Swami Nirmalananda (Gurudevi) always begins a talk with this benediction:
OM svaroopa svasvabhavah namo namah
It means:
“I bow to your own inherent Divinity, your Self.
I bow to my own inherent Divinity, my Self.
I bow to the inherent Divinity of all beings, the One Divine Reality being you,
being me and being all.”
And we bow as well – to you and all of the above!
When Halloween comes, we will bow to the inherent Divinity, the One Self, who is being all those goblins, ghosts, skeletons, spidermen, superwomen, Power Rangers, ballerinas, witches and … Barbies.
Barbies? Yes Barbies. We’ll bow to the #1 Barbie, and all the other Barbies: Doctor Barbie, President Barbie, Midge (pregnant Barbie), Lawyer Barbie and so on, and also all the Kens, and Allan, too. (More on this later!)
I want to share what we wrote about Halloween in an October newsletter several years ago:
“Wearing costumes and masks, children — and adults — can become whoever and whatever they want to be… They can temporarily leave behind the constraints and shortcomings of being who they think they are or who they are told they should be. They can totally immerse in identity with their superheroes, celebrities or whatever else they masquerade as.
“Not only can they try on new outfits but also new ‘infits’: they can try on new personas and new ways of being. They can explore and exercise new qualities and powers. The little boy or girl in a lion costume can feel what it’s like to roar and be the … king or queen of the savannah. The Peter Pan lookalike can imagine the joy and freedom of flying – and of never having to grow up. They can all feel what it’s like to be free, free to be what they wish to be.
As a yogi/yogini, how might you consider Halloween? Consider it a celebration of your freedom to become whoever you want to be, or more precisely, to become all that you already are. Take off your mask – all your masks! Know and honor your Self, your Divinity…. ”
“…You are more than who you think you are. There is more to you on the inside than the outside can ever convey. This is yoga’s magic, to make you able to look inside and find who you are at the deepest and most expansive level within. To know your own Self, your Core-Essence, your own Beingness…” ~ Swami Nirmalananda
And in a more recent October, we wrote the following, which is especially relevant, given the political and religious conflicts that are currently burning like wildfires around the world:
“Driving home at twilight on Halloween, I passed through West Brookfield. The Town Common and adjoining streets were festively flooded with children in a wide variety of costumes and disguises. The children were having a delightful time with their new identity for the day. The ghosts, goblins, and skeletons were fine with one another.
I thought how lovely it would be if we adults could take on our varying identities with such joviality and ease: not taking ourselves so seriously, not bickering – …not forgetting who we really are while performing our various roles and responsibilities. And what if we could see one another in the same way as we see those lovely children? Even in their attire of vampires and zombies, we can still see them as little angels.”
And did we mention Barbie? What? Barbie? That’s what Nancy and I both thought when we first heard the movie was in production. Who wants to see a movie about Barbie?
Well, after hearing so much praise and critical acclaim, we finally jumped in, joining the millions who have already seen the movie. Right from the get go — the opening scene of the film — we were sold. The film is fun and funny, educational and inspirational. The sets and costumes are very colorful and beautiful. The music and choreography are delightful to hear and watch. The film even delves a bit in history, sociology, psychology and philosophy.
The film’s story is a hero’s quest — a heroine’s, quest that is, but the men have a valid quest, too: to realize the Kens are more than just Kens. Both Barbie and Ken go on a journey to self-discovery and self-acceptance. Barbie embraces herself, her mortality and her emotions, even with the cellulite showing up on her legs and with flat feet that no longer fit in her high heels.
Some reviewers say the movie is the flip side of misogyny, but we disagree. The movie pulls the curtain to reveal that men, too, are victims of patriarchy. Director Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird, Little Women), who co-wrote the script with her husband, Noah Baumbach, said her hope for the movie “…is that it’s an invitation for everybody to be part of the party and let go of the things that aren’t necessarily serving us as either women or men.”
See the review on the Spirituality and Practice website. See also the teaching scene referred to (a powerful soliloquy in the movie delivered by actress America Ferrera in the film). She expresses the bind that women are caught in, having to live with so many contradictions. The spiritualityandpractice.com website (“Resources for Spiritual Journeys”) includes lists and reviews of other films and books that are of spiritual value, updated periodically.