Why Light an Oil Lamp?

Sadhguru: This is an ancient tradition. You need to understand how people lived – obviously, there were no electric lamps in ancient times. Houses were generally built out of thatch and organic material; people could not afford to have huge windows, so homes used to be dark. So, at least in the place of worship, a lamp was lit, which gave enough light, and the source of light came from God himself, which gave a good feeling. Apart from that, if you use raw cotton and certain vegetable oils, the light of the lamp creates an energy field of its own.

 

Fire is very pranic. If you hold a rudraksha mala over fire, you will see it will rotate powerfully in a clockwise direction. Fire is a source of light and a symbol of the very source of life because in many ways, our lives depend on fire. The sun can be considered as the source of life on this planet. It is nothing but a fireball. Everything that is driving life in this world is based on fire. The “fire of life” within us is what keeps us going.

 

Before you start your day, you light a lamp because you want to bring the same quality into yourself. It is a way of invoking your own inner nature. It is symbolic and psychological, but to some extent, there is also an energy aspect to it. Lighting a lamp creates a certain atmosphere. So, in places of worship and in places that we use for meditation, in your home, or wherever, it is always good to have an oil lamp.