Diwali is one of the most beautiful Hindu festivals, often referred to as the ‘Festival of the Lights’. This festival will be celebrated on Monday 24th October. It symbolically represents ‘the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance.’
I like the theme of knowledge over ignorance. Whilst we know there are times in our lives when ‘ignorance is bliss’, we should also consider the benefits that come from a healthy pursuit of knowledge; especially when it concerns the way in which we can bridge an understanding of others, of ourselves, of a culture, of an occurrence, of a decision to be made, of a topical issue, or an interest, etc etc.
And, it is through learning, and experience, that we gain such knowledge.
Learning has been shown to help improve and maintain our wellbeing. It can boost self-confidence and self-esteem, help build a sense of purpose, and foster connection with others. People engaged in learning report feeling better about themselves and a greater ability to cope with stress, as well has feeling more self confidence, hope and purpose.
Some scientists think that setting goals and working towards them plays an important role in the way learning influences wellbeing. Setting targets and hitting them can create positive feelings of accomplishment and achievement, and can also be motivating to do more.
If you want to make learning a bigger part of your life, it helps to think about learning in the broadest sense. Classes and formal courses are great ways to learn new things, but as we’ve seen, can seem overwhelming in an already overwhelming life. So we may just need to keep in mind that there are lots of other ways to keep learning. You might:
We are so extremely fortunate to live in a country that fosters learning for all, and promotes the acquisition of knowledge. We are also very fortunate to live in a country where the knowledge we acquire, can then be implemented and utilised so as to embed it within our lived experience of it.
