Happy Tibetan New Year!

February 16, 2023

Welcome to the Buddha Land Spiritual Guidance Monthly Newsletter!

This Month's Focus: Losar - Tibetan New Year

TIBETANS consider Losar to be an auspicious time of year to renew one’s life. Losar-related rituals fall into two different parts over 3 days:

February 19th: Tibetans say goodbye to the old year and let go of all its negative or harmful aspects. Tibetans worldwide celebrate their New Year, Losar, by cleaning their homes and making a special noodle soup called gu-thuk.

February 20th: During this time, people attend religious ceremonies and offer gifts to monks, who perform a puja to drive out evil spirits, and the celebration continues at night with fireworks and torches.

February 21st: Tibetans welcome Losar བོད་ཀྱི་ལོ་གསར། or “Tibetan New Year” with wholesome prayers and by inviting all good, auspicious things into their homes and lives. On the first day of the new year, people rise early, bath, and wear new clothes.

Though the festival ends on this day, the celebrations run on for 12 more days. 

MOST IMPORTANTLY as with all auspicious celebrations, they always begin by paying homage and making offerings to the Three Jewels: Buddha, Dharma, & Sangha.

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Losar 2023

 Celebrations: 

  • Join Tenzin Wangyal Rinpoche, resident and guest lamas, instructors and other guests for free guided meditations, rituals, prayers, music and conversations. Registration is free and gives you access to all events on Zoom.  - learn more here

  • Celebrate the Year of the Water Rabbit together with sangha around the world and this special talk by Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche. - learn more here

  • Celebrate with Venerable Thubten Chödron: "Big Love" Remembering the Kindness of Lama Yeshe - learn more here

  • Attend annual Benefit Concert organized by Tibet House US - learn more here 

Education Content:

Tibetan Buddhism Celebrations: 

Chotrul Duchen (Day of Miracles): It takes place on the 15th day of the first month in the Tibetan calendar during the full moon (Bumgyur Dawa). The first fifteen days of the year celebrate the fifteen days during which the Buddha displayed miracles for his disciples so as to increase their devotion.

Ganden Thangka Festival: Every year, thousands of people circle Ganden monastery ruins, enter inside to view the Buddha, pray, and get blessed, and then they go outside to sit on the hill or try to get close to the wall where the big and vividly woven thangka is displayed.

Sho Dun Festival: The festival is celebrated in the summer, from the 15th to the 24th of the 5th lunar month. To celebrate Sho Dun Festival, artists give the performances at Norbulingka. 

Saga Dawa Festival: In Tibet, the Saga Dawa is the “month of merits”, and occurs on the full moon of the fourth month in the Tibetan calendar, known as “Saga”. All merit during the month of Saga Dawa is multiplied.

Lhabab Duchen: Lhabab Düchen occurs on the 22nd day of the ninth lunar month according to Tibetan calendar and widely celebrated in Tibet and Bhutan. It is celebrated to observe the Buddha's descent from the Trāyastriṃśa heaven down to earth. 

Vesak:  It marks the birth, enlightenment (Nirvana) and death (Parinirvana) of the Buddha. Vesak Day is indeed the most significant holy day celebrated by Buddhists, however, the date varies around the world depending on lunar calendars. Generally, it is celebrated according to the Western Gregorian calendar and usually falls in May.

Don't Miss Out ...

🧘‍♂️To celebrate Losar, My Meditation Marathon is including a gift with every purchase - learn more here