As we approach Diwali, Indian yogi and founder of Isha Foundation, Sadhguru, says that the festival of lights is an opportunity to let the spirit of light elevate you above the darkness.
In a video message on Diwali, Sadhguru said, “Greetings to everyone for this Diwali. Light up your candles and firecrackers responsibly, considering the situation in which we are in. This Diwali, let the spirit of light elevate you above darkness. One must understand that darkness is just the absence of light. We must also realise that light is the instrument of our clarity because our visual apparatus is such that, without light, these eyes would become useless. So celebrating light essentially means celebrating clarity, because where there is clarity, there is wisdom. Where there is wisdom, there is a wonderful life.”
“Today also happens to be Children's Day in India. If you look back on your childhood, you will see that you were a wonderful child. What happened to the wonderful human being that you were? It does not matter what happens in your life — beautiful things or ugly things — never surrender your wonderfulness. What happens in the world is not entirely your choice, but you must not surrender your wonderfulness to the situations in which you live because that is the ugliest thing that can happen to us. Let that not be the case, because human societies are crafted by human consciousness, not the other way around,” he said, adding, “You must bring clarity, wisdom and wonderfulness to yourself no matter what happens around you. May this blossom in your life as a part of this Diwali.”
Encouraging everyone to wear handloom and organic fabric this Diwali, Sadhguru said, “Bharath’s skilled weavers are the ambassadors of our pluralistic culture; the only Nation with 120 unique weaves, each representing the ethos of its own region. This Diwali, let’s wear our weaves with pride and commit to keeping them alive.”
“I request all of you in India and wherever else you are, if you’re Indian, whatever clothes and fabrics you are buying, please make sure it is hand-made, organic and from the land of Bharat,” he added.
Last year, Sadhguru launched ‘Save the Weave’, a movement to raise visibility and awareness about the art and science of the eco-friendly Indian weaves and the plight of the dwindling indigenous weavers. The campaign promotes natural-fiber clothing as a healthy and non-polluting alternative to synthetics that can breathe new life into a dying craft.
