Wander & Wonder: My Aura Experience at Notre-Dame Basilica

I have this weird little quirk where, out of nowhere, I will stumble upon something phenomenal - a place, a thing, or even a human - and suddenly, my brain just starts pouring out words. Recently, I experienced something truly magical, and this habit kicked in instantly. It’s like, “Quick, write this down before you forget forever and regret it until the end of time!!” All I want to do is get those thoughts out in detail because, with time, our brains tend to forget the intricate bits - the little things that made it so phenomenal in the first place. Because let’s be honest, that unexpected beautiful  moment is not going to come back. It’s a one-time thing, and I don’t want to lose how it made me feel!

Only if I were a wizard, I would have the ability to store those moments in a magical vessel (My fellow Harry Potter fans, you know I am talking about a Pensieve - a magical memory bank where you can revisit your thoughts anytime!). I would take a snapshot of that memory, link it to my thoughts, and revisit it whenever I wanted. With that kind of magic, I would never lose the little details that made those moments so special. How amazing would that be? It would definitely make my work easier because then I wouldn’t have to worry about hurrying back to my writing just to make sure I don’t forget!

The same thing happened when I experienced something so beautiful and mesmerizing that I had to write it down as soon as possible before the details started slipping away. I couldn’t wait to get back home, open my notes app, and let those words spill out before they disappeared forever! I remember it so vividly because the second I got home, I started writing, even if it came out in gibberish. I didn’t care about grammar or structure; I just kept scribbling. It was a rough draft - full of random thoughts. And now, as I am writing this, I have pulled out that very draft to give it a finishing touch it deserves!

Montreal: My Heart, My Home

And this one is specifically for the city I consider my home. One of the most cherished chapters of my life has been living in Montreal. I have been there since 2024, and though it’s only been a year, it feels like a lifetime of memories packed into that time. As I am sitting here in India writing this, I can’t help but miss Montreal so much! So, this part of my blog is dedicated to the city that holds a piece of my heart - Montreal.

Last summer, my parents visited me for a month in June, and I decided to plan something special - the Aura Experience at Notre Dame Basilica. It felt like the perfect opportunity to create a lasting memory with them while they were visiting the city that means so much to me. I have been to the Basilica a couple of times before, but this was different. The Aura Experience is a breathtaking light show where stunning patterns of colorful lights are projected onto the Basilica’s intricate interiors, creating a magical and immersive atmosphere.

Sharing the light and love with my favorite people. ❤️✨

Embracing the Beauty Around Me

Before I dive into what it felt like being there, let me share a little something about myself. Lately, I have noticed that I am becoming the kind of person who is hyper-aware of the little things happening around her. I am talking about noticing things - big or small - and really feeling them on a deeper level. It is like I am breathing these moments into my soul as they happen. And yeah, sometimes I cry. Not the dramatic sobbing kind, but just these quiet tears when I see something so beautiful that it moves me. It could be an ocean view, the moment temple curtains are lifted and the statues of Gods appear with that magical “Shankh” sound, the moon, or even this stunning light show at the Basilica that I got to witness with my parents. I don’t know what this feeling is called or what it means. Maybe I am evolving into a more spiritual version of myself, or maybe I just feel things a lot. Happiness, beauty, pain - they all hit me so hard. And sometimes, the only way to let it out is through tears, whether they are from joy or grief. Experiencing the light show was exactly that - a moment so overwhelming and beautiful that it felt like my heart was bursting, in the best way possible!

AURA: Layers of Light and Love

The Aura Experience is divided into three acts: The Birth of Light, The Obstacles, and The Open Sky. Each stage unfolds like a beautiful story, and as I watched it, I couldn’t help but relate it to life, love, and everything in between.

It is something that spoke to me on so many levels. It wasn’t just a light show - it felt like uncovering layers of something extraordinary, with each moment revealing more beauty and depth. As I write about it, I will also be describing it metaphorically, because I could literally compare this experience to “getting to know and falling in love with a complex yet delicate person on a deeper level rather than the surface one and keep being constantly amazed by their intricate details of each layer that they carry in their personality”.

