avatarErika Burkhalter

Summary

The website content is a poetic and philosophical reflection on Diwali, celebrating the Goddess Lakshmi and the interplay of light and darkness, good and evil, through a narrative that personifies natural elements and concepts.

Abstract

The undefined website features a Diwali-themed poem titled "Lakshmi’s Whisper of Light," which delves into the spiritual significance of the "Festival of Lights." It honors the Goddess Lakshmi, embodying the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil. The poem metaphorically describes Lakshmi's role in creation, her connection with the earth and cosmic elements, and the duality inherent in existence. It encourages readers to recognize the beauty in the transient nature of life and the importance of contrasting elements. The author, Erika Burkhalter, a yogi and neurophilosopher, shares her appreciation for the natural world and the divine feminine, inviting readers to celebrate Diwali by embracing their inner light.

Opinions

  • Diwali is seen as a celebration of the Goddess in her various forms, particularly Lakshmi, and is associated with the victory of light and goodness.
  • The poem conveys a deep reverence for the Goddess Lakshmi, portraying her as an integral part of the cosmic dance of creation and consciousness.
  • The author emphasizes the concept of duality, suggesting that the understanding of good requires the presence of evil, and light is defined by darkness.
  • The narrative expresses a philosophical view that human experiences are a tapestry woven from contrasting elements, which collectively define our reality.
  • Erika Burkhalter expresses a personal wish for a joyous Diwali, indicating her desire to share the festive spirit and its significance with her audience.
  • The author's multifaceted interests in yoga, neurophilosophy, and nature are reflected in the poetic musings, suggesting a holistic approach to understanding and appreciating life's complexities.
Homage to Lakshmi. Photo ©Erika Burkhalter.

Poetry, Diwali

Lakshmi’s Whisper of Light

A Diwali poem

Diwali, the “Festival of Lights” celebrates the Goddess, in her many forms (Lakshmi being one of them), bringing light into places where there had been only darkness, a celebration of good over evil.

This poem celebrates both the Goddess and the concepts of duality and unity, in which creation and pure consciousness coalesce with one another to create manifested consciousness.

Riding the froth of the sea, ebony tresses streaming in the gaze of the moon, Lakshmi whispers, “light.”

The horizon heaves, and the earth, her mother — undulating mountains of female flesh — stretches into being, awakening her daughter, Ushas, who spreads her ribboned robes of dawn across the sky, then leaps to her feet, plunging her daggers of insight into the darkness of night’s breast.

Her father’s voice sighs through the seas, an echo of a time before seeing, whispers heard in dreams.

Swayed in his eternal embrace, the Goddess, she rides the surf of time, aligning the tapestry of mankind into patchworks of good and evil, knowing that in order to truly see one from the other, they both must feather the edge of the sea, and the vault of the sky.

The sheening of sunlight on lapping waves of “being” bathes her in beauty and mystery and a sense of the fleetingness of time.

And still she rides, astride her lotus throne, skimming the sea of consciousness.

I wish you the happiest of Diwalis. May your inner light shine brightly.

Erika Burkhalter is a yogi, neurophilosopher, cat-mom, photographer, and lover of travel and nature, spreading her love and amazement for Mother Earth’s glories, one photo, poem or story at a time. (MS Neuropsychology, MA Yoga Studies).

I hope you enjoyed my photos and musings.

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Photos and story ©Erika Burkhalter. All rights reserved.

Diwali
Poetry
Consciousness
Goddess
India
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