Last Saturday was Deepavali and in our community class we explored how attachment can blind discernment. When we are too close visually or emotionally to a situation we lose perspective. This is what conditioning does to us. It makes us lose sight of our priority. Stepping back and observing is required to see clearly and refocus. We also need to act on what we see which is step two.

This Saturday is one of the biggest festivals celebrated in India. It is the Christmas of the East. The big day when Lakshmi wed Vishnu. Each area of India focuses on a particular victory. For example, in the north, Ram's return to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana, the demon king who kidnapped his wife, is celebrated. Ravana despite his arrogance had a few redeeming qualities where he told Sita, Rama's wife that he would not touch her without her consent. Despite the ladies of the court taunting her as to why she would not want to be one of the queen's of a powerful king like Ravana, Sita was immersed in her husband's memory and love and waited for him. Rama did come and get her eventually with the help of the monkey army from the forest and other allies. In the south, Krishna slaying Narakasura is celebrated. Naraka in sanskrit means “extreme misalignment” or “hell.” Sura means “light” and asura means “one without light.” So the lightless one who was extremely misaligned had to be released from his misery by Krishna or this Christ consciousness. In Kerala and parts of the west of India, this day is celebrated as the day Vishnu sent king Bali to rule the netherworlds.

I remember being very sensory as a young kid and enjoying flavours and the energy of food, which helped to ground me. I would never touch sugars or butters as a child. My mom was happy that some of the sugar laden Indian sweets as well as colas were things I actively despised. I am much more connected to these flavours now. I was also traumatised by certain foods, when I was forced to have them, because someone else thought that it was good for me. So raw eggs beaten in warm milk were my nemesis. I remember being covered in hives at the mere thought of them, and my solar plexus would be churned into knotted disgust. I knew my mom's intentions were good, so I could discuss this with her much later and we both laughed about it. It adds to the many comedic episodes in our lives.

I was not a fussy eater and loved my veggies and grains. I was just a bit more sensitised than my immediate family when it came to certain food choices. I could feel the impact it had on my thinking and feeling process. There were times, as the flavours and their prana popped in my mouth and rolled on my tongue, I was in thoughtless states of bliss. An immersion into the mooladhara (root), swadhisthana (sacral) and manipura (solar plexus) chakras can provide us with this experience, when we are purified. Have you tasted sugar after going on a cleanse? You will find all the flavours are richer and pop. You will also become more sensitised to the vibration of the food.