Holi (Full Moon in March) – Triumph of good over evil – Demon King Hiranayakashyap, Sister Holika & Son Prahlad

If we talk about Holi, Its all about celebration of overcoming your fears or transformation of negativities to positivity’s in life, whether it’s repairing broken relationships, Victory Of Good Over Evil, End Of Winter season over arrival of spring, Play and laugh, Forget and forgive etc.

Story of Holi

There are many stories throughout India that are associated with Holi. Every state in India has a different story to tell. In some regions, this festival is associated with Lord Krishna playing colour with Radha and gopis.

But the most famous story behind this festival is that of Prahlad and King Hiranyakashyap. Hiranyakashyap was a demon king who believed that he was all-powerful. He ordered in his kingdom that people should stop praying to God and pray to him instead. But his own son Prahlad, who had heard his mother praying to Lord Vishnu in her womb, and was a great devotee of Lord Vishnu, refused to do so. An angry Hiranayakashyap plots to kill his own son with the help of his sister Holika .Holika had earlier been granted a protection from Lord Brahma that no fire could burn her. She had a divine shawl that protected her from fire Hiranayakashyap asks his sister to sit by the fire taking Prahlad on her lap. Holika was confident that she will remain unharmed by fire. But the reverse happens. The magic cape (shawl) flies up and protects Prahlad instead. Holika gets burnt down to ashes and Prahlad remains safe.

Thus, a bonfire by the name of ‘Holika Dahan’ is organized a day of Holi. This ritual symbolises victory of love and devotion over evil.

Thus, Holi derives its name from Holika. And, is celebrated as a festival of victory of good over evil.

Holi is also celebrated as the triumph of a devotee. As the legend depicts that anybody, howsoever strong, cannot harm a true devotee. And, those who dare torture a true devotee of god shall be reduced to ashes.

Why the color?

In Vrindavan and Mathura, Holi is celebrated in memory of the divine love of Radha and Krishna. It is believed that when Lord Krishna was young, he often complained to Mother Yashoda about his dark complexion and wondered why Radha was so fair. One day, his mother playfully suggested that he can smear color on Radha’s face and change her complexion to any color he wanted.

Fascinated by the idea, Krishna smeared Radha’s face with colors and thus, introduced the colorful festival of Holi. Owing to this history, the festival of Holi, even today retains its flavor of naughtiness: smearing your loved one with bright colors and playing pranks on each other. Youngsters also engage in singing and dancing which is reminiscent of Shri Krishna’s Raas-leela with Radha and the gopis, during his time.

Holi reminds us that there is joy to be found in our imperfections.

“If you try to catch two rabbits you end up catching none….

“Aim Small Miss Small”

As we settle into our practice today, I invite you to consider the wisdom of aiming not just broadly, but with precision and intention. In the world outside, there’s a saying that touches closely on the principles of our yoga journey: If you aim for a large target, you might miss big; but if you aim for a small piece of that target, your miss may be slight.

In the context of our mats, this wisdom can be a powerful guide. Each posture, each breath, is an opportunity to aim with greater precision—not just at the physical alignment, but at the deeper intentions behind our practice. When we focus our minds on a specific aspect of our posture, or a particular quality of our breath, we bring a heightened awareness to our practice. This focus, this precision, becomes a form of meditation.

Just as an archer draws the bow with mindful precision, aiming at the smallest point for the truest shot, so too can we approach our practice. Let each asana be an arrow, each breath a moment of aiming with the utmost care. Even when we waver, even when we fall short, our miss is but slight—for it is in the act of precise aiming that our practice deepens, and our journey inward unfolds.

As we move through our sequence today, let’s embody this principle. Aim with precision in your intentions—whether it’s to deepen your breath, to soften a tense space within, or to simply be present. And observe how this accuracy illuminates your practice, guiding you towards the true target of yoga: harmony, insight, and peace within.

The Story of a Mustard Seed

In the serene foothills, a young monk named Metta (which means loving Kindness) learned the essence of focus and intention from his wise master. One morning, the master illustrated the importance of focusing on a single goal through the metaphor of catching rabbits in a field: aim for one, and your chances of success increase. Aim for two and you miss both.

