When the nights are longest, we don’t wait for the light. We kindle it.
Dear one,
On Sunday 8 November 2026, millions of homes around the world will glow with small clay lamps. It’s Diwali (Deepavali), the festival of light, one of the most loved celebrations in India and across the Hindu, Sikh and Jain world.
As a yoga teacher and Vedic astrologer, I approach Diwali with deep respect for the living tradition it belongs to. I don’t want to borrow it or dress it up. I want to listen to what it teaches. And what it teaches is something every woman can feel in her body this time of year: the light doesn’t come from outside. We are invited to light it ourselves.
What is Diwali?
The name comes from the Sanskrit deepavali, ‘a row of lamps’. Diwali celebrates the victory of light over darkness, of knowledge over ignorance, of the heart over fear.
There are many stories woven into this one festival. In northern India, Diwali remembers the return of Rama and Sita to Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile, when the people lit lamps to guide them home. Across India it is also the night of Lakshmi, the goddess of abundance, beauty and grace, who is welcomed into clean, lit and open homes.
Diwali always falls on the Amavasya, the New Moon, of the lunar month of Kartika. On the darkest night of the month, the whole land is lit from within.
The five days of Diwali 2026
| Day | Date | What is honoured |
|---|---|---|
| Dhanteras | Fri 6 Nov | Prosperity and health. Traditionally a day to buy something new, often metal or gold. |
| Naraka Chaturdashi (Choti Diwali) | Sat 7 Nov | Cleansing. An early-morning oil bath to wash away what is heavy. |
| Diwali — Lakshmi Puja | Sun 8 Nov | The main night: lamps, prayers to Lakshmi, sweets, family. |
| Govardhan Puja | Mon 9 Nov | Gratitude for the earth, for nourishment and protection. |
| Bhai Dooj | Tue 10 Nov | The bond between sisters and brothers. |
Lakshmi Puja is done in the evening twilight. In France, that means from around sunset (about 17:15) into the early evening. Times vary a little by place, so check a local panchang if you want to be precise.
What the stars say: Diwali in Jyotish
This year Diwali falls on the New Moon in Swati Nakshatra, in Libra (Tula). The exact New Moon is on Monday 9 November at 08:02 (French time).
In Vedic astrology, the Sun is at its weakest in Libra. Our outer light is at its lowest point of the year, and the Moon is completely dark. That is no accident. Diwali is set at the exact moment when the outer light fails, so we remember where the true light lives.
Swati is the nakshatra of the young sprout dancing in the wind. Her deity is Vayu, the wind, the breath, prana. Her message for this Diwali: stay soft, stay rooted, and let your breath carry your light.
🌑 Read the full New Moon in Swati & Libra blog, with exact times and a Yin ritual: https://joycemol.com/2026/11/04/new-moon-in-swati-libra-november-2026/
Lakshmi and the feminine art of receiving
Lakshmi is often shown seated on a lotus, gold flowing from her open hands. She is not chased. She is invited.
Traditionally, homes are cleaned and decorated before Diwali, doors and windows are opened, and lamps are placed on thresholds so Lakshmi can find her way in. I find that a beautiful embodied teaching:
- Clear the space. What are you still carrying, in your home, your body, your calendar?
- Open the door. Where are you closed to receiving help, love, support or money?
- Light the threshold. What would it look like to let yourself be seen?
For many of the women I work with, abundance isn’t blocked by a lack of effort. It’s blocked by a body that has forgotten how to soften and receive. That is the work I love most.
🌸 Building a business that feels like Lakshmi, not like hustle? My email course 7 Days to Your Feminine Remote Flow (€37) is a gentle first step. → https://joycemol.com/product/7-days-to-your-feminine-remote-flow/
A simple Diwali ritual for your own home
You don’t need anything special. Only presence.
- Cleanse. Clear one small corner of your home: a windowsill, a table, your altar. Open the window for a few minutes and let the air move through.
- Breathe. Sit down and take ten slow breaths, the exhale a little longer than the inhale. Feel your belly, your pelvis, your feet on the ground.
- Light one lamp. A diya, a tealight, a candle. Gaze softly at the flame for a few minutes. Let your eyes rest.
- Name what you release. Silently or out loud: “I let go of…”
- Name what you welcome. “I open my door to…” Write it down and leave it next to the flame.
- Share something sweet. Diwali is a festival of sweets and togetherness. Share a little treat with someone you love, or with yourself.
🌬️ Want to drop into your body first? My free 10-minute Tantric Breathwork practice is a beautiful way to start: joycemol.com/return-to-your-body-in-10-minutes/
Carry the light further
If Diwali stirs something in you, here are a few ways to keep walking with it.
🔮 A personal Vedic Astrology Reading. Where does this New Moon fall in your chart? What is your soul planet asking of you? In a Birth Chart Reading or Atmakaraka (Soul Planet) Reading we look at your chart together, gently and practically. You receive a PDF of your chart, with an optional live 60-minute session. → https://joycemol.com/product/vedic-astrology-consult/
🌙 Moon Phase Yin Yoga e-book. Live with the Moon every month, from New Moon to Full Moon and back, with Yin sequences, breath and reflections. → https://joycemol.com/product/moon-phase-yin-yoga/
📖 Feminine Embodiment, the book. Yin, fascia, breath and cyclical living as a way to come home in your body. Includes the Rite of the Womb, and the Moon Phase Yin Yoga e-book as a free bonus. E-book €37 · paperback €47 · book + fascia balls €67. → https://joycemol.com/feminine-embodiment-book/
👧 The Vedic Parenting Guide. Want to share festivals like Diwali with your children in a meaningful way? Raising Children with Ancient Wisdom in Modern Times (€17). → joycemol.com/product/the-vedic-parenting-guide-raising-children-with-ancient-wisdom-in-modern-times/
🍫 In the Lot? Join me in person. On 4 December I host a Cacao Ceremony, Breathwork & Moodboard Creation morning (10:00–13:00, €57): a beautiful way to carry your Diwali intentions into the new year. → https://joycemol.com/product/cacao-ceremony-breathwork-moodboard-creation/
May your home be bright, your heart open, and your own light gently burning, even on the darkest night.
Shubh Deepavali,
Joyce Feminine Embodiment & Yoga Teacher · Breathwork Guide · Fascia Therapist · Vedic Astrologer
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