Page 68 - LCNL Diwali Magazine 2022

RAGHUVANSHI 2022 - 2023 Happy DiwaliHappy Diwali
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Diwali Blessings
Diw ali Blessings

Dear Divine Souls of the Lohana Community North London,

course, overjoyed at the return of their Divine King.
hope that -- by God’s Grace -- this finds you in the course, overjoyed at the return of their Divine King.
To welcome Him, they filled the streets of the city
best of health and happiness at this most sacred To welcome Him, they filled the streets of the city
Iand divine time of Diwali, the Festival of Light! with brightly burning lamps. The lamps symbolize
with brightly burning lamps. The lamps symbolize
The Covid pandemic has truly made us appreciate so the joy at His homecoming and literally, a way of
much more deeply the presence of our loved ones, at beholding His divine face on the dark night of the
this time as we’ve lost so many, and it was wonderful new moon.
to be able to be with some of you recently in London
after so long apart. The symbolism of this is truly beautiful. We do not
merely celebrate Diwali as a historical remembrance.
From high in the sky, the beautifully burning lights As we light the diyas (lamps), we must also
of Diwali can be seen, illuminating India and all consciously and actively welcome the Divine back
nations around the world where Indians live in a into our lives. God (by all names and all forms)
kaleidoscopic symphony of colours. is of course omnipresent and never “goes away.”
However, we go away from God. We turn our focus,
Diwali is a day eagerly awaited by young and old our attention, our love, and connection away from
alike, in which our homes are sweetened by the the Divine and onto the material, the temporal, the
fragrance of ghee-filled diyas, which flicker upon our fleeting. We offer our actions and decisions on the
household walls, and line our streets. In preparation altar of financial success, material wealth and social
for Diwali, we sweep and scrub our homes until they status. We forget and neglect to offer ourselves
shine like jewels. Dressed in colorful new clothes, we on the altar of the One who is true success, true
offer burning lights to brighten the skies from our prosperity, true light, and true peace. So, as we light
loving hands. the lamps on Diwali we welcome the Divine back
into our lives.
Return of the Lord Rama to Ayodhya -
Welcoming the Divine in Our Lives Through these beautiful lamps not only are we better
able to behold the image of the Divine outside of
Diwali is celebrated as the time at which Lord Rama ourselves, on our altars, in our temples or other
returned to the city of Ayodhya after being in exile houses of worship, but the true Light is one which
for fourteen years. The people of Ayodhya were, of shows us the Divine within ourselves as well. We

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