Shambhala Day 2016: A Cheerful Year of the Fire Monkey

fire_monkeyTuesday, February 9 beginning at 7:30am through early afternoon (and beyond?)

SHAMBHALA DAY marks the beginning of the New Year, and represents one of the most important traditions of Shambhala Buddhism. Based on the traditional Tibetan New Year’s celebration of Losar, the day is calculated astrologically according to the Tibetan lunar calendar, and changes every year to coincide with the annual lunar cycles.

Shambhala Day is a time for us to express the wealth and richness of our spiritual and cultural heritage through feasting, conviviality, elegance and pomp. As is customary, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche addresses the worldwide Shambhala community on Shambhala Day through an onlinehook-up, which includes centers and groups from six continents and over thirty countries around the world.

This is also the time when members of the Shambhala community are encouraged to make a financial donation to Shambhala in order to help support the activities of Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche and our worldwide mandala.

Plan to make a day of it or come for as much as you can. Here’s the sequence of events:

  • 108 gongs
  • Blessings of the Four Directions
  • Long Warrior Song and Lllasang (blessing the center)
  • Oaths Ceremony
  • Director’s remarks – Time for a fresh start
  • Shambhala report and funding appeal/Ceremony of blessings
  • Shambhala Sadhana practice
  • Pot Luck brunch/social
  • International Broadcast/Sakyong’s address
  • Continuation of celebration off site (as the spirits move)

 

and Saturday, February 13, beginning at 6:00pm — Shambhala Day party with potluck food, drink and festivity