Music to accompany the poem:
Design Concept by Gurumayi Chidvilasananda
Designers: Leo Legoretta and Mazie McCrady
Reading by Isabelle Anderson
Music by Kenny Werner (piano) and Stefan Hoskuldsson (flute)
Source for star and galaxy cluster images: NASA
Last week, as I walked to the front of my house, I was amazed by the sunlight that illuminated the red leaves of the Japanese maple tree I planted a few years ago. I felt welcomed into my heart. Somehow, the tree told me that Deepavali, the festival of lights, was coming soon.
As I read Gurumayi’s poem, my mind was filled with the magic of light, which brought me into the atmosphere of Deepavali. Every morning, I light a candle with the certainty that this light is inside all the ingredients of the breakfast I’m going to eat. I know that, although hidden, the light of Consciousness shines in every particle of the universe as in the stars and I strive to keep this awareness.
I understand that this light holds the power of transformation. Without fire, there is no bread. Without gastric fire, there is no digestion. Without sunlight, there is no photosynthesis. Above all, my inner flame, lit by my Guru, reveals my divinity.
Rodez, France
As I listened to Gurumayi’s loving poem and let her words guide me into the realm of light, my heart and soul were deeply touched by Gurumayi’s wisdom, love, blessings, and compassion for all of us. I felt how close she is to me in everything I feel and experience, and how much that means to me.
I will enjoy taking the time to contemplate Gurumayi’s poem in detail to absorb all the exciting shooting stars of light illuminating my soul.
Konolfingen, Switzerland
Ah! Such a beautiful, powerful poetic experience! I listened rapt to the sound of the reading. When I heard the word yearning, I began to weep, even while smiling at the delicious watery words for light’s lovely liquid ways. I began to physicalize them!
My mind was surprised by the word precision in Gurumayi’s closing blessing. Contemplating it, as I lit and waved the incense and then the candle to her picture, I felt the gifts of presence and one-pointedness that the word conjured in my actions.
Later, I scrolled down below Gurumayi’s signature, and laughed with joy at the image of the golden vessel cascading “star-beams” of light. Yes! We can live like that in this world. That is who we truly are.
I am very thankful to Shri Guru for this precious gift. My heart has received a divine invitation to prepare in a new way for this festival of light, to begin celebrating now, and ”to find and kindle light”—as Gurumayi says—all year long.
Washington, United States
Such magic in Gurumayi’s words! From the first word to the last, it’s as if a divine balm trickles drop by drop upon my heart, leaving it soaked with love, peace, and contentment. I am left enraptured, my heart so alive that its vibrancy imposes itself on my consciousness. Pure grace is blessing me with the darshan of the Truth, in my own home. Shubh Deepavali!
Cherbourg, France
The stanza in which Gurumayi uses water imagery to describe light resonated deeply for me. I immediately thought of a phrase that is often used in the Russian language, my native tongue. Its literal translation into English is “to spill the light onto something.” The phrase also means “to reveal something” or “to educate someone about something.” This expression is about illumining the truth or revealing certain information, but the literal translation of the Russian phrase is “to spill the light” as if light can be spilled like water.
I am grateful to Gurumayi for using this beautiful imagery.
Russian Federation
I am so grateful for the light of this marvelous poem! I feel transformed by its scope, spirit, and immense grace. I would like to read this every day to rekindle my sense of awe for light in all its mysterious forms! For me, this poem is an eternal flame of much needed hope.
Arizona, United States
I so appreciate Gurumayi’s gorgeous Deepavali poem with its invitation to perceive the light so thoroughly. As I was reading the poem, I saw and felt the elements of nature that Gurumayi was describing, as if the landscape were before my eyes and the sun’s luminosity were reflecting through my own mind.
I felt the power and beauty of Gurumayi’s intention and prayer for us all. Gurumayi reaches into my heart so deeply through her words, intentions, and love. I feel it is because of her grace that my mind and heart can perceive so deeply. I am so grateful that my soul was guided to this extraordinary path.
New Jersey, United States
What an absolutely amazing Deepavali gift this poem is! I experience that each word is steeped in Gurumayi’s love. I feel so fortunate to have Gurumayi’s grace and compassion in my life.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
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