108 Sun Salutations: Yoga New Year (1/1)

What is a "Sun Salutation"? It is a series of linked postures demonstrated here in 13 stages:

Led by Yoga Ambassador Stella Han, MSW

Buddhism is all about mental cultivation or bhavana, right? Who needs the body?

The fact is the wandering ascetic Siddhartha realized this human body is not "in the way." Like happiness (sukha), it is the way. At least it can be.

The first instruction toward enlightenment is? Mindfulness of the body -- breathing, postures, and so on. It's all detailed in the Satipatthana Sutra.

.

What better way to move mindfully than the ancient Vedic rishi magic of "union" (yoga) with the breath (prana, spirit) and the All (advaita, our universal interconnectedness)?

• Yoga Gives Back: Stella Han's fundraiser

Party first: New Year ceremony vegan potluck

The martial arts are martial, that is, related to war and fighting. Qigong and yoga are about peacefully moving energy in the body. Even a very fat, unhealthy, other-abled person could do yoga (e.g., Iyengar Yoga) or begin to move chi (qi, kyi, prana) for health and recovery.

Average Janes and Joes might even be to the point where the practice of saluting the sun (Surya Namaskar) is a good idea. We'll start the New Year doing just that:

• New Year's Day 2025, noon-3:00 pm
• With Yogini Stella Han, MSW
• Kinship Yoga Studios ($25)
• 5612 N. Figueroa St., Highland Park
• Los Angeles, California 90042
• (213) 585-8451
• 108 Sun Salutations Yoga Practice w/ Stella Han (Kinship Studios, Highland Park), Wed, Jan 1, 2025, 12:00 PM | Meetup
• 108 Sun Salutations Yoga Practice w/ Stella Han (Kinship Studios, Highland Park), Wed, Jan 1, 2025, 12:00 PM | Meetup
• Ananda (Dharma Buddhist Meditation), Dhr. Seven, Jen B., Wisdom Quarterly

2025 hits Buddhist Hong Kong

New Year's 2024 countdown of all time zones! Next: Kiritimati - LIVE🔴 24/7 : r/newyears

Buddhist Hong Kong is not the first place to seize the day, nor is it the first to enter the new year every year. As it turns out, that distinction goes to the giant atoll of Kiritimati ("Christmas Island") 6,075 miles east in the middle of the South Pacific.

By the way, What is time? Can we call Kiritimati and ask what the future is like? No because although it is technically the human future, all time is now and only ever is now. What will happen is open. What is is, whatever "time" we see it. The sun won't look the same to us as it did to them. The sun always looks that way; the differences are accounted for by what is occluding it, such as weather, which is local. Do the Kiritimatians know what someone will do in the future? NO, it's nothing like that. What we call a time anywhere in the world depends on a lot of things rather than time. But what is "time"? The arbitrary naming of sunlight, the phase of the moon, the seasons? All are marking, and our internal running clocks are something else. How do we know what time it is? If we mean what it says on the measure we've agreed to agree on, that's one thing, but beyond that, it is quite unreal.

KIRITIMATI sits 144 miles (232 km) north of the equator, 1,340 miles (2,160 km) south of Honolulu, and 3,330 miles (5,360 km) from San Francisco. Kiritimati is in the world's farthest forward time zone, UTC+14, and is therefore one of the first inhabited places on Earth to experience New Year's Day. (See also Caroline Atoll, Kiribati). Although it sits 1,530 mi (2,460 km) east of the 180th Meridian, the Republic of Kiribati realigned the International Date Line in 1995, placing Kiritimati to the west of the dateline. More

• See: New Year’s Eve 2024: Around the world from the first to last countries to celebrate | CNN

New Years fireworks: Hong Kong rings in 2025 | LiveNOW from FOX

(LiveNOW from FOX) Dec. 31, 2024: Happy New Year, Hong Kong! Hong Kong welcomes in 2025, with a dazzling display of fireworks over the iconic Victoria Harbor. Raw and unfiltered, watch a non-stop stream of breaking news, live events, and stories from across the nation with limited commentary and no opinion. Experience LiveNOW from FOX.

