Chinese New Year and New Holiday Moon

The Chinese New Year starts when the new moon appears in China, so it's one day off from the new moon here, which rose yesterday. This is the month of the Holiday Moon.

The first day of the Chinese New Year is called Yüan-tan, the "Day of Origin". This one day determines the luck for the entire year, so Chinese people are careful to use their best manners and to remain honest and peaceful.

2021 is the year of the Metal Ox. People born this year are hardworking, active, always busy, and popular among friends.

Agenda for today:

1. Practice Receptivity

2. New altar

3. List my goals and set intentions for action

4. New moon meditation and prayer

5. Eat jai for breakfast
6. Give gifts
7. Make and give hóngbāo (money packets)

1. Practice receptivity:

The new moon is the start of the lunar cycle, a time of high energy and clear thinking. Historically, the new moon is when women took time to be alone; it's a time to retreat, prepare, and set intentions. 

Today I choose Love and Receptivity as the theme for this moon cycle: I will be like the earth, accepting the seed and willing to nurture it. Receptivity requires that we be open and available, gentle, loving, and sweet; but this isn't a passive situation - it requires that we do the work to care for what we receive, and the strength to love without conditions.

Receptivity goals might have to do with improving my loving relationship with my family, or with enriching self-love, or being more openhearted, trusting, and generous. Also, I can use the image of being a fertile earth mother when I am nurturing something new in my life.

2. New altar:

It's time to discern what to put on my altar for the next 30 days or so. (For my thoughts on altars see About Altars). I generally keep it simple and choose only things that speak to me and feed me, and reveal what I believe in. I ask, what quality of Spirit do I want to invoke?

Things I'm keeping-

• pine cones - for potential growth and enlightenment
• a piece of quartz - for the purity of winter
• a beaded snake - for healing and regeneration

Things I'm adding-

• a heart for receptivity and love
• a red candle for courage, confidence, and perseverance.
• a pink candle for openness and generosity, and to remind myself that vulnerability also takes courage.

3. List my goals and set intentions for action:

I have a two-fold task today: Plan some new goals, and set some intentions for the days ahead. Though lots of writers use these terms interchangeably, I am clear about the differences:

Goals are a plan for the future that help us stay on track with who we are becoming. 

Intentions are a pledge for action in the present; they remind us of who we are now, and our deepest, most essential, most passionate reasons for living. I write my intentions in present tense, and I use this model: action + deepest reason.

After I list my top 10 goals for the next 30 days, I'm ready to set some intentions for action. This is a very time-consuming but important process. I'm going to choose a few to write today - those I might act on today - then work on a few more each day this week.

Today I intend to make time to visit each of my children, to see their faces and tell them I love them, because seeing each other fills our hearts with peace and strengthens our connection.

Today I intend to embrace ambiguity and practice equanimity, because I know in my heart that defending my idea of fairness is what causes me pain, and letting that go creates space for peace.

4. New moon meditation and prayer:

Today I will light a small white candle on my altar. I will center and give attention to each of my intentions, and picture each one accomplished. Then I'll let go of expectations, and feel myself fill with thankfulness for all I have now in my life.

May I remember the abundant blessings of my life. 
May I remember the air, the sun, the rain. 
May I remember my loving family, friends, and beloved dog.
May I remember that I have a warm house and food, books to read, and a bed to sleep in.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

5. Eat jai for breakfast:

In Buddhist tradition, no meat is eaten on this first day of the year. It’s traditional to eat a breakfast of jai, a hot vegetarian dish that is part of a Buddhist rite to give thanks for the fruits of the earth. There are many recipes for jai; you can adapt mine to suit your taste.

Ingredients:

I'm using Nappa cabbage this time, and some kale 
from our garden.
The black fungus is in the center, soaking.

• 1/4-c. black fungus (fat choy)
• 1 tsp. + 3 Tbsp. oil
• 2 eggs
• salt
• 4 large Chinese cabbage leaves
• 3 slices fresh ginger
• 1/2 onion
• 1 stalk celery
• 1 carrot
• 1/2 lb. firm tofu
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 2-oz. of cellophane noodles (mung bean threads) 

Yield: Serves 4-

1. Soak the black fungus in cold water plus 1 tsp. oil for 15 minutes or until soft.

2. Beat 2 eggs in a bowl. Season with salt, and fry in a pre-heated oiled pan. 

Cool, then cut the egg into strips. Set aside.

3. Rinse 4 large leaves of Chinese cabbage, dry, and slice into 1/4-inch shreds. Also mince the fresh ginger, chop all the other vegetables, and cube the tofu. Drain the black fungus and cut into strips with scissors.

4. Combine vegetable broth and soy sauce.

5. Preheat a wok and add 2 Tbsp. of oil. Stir-fry the ginger and cabbage for a few minutes. Remove and set aside with the egg.

6. Add 1 more Tbsp. of oil to the wok, and stir-fry the remaining vegetables, black fungus, and tofu. Add the broth mixture, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer 20 minutes, adding water as needed.

7. Meanwhile, cover the noodles with warm water and soak for about 15 minutes. When they are soft, drain them and cut into 2-inch pieces with scissors.

8. Add the noodles, cabbage, ginger, and egg strips to the wok. Bring back to a boil, cover, reduce heat, and cook until the noodles are translucent- about 5 minutes. Serve with tea.

Last year, my daughter brought apricots and truffles, and my son brought rum!

6. Give gifts:
Chinese people spend the first days of the new year making visits to friends and relatives: Parents and grandparents receive the first visits, and so on, until by the fourth day very casual friends may drop in. The fifth day is reserved for visits to people who live further away.

Visitors greet each other with kind words to help encourage a year of prosperity. The most common greeting is:

Gung hay fat choy 

(Pronounced "Goong Heyy Faat Choy")

Congratulations, may you be prosperous!

Visitors at the New Year always bring a gift. Chinese New Year presents are similar in spirit to Christmas presents, but tend more often to be food items. Visitors bring gifts such as-

• candied fruits or cakes
• Chinese tea
• flowers
• a bag of oranges or tangerines
• hóngbāo money (see below)

7. Make and give hóngbāo (money packets):
One tradition we try to maintain is gifts of hóngbāo for our kids. Most Asian stores carry these small red envelopes in an assortment of designs, or you can always make your own with red origami paper.

Remember to fill the envelopes with paper money only, and in even numbered amounts. The color red is good-luck, so money wrapped in red will surely multiply.

Supplies: Red origami paper or other thin red paper, pencil, scissors, glue stick, black pen, gold and silver metallic pens.

1. Click on the pattern to the right, and download it. Print on card stock and cut it out.

2. Trace onto red paper and cut it out again.

3. Fold on the dotted lines, and glue the flaps closed (except the top flap).

Hóngbāo envelopes made by my art class students.

I teach my students the traditional Chinese way to show respect to their elders, with a bow, which should lead in return to receiving hóngbāo. 

If it doesn’t, they can say, “Hong Bao Na Lai," which is "May I have the red envelope, please!"