The Dragon Boat Festival

The Dragon Boat Festival is an ancient Chinese celebration that always falls on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar. It’s the third largest festival in the Chinese calendar, and it’s considered to be the start of summer. On this day everyone watches the spectacular dragon boat races, paddlers moving their oars in one fluid motion while the drummer thumps out a steady rhythm. The races might have begun as a symbolic way to encourage the dragons to fight in heaven and bring rain, so farmers would have good crops.

Today, the races are held everywhere from Rome to Seattle, and if you are near enough to see them- how wonderful!

The Chinese call this the Duan Wu Jie (pronounced Dwan woo-oo Jee-eh) or Highest Meridian Festival. A meridian is a high point, as in the sun at the solstice. The Chinese celebrate the solstice today, according to a lunar calendar, so it varies every year. Traditionally this day is dangerous and unhealthy because it’s so strongly yang, and that puts the forces of ying and yang out of balance.

Agenda Today:
1. A Chinese chant:
The Chinese word for sun is tai-yang, which means “great yang”. Winter is a time of yin energy (shadows), and summer is a time of yang energy (sun).

Some Chinese people greet the sunrise with this chant:

Tai-yang, tai-yang!               (tie-yawng) = sun (“great yang”)
Chu yin,                                 (chew in) = Go away shadows
xian yang.                              (shin yawng) = Now is (the time for) sun

2. Egg-balancing:
It is said that if you can balance a raw egg on its end at exactly noon today, the rest of the year will be lucky.

3. Make a xiangbao:
The Chinese have many customs to protect against the excessive yang energy generated by the sun and moist heat at this time of year. My favorite is the xiangbao (pronounced shang-bow). Mothers tie these pretty sachets around the necks of children, to keep illness and bad spirits away. Xiangbao are usually silk, and they come in any imaginable shape and size, from a simple pouch, butterflies, hearts, animals- and they often have an embroidered design and a long red tassel. 

I made a butterfly xiangbao last year that I’m quite happy with, and my friend Georgia made a snail.

Supplies: paper, pencil, scissors, silk scraps, fabric pencil, embroidery floss, needle, hoop, iron-on interfacing, potpourri, cord

1- Draw a pattern for the shape of your sachet. What could be a symbol of summer luck? a sun, butterfly, cat... It can be quite small: Mine is 3-inches across. 

Also draw the embroidery design you want to decorate the shape with.

2- Iron a piece of silk. Cut out the paper pattern, and trace your shape and design onto the silk with a fabric pencil. Put silk into a hoop. 

Georgia made a snail.

3- Decorate your sachet with embroidery stitches. (See pictures of Chinese embroidery to get an idea of the kinds of stitches to use.)

4- Cut well around the outside of your silk shape, and cut a piece of interfacing a little smaller (so it doesn't stick to your iron).

Iron the two together according to the interfacing directions. 

5- Repeat for the back side. 

6- Cut the two shapes out. 

7- Whip stitch the two pieces together, leaving a small hole at the top.

8- Fill with potpourri. 

9- Insert the ends of a long loop of cord, and close the hole.

4. Make zongzi (dumplings):

Originally zongzi (pronounced zong-za) might have been an offering to the dragons who brought the summer rain. Now everyone eats at least one zongzi rice dumpling to bring good luck. 

Zongzi are filled with many different things- I used sweet red bean paste. 

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 c. sticky (glutinous) rice
• 6 large bamboo leaves (sold in Asian food stores)
• 1 c. sweet red bean paste
• 6 pieces of string

Yield: Makes 6 dumplings-

1. Put bamboo leaves in a large flat pan and cover with boiling water. Simmer for 30 minutes, then turn off the heat and soak another 30 minutes. 

2. Meanwhile, rinse the sticky rice and soak in cold water for 1 hour. After 1 hour, rinse the rice again and drain. 

3. Drain the bamboo leaves. Twist one leaf into a cone, with a little tuck in the back.



4. Hold the cone in one hand and scoop in 2 spoonfuls of rice. 


5. Make an indentation for a spoonful of red bean paste. Cover with more rice. 

6. Fold the top of the leaves over, squeeze gently into a triangular packet, and tie tightly together with a piece of string (this is tricky and takes some practice, but the dumplings hold together amazingy well no matter how badly you tie them.)

7. Repeat for the other dumplings. Boil in a pot of water for 25 minutes.

8. Cut the strings, open, and serve.


5. Throw zongzi in the water:
Another tradition (that seems to tie things together in my mind) is to throw zongzi into the river, as an offering to the Dragon King, the divine ruler of the ocean. The Dragon King lives in an underwater crystal palace, and can manipulate the weather and bring rainfall.


