
Malini Srikrishna, MTS II | From the Hindu Tradition
Dec 14, 2020
01:57
From the Hindu Tradition
Read by Malini Srikrishna, MTS II
Seasons of Light is hosted by Harvard Divinity School's Office of Religious and Spiritual Life under the direction of Christopher Hossfeld, Director of Music and Ritual, and Kerry A. Maloney, Chaplain and Director of Religious and Spiritual Life.
The full video recording of Seasons of Light 2020 can be found on the HDS YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVuYb9d7tCc&t=587s
TRANSCRIPT:
The ancient Indian or Hindu traditions
are passed down
by grandmothers, grandfathers,
their stories and just the spirit
of our ancestors.
So here is a prayer
my grandmother taught me.
The human body is the temple of God.
To kindle the light of awareness within you
is to experience true light.
The sacred flame in your inner shrine
is constantly burning—embrace it!
The experience of unity
is what will enable you to find
the purpose of this body, of this temple.
Every season can be a season of light
when we recognize that the true light
is already always within us.
To harness it,
we must intentionally take the time
to reflect on the ways in which darkness
has shown up in our bodies and our lives.
Be it through hatred, separation,
ignorance or deception.
A central aspect of discovering our inner shrine
is recognizing the unity of all Life.
If one life form suffers,
you, me and all life forms
are suffering in the process.
To recognize that
is to truly recognize ourselves, our unity.
How we can manifest and really live this unity
is by setting a clear vision
for the way our lives will work
to transform malicious histories
into a future that reinforces truth.
So, for this Season of Light,
I invite you to discover the ways
in which your body has been
a carrier of histories of hatred and love
and envision the future and qualities
you want it to become a temple for.
Let us be brave
and let our fire burn all that is dark
so we pave the way for an unimaginable
and unifying light force.
One that burns away hatred
and is eternal in its capacity to love.
