Happy Diwali (Indian New Year's Eve)

Dear Friends,The week of our Indian New Year's is super special, it's one of my favorite weeks of the year :).The days leading up to Diwali (our Indian New Year's Eve) are super festive. Every morning and evening during those five days, it's tradition to clean the front threshold of your home and decorate it with kum-kum (red vermilion powder), fresh flowers and homemade oil lamps, as an invitation to the Divine Mother to come to your home to bless and protect your family. And during those five days a variety of Goddesses are celebrated, including the Goddesses Saraswati, Lakshmi and Kali…reminding us to set bright intentions for the New Year, especially for  spiritual wealth. These Goddesses remind us to work on cultivating happiness, love, compassion, kindness, forgiveness and peace so that as we work on dissolving our egos we can gain access to the abundant wisdom that resides in our hearts.The actual day of Diwali is like New Year's Eve. It historically symbolizes the victory of good over evil; when Lord Rama along with wife, Sita and brother, Lakshman returned from their fourteen year long exile, at which time they had vanquished the demon-king Ravana. And, in honor and celebration of their Lord and King, the people of Ayodhya, illuminated the kingdom with these homemade oil lamps, known as diyas, in excitement for his return.I will definitely be taking time to turn inwards to light the lamps of knowledge and truth in my own heart as I reflect on my actions, give thanks for the abundance of blessings from this year and set intentions for a bright and prosperous next year.May your inner light burn brightly! Happy Diwali and New Year!Lots of love,Kajal