On Tibetan New Year & Ash Wednesday

Losar Tashi Delek! Today, as our Catholic sisters and brothers celebrate Ash Wednesday, our sisters and brothers in Tibetan and the Tibetan Diaspora observe Losar – the Tibetan New Year. It is an observance that has its roots in the Bön tradition.

Losar is a celebration of gratitude, which becomes especially poignant, given the suffering endured by the Tibetan people, at the hands of their Chinese oppressors. At first glance, the more primitive and animistic Bön traditions might appear to be pointless rituals and superstitions: with offerings being made to the nagas, who protect the waters of the Gangha, and activate the waters that flow from the Himalayas to all the world, incense offerings to the local spirits of the natural world, ancestral offerings and so forth. However, these are not literal beliefs, but rather viewed as metaphoric projections of human fears onto the natural world (delusions). In the ancient world, the sages used these traditions to ensure that people understood the intrinsic sacredness of both internal and external elements, without prejudice.

Yesterday, we cleaned-up the lama ladrang (hermitage of the Teacher), to prepare (mentally) for a new beginning. For us, it was an especially joyful event, because it was the combination of recognising the preparations for the Great Lent of the Catholic tradition, and the preparation for Losar. Our contemplatives observe both of these traditions in tandem, particularly since both observances are about gratitude, mindfulness, reconciliation and preparing the way for the Sacred in our lives/hearts.

Special pujas were done last night, in honour of Kuan Yin (the female aspect of Avilokitesvara), the Blessed Mother, and the Sacred Elements. Our torma offerings were made. A Eucharistic liturgy was offered, just before dawn, and we concluded with a period of universal Tibetan Reiki (motionless) and sitting zazen.

The purpose of these traditions was to bring our mindfulness and awareness to the intentions of the people around the world who are suffering, wounded, sick, dying, depressed, hungry and alone. Our spiritual practice of tonglen, in which we visualise (following the breath) taking into ourselves the suffering of others, and exhale peace, wholeness, vitality and joy. We do this for the entire forty-days of the Great Lent, as we ponder the deeper meanings of the early Christian narratives, and grow in our understanding of the parallel teachings of the Buddha and the Christ.

As we mentioned yesterday, the Catholic tradition of being marked with ash today, as a reminder of the impermanence of this physical existence, and the importance of reconciliation, are ideas that are compatible with the Bodhisattva ideal. During Lent, many people follow the tradition of “giving something up”: candy, beer, random sex, whatever… And there is the lingering carry-over of the mafioso fish-mongers, who brokered a deal with one of the popes, starting the whole “no meat on Wednesdays or Fridays” scheme… These traditions are not very useful to our spiritual practice.

I suggest that rather than giving something up, we consider “taking something on”… Make a commitment to go out of your way to do something to alleviate suffering, each day of these next forty days. Perhaps it will be spending the $5 you would have spent on cigarettes on a sandwich and beverage for a homeless person. Perhaps it will be to donate one or two hours each week at your local food bank or homeless meals program. Perhaps it will be to visit those in nursing homes, hospital cancer or AIDS wards, prisons or assisted living facilities.

Whatever it is, make a commitment to do something… anything… to alleviate the suffering of just one person each day. And I promise you… this will be the most powerful forty days in your life thusfar.

I was especially pleased yesterday, to read about the Anglican Bishop, who is a practicing Buddhist. It's nice now, to not be the only openly Buddhist successor to the Apostles! When I was consecrated as a bishop and exarch for the Old Catholic Franciscans in North America, I dreamed of a day, when I could continue the work of my mentors, in taking the Buddhist-Catholic dialogue to the next level of Dharma-in-Action (Engaged Dharma). Now it seems that things are coming together in meaningful ways that may make those efforts possible.

Last night, I was also privileged to receive an invitation to review a wonderful web service and community that I believe could be beneficial to so many of my readers' spiritual practice. The website, called bmindful (http://bmindful.com) is run by a very kind, gentle and compassionate fellow, named Lee Nutter, and well worth your visit. (I'm dharmadude on there, so stop in and say hello!)

Finally, I encourage everyone to drop by our new, incredible "Tweetworks Group" -- weekdays, from 6 PM until 8 PM EST, where we enjoy the "mash-up" of Twitter and Forums, in the Dharma room. This can be a great place to make some friends, ask some questions and have fun! Viit us at: http://tweetworks.com/groups/view/Dharma. (Help us achieve our goal of 100 members! It's free, it's useful, it's fun and it spreads the word about the Dharma!)

Finally, in solidarity with our sisters and brothers in Tibetan, and those exiled by the Chinese occupation of Tibet:

Let us quiet our minds and remember that in situations of turmoil, conflict and even violence -- even when our oppressors are sowing seeds of injustice and causing suffering -- we must love them. This sounds absurd and impossible to the ego-mind. How can we love our enemies? The only way is to still our ego-minds, and try to understand them. Where understanding goes, the Light of Compassion illuminates the way, and the moment we begin to understand why they behave as they did, they are no longer our enemies... they are no longer "them"... they are human beings, exactly like us, with fears, ambitions, attachments, suffering and pain. The Compassionate Heart of the Buddha and the Christ, which is our Heart, is their Heart too.

And so we hold our sisters and brothers in Tibet in our hearts. We continue to ACT with non-violence and compassion, demanding social justice for them and all the oppressed. And we breathe in the suffering, attachment and fear that motivates the Chinese oppressors, and release to them the breath of love, healing, understanding and compassion.

This is our path. This is our work.

Namasté!

dharmacharya gurudas sunyatananda, o.c.
The Contemplative Monks of the Eightfold Path
http://dharmadudeunplugged.com

 

 

Internationally respected, life coach and teacher, Dharmacharya Gurudas Sunyatananda (Dr. F. Gianmichael Salvato, O.C., M.Sc.) is a Buddhist and Franciscan contemplative, and author of the popular book, "The Dharma of Compassion - One Monk's Reflections on the Teachings of the Enlightened and Anointed Ones". He is best known for his on-going contributions to helping people unlock the power of their own minds -- teaching them how to apply that power to create strong, loving relationships, improve their financial situations, and live healthier, more meaningful, prosperous, health and satisfying lives.

 

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