Dear All,
.
As the New Year comes, I wish all our Sangha Members and friends the following priceless treasures for the coming New Year:
May you and your family be content in this life, at peace and embracing of all situations, whatever turns life takes. Of course, I wish you only days of health, of love, of good news and good success. But please be grateful for all of it, even for the days and aspects of life so hard to be grateful for sometimes. It is all your life. If you embrace and welcome all of life as it is, content with what the world hands you, then all days are their own treasure.
Of course, being grateful, content and embracing never requires your being passive in the face of things: I know that you will keep walking forward in the coming year, building good things, fixing what needs fixing, healing what needs healing. As you do so, cherish and keep that boundless place in one's heart where nothing is rejected, nothing pushed away, nothing need be fixed or healed, all things allowed.
Though there may be times of health and times of sickness, times of gain and times of loss, times of smiles and times of tears, times of coming and times of going ... embody through this Path the spacious field which holds all, and in this way is thoroughly free of all and simple. Such is one's True Heart, ever shining, a Buddha's Subtle Smile that includes all human days. Timeless, truly nothing comes and goes even as people, things and events of life appear to come and go.
Oh, and also never forget to laugh ... good heartedly, at the absurdity and joy of it all. Zen folks know how to have a good laugh.
So, this is what I wish you for the New Year. Remember that the calendar and clock are all lines drawn in the air, marking no real ending or beginning.
Timeless, every moment by moment is new.
.
Here is a traditional dedication of Soto Zen Buddhist monks for December 31st (source: Gyoji Kihan):
.
... and greetings for New Year's Day:
.
Gassho and To A Good Year, Jundo
stlah
.
As the New Year comes, I wish all our Sangha Members and friends the following priceless treasures for the coming New Year:
May you and your family be content in this life, at peace and embracing of all situations, whatever turns life takes. Of course, I wish you only days of health, of love, of good news and good success. But please be grateful for all of it, even for the days and aspects of life so hard to be grateful for sometimes. It is all your life. If you embrace and welcome all of life as it is, content with what the world hands you, then all days are their own treasure.
Of course, being grateful, content and embracing never requires your being passive in the face of things: I know that you will keep walking forward in the coming year, building good things, fixing what needs fixing, healing what needs healing. As you do so, cherish and keep that boundless place in one's heart where nothing is rejected, nothing pushed away, nothing need be fixed or healed, all things allowed.
Though there may be times of health and times of sickness, times of gain and times of loss, times of smiles and times of tears, times of coming and times of going ... embody through this Path the spacious field which holds all, and in this way is thoroughly free of all and simple. Such is one's True Heart, ever shining, a Buddha's Subtle Smile that includes all human days. Timeless, truly nothing comes and goes even as people, things and events of life appear to come and go.
Oh, and also never forget to laugh ... good heartedly, at the absurdity and joy of it all. Zen folks know how to have a good laugh.
So, this is what I wish you for the New Year. Remember that the calendar and clock are all lines drawn in the air, marking no real ending or beginning.
Timeless, every moment by moment is new.
.
* * *
Here is a traditional dedication of Soto Zen Buddhist monks for December 31st (source: Gyoji Kihan):
.
Transformations of the natural world have subtly progressed, and
the calendar year has come full circle. We all rejoice in the orderly
progression of the four seasons and look forward to the blessings of
New Year’s day. Bowing, we gather the great assembly; deferentially
we visit the sacrificial shrine. Chanting and upholding the glorious
names of those possessed of myriad virtues, we dedicate the merit
to the tutelary deities enshrined in all halls.
the calendar year has come full circle. We all rejoice in the orderly
progression of the four seasons and look forward to the blessings of
New Year’s day. Bowing, we gather the great assembly; deferentially
we visit the sacrificial shrine. Chanting and upholding the glorious
names of those possessed of myriad virtues, we dedicate the merit
to the tutelary deities enshrined in all halls.
... and greetings for New Year's Day:
.
New Year’s day brings good fortune. Year after year, this monastery’s
brilliance doubles, and the myriad phenomena are all renewed;
day after day, we are glad that there is peace in the land. ...
This day of renewing the year is an auspicious occasion;
we humbly express our congratulations.
brilliance doubles, and the myriad phenomena are all renewed;
day after day, we are glad that there is peace in the land. ...
This day of renewing the year is an auspicious occasion;
we humbly express our congratulations.
Gassho and To A Good Year, Jundo
stlah
Thank you Jundo and to all, Best wishes to you and yours for the new year (of the snake) 2025. May we all remember to be grateful for the small miracles and each precious moment as they arise. 
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