Brahma Kumaris London Celebrate Diwali – A Return to the Kingdom

BK Sister Jaymini welcomed over 450 people to the Brahma Kumaris Center, Global Co-operation House, in London, for a Diwali Celebration. Diwali is the time to revisit the light within our being and a time to remember the spiritual aspect of life. She shared that we BKs are learning to integrate spiritual teachings into our daily life, so we experience clarity in life and decision-making.

Ragasuda Vinjamuri performed a dance demonstrating the power of light within and all about.

Dadi Janki, Chief of the Brahma Kumaris, shared an audio-visual message, showering many Diwali blessings from Mount Abu, where she is based. “May you all be happy and prosperous. Whatever has happened, let it go, leave it and really experience a happy Diwali. When we see one another … light lights up within us … When there is sweetness, humility and patience, there is real happiness and your voice will have a smile in it… Where does true happiness come from? The Divine One up above. This One is a Guide and Friend and let’s celebrate this connection, so our life brings light into the darkness of the world. Let’s celebrate Diwali all over.”

Guests representing different communities were invited on the stage to partake in the candle lighting ceremony and the following offered greetings and Diwali blessings:  Mr. CB Patel, Chief Editor of Gujarat Samachar and Asian Voice;  Kareema Marikar, The Worshipful Mayor of London Borough of Harrow;  Sister Jayanti, Brahma Kumaris European Director;  Mr. Ratan Thadani, Brahma Kumaris Chair of the Trust Board; Dr. Geetha Subramanian, MBE and Awardee of Asian Women of Achievement; Soumendra Mahapatra, High Commission of India Second Secretary for Visas; and Ashok Kumar Chauhan, The Armed Forces Hindu Network.

Thiru Seelan danced with passion and dynamism, expressing the light within overcoming the darkness.

BK Sister Jayanti then shared the spiritual significance of Diwali, starting with one of the well-known Diwali stories: The return of Ram and Sita to their kingdom.  “Suddenly Sita is drawn by the golden deer, out of the line of safety. This symbolizes how so easily human eyes deceive; we see someone or something and our heart is drawn in that direction and we don’t want to let go… So Sita separates herself from Ram and goes off, she separates herself knowingly because of her heart’s desire and there is now danger … she is snatched away by the demon and there is pain and sorrow. Do we recognize this story? How when we step out of codes of conduct that are going to keep us safe and protected, we then end up in the cottage of sorrow. It is the ego of the intellect that pulls us out… ‘I know better’ … and we end up hurting … does this tell us something about human life today?”

Sister Jayanti continued to enlighten with the spiritual understanding that we go through cycles and once again we have ended up in Raven’s kingdom in a state of sorrow. It is this deception of the senses and the ego of the intellect that pulled us into danger and then into many forms of sorrow. Yet there is One who rescues us… Now is the time to return ourselves to the inner kingdom we have lost … for Sita (us) to be reunited with Ram (the Divine). It is through this unification with the Divine, and the relationship of pure love, that we can experience His inheritance of peace and prosperity.

Sister Jayanti noted how we are increasingly aware of the planet’s fragility, with the global temperature already increased by 1 degree … and yet the ‘kumbakharna’ of people’s awareness is not waking up. We all have the tail of the ego, like Hanuman, and this can only be destroyed through the fire of yoga with God’s power and love. As we kill the ego then the kingdom of negativity, the Kingdom of Raven, comes to an end and a new Golden Era can begin, Satyug. As we deal with all of this, I can go beyond the pull of the physical senses. Then I come to the state of unbroken peace, of pure love and experience the light of truth and purity in my life.

The Diwali message is universal and for all of us, a message to share with everyone so that the light of hope comes back into people’s hearts. Old accounts are being settled and a new beginning is being celebrated. The swastika is interesting; its meaning is the realization of the self, the inner being and then, through this, all good omens come. This is a good sign for a new beginning … Sal Mubarak and a very Happy New Year.  Sister Jayanti drew the program to a close with another powerful meditation commentary, encouraging everyone to connect with the Divine, the Being of Light, the Benefactor and Compassionate one…who is always available…the One who fulfills our every need and is able to transform darkness into light … who can lead us from falsehood into truth … from night into day … whose light and love is for all … for each and every member of the human family …

BK Sister Jaymini thanked everyone for creating such a beautiful atmosphere of Diwali together and the evening closed with the sharing of a gift and prasad (holy food).