• Welcome to Religious Forums, a friendly forum to discuss all religions in a friendly surrounding.

    Your voice is missing! You will need to register to get access to the following site features:
    • Reply to discussions and create your own threads.
    • Our modern chat room. No add-ons or extensions required, just login and start chatting!
    • Access to private conversations with other members.

    We hope to see you as a part of our community soon!

Quiet Celebrations

JustGeorge

Not As Much Fun As I Look
Staff member
Premium Member
First off, I'll state that the criteria to participate in this thread is you must be a religious minority of where ever you're residing. As to what religion, or what place, that can vary. But, for the sake of this thread, I only want to hear from religious minorities.

Its the first day of Diwali. Dhanteras. I am cleaning up the house(to the best of my ability, with the kids running about). I have a few videos with Diwali stories, and Diwali music going. I'm trying to make this as festive as I can.

However, no matter how hard I try, I can't muster up the glimmer of the holiday festivities that the religious majorities in my area command. There are no Diwali decorations as we navigate the streets; there are no friends or family knocking at the door. There are no tunes going on the radio or TV. Its just us. Perhaps we'll go to the temple, but that will be in another city. Its not something that's readily available, or a place we can drop in on multiple times during the upcoming celebration.

My husband has to work. Business still has to be conducted. Things don't shut down for our festivities. My family canceled on Diwali dinner because there were other things to do, not realizing the importance of this. (No hard feelings, but I'd be lying if I said my heart didn't fall upon hearing the cancelation.)

This isn't new. I spent most about 15 years as a Pagan, and the situation was similar for that, too.

So, how do you religious minorities make festivals seem 'alive' when the rest of the world around you is going on like normal?
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
First off, I'll state that the criteria to participate in this thread is you must be a religious minority of where ever you're residing. As to what religion, or what place, that can vary. But, for the sake of this thread, I only want to hear from religious minorities.

Its the first day of Diwali. Dhanteras. I am cleaning up the house(to the best of my ability, with the kids running about). I have a few videos with Diwali stories, and Diwali music going. I'm trying to make this as festive as I can.

However, no matter how hard I try, I can't muster up the glimmer of the holiday festivities that the religious majorities in my area command. There are no Diwali decorations as we navigate the streets; there are no friends or family knocking at the door. There are no tunes going on the radio or TV. Its just us. Perhaps we'll go to the temple, but that will be in another city. Its not something that's readily available, or a place we can drop in on multiple times during the upcoming celebration.

My husband has to work. Business still has to be conducted. Things don't shut down for our festivities. My family canceled on Diwali dinner because there were other things to do, not realizing the importance of this. (No hard feelings, but I'd be lying if I said my heart didn't fall upon hearing the cancelation.)

This isn't new. I spent most about 15 years as a Pagan, and the situation was similar for that, too.

So, how do you religious minorities make festivals seem 'alive' when the rest of the world around you is going on like normal?
I remain affectionately detached at home, and go to the temple for the ones we celebrate wholeheartedly. But then my temple is only 12 minutes away, unlike you. With children it might be different.
 

sun rise

The world is on fire
Premium Member
During the Covid years we've had virtual celebration videos for Amartithi (the eternal date) the day Meher Baba "completed his work" (dropped his physical body) and his birthday and for some other special events.

There have also been outdoor gatherings with cake and such in our Sanctuary's grounds.
 

syo

Well-Known Member
how do you religious minorities make festivals seem 'alive' when the rest of the world around you is going on like normal?
It's difficult. The celebration only happens in the house. And other people don't know or they don't care. I'm a minority since 20 years ago. It's kinda tough. But I can't do anything.
 

JustGeorge

Not As Much Fun As I Look
Staff member
Premium Member
I remain affectionately detached at home, and go to the temple for the ones we celebrate wholeheartedly. But then my temple is only 12 minutes away, unlike you. With children it might be different.
We hit the big temple for Holi. We found one that's closer(about an hour instead of two) but much smaller. We've tried to visit previously, but it'll be closed when the website says its open, so it confuses us. We're going to try going for a celebration they have listed tomorrow.

Sometimes we go with kids, but our kids require us to be so diligent in keeping their behavior up, we often don't really get to participate in the pujas.

It's difficult. The celebration only happens in the house. And other people don't know or they don't care. I'm a minority since 20 years ago. It's kinda tough. But I can't do anything.

Yeah, it gets tough. What can you do, I guess.
 

Quintessence

Consults with Trees
Staff member
Premium Member
For me it becomes less of an issue for a couple of reasons.

First, my perspective is not anthropocentric, but ecocentric. I don't define "the rest of the world" in anthropocentric terms like many seem to. The overwhelming majority of "the rest of the world" is not human. I don't put any special point of emphasis on what other humans are (or aren't) doing, especially since my religious holidays are also not anthropocentric in orientation. My holy days are all about natural cycles and these events happen whether or not I or any other human are acknowledging them. The festivals can't not be alive in a fashion because they will happen. The real question is how much I personally acknowledge the relationships I have with the cycling of divine powers.

Second, for a long time I've tended to conceptualize sacred times as not having clearly defined edges and boundaries because nature itself doesn't really work that way. For example, while Autumn Equinox astronomically falls on a very specific calendar date, the spirit of the season extends well beyond that with its impact and influence. So there is a bit less emphasis put on single-day acknowledgements of relationships with the gods and more of a daily way of life thing going on. The "aliveness" is an ongoing process that can spark to the forefront of my mind when the Awen flows, and fade back into the background as it needs to.

All that said, does it still get frustrating if I can't get the eight major solar festivals off from work or important meetings/events are scheduled on holidays? Yes. Does it still feel alienating being one of a few people mindfully acknowledging a deep relationship with the land, lake, and sky? Yes. Working at a university, I get especially frustrated that religion is basically ignored by diversity and inclusion efforts; it is also woefully absent from conversations about student wellness. But it is what it is.
 
Top