which is still carried out in many parts of the country, is described in a related essay: Ramlila

Ask Yogi

Question		What is the relationship between money and spirituality? Does one have to give up worldly possessions to embark upon the spiritual journey?
Answer		The whole issue about money and spirituality has been asked repeatedly, because of some religious tenets, which say that money is the root of all evil! It has been also been said that one should stop chasing money because one is not going to carry money with him after death! It is felt that one needs to give up worldly possessions if one needs to move the spirituality path! We see the nexus between money and spirituality through the lives of the so-called saints and gurus who walk the spiritual path and generally lead a very simple and frugal life. We then, come to the erroneous conclusion that we also need to give up worldly things to move ahead in our spiritual life… These saints and gurus, we have to realize, are not attached to money, wealth or whatever it represents! For them, money is a form of energy, a form of creation. They do not criticize money, just admonish making money the be-all and end-all of everything. They do not say that money is not necessary for living; money is essential, for living, for surviving, attachment to money, or obsession with what it represents, is what causes problems! It is like this, if you like food and have not been exposed to good food, you will crave for food till you get to eat good food! Once this is done you will not hanker for food and food will be just another form of energy! Avoiding food altogether, or staying away from the thoughts of food will not stop you from disliking food: if at all, it will increase your craving further… Avoiding money or staying away from money does not arrest the problem. If at all, it blocks a form of energy from your life! Money, afterall, is the energy of exchange, we need something, and we pay money and get it! Abstinence is not going to solve our needs…. We should be able to reach a stage where we go beyond the obsessive craving, the need to get more and more and more…to become detached to money… Another very important aspect of money which we need to keep in mind while on the spiritual path, is that money has to be in circulation: there has to be as much of a give as take! Like any other form of energy, the power of money is as much in sharing and giving it away as in possessing it! What we give to the world comes back to us multifold, in more ways than one. It is only in sharing and giving away that the power of wealth is realized! Manifest your own miracles, the indiayogi way ! Enroll in our MAYOMIRA workshop and help usher in an abundant, plentiful life, this festive season. Let our panelist Theurgistkay guide you to world which is defined by Prosperity Abundance and Material Well-being! Check our MAYOMIRA workshop in Soul Workout ! Other specials for Diwali, which you could share with your friends, include the new festive e-greetings the new screensavers the new wallpapers the new winamp skins and the absolutely divine music for downloading in the freebies section! Click here and check out for yourself! Here is wishing you a very happy and prosperous Diwali and an even more prosperous year ahead!
		Editor- Shally Khedkar