Devi Suktam Fire Ceremony to Honor the Goddess Mother

Please join us for a special Diwali celebration. In the evening, before Arati (devotional service offered to one’s chosen ideal of the Divine), we will have a brief puja (offerings) and fire ceremony with recitation of prayers and offerings of ghee and herbs to the Divine Mother in her myriad forms.

You may watch online, or come for the day or stay the night before/after the ceremony. Options for watching via YouTube or making a reservation are provided below.

Throughout India and most of Southeast Asia, the fall season plays host to a rich confluence of traditions and rituals honoring gods and goddesses in their myriad forms. It is a time of powerful transition from the bountiful harvest season to the natural world's darker, more inwardly focused winter season.

Through the inspiration of master yogi Baba Hari Dass, the Mount Madonna community has traditionally gathered to celebrate the Navaratri festival to honor the inspiring story of Lord Rama, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman as told in the spiritual epic, Ramayana.

Diwali brings closure to the Navaratri ceremonies. It is observed as a beautiful way to honor the return home of Lord Ram, Sita, and Lakshman after their 14 year exile. The festival gets its name from the row of clay lamps that observers light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects us from spiritual darkness. It is also one of India's biggest and most important holidays of the year.