Daylight Savings is done, the sky grows dark, and yet it is also a season of celebrating light and giving thanks. In India and Nepal, November 7 marks the beginning of Hindu celebration of Diwali, the joyful festival of lights, symbolizing the victory of light over darkness. In Thailand, Yi Ping, a celebration of the full moon, will take place November 22, with the launch of thousands sky lanterns into the night sky.
It can be easy to focus on the darkness. Our brains evolved recognize threats, but it can take extra effort to cultivate gratitude, light and joy. The following gratitude reflection comes from Still Mind: An Introduction to Meditation by Alan Watts (2014) and provides a way of turning our minds toward what is going well in our lives and honoring the light that is within us and around us.
Gratitude Reflection