How did China get its uniquely amalgamated (Brahminical, Hindu, Mahayanist, Taoist, Confucian, shamanic) form of Buddhism? Their view of the "Dharma" came in missionary waves launched from China to the Holy Land (India/Afghanistan), in what is strangely known as the figure the Monkey King and the novel The Journey West. Chinese pilgrims traveled to the origin of the Dharma and brought it back, but they unknowingly brought back much more, already watered down and syncretized with the Old Vedic religion, Brahmanism, and various uniquely Indian forms of spirituality. Great pilgrims really did the journey and come back with many texts, sutras and Agamas. That is one reason why Mahayana Buddhism and Hinduism are so much alike.

Due to the tilt, axis, procession, and spiraling of our little but very bright sun (said in the ancient Indian cosmologies of the Old Vedic religion, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism to be the same approximate size as the moon, which follows after it), though mostly due to the politically motivated timelines of longitude, latitude, and the boundaries of countries, it is already 2025 in Buddhist Hong Kong. (Yeah, yeah, yeah, we know; our Sol is just coincidentally 400 times bigger and 400 times farther away than our Luna, right, right, quite a coinkydink we are forced to accept as irrefutable science fact no matter what mystic seers and the world religions have to say about our little world-system here). Australia's next and is already in full celebration mode in Sydney Harbor. It happens every year. They beat us to the punch. New Year’s Eve parties worldwide for an epic start to 2025

• LiveNowfromFox; AP; Global News, Dec. 31, 2024; CC Liu, Crystal Q., Seth Auberon (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Rose Parade 2020: First Latina (video)

Susanne Whatley (LAist.com 1/1/20); Crystal Quintero, CC Liu (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

The new first-ever Latina President of the Tournament of Roses Association Laura Farber launches the Rose Parade this morning, Jan. 1, 2020.

Rose Parade 2020: Meet the first Latina president of the Tournament of Roses

Pres. Laura Farber is the first Latina

Laura Farber, a native of Buenos Aires, is the newest president of the Tournament of Roses Association, which puts on the nation's most famous New Year's Day parade.

Farber is also the board chair. And as the first Latina president in the Tournament's history, she's part of a continuing effort to increase diversity at the venerable volunteer organization.

To that end, Farber named three Latinas to serve as co-grand marshals: actresses Rita Moreno and Gina Torres, and Olympic gymnast Laurie Hernandez.

Farber also asked that the B-2 pilot who flies over the 2020 festivities be a woman (wish granted: Lt. Col. Nicola Polidor).

She also chose this year's theme, "The Power of Hope (El Poder de la Esperanza)." She told us the choice was inspired by her and her husband's immigrant experiences (he's from the Dominican Republic), and fueled by a desire to see a divided country come together in the new year. 

MAKING HISTORY

The pantheon of past presidents includes just two other women (who served in 2005-06 and 2012-13). Farber is the first Latina and native Spanish-speaker to work her way up to the post. More

Lunar New Year 2019: cool things to do

LAist.com/2019/02/04/18 via SCPR.org (KPCC FM, LA's NPR.org); Editors, Wisdom Quarterly

It's time to celebrate Asian New Year (Courtesy of Wushu Shaolin Entertainment)

.

The Queen Mary throws a special party to celebrate the Chinese New Year, featuring food, music, and live performances. Celebrate the Lunar New Year -- the "Year of the Pig" -- with music, dance and vegetarian food. There are two new costume exhibitions, one focusing on movie costumes and the other on Dolly Parton's outfits. Documentaries on Anita Hill and Lorena Bobbitt screen, and the Red Bull Music Festival begins its run. More

Chinese New Year Celebration (Feb 1-24)

Temple (English) - HsiLai.org/en/events/2019LunarYear; CC Liu, Crystal Q., Wisdom Quarterly

