The festival of Diwali, or “The Festival of Lights” is an occasion when families light lamps, illuminating the night. It celebrates the return of Lord Rama and his queen, Sita, to Ayodhya, the capital of his ancient kingdom. They had been in exile for 14 years. People celebrate by cleaning and redecorating their homes, and shopkeepers use it as the beginning of their fiscal year. It is also the start of India’s winter season.
Diwali and other festivals in different traditions often use the ritual of lighting candles and lamps. Lighting these also has a spiritual meaning. It illustrates the importance of lighting the lamp within us—and celebrating the festival of the light of the soul.
There is a beautiful verse by Kabir Sahib referring to the diya, or the lamps lit on Diwali, which says:
Like the blind uselessly lighting a diya when they cannot even see, the secret of our true self lies within our house, yet we are seeking outside.
Kabir Sahib’s verse explains that we have the Light or diya within us but seek it outside. The soul has the spark of God within but seeks fulfilment in the outer realm. It is like a blind person who lights a diya or a lamp when they cannot even see the light. This forgetfulness of God causes the soul to seek only in the outer world for that happiness and bliss already within. Hidden within each of us is a spark of the Divine.
The Light and Sound are the two primary manifestations of God. It is said that when God desired to bring about creation, a current emanated from God. That current manifested as Light and Sound. It was a divine stream that brought all creation into being. As it moved further from the source, the vibratory rate changed. Thus, different regions of different vibrations were brought into being. The Light and Sound principle ultimately brought the physical universe into being.
Our physical universe is operating at the densest vibratory rate. It is so dense that it manifests as matter. It is only in the last few decades that scientists have begun to understand that what we thought was solid matter is really dancing packets of energy. At the core of matter is an energy that is light and sound. When we split an atom, there is a tremendous burst of light and sound. This light and sound energy within our physical universe is the densest vibration of the current of Light and Sound emanating from the Creator. It brought all creation into being and sustains all creation.
The Light and Sound current flows out from God, but it also flows back to God. We can catch this current at the point of the third or single eye. That is the connecting point between our soul in the body and the Light and Sound current emanating from the Creator. If we can concentrate our attention at that point, we can contact the Light and Sound current and soar on it back through the higher regions of existence. The current will ultimately lead us to our primary Source, back to the Lord.
One who has come in contact with the Light and Sound can recognize the true meaning of references to it in the scriptures. Oftentimes, scriptures are couched in allegorical and metaphorical language to avoid giving away the full secret oral tradition to the masses. Only those who were privy to the oral tradition passed on from master to disciple knew the hidden meaning in the scriptural references. Once we understand the language, the meaning becomes clear and we are able to identify the descriptions of the attributes of the creative force mentioned in each scripture.
Meditation on the Light and Sound consists of two practices: meditation on the inner Light and meditation on the inner Sound. Both practices have as their ultimate goal a conscious contact with the current of Light and Sound, leading to the soul rising above physical body-consciousness and traveling in the inner realms.
Both of these forms of meditation have been practiced by saints and mystics in different religions. Because the terminology used for the Light and Sound current differs in various languages and cultures, we may think they are different practices. But the underlying practices used around the world are basically the same.
The Light and Sound current is subtle. It cannot be perceived by our physical eyes and ears. It is something that we see and hear with the eye of the soul. So when the Bible tells us that "by hearing, ye shall hear" it is saying that the Word is not heard with our physical hearing mechanism, but with the attention of our soul. When we see the inner Light, it is neither registered on our retina nor conveyed along our optic nerve to the brain; rather, it is seen at the level of the soul.
The mind is in continuous motion. The harder we try to keep the mind still, the more thoughts it sends to us. The mind is like mercury; it is always restless and always moving. It can jump from images and thoughts of New York, to Paris, to Delhi, and back again. Saints and mystics have grappled with this problem throughout the ages. Many scriptures speak of occupying the mind with a task to keep it busy: repetition of the Lord's name. Repetition keeps the mind occupied so that our attention can focus its gaze on the field of vision lying in front of us.
Through meditation, a whole new world opens up for us. By learning, meditation, we can gain entry through a doorway that leads us to worlds of bliss, light, and love within. If we can meditate on the Inner Light and Sound we will find that we can reach our goal. We begin our concentration at the third eye because it is from there that the soul leaves the body. Since the current of Light and Sound flows from God, we can catch its celestial music and like a stream follow it back to its source.
Let us not only enjoy the outer lights of this Diwali festival. Let us spend time in meditation also so that we can experience the inner lights. That is the true celebration of Diwali, so we can experience eternal Light and love.
