The Festival of Lights. Finding Inner Clarity in the Darkest Months.
- Eastgate Resource
- Nov 6
- 2 min read
As the days grow shorter and evenings arrive too soon, many cultures turn to the comfort of light, a symbol of renewal, hope, and inner peace. In the Buddhist world, November brings one of the most luminous celebrations of the year: the Festival of Lights, known in Myanmar as Tazaungdaing.
What is the Festival of Lights?
Tazaungdaing takes place on the full moon of the month of Tazaungmon, which usually falls in November. It marks the end of the rainy season and the beginning of a calmer, cooler period, a moment of rest and reflection before the year closes.
Across Myanmar, Thailand, and parts of Southeast Asia, cities glow with thousands of lanterns floating into the night sky. Offerings are made to monks, temples are illuminated, and families gather to share food and light candles in gratitude. It’s both a visual spectacle and a spiritual reminder: light dispels ignorance, generosity overcomes attachment, and awareness cuts through confusion.
The deeper meaning of light
In Buddhism, light isn’t just brightness; it represents clarity of mind. Lighting a lamp or releasing a lantern is a symbolic act of letting go of darkness within: anger, fear, or ignorance. It’s an invitation to awaken, to see clearly, to be present.
And perhaps that’s why this festival feels so timeless. Even for those far from Southeast Asia, the idea resonates deeply, as November wraps the world in shadow, the need for inner light becomes universal.
Why it matters now
Here in the West, we may not celebrate Tazaungdaing in temples or under skies filled with lanterns, but the meaning crosses all borders. The shift into late autumn often brings stillness, introspection, and a quiet pull toward renewal. It’s the season when we crave warmth, connection and meaning, the same essence that the Festival of Lights embodies.
A reflection through craft
At Eastgate Resource in London, we honour that symbolism through design. Our Briar Dharma collection draws from Buddhist imagery: the lotus, the eternal knot, the dharma wheel, each piece crafted as a reminder to stay centred, luminous, and grounded, even in darker times.
Like the lanterns of Tazaungdaing, these pendants represent intention: to light the way forward, to bring peace into the small spaces of daily life, and to carry a quiet beauty that endures beyond the season.
Light as a practice
You don’t need a ritual or ceremony to celebrate this time of year. Simply pause. Light a candle. Reflect on what no longer serves you and let it go. In that small act of awareness, you’re part of a tradition that’s been practiced for centuries.
Because no matter the season, light is not just something we see. It’s something we choose to bring forth.