New beginnings
It is Tibetan New Year also known as Losar in Tibet and the nunnery is busy preparing foods, rituals, and ceremonies. We are also busy tidying up the nunnery to welcome in the New Year for a fresh start. Losar is one of the most important holidays in Tibet, it is known as a time of transition for purification and the renewal of the spirits. Losar usually falls on a February, which is when the first new moon is established. Losar is an opportunity to reverse any positive or negative actions done in the last twelve months and to provide prosperity for the coming year through the performance of rituals. Losar is a time of transition that marks the closing of the past year and opening of a new year. Dispelling evils and purification allows a promising future and a feeling of renewal.
The nunnery invites the community to offers prayers. On the nunneries rooftop smoke of juniper, Artemisia, and other herbs are used for purification as offerings to the Buddhist deities. At this time Lhasa, which is the capital of Tibet, is filled with people celebrating Losar. Many are gathered to listen to the lama speak and to watch dances performed by monks. A very common ceremony performed at the monasteries for monks are when they spin on the soles of their boots, clashing cymbals, droning horns to rid of any negativity from the year before and making way for the new year. The closing ceremony includes the burning of a harmful effigy, which represents the bondage to the past. Often the heretics, which is said to be the enemy of the Buddha, are depicted as the effigy and heavy tied to the New Year rituals and are pictured as the evil forces. Doing this protects Buddhism in Tibet and frees us for the days ahead. On the last day of Losar many Tibetans will travel to the Bumpari Mountain to hoist prayer flags and offer the spirits of the land and sky fragrant herbs. It is believed that actions performed during Losar will affect the coming year such that Losar is a very important time for all in Tibet.
A tradition done during Losar for the nuns at the nunnery involves a Lama who will take us to a scared cave where we will mediate until the full moon. During the time of the full moon it is believed that any spiritual practice done then will be magnified. We will take advantage of this time by doing our mediation practice at this time, which will be intensified and further help, all sentient beings. During Losar the nuns at the nunnery have been commissioned by many Tibetan families to chant many sacred texts in hopes to bring forth propriety and well being to them during the up coming year. In addition to helping those families we will be chanting for all sentient beings at this time. We will chant from 10 am to 10 pm reading ancient text from the Buddhist invocations collection. Another important theme of Losar is to reignite the Buddhist ideals of wisdom, compassion and loving kindness. We will also vow to strive for enlightenment for the benefit and happiness of all sentiment beings. For the lama Losar is the time to present the five perfections: place, teacher, retinue, time and teaching. The teachings of the five perfections are especially important for liberation when examined during the New Year. Potala palace is the perfect place, which is the Dalai Lama’s stupa. The Dalai Lama himself is the perfect teacher. Gushri Khan is said to be the perfect retinue also known as the drama king and was known to be embody true happiness. The perfect time is now and the perfect teachings are the public teachings, ceremonies and the collected written words of the Dalai Lama and Sangye Gyatso.
For nuns and monks at this time our practice is intensified during Losar for all sentient beings. For example many monks nuns and lamas dedicate this time to recite prayers and sutras, perform rituals in hopes that the up coming year will be filled with happiness and prosperity.
At the nunnery’s kitchen many dishes are being prepared for Losar. One of the most common dishes for Tibetan New Year is momos. Momos are juicy dumplings that are shaped like half moons or plump round pursues. Momos are a special treat that is served during Losar because wheat in Tibet is very rare. Momos are most commonly made with beef, yak meat or chicken but at the nunnery we are making vegetarian momos. Even though vegetarianism is most preferred and taught by the Buddha meat has helped Tibetans survive through the cold conditions by eating a diet high in protein and fat. Many Buddhist Tibetans are reluctant to kill but when it is necessary larger animals are preferred because they feed more people and the life of a smaller being is equal to a larger being. At the nunnery we always choose vegetarian options. Personally, I will always choose vegetarian options because I myself am not able to kill an animal and I believe that I should not allow others to kill for me. However, there is more justification to kill when it is for survival purposes but whenever it is possible I believe that the Buddha would want Buddhist to choose vegetarianism.
The ingredients in the momos we are preparing are: onions, fresh ginger, cloves of garlic, cilantro, cabbage, tofu, dark brown mushrooms, soy sauce and vegetable bouillon. We chop all of these ingredients into very small pieces to fill into rolled dough that’s been cut into smaller circles. These are then and filled with a tablespoon of ingredients then shaped into half moon momos or round momos. Then they are ready to be steamed and enjoyed with Tibetan hot sauce. We will make many to offer to the villagers that come to visit the nunnery during this time.
The nunnery is perfumed with delicious foods and incents at this time. Everyone is mindfully preparing for the New Year. The past year has been difficult for the village and nunnery and everyone’s putting their energy for purification and looking forward to a better year to come.
