Beth Owl’s Daughter writes on the festival of Diwali which celebrates the dark:
Yesterday I ruminated that perhaps our modern culture’s “jumping the gun” on the Yule season has something to do with our deep fear of the dark and, ultimately our fear of death as an endless night.
Such fears are universal, and are dealt with in similar ways throughout the world. For instance, tomorrow’s New Moon kicks off the festival of Diwali. Diwali is possibly the biggest holiday on earth, in terms of sheer numbers of participants. And it is certainly one of the most joyful. Celebrated by millions of Hindus, Jains and Sikhs across the globe, it is a “Festival of Lights,” where the lights or lamps dispel the darkness of evil, and goodness triumphs.
and the worship of Mother Kali:
Hers is a somber, serious tantric puja that is intended to diminish the ego as well as our negative tendencies that hinder spiritual progress and material prosperity. It is performed as an intense invocation of the fearsome Goddess to destroy evil – both in the outside world and within us. It is especially performed to seek protection against drought and war, for general happiness, health, wealth, and peace.
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