Little New Year and Third Quarter Moon

Kitchen God I drew a few years ago.

Today is called Little New Year - it falls one week before Chinese New Year. Little New Year is also known as the Kitchen God Festival because this is the day that the Kitchen God, Tsao-wang, and his wife, Wang Bo-jia, leave to report to heaven. A picture of these two gods, printed or drawn on rice paper, hangs in a niche just above the stove in a Chinese home.

This holiday always falls on the waning Third Quarter moon of January or February. Today's waning third quarter moon energy is yin - quiet, internal, heart-driven, intentional Being-ness. At this phase we can ease off a bit on actively pursuing goals, slow down, go within, and attend to inner work, renewal, and self-care.

Agenda today:

1. Renewal plan
2. Evaluation House

3. Monthly journal brainstorm

4. Kitchen God Good-bye Ceremony

5. Make Jiao-zi dumplings 

1. Renewal plan:

I try to renew all four dimensions of my life (body, mind, heart, and spirit), as Stephen Covey taught: I spend about an hour each day on a combination of physical, mental, and spiritual regeneration activities, plus work to improve my social skills and relationships. Today's waning half moon is my opportunity to review how I'm doing, and make note of new ideas for the month ahead.

From my Journal: I've been adding one new health habit each week, and now I am drinking more water, eating more veggies, and walking more steps every day! I'm reading some great books on organization and emotional balance, which are stretching my mind. I'd like to focus these next weeks on spiritual stillness and regeneration.

2. Evaluation House:

Today I get to reflect back on the first 3/4 of the Bitter Moon lunar cycle that I'm passing through. My theme has been Stillness. 

I reviewed the intentions I set at the new moon and drew a house with 2 rooms: 

• A room for celebration of all I have accomplished already this month.
• A room for discerning what to do with the unfinished parts (Some of these I will finish in the next couple days, some I will save for next month, and some I will release because they have become irrelevant or didn't go as planned.)

3. Monthly journal brainstorm:

At the new moon (next week) I will transition from one focus to another, and a whole new field of opportunity. This week I'll take time to write down my goals, dreams, and exciting ideas for the next 30-days. This exercise has three parts: Brainstorm goals, dreams, and exciting ideas for the next month without judgement - include at least a few crazy, improbable notions; reflect on the next month of my life, and what my best month would look like, moving me in the direction of my most important reasons for living; then take time to weigh the possibilities.

4. Kitchen God Good-bye Ceremony: 

Each Chinese New Year I put up a new portrait of the kitchen god and his wife, and they hang all year in my kitchen. 

Tsao-wang and Wang Bo-jia watch the daily life of the household and keep a written record of everything that goes on - whether the family is tidy or messy, honest or sneaky, thrifty or wasteful. It’s a little like having Santa watching all year, to see if you’ve been good or bad!

These god images are a visual reminder to me to have integrity in my home life. 

Today I will send them off to heaven to make their report, which requires a special ceremony to honor the two. 

Thoughts about this: I practice this ceremony with kids so that they will have a visceral understanding of another culture. I make it clear that it's symbolic: We are setting the intention to be the best persons we can be in this new year.

Kitchen God on his way to heaven.

My ceremony this year with my grandson:

1. We will light candles and incense near the Kitchen God’s picture. 

2. I picture in my head all the good things that have happened in our kitchen over the year - all the family dinners, tea with friends (not so much lately), toddler art, and mindful meals I have prepared.

3. Then we will take down the picture, make a fire outside, and burn it. The gods fly skyward with the smoke, and I say a silent prayer of thanks for the compassionate spirit of love acting in my life. 

After Little New Year, we leave the niche empty for seven days. During this week, the family feels free to be self-indulgent in the kitchen. We can cook many sweets and deep-fried goodies, because the Kitchen God isn’t watching!

5. Make Jiao-zi dumplings: 
These delicious dumplings are prepared ahead of time and fr to b to served to guests on New Year’s Day. They symbolize "endless treasure" because they are crescent-shaped like a kind of ancient Chinese money. When you boil them, try not to break them, or you will see your treasure floating away!

Ingredients:

• half a head of Chinese cabbage
• 6 brown mushrooms
• 1 green onion
• 1 tsp. fresh ginger root
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1-Tbsp. sesame oil
• 1/2 Tbsp. soy sauce 
• 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
• round dumpling wrappers
• soy sauce and rice vinegar for dipping sauce

1. Mince the Chinese cabbage, mushrooms, green onion, ginger root, and garlic. 

2. Combine the vegetables with the sesame oil, soy sauce, and cornstarch. Stir fry to cook until soft.

3. Place a bit of filling in the center of a round dumpling wrapper and fold over into a half-moon. Pinch and pleat the edges together with wet fingers. (Freeze now or cook.)

4. Add oil to a heavy frying pan and heat on medium high. When the pan is hot, stand some of the dumplings upright in the pan, not touching, and add a cup of water. Cover and cook for several minutes.

5. Scoop the dumplings out of the pan and cook the next batch. Serve hot with dipping sauce made of equal parts soy sauce and rice vinegar.