Tibetan New Year Celebrations: Saturday 21st February 10am to 3pm and Sunday 22nd February 8.30am to noon.
Saturday 21st February Family Day 10am to 3pm.
Come and join us for an open day to celebrate Tibetan New Year and the Year of the Fire Horse. This is an opportunity to have a look around the centre, join in some meditation sessions for both children and adults, share some lunch, enjoy some craft and learn a Tibetan cultural dance. The times may vary slightly throughout the day but below is a rough guide. If you are coming to do the prayer flag/bag printing make sure you have an old shirt to wear as the ink is permanent and messy! You may also bring an article of your own to print.
10am – Venerable Rinchen will welcome everyone and give brief overview of the Centre, Tibetan New Year and the day’s activities
10.15 – Parents and children Meditation with some walking meditation and chanting.
10.30am – Meditation for Adults – craft activity for the children while the parents meditate
11am – Story Time – Short Dharma Talk
12 noon – Shared lunch: Please bring something to share if you are staying for the whole day.
1pm – Prayer flag/bag printing. We have a limited number of small sets of prayer flags and calico bags which can be printed using our woodblocks and ink. The cost for the prayer flags and bags is $5ea. (you may also bring an article from home to print).
2pm – Learn a traditional Tibetan Dance for Losar. ” from the Khaita Joyful Dance collection, beautiful and easy to learn dance. A wonderful offering for Tibetan New Year. Dhammika, who is a student of Master Chögyal Namkhai Norbu, is training and practicing Khaita and will guide us as we learn and train together. Khaita trains us in mindful awareness as it relaxes body, mind and energy in movement of joyful harmony in space. If you are curious to know more about Khaita visit: Khaita.org
Sunday 22nd February
8.30am – Green Tara Puja – Green Tara Puja removes obstacles and increases one’s merit and helps to fulfil one’s wishes, it is a beautiful and auspicious way to celebrate and chant the New Year in.
10am – Meditation followed by Dance performace of the “Khaita Group” which will be lead by Dammika la and some of our community.
Noon: Shared lunch. Please bring something vegetarian to share afterwards