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My First Diwali at Ashram
Published: 12 November 2024 | Written by Szilvia Strack
We arrived the day before Deepawali or Diwali at the Swami Rama Sadhaka Grama ashram, our spiritual home, where we are always welcomed with open arms, understanding, and pure, open hearts. Every journey we make here feels like coming home, perhaps because this is our true spiritual home, the home of our Gurus.
The Diwali at the ashram is special as we all light 3000 diyas to celebrate this festival of light. Diyas are traditional, handmade earthen/pottery lamps (made of clay) that consist of cotton wicks and are filled with sesame oil.
We could not participate in the preparations for Diwali because our arrival was the day before the festival. When we arrived, the 3000 wicks were ready, and the 3000 diyas were waiting for us. The cotton wicks were handmade by the ashram residents and guests.
Diwali day in the ashram is special because everyone participates in decorating the entire ashram area and this time was no different. We were divided into groups and given diyas and a designated area to decorate. After placing the diyas, we went around and put the wick and oil in them one by one. It was a real team effort, bringing together all the residents and guests of the ashram who came from different countries.
At dusk, we all went around and lit all the diyas.
It was a truly uplifting and wonderful feeling to walk around the majestically lit places being part of something beautiful and dignified on the festival of lights. Those with artistic flair created different patterns from the diyas, and some delighted the community with beautiful mandalas and rangolis.
Everyone dressed their body and soul in beautiful dresses, and we enjoyed each other’s company, and celebrated life and the light within us. We all had a sense of belonging in the Himalayan Yoga Tradition, this community, this wonderful spiritual family.
We are grateful to our masters and all the ashram residents for welcoming us with such goodwill and allowing us to participate in this soul-stirring and soul-warming festival.