Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Mosaic Monday
Mary, at The Little Red House is the hostess for Mosaic Monday.
Not only was yesterday Valentine's Day, it was also the Lunar New Year, the Year of the Tiger.
I enjoyed both!
Not only was yesterday Valentine's Day, it was also the Lunar New Year, the Year of the Tiger.
I enjoyed both!
Some of the photos are of the money envelopes that are commonly used for Chinese New Year, Weddings, birthdays - any special event. During the Chinese New Year, money envelopes are normally given by married to unmarried individuals, regardless of age. Tradition is to give an even numbered increment of money enclosed in a red envelope and include wishes of peace, good fortune, prosperity, success and happiness.
On Mosaic Monday, I wish for you: peace, good fortune, prosperity, success, happiness and time with your loved ones.
On Mosaic Monday, I wish for you: peace, good fortune, prosperity, success, happiness and time with your loved ones.
OWOH: We Have A Winner!
The winner (by random number generator) of the One World One Heart Give-a-way is SusanScraps! Susan, please email me with all your information. I've left a message on your blog and sent you an email. Congratulations! I hope everyone participating had a wonderful time, meeting new people, seeing new blogs, making new friends. I did!
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Celebrate!
There's lots to celebrate today.
It is the Lunar New Year. Losar, the Tibetan New Year.
The Year of the Iron Tiger.
And, it's Valentine's Day.
It is the Lunar New Year. Losar, the Tibetan New Year.
The Year of the Iron Tiger.
And, it's Valentine's Day.
The Tibetan New Year Festival, Losar, can be traced back to the time before the introduction of Buddhism in the sixth century C.E. when the Bön religion was predominant.
Every winter, a spiritual ritual was performed in which incense was offered to calm the spirits, deities and protectors of the land. It was said to have been started when an old woman introduced the measuring of time based on the different phases of the moon.
This later evolved into an annual Buddhist festival. Since the 13th century, Losar has traditionally fallen on the first day of the first month of the calendar year, which is lunar-based—unlike our solar western calendar.
However, before the coming of a new year can be celebrated, unfinished business and unhappy memories must be dealt with. And so, on the 29th day [February 12] of the last month in the old year, there is a festival called Gutor, in which everyone whitewashes and cleans their houses. The last day of the old year is spent preparing for the new year. People go to monasteries to make offerings, and to participate in the ceremonies conducted during the day. Many rituals take place that are designed to chase away any evil spirits. One of these is a play in which the lamas perform masked dances to symbolize the triumph of good over evil. New Year's Eve is Lu Yugpa, an opportunity to banish evil spirits from the old year and clear the way for starting the new year right.
In modern times the preparations for Losar consist of collecting fresh roasted barley flour for phyemar (this symbolizes good wishes); lophud, a young wheat sprout that is the symbol of the birth of a new year; chang, a mild barley beer; sweet rice, tea, butter, fried biscuits, sweets, fruits and butter lamps.
A complete collection of these seasonal foods is always placed on the family's Buddhist altar as an offering. The entire neighborhood is cleaned and houses are freshly painted. New clothing is sewn and new curtains are put over the doors and windows. There is a saying in Tibet, "Losar is Lekar," meaning the new year is new work!
On the first day, at sunrise, the wife runs to collect the year's first bucket of water. She burns incense at the well or river, ties a white scarf around the tap or nearby tree and gives a food offering of the first portion of the special foods for the celebration to appease the nagas (subterranean serpents and spirits).
A special breakfast is prepared, everyone wears new clothes for the year, and a special Buddhist practice is performed at the family altar. When the formal family ceremony is over, the household members run to their neighbors' houses shouting Tashe Delek!—literally, "Good Fortune!" As on Christmas morning in the west, on the morning of Losar the children love to fill their pockets with sweets and show off their new outfits.
According to Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal, "Each new year is an echo of the changing cycles and Losar reminds us of the true nature of impermanence. Everything that is born is bound to die. The old year is gone and will never exist again. The new year gives us the opportunity to come together and celebrate; to notice and appreciate each moment, in the moment, and to realize the blessings of the teachings."
—excerpted from a story by Margret Dunham from the Padmasambhava Buddhist Center's website at www.padmasambhava.org .
Every winter, a spiritual ritual was performed in which incense was offered to calm the spirits, deities and protectors of the land. It was said to have been started when an old woman introduced the measuring of time based on the different phases of the moon.
This later evolved into an annual Buddhist festival. Since the 13th century, Losar has traditionally fallen on the first day of the first month of the calendar year, which is lunar-based—unlike our solar western calendar.
However, before the coming of a new year can be celebrated, unfinished business and unhappy memories must be dealt with. And so, on the 29th day [February 12] of the last month in the old year, there is a festival called Gutor, in which everyone whitewashes and cleans their houses. The last day of the old year is spent preparing for the new year. People go to monasteries to make offerings, and to participate in the ceremonies conducted during the day. Many rituals take place that are designed to chase away any evil spirits. One of these is a play in which the lamas perform masked dances to symbolize the triumph of good over evil. New Year's Eve is Lu Yugpa, an opportunity to banish evil spirits from the old year and clear the way for starting the new year right.
In modern times the preparations for Losar consist of collecting fresh roasted barley flour for phyemar (this symbolizes good wishes); lophud, a young wheat sprout that is the symbol of the birth of a new year; chang, a mild barley beer; sweet rice, tea, butter, fried biscuits, sweets, fruits and butter lamps.
A complete collection of these seasonal foods is always placed on the family's Buddhist altar as an offering. The entire neighborhood is cleaned and houses are freshly painted. New clothing is sewn and new curtains are put over the doors and windows. There is a saying in Tibet, "Losar is Lekar," meaning the new year is new work!
On the first day, at sunrise, the wife runs to collect the year's first bucket of water. She burns incense at the well or river, ties a white scarf around the tap or nearby tree and gives a food offering of the first portion of the special foods for the celebration to appease the nagas (subterranean serpents and spirits).
A special breakfast is prepared, everyone wears new clothes for the year, and a special Buddhist practice is performed at the family altar. When the formal family ceremony is over, the household members run to their neighbors' houses shouting Tashe Delek!—literally, "Good Fortune!" As on Christmas morning in the west, on the morning of Losar the children love to fill their pockets with sweets and show off their new outfits.
According to Khenpo Tsewang Dongyal, "Each new year is an echo of the changing cycles and Losar reminds us of the true nature of impermanence. Everything that is born is bound to die. The old year is gone and will never exist again. The new year gives us the opportunity to come together and celebrate; to notice and appreciate each moment, in the moment, and to realize the blessings of the teachings."
—excerpted from a story by Margret Dunham from the Padmasambhava Buddhist Center's website at www.padmasambhava.org .
***
How about Valentine's Day?!
This is my Valentine -- everyday of the year.
This is my Valentine -- everyday of the year.
"I love you not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me. I love you for the part of me that you bring out."
Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Happy Valentine's Day!
May you be with those you love.
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Camera Critters
It's Saturday and that means Camera Critters time!
The lovely Misty is our hostess for Critters. Be sure to visit!
Back to the Houston Zoo and giraffe feeding.
The lovely Misty is our hostess for Critters. Be sure to visit!
Back to the Houston Zoo and giraffe feeding.
I'm not too sure about feeding this guy, Dad.
He seems friendly enough.
Grandpa gets into the act.
Mom seems to like feeding the giraffes.
Let me think about this.
He looks friendly enough.
He looks friendly enough.
Let's go for it!
Joy to You!
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