He then gave Metta a tiny mustard seed, not much bigger than a grain of sand, instructing him to plant it with utmost care and attention, treating it as his singular focus. Metta nurtured this seed with dedication, and in time, it grew into a flourishing mustard plant, yielding both spice for culinary use and greens for nourishment.

This experience taught Metta the profound lesson of aiming with precision. The master explained that just as Metta focused on the mustard seed, focusing on a single point in life, meditation, or yoga practice can lead to significant achievements. This principle, he said, is true across all aspects of one’s journey.

Metta understood that the power of a singular focus could guide him towards inner peace and harmony. As we practice today, let’s embody this lesson from Metta and the mighty mustard seed: aim with precision and intention, finding success and peace in the focus on the small yet significant.

“Energy flows where attention goes.” – Michael Beckwith

“The key to success is to focus our conscious mind on things we desire, not things we fear.” – Brian Tracy

Buddhist view that the nature of our intentions—whether they are rooted in kindness, compassion, and mindfulness—greatly influences the outcome of our actions and our overall experience of life.

“Intention is one of the most powerful forces there is. What you are focusing on in your mind while you are working on a task, greatly influences the success or failure of the outcome.” – David Scott

“What you stay focused on will grow. What is measured gets done.” – David Scott

Every Diamond has a flaw and is imperfect. “Be happy with being you. Love your flaws. Own your quirks. And know that you are just as perfect as anyone else, exactly as you are.” – Ariana Grande

There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.” – Buddha

“Try to let go of the idea that you need to do yoga perfectly in order to see its benefits. Rather, let it be a process of waking up to who you really are. If you do this, you will know joy. And that joy will be your gift to a world that very much needs our healing,” ~ Darren Main

“Those that chase perfection, never attain it and are never satisfied. The path of the perfectionist only leads to disappointment.” – David Scott

“One of the basic rules of the universe is that nothing is perfect. Perfection simply doesn’t exist…..Without imperfection, neither you nor I would exist.” – Stephen Hawking

“Practice is about patience, control, and breath. Enjoy the moments when it clicks and the moments when everything unravels — they are both phenomenal teachers.” ~ Kathryn Budig

“Those who love you are not fooled by mistakes you have made or dark images you hold about yourself. They remember your beauty when you feel ugly; your wholeness when you are broken; your innocence when you feel guilty; and your purpose when you are confused.” ~ Alan Cohen

“On this path no effort is wasted, no gain is ever reversed; even a little of this practice will shelter you from great sorrow. Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.”– The Bhagavad Gita

“Yoga teaches us to master the chaos inside us, creating a life that feels good on the inside and not just the outside.” – David Scott

“Beauty catches the attention but character catches the heart.”

“Never be a prisoner of your past. It was just a lesson, not a life sentence.”

“The good man is free, even if he is a slave. The evil man is a slave, even if he is a king.” – Saint Augustine, 354-430

“There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.” – Martin Luther King, 1929-1968

“Our attention follows our attention. Focus on the possibilities for success, not on the potential for failure and you will hit your mark.” – David Scott

“A flower does not think of competing to the flower next to it. It just blooms.” – Zen Shin

“Some succeed because they are destined to, but most succeed because they are determined to.” – Henry Van Dyke

Remember what Christopher Robin said to Winnie the Pooh… “Always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” – Christopher Robin

“We are who we believe we are.” C.S Lewis

If you seek peace, be still. If you seek wisdom, be silent. If you seek love, be yourself.

“I’ve come to believe that all my past failure and frustration were actually laying the foundation for the understandings that have created the new level of living I now enjoy.” – Tony Robbins

“Why do we return to the same people or places that made us feel sick and somehow expect to feel better? Believe in yourself instead. Confidence is the ability to feel powerful without anyone’s approval or blessing. Believe in yourself enough and there will soon come a day when they simply will have no choice but to believe with you, instead of against your success. ” – David Scott