2021 New Year's Greeting Cards

Shao Shan Temple's 

2021 New Year's Greetings 

have been sent!  

Below is the message on the back of each.

-------------------------------------

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2021

This prayer tablet is an expression of Shao Shan Temple’s deep wishes and dedication to the welfare of the community.  It is a bridge between the temple and your everyday practice

This has been placed on the temple’s altar - it has been charged with the great energy of faith and courage. 

This prayer tablet is designed to be displayed in your home to bring peace and protection for the upcoming year.

This year’s message is

UNITY-

HEALING

( HEI-YU )

May peace and blessings extend from your home to the wider world in the upcoming year.

Below are photos of the process of creating the Shao Shan Temple New Year's Greetings.  Each year a new message for the year is selected and Taihaku does the front calligraphy, then the following steps ...

Cutting the cards

Cutting the back descriptions

Gluing on the backs

Cutting the front calligraphy

Gluing on the fronts

Inking the star stamp

Stamping the stars

Gold ink for the circles

Stamping the circles

Ink drying

Finished New Year's Greetings on the altar

 

Winter Solstice Ceremony

At this time of the longest night, we gathered together virtually for a Winter Solstice Ceremony.  With chanting, darkness and candlelight, we joined together in blessing in this transitioning time of dark and light.

 

 

As we go forth, may the spark of luminous goodness burn bright within our hearts and illuminate the hearts of all beings.

Generosity - children's program

 For December's Children's Program, we explored the theme of generosity. 

We shared some of the changes of the seasons we have been noticing, such as the longer nights, colder temperatures, and animals having more scarcity of food. We remembered how normally for this month's Family Program we would make pine cone peanut butter bird feeders to hang in the Pet Cemetery at the Temple to offer some of our human abundance to our animal friends. However, as we couldn't do that in person this year, we were encouraged to bring some bit of food outdoors for the animals, whether some bird seed or a small part of a meal, as a food offering. 

We then read and acted out the story Stone Soup, a traditional Chinese tale retold by Jon J Muth. In the story three monks find a village in which the villagers have undergone many hardships, which have made them wary of going out and interacting with their neighbors (sound familiar?). The monks start making a pot of stone soup in the center of the village, and little by little the villagers come to offer what they can to enrich the soup, eventually joining together to partake in a delicious feast. While today one way we can be generous to others is by maintaining physical distance, we look forward to a day when we will all be able to gather and feast together again. 

We contemplated other ways we can be generous right now, including calling those we love, sending cards and gifts, sharing with others, and even the simple acts of breathing and being fully ourselves.

Closing group "OM"

Rohatsu Sesshin- online retreat weekend

 The Rohatsu Sesshin is a meditation retreat held annually at Shao Shan Temple the first week in December.  This is a time of concentrated practice to commemorate Shakyamuni Buddha’s enlightenment upon seeing the morning star.

This year, Rohatsu Sesshin was online and abbreviated to the weekend - December 4th - 6th, with each day focused on sitting and walking meditation.  Each afternoon included a dharma talk -- this year the series of talks was based on the Seven Factors of Awakening.

Sitting Meditation

Closing Congratulations 

Zazen seat

Dharma Talk

The Seven Factors of Awakening: 

Mindfulness, Investigation, Effort, Joy, Tranquility, Concentration, Equanimity.