Diwali in a Pandemic - Awakening A Light of Self-Awareness

What is Diwali?

While COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the globe, it is typically holiday season in India and for millions across the globe. Diwali, famously referred to as the “festival of lights,” is celebrated by millions of people across the globe.

Rooted in the ancient Indian traditions, people celebrate Diwali for multiple reasons.

Commonly, Diwali (also called Deepavali) celebrates the return of Lord Rama, the Hindu god and noble king of Ayodhya, from his 14 year journey in the jungle, defeating the evil, egotistical king of Lanka, Raavana.

Some celebrate it as a five-day event, with the first day “Kali Chaudas” - worshipping the One Supreme Lord’s manifestation as power, energy, and destroyer of evil - Goddess Kali.

The second day, “Dhanteras,” is a day Hindus worship Goddess Lakshmi, considered to be the manifestation of the wealth given by nature, and love. Traders and merchants offer their wealth to the goddess on this day. 

The third day is the day of Diwali, a day of festivity, celebration, and lights. The final day for some communities in India is celebrated as the lunar-calendar New Year. Finally, some communities also celebrate the fifth day as Bhai Beech, a day of celebrating the beautiful and pure relationship between a brother and sister.

For Jains, Diwali is celebrated as the day the great spiritual saint, Mahavir, gained liberation or nirvana. Sikhs also celebrate Diwali as do some Buddhists. 

The common philosophical tenant in Diwali is the removal of ignorance or darkness and arrival of lights and truth.

But during the course of a pandemic, what does that mean to us today?

What Diwali Can Mean Today

The pandemic has created its own veil of darkness for us - an external and an internal.

The external darkness is obvious to us all: the health crisis we see today - the nearly 1.3 million deaths worldwide by the pandemic, and 53 million cases. In almost all religions and ancient traditions, death and disease are commonly symbolized through the darkness metaphor.

In the Gospel of Mark, it is said that when Jesus Christ was crucified “darkness fell over all the land, or all the world.”

In Buddhism, the color black or darkness refers to sin and the destruction of the ignorant. 

While one may be able to work to help save those suffering in this darkness veiled by the pandemic, for many it is only prayer and hope that can bring this light.

The other type of darkness that can be removed only by the individual’s effort is the inner darkness we face.

A verse from the ancient Vedas contains a prayer of hope - “from darkness, take us to light. From ignorance, lead us to truth. And from death, to immortality.” 

While again death is utilized as a symbol for darkness, an individual’s ignorance or his or her mental struggle is also referred to as darkness in the verse.

What may be symbolized as demons in some traditions and religions, this ignorance, the mental health struggles and pandemic depression are darkness manifested as well.

One in every five COVID patients develop mental illnesses like anxiety and depression, according to Oxford University.

People with mental illnesses were also 65% more likely to get the coronavirus. 

In many cases, the root of mental illnesses and stress is the lack of self-awareness and self-respect.

According to a study conducted by the University of Wisconsin’s Department of Psychiatry, “Self-reflection can also contribute to emotion regulation, self-awareness ,and self-insight - processes that are essential for successful psychotherapy outcomes.” 

The lack of self-reflection leads to an individual staying in this darkness of stress, anxiety, depression, and mental health web.

Thus, for many spiritual traditions, this darkness exists because of the lack of self-awareness. 

Identification with money, fame, ego, body, technology and relationships leads to the identity crisis of sorts. 

The remover of this struggle for philosophical traditions like those of Vedanta and Buddhism is - light.

The light of knowledge. The light of love. The light of self-awareness. The light of confidence and resilience. The light of faith. The light of hope. The light of proactiveness. The light of new beginnings.

During these difficult times, this deep philosophy rooted in Diwali can teach us at least one thing - to try to find that light rooted within us and to strive to let it guide us so no matter the struggle. 

Because if we do awaken that light of faith and strife, Diwali could be everyday.