Q: Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about celebration. With the world in turmoil and this country turned on its head, it doesn’t feel like there’s much to celebrate. Is it important to find reasons to celebrate?
It can be a yes or no answer, depending on your belief structures and what you value. But from a purely practical well-being standpoint, celebrating can provide important benefits. It can help sustain motivation by providing a sense of reward and accomplishment. Getting together for special occasions can reinforce feelings of connection and shared joy. It’s a way to mark milestones, which can help us keep track of progress and appreciate how far we’ve come. All of these support emotional health and social cohesion.
Q: What about from a non-dual perspective? Is celebration important then?
This gets at the heart of the difference between relative and absolute truth. There are many nondual branches, but since you’re into Advaita Vedanta, let’s talk about it from that perspective.
In Advaita Vedanta, the ultimate goal is to realize the non-dual nature of reality and transcend identification with the ego and form. From that standpoint, celebrations or rituals can be seen as reinforcing separation and distraction.
But, Advaita doesn’t necessarily reject worldly activities. Many teachers and practitioners still take part in festivals and rituals, but with the awareness that these belong to the relative world. The key is participation without attachment.
Q: Isn’t celebration just a way of marking time? Do we need to mark time at all?
In many ways, yes, celebration often functions as a marker for the passing of time. Birthdays, anniversaries, and holidays help us acknowledge the movement of life.
Do we need to? No. But it can help give structure and meaning to our stories. It can help us reflect on change and growth. And as I already mentioned, it creates connection when celebrated with others.
Q: What if I just don’t feel the need to celebrate? What if most holidays feel like commercialized “Hallmark holidays”?
Opting out is a valid choice. But sometimes the resistance comes from how capitalism has co-opted traditions, making them feel forced or fake. If that’s the case, then you’re letting that rob you of creating your own personal way to find meaning or mark important events to you. If so, just find a way to remove the commercial (which then becomes social) pressure for you. Make your own traditions that feel true to you.
Q: From what you’re saying, it sounds like you’re in favor of celebration.
For me, every day is a celebration of life. I’m often experiencing moments of gratitude and joy. But quietly, as part of my personal spiritual practice. If others around me feel the need to celebrate traditional holidays or mark milestones, I don’t need to rain on their parade; I can feel happy for their excitement. But, personally, I don’t find meaning that way.
At the end of the day, whether or not to celebrate is a personal choice. Do what feels meaningful to you.