Chinese Lunar New Year Events

Chinese New Year Shuttle Bus Schedule / Parking Location

Date	Time	Event	Venue
2/1 – 3/17	10am – 5pm	Mo Shi Chinese Painting Exhibition	Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery
2/4 – 2/24	10am – 5pm	With the Buddha - World Traditional Clothing Exhibition	Harmony Hall
2/4	7:30pm	Chinese New Year's Eve Service	Main Shrine
2/5	5:00am	Chinese New Year's Pilgrimage	Main Gate
	6:00am	Chinese New Year's Morning Chanting	Main Shrine
	10:00am	Homage to Thousand Buddhas	Main Shrine
	10:00am – 3:00pm	Veggie Food Fair	Next to the parking lot on the left hand side of the temple
	12:00pm	Cultural Performances	Courtyard
2/5 – 2/19	8am – 8pm	Peace Lantern Festival	Hsi Lai Temple
2/16 – 2/17	2/16   7:30pm 2/17   9:00am	Offering Ceremony for Buddhas and Celestial Guardians	Main Shrine
2/24	10:00am	2019 Light-Offering Inauguration Service	Main Shrine

---

Happy Chinese New Year! (Feb. 16-March 9)

The Sun (thesun.co.uk); CC Liu, Crystal Quintero, Ashley Wells (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Chinese civilization is now at least 4715 years old, when the first Chinese king ruled.

.

We celebrate for two weeks, so you have time.

Happy Chinese New Year! One of the world's most colorful and exuberant events is here and is triggering celebrations across the map.
 

Unlike Western New Year festivities, which always take place at midnight between December 31 and January 1, Chinese New Year varies each year. Here's all the information.
 

When is Chinese New Year 2018?

2018 is the "Year of the Dog"

The 2018 Chinese New Year began on Friday, Feb. 16, and celebrations will last for over two weeks.

If you fancy taking a trip [to Mars on Earth] for the festivities, read this guide to China first.

 

–– ADVERTISEMENT ––

Chinese New Year takes place on a different date each year because it is based on the lunar calendar. New Year's Day normally falls between January 21 and February 20.

Does Chinese civilization come from Ancient Egypt? Or do both come from Mars?

How is Chinese New Year celebrated?

It's not just Chinese but all of Asia.

The global celebrations are an explosion of light and sound, involving bell ringing, lighting firecrackers [to frighten away frightening spirits], and watching traditional lion dances.
 

Chinese families gather together for a reunion dinner on New Year's Eve and clean their houses to sweep away bad fortune on New Year's Day.

• [WARNING! There are many Chinese superstitions on what to do and what to avoid at this important time of year. Clean on the right day...]

Be lucky. Be superstitious. Be faux-Chinese.

Traditionally, kids would be given red envelopes stuffed with "lucky money" and positive wishes on New Year's Day.

 

Some teens now have red envelope apps, so their relatives can transfer cash digitally.

Which animal represents 2018?

Streets of Ankang, Shaanxi Province, China

2018 is the Year of the Dog. The Chinese zodiac moves in a 12-year cycle, and those born in 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, and 2018 are also known as Dogs. This could be your lucky year!
 

According to Asian astrology, our year of birth -- and the animal this represents -- determines a lot about our personality traits.
 

Dragons are good in China like Quetzalcoatl

Although each of the 12 animals gets an outing every dozen years, there are different varieties -- and 2018 will be the first Year of the Earth Dog since 1958.
 

Anyone born in an Earth Dog year will be communicative, serious, and responsible in the workplace.

Hey, baby, what's your sign? - By which zodiac? - Chinese. - I'm a Dog, and you? - Dragon.

Let's look at the Chinese zodiac for some ancient astrology for guidance from the stars. Or not.

.

Which Chinese zodiac animal am I?

Remember our sacred Buddhist traditions.

The Chinese animal zodiac or shengxiao, which means "born resembling," are arranged in a repeating cycle of 12 years.

 

The animal changes at the beginning of the Chinese New Year, and traditionally these animals were used to date the years.

