Missed the Sakyong’s New Year address? Audio recordings of President Richard Reoch, Khandro Tseyang and Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche’s Shambhala Day morning addresses are now available here.

Thank god…er, you know…that it’s finally the Buddhist New Year. Last year might have been transformative, but I wouldn’t want to have to live it over again—and I know much of the US feels the same way.

Click here for an address by Chogyam Trungpa from 1982, courtesy Chronicle Project. For 1984, click here. Click here for a Unborn, Unborn, a song I grew up singing as a Shambhala child. Click here for Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche’s 2006 talk. Here’s some general info about how to approach the next 12 months.

Shambhala Day marks the beginning of the New Year, and is the most important holiday of the Shambhala Mandala. 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, and elegance. Many local Shambhala Centers plan activities throughout the week following the New Year’s Day. Each year, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche addresses the worldwide Shambhala Community through a phone hook-up with centres and groups in more than 25 countries around the world. Visit the Shambhala Day page for more information.

The year of the Ox is one in which success will escape without a sustained, mindful effort. The sort of problems that are encountered in the year of the Ox tend to be home front problems that seem to be never ending. The Ox year needs discipline and it is not the time for unruly behaviour or taking short cuts. In this year success is achieved solely through hard work.

THE YEAR OF THE OX
1/26/2009 – 2/13/2010 (Earth)
According to the Chinese Zodiac, the Year of 2009 is the Year of the Ox. The Ox, or the Buffalo sign symbolizes prosperity through fortitude and hard work. Those born under the influence of the Ox or Buffalo are fortunate to be stable and persevering. The typical Ox is a tolerant person with strong character. Not many people could equal the resolution and fearlessness that the Ox exhibits when deciding to accomplish a task. Ox people work hard without complaints at work or at home. They know that they will succeed through hard work and sustained efforts, and do not believe in get-rich-quick schemes
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.

Below is via the Boulder Shambhala Center web site. Later in the day I’ll put up photos and links to the Sakyong’s talk about the New Year. For now, here’s how we American Buddhists roll (in Boulder, as well as in centers across the US, Canada, Europe and South America):

Wednesday, February 25th – Shambhala Day

7:30 am Pre-practice Light Breakfast

8:00 am Community Practice: The Elixir of Life (known as “the Birthday Sadhana”)

9:00 am International Address and Local Events

Noon Brunches (at various homes-will be posted at BSC on Wed)

6pm Sadhana of Mahamudra: Practice & Celebration ($15 donation for feast)

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A note, via our Tibetan brothers and sisters: 

Dear Tibetan community members and friends

We want to greet you all with Tashi-Delek on the occasion of the Earth-Ox year of Tibetan Royal Year 2136. This year also coincides with the 50th anniversary of the occupation of Tibet by China. On this Tibetan New Years’ Day, our special prayers and solidarity goes out to our brothers and sisters inside Tibet who continues to suffer in the hands of Chinese government . May there be peace in Tibet and that Tibet be free once again. Long live His Holiness the Dalai Lama. 

With wishes for a happy and properous Tibetan New Year to you and your family

Much Regards

The board of Tibetan Association of Colorado

Okay, more on Shambhala Day:

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. Accordingly, Centers are encouraged to plan activities throughout the week following the New Year’s Day. As is customary, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche addresses the worldwide Shambhala community on Shambhala Day through a phone hook-up, which includes centers and groups from 5 continents and over 25 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. We ask that fundraising for Shambhala be given a spotlight at all centers and groups.

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Shambhala Day Pot-luck Brunch.
At various homes in Boulder. Locations posted at BSC on Wednesday.
Please, bring food to share!

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Shambhala Day, The Elixir of Life: A Birthday Practice

February 25, 8 am, Main Shrine Room

Written by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, this practice is extremely sweet and profound. Written so that each of us could celebrate our own birth and gain strength for the coming year, it features the famous four thoughts that turn the mind toward dharma. During the practice, we purify ourselves with saffron water, representing the purity of the Great Eastern Sun, and offer flowers, fruit, and incense to the shrine. If you would like to, please bring a small offering of flowers and fruit for the main shrine!!Shambhala Day 2009- Year of the Earth Ox
February 25 / 8:30 AM – February 25 / 2:00 PM
Price: $10 Suggested for Brunch- non-Members and Members
Shambhala Day marks the beginning of the new year of the Earth Ox and is one of the most important traditions of Shambhala Buddhism. Based on the traditional Tibetan new year’s celebration, it is a time for us to express the wealth and richness of our spiritual and cultural heritage.

The highlight of the day is the annual Shambhala Day Address by Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche, which is broadcast to every Shambhala center in the world. Please mark this event and come for all or as much as you can.

For old times’ sake, here’s Trungpa Rinpoche’s 1984 talk. Remember specifics about the year may not apply, but the general spirit was so touching I had to put this in. Again, courtesy the Chronicle Project, a site worth supporting (it’s working to preserve history and teachings of Trungpa Rinpoche in the West:

Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche: Cheerful Shambhala Day.

Students: Cheerful Shambhala Day Sir.

CTR: It is a great pleasure for me to talk to you all. Not only in this room alone, but overseas and students of Vajradhatu. I hope that we all will have good time and good year, particularly good practice. We had a very positive year, and no doubt we will have also positive year in this year.

It is particularly year for us to develop sense of humor. Particularly it is year for [us to] express non-theism, and no doubt that it is year for further cheering up. It is year of experiencing interesting gap in our lives. Some people might feel that there is a sense of loss, confusion, and some people might experience year of making decisions of our lives. But we shouldn’t be afraid of those problems.

The reality, strangely enough, has four legs and it’s hairy [laughter]. Occasionally it has two wings. Sometimes it is ornamented with two horns. Life is not all that bad. It has enormous cheerful possibilities. Wherever you are, you will find great smile. One never knows who is smiling, or for that matter, what we are smiling for. In short, please make sure that there is no frivolity, and make your decisions [in] accordance with the practice of meditation, and with sense of humor. This is year of making decisions: economic, social, education, and so forth.

As far as the Vajradhatu is concerned, we are grown up, growing further. We are learning more. We have learned from both mistakes and wisdom. It is year for us to not panic, and develop sense of humor.

I am very pleased with all the students — how much exertion they put in their practice, and effort. It will cause longevity for me, and therefore I would like to thank all of you. But let us continue, let us go on. Let us expand. Cheerful Shambhala Day to all of you with lots of love. Let us play together.

Thank all of you. Please enjoy today, and rest of the year. Don’t give up. Continue. Thank you.

© 2008 Diana J. Mukpo