Songkran 2023

This year I had the wonderful opportunity to celebrate Songkran at Wat Buddhavas in Houston, Tx. with my mother, her husband, my wife, and my daughter. Songkran is the Thai New Year although it is also celebrated throughout Southeast Asia in countries such as Cambodia, Viet Nam, and Laos. 

The term Songkran is a Sanskrit word meaning 'to move' or 'movement' and marks the solar New Year and is celebrated over a period of three days. Celebrations during this time involve making merit with visiting temples or pagodas and making offerings to the monks. Songkran is also known for its 'water festival' where people pour water over statues of the Buddha as well as over the hands of the monks and elderly. This water pouring represents purification and the washing away of bad luck. Streets are often closed and people enjoy playful water fights and sometimes also throw a white powder at each other too.

Wat Buddhavas is a beautiful Wat and has 8 monks including the Abbot. When I arrived Saturday night after driving down from Minneapolis most of the activities were concluding but there was still much going on. People were eating the various types of street food such as noodle soup, fried bananas, stick rice, and grilled meats. What was really nice was to see the level of involvement of young people. Too often I find that when immigrants come to the US their children loose so much of what their culture offers simply so they may 'fit in' here. To see otherwise here was certainly a nice reprise.

The next day, Sunday, we arrived at the temple around 9:30 AM. My mothers husband, Yutana, is a former monk and leads or emcees the various events such as Songkran. At 10:30 we all sat in the temple where we enjoyed the monks chanting and the alms-giving ceremony. It was during this event that I was walking behind the monks as they collected their offerings from the lay people in attendance. Offerings consist of rice, foods, and money which after collected are sorted and counted all in support of Wat.

From 11 - 12 PM the monks and the lay people enjoyed lunch together. It is customary that lay people cook food and offer it to the monks. What's leftover, and it's always a lot, is shared joyfully with all in attendance. At 1 PM we all gathered back in the temple to listen to a sermon about the meaning of Songkran and to receive the blessings from the monks. Lastly, at 2 PM we all walked around the temple three times in celebration of Songkran and then bathed the Buddha, monks, and elders.

Holidays, no matter the origination, are an important part of ones culture. They carry meaning and significance that are necessary to maintaining cultural identity, cultural connections, and family connections especially when one is far away from the country of origin. Festivals such as Songkran are open to the public and allow for those outside of the particular community to learn more about them. Learning about other cultures, instead of shying away from them as something 'foreign', builds understanding which sometimes seems to be in short supply.

It is when we understand one another that unity and peace are able to be cultivated and fostered.

Happy Songkran 2023 my dear friends.

 

Wishing you continued peace and wellbeing,

 

Vladimir

 

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Where to now? A Mindful Approach To A New Year.

Approaching The New Year With Mindful Intent.

With the onset of another new year here how do we know where to go? How do we mindfully set out with positivity, self-compassion, and understanding in determining what is right for our own personal growth and development.

Many people set out to make New Year's resolutions with the intent of improving themselves from last years shortcomings. 

The very essence that someone recognizes in themselves that there is an opportunity for growth is such a beautiful realization and should be celebrated. 

Some people don't have this insight while others minimize and write it off.

After many years myself of making goals and resolutions and not achieving what I had set out to do became routine until I approached these growth opportunities with mindful appreciation.

First, consider the deep meaning of the words resolution or goal.

They're both very hard, binary, cold, and unforgiving. They're words used in a business setting and not necessarily appropriate for personal growth.

Instead, I have adopted the word 'intention'. Intention is forgiving, warm, and compassionate. If I am slightly short of what I set out to do I'm allowed to say 'I did my best'.

Whereas if you didn't meet your goal or resolution, you've failed. 

That's very hard on a person and doesn't allow for life to unfold as it will. One lesson in mindfulness is to be kind to yourself.

For example, if you set out to read 10 books this year and sometime in late summer a life event happens that alters your pattern you may find out that you've read eight. 

If you've used the word goal or resolution you've failed in what you've set out to do.

If you've used the word intention you understand that something significant happened over the course of your life and you had to make a caring adjustment. You still read eight wonderful books that you might not have read at all.

Realizing right from the beginning that our very own verbiage we chose to use sets us on a positive, uplifting path or conversely along a path that is hard, cold, and unforgiving.

Secondly, allow for flexibility. No one can see the future, not even into the very next moment. Remember impermanence? 

Impermanence is knowing that all we see, feel, and is in existence will some time in the future not exist. That includes your current state and station as well.

For example, we are still experiencing the effects of COVID and all of it's variants. In 2019 we had no foresight nor understanding as to what 2020 or 2021 would bring. Yet alone what will happen in 2022.

So to gain a more compassionate understanding, here and now, I invite you to reflect on any 'goals' or 'resolutions' that were not able to be fulfilled during those years?

Do you or did you feel that you were a 'failure'? I certainly hope not. 

As challenging as it was, and still is, you were understanding and embraced a sense of openness towards what would unfold the next day.

So in walking along your path towards your own unfolding, continue to embrace this same mindful openness and compassion with your own 2022 intentions.

Happy New Year.  

I wish you peace and ease,

Vladimir

Blue Lotus Meditation and Mindfulness Center is a registered 501(c)(3) religious organization