 

However, Chinese New Year is a movable celebration, dictated by the lunar cycle... More

• Chinese New Year 2018 – Year of the Dog Discover the traditions and taboos, dishes, and drinks that are part of China's most important holiday, Chinese New Year or Spring Festival. 
• When is Chinese New Year in 2018? - When-Is.com Chinese New Year in 2018 is on Friday, the 16th of Feb. (2/16/18).
• Chinese New Year 2018: Year of the Dog and why to avoid... (telegraph.co.uk) With New Year comes a host of superstitions that will apparently dictate how the next 12 months will play out for each of us. 
• 2018 Chinese New Year Festival Celebration, Brown Dog Year... (chinesefortunecalendar.com)
• Chinese New Year 2018: When is it and why is it different? (express.co.uk) The Chinese New Year -- the Year of the [Brown Earth] Dog -- officially begins this year on the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month of...

Chinese New Year, Chinatown (Feb. 17, 2018)

ChinatownLA.com; CC Liu, C. Quintero, Ashley Wells, Seth Auberon (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

STREET CLOSURE 11:00 AM-4:00 PM
*Hill Street from Bernard to Temple
*Ord, Alpine, College & Bernard Streets from North Broadway to North Hill Street
*North Broadway from Bernard Street to Cesar Chavez Avenue
*Cesar Chavez Avenue from North Broadway to Main Street

1:00 PM-3:00 PM: 119th Annual Golden Dragon Parade will begin at the intersection of Hill Street and Ord Street. The Golden Dragon Parade is the oldest celebration of its kind in America. Please contact the Chinese Chamber of Commerce at (213) 617-0396 or lachinesechamber.org for details.

• Central Plaza (943 North Broadway)
• Chinese New Year’s Day – Year of the Earth Dog
• Chinatownfestivals.sg FESTIVALS 2018

“New Chinatown” Photo Booth
Original Vintage Cutouts Circa 1940

Capuchin Monkey (4:00 pm-7:00 pm)

Central Plaza Main Stage
Acrobats
East Wind Lion Dance Troupe
Shaolin Temple Demo
more to come

Craft & Vintage Market
Afternoon Par-Tea
Bad Pickle Tees
Clen Designs
East West Shop
JDN73
LA MENO
Sol De Cobre

Craft Garden
coming soon

LA Gourmet Food Trucks
India Jones
Jogasaki Sushiburrito
Fluff Ice
Kogi Truck
Lobsta Truck
The Pudding Truck
Tokyo Doggie Style
Vchos Truck
Yalla Truck

LA WEEKLY Live Music Stage
Curated by Kevin Bronson of Buzzbandla.com
3PM – Royjag
4PM – TBA
5PM – Sleep State
6PM – ZHAO
7PM – Faunavision
8PM – TBA

Pop Up Food Booth
coming soon

Roaming Performer
Magician – Minh Tran (6:00 pm- 8:00 pm)

• West Plaza (949 N Hill)

Artisan
Calligraphy by Guojian Cui
Candy Sculpture by Shinobu Ichiyanagi
Clay Sculpture by Keluo Xu
Face Painting by Tai-Ling Wong
Fruit Carving by THAIS Inc.

Arts & Craft Workshop
Calligraphy Workshop with Nori Shirasu

Culinary Stage (4pm-7pm) curated by Chef Royce Burke
Hosts: Felix Fang & Royce Burke
 

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Wonton Noodles with Chef Johnny Lee (Sidekick, Taco Monster)
Ginger Claypot with Chef Royce Burke (Secret Lasagna)
Scallion Pancakes with Chef Felix Fang
Dumplings with Chef from Szechuan Impression
Steam with Chef Royce Burke (Secret Lasagna)

**Schedule subject to change without notice** More

• Kellesimone Waits + Patricia Sannit
• Presented by the Chinatown Business Improvement District, with support from KCRW.org, LA Weekly, and Los Angeles Chinatown Corporation

New Year's Eve WISDOM

Editorial Board, Wisdom Quarterly: American Buddhist Journal 2016

Dreams of the Future Buddha, Maitreya, at Diskit Monastery in the Nubra Valley of the Himalayas, stands 110 feet tall (Atamvir Singh Multani as Foxbatone/flickr.com).