Moments before the magic unfolded! ❤️

The Beginning of Something Beautiful

It started like those tiny droplets of early rain - rimzim as we call it in Hindi, or drizzling rain in English. Light, soft, and beautiful, it felt soothing. The lights began as gentle flashes here and there, setting the tone for something special.

Slowly, a few colors began to emerge - shades of red and blue blending together like they were playing a gentle game. But even as these colors danced, they stayed confined to specific parts of the church, leaving the rest of the church in darkness. It reminded me of how we get to know someone. At first, we only see bits and pieces of their light - the easy, surface-level parts - but we’re still drawn in, eager to uncover more. The sounds that accompanied the lights were just as mesmerizing - soft and soulful, like whispers from someone in Samadhi (a state of deep concentration or trance).

The Pulpit of Truth

Falling in Love with Every Detail

As it started to feel more familiar, the views began to shift, and the sounds followed along. The light spread into more areas of the church that were once dark, and new colors joined in, making the whole experience even more captivating. It felt like getting to know someone on a deeper level. 

Even if their colors don’t perfectly match yours, it doesn’t matter. Knowing them beyond the surface, you see their radiance. You start appreciating everything - their brightness, their dullness, the unexpected mix of colors. Whether the combination is soothing or chaotic, it all becomes beautiful in its own way. You fall for it all.

And that’s how I fell in love with Aura - by embracing every little detail.. The way the colors blended, whether perfectly or imperfectly, the movements of the lights, and how the sounds grew more intense with every passing moment. It wasn’t just about what I saw or heard; it was about how it made me feel, drawing me in completely and leaving me in awe.

Illuminating the Darkness

And then, suddenly, the lights dispersed throughout the church. All the dark corners began to glow gradually, and then, in a single dramatic moment, everything lit up at once. It was unexpected, intense, and breathtaking. It reminded me of what it feels like to fall in love with someone. Their dark parts, the ones they might try to hide, start to feel illuminated - understood, even beautiful. It’s like their darkness matched the darkness in our own minds, and when we met, we lit up each other’s layers. In them, we found a home - even for our demons.

After that, the lights shifted direction and structure. Sometimes, only certain parts of the church were lit while the rest stayed in darkness. It felt symbolic - just like with a person, where some parts of them are illuminated, and others remain in shadow. But we know those hidden parts are there, and over time, we learn to embrace even their darkness. No matter how intimidating it might seem, it becomes a light for us in its own way.✨

It made me realize how beautiful and rare it is to truly connect with another soul. In a world where surface-level connections often take center stage, we miss out on so much when we shy away from deeper, more meaningful bonds. This experience was a reminder of the beauty that lies in those deeper connections.

The Ever-Changing Beauty of Love

Sometimes it felt like a rainbow, vibrant and full of life. Other times, it was like blue rays dancing above us, just like those dramatic lights in a nightclub. And then, there were moments that felt straight out of a Harry Potter scene, filled with magic and wonder. The richness and vastness of the show were beyond anything I could have imagined. Just when I thought I had seen it all, the lights would suddenly dim, leaving the church in a soft, quiet glow.

And just like that, through the highs and lows and constant changes - whether good or bad - we fall in love and keep falling for them. Maybe it’s for a lifetime, or maybe only as long as they are with us. But for me, true love is just that - always changing and evolving, and constantly revealing new things to admire about that person. And we just keep falling in love.

People say love doesn’t last, but maybe they just haven’t found the right thing or person to fall in love with. For me, the Aura Experience is something I’ll carry in my heart forever!!! It was breathtaking, calming, and even had its dramatic moments (just like every good love story should!) And yes, I teared up a little - because that’s what I do when something moves me deeply. So here I am, totally smitten with a light show, and I am not even mad about it. If this isn’t love, then I don’t know what is!❤️

But now I want to hear from you - what’s something you’ve experienced that left you utterly in awe? A moment that moved you so deeply, you couldn’t stop thinking about it? Let me know - I’d love to hear your story! ✨