Fireworks will go off beginning in Tokyo, Australia, New Zealand, Dubai to ring in the New Year and drive out the old like God Saturn taking a baby. (Nashville TN, kfiam640.com/C2C)

.

Beauty is truth: What we do New Year's...

An Asian girlfriend once said a very striking thing: Whatever one does on New Year's Day one will be doing the whole year. Then when others said it, well, how can one doubt something that gets repeated?

Is it true? Truth is beauty, beauty is truth. Who knows? So we asked around, and we were amazed at how many Eastern cultures share a belief in this truism:

Seeing is believing (YATL)

Of course, it's self-evident, it's Ancient Chinese Wisdom (which says "It's gaay, i.e., "things not to be done, bad luck, superstitious, inauspicious").

It's the Knowledge of the Ages (like the many strictures and pieces of Old Wives Tales from the Indus Valley Civilization, Egypt, India, Greece, Sumeria, Rome, Angkor, Mesoamerica...).

It's what nearly everyone in Asia thinks and/or takes for granted. Some might go so far as to call it "common sense," more superstition or custom than controlled empirical research like we pretend forms the basis of all our beliefs.

We asked Sri Lankan monks. Ask your Italian grandmother; she probably thinks so, too.

• PHOTOS: Celebrating New Year's around the world
• Police state forces deployed in NYC on New Year's

95% of Thais are Theravada Buddhists, so why is he crying? Ben The Man explains.

The World  Buddhist Sangha Council in English and Chinese (wbsc886.org)

 

Somehow we lose sight of things in the West or argue that reality must somehow accord with our theories. The data is the data, theory the theory. It is always the job of the theory to accommodate the data, never the other way around.

Well, we massaged the data for one thing.

If we start shifting the data -- the observations, the bare facts -- we'll distort things.

And we'll end up with a beautiful, internally-consistent theory that is just too gorgeous and elegant not to cling to.

But it won't be true. There's the rub. Reality is messy, fuzzy, so much bigger than we normally imagine.

A map is just a map, an outline. It can't be very detailed or it would have to be as big as the land and area it represents, in which case it would be no use lugging it around.

The finger points at the Moon. The finger is not the Moon. The sight of the Moon is not the Moon. The Moon is the Moon. Let's remember that as we meditate the new year in this year. Party by night, but visit a Buddhist temple or quiet spot for meditation in the morning of the first day of the year, Friday.

Happy New Year's from Wisdom Quarterly!

Today in History 2015...according to the Associated Press (via mail.com)

Will fireworks be enough to scare away US dogs of war and ghosts of fear? (iheart.com)

  
Which "Buddhism" should I practice?

Wisdom Quarterly Wikipedia edit

Revered Hindu-Mahayana deity (L) and Theravada Buddha Shakyamuni (flickr.com)

 

Basic points unifying Theravāda and Mahāyāna is a very important Buddhist ecumenical statement

It was created in 1967 during the First Congress of the World Buddhist Sangha Council (WBSC).

Its founder, Secretary-General Ven. Pandita Pimbure Sorata Thera, requested that Ven. Walpola Rahula present a concise formula for the unification of all the different Buddhist traditions.

This text was then unanimously approved by the Council (Norm Phelps, 2004, The Great Compassion: Buddhism and Animal Rights, Lantern Books. p. 45).

Wiki has a great portal to learn about the Buddha-Dharma in English:
 

Wikipedia has a series on
Buddhism
History Timeline Gautama Buddha Councils Later Buddhists Dharma Concepts Four Noble Truths Five Aggregates Impermanence Suffering Non-self Dependent Origination Middle Way Emptiness Karma Rebirth Saṃsāra Cosmology Practices
Three Jewels Buddhist Paths to liberation Morality Perfections Meditation Mindfulness Wisdom Compassion Aids to Enlightenment Monasticism Laity
Nirvāṇa Four Stages Arhat Buddha Bodhisattva
Traditions Canons Theravāda Pāli Mahāyāna Hinayana Chinese Vajrayāna Tibetan Navayana
Outline Buddhism portal