I will take one zongzi to the creek to offer the Dragon King (and probably the ducks as well).

Ramadan

Tonight is the start of Ramadan, an Islamic holiday that marks the discovery of the Qur’an by the Prophet Muhammad. The Islamic calendar is totally lunar, so Ramadan begins a few weeks earlier each year, at the sighting of the thin crescent moon, hopefully at sundown tonight.

Ramadan is a month of blessing, marked by prayer, fasting, and charity. By night, Muslims read the Qur'an, and celebrate the compassion of God with special prayers. By day, they give liberally to charities, and observe the discipline of fasting: They eat an early morning meal before the sun rises, then eat and drink nothing until after sundown. The Ramadan fast includes abstinence from falsehood and anger in words and deeds. It helps Muslims to develop self-discipline, a strong spirit, generosity, and empathy. 

Even though I don't partake in a fast, I observe Ramadan in this same spirit- renewing my relationship with God, exercising self-discipline and generosity, and building empathy for Muslims as they observe their month-long fast. 

Agenda:

1. Celestial Awareness: 
Ramadan lasts from this crescent moon to the next crescent moon. It's not a seasonal holiday because it falls at a different season every year; I think of it as a celestial holiday, and make an effort during this month to have a heightened awareness of the movement of the moon, and each day's sunrise and sunset. (I subscribe to a calendar ap that lists this information for me on my computer calendar.)

It takes special effort to pay attention to heavenly events. Muslims have the motivation of the fast, in which I am not partaking. I'm going to need to find creative ways to remind myself to be mindful.

2. Sunset Prayer for Peace:

This year I plan to observe a sunset prayer time during Ramadan- a prayer for peace. 

Muslims sometimes use a string of beads to count while they say their prayers. I have a string of 33 beads I will use as I chant PEACE (Peace is one of the 99 names of God mentioned in the Qur'an.) 

My plan:

• Go outside at sunset each night.
• Hold the beads in one hand and center myself a moment.
• Touch each bead around the strand, repeating the words Ya-salaam (Oh, Peace). 
• Muslims traditionally chant the names of God 99 times- three times around my strand; I will aim for that as an ideal.
• Use words for peace from different languages throughout the month.

3. Peace Postcard Project:

To continue my peace theme, and help me practice generosity, I decided to draw a postcard with Islamic-style design to give away during Ramadan.

I started by printing a stamp I made several years ago for peace flags- it says "Salaam" (Peace) in Arabic.



Islamic decoration has three main elements: Arabic calligraphy, geometric designs, and islimi, which are biomorphic floral patterns and arabesques. I found one good tutorial here for geometric art, and also checked out a Dover book of "Traditional Turkish Designs" from the library.

I made a rectangle on the computer to frame the stamp, then free-drew my favorite plant shapes from the Dover book to make a border around the stamp.

I made a copy of my rough draft, and traced it to get a duplicate for the other two sides, then redrew the whole design carefully and inked it.

The next step will be to color it, and make copies on nice paper to give away.

4. Enjoy Iftar tomorrow night: 

The Ramadan fast is broken at sunset with a meal called iftar. I plan to eat a simple Turkish-style iftar meal with Ezogelin (EZ-oh gel-EEN) soup, flat bread, goat cheese, black olives, tomatoes, cucumbers, and dates. The soup is very tasty and filling.









Ingredients:

• 1 onion
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 4 c. chicken or beef stock
• 3/4 c. red lentils
• 1/4 c. bulgar
• 1/4 c. rice
• salt
• 1 tsp. paprika
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1 Tbsp. dry or fresh mint
• pepper

Garnish:

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 tsp. mint
• lemon wedges
• red pepper flakes

Yield: 4-6 servings-

1- Chop the onion and saute with olive oil for about 4 minutes, then add the flour and stir until bubbly, but not browned.

2- Mix the tomato paste with 2 Tbsp. water, add to the flour, and stir until well combined. 

3- Next, slowly add the broth while stirring constantly. Continue stirring the mixture over high heat until it comes to a boil.

4- Wash the red lentils, rice and bulgar together in a strainer until the water runs clear. Add them to the boiling soup. Add salt and spices, then reduce the heat and cover the pan. Simmer slowly until grains are very soft and the lentils fall apart- about 20 minutes.

5- For the garnish, melt butter in a small pan until just bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in the mint. Pour it into the soup, stir and serve with lemon wedges and red pepper flakes.

New Dragon Moon

Tonight is the new moon; The Chinese call the fifth new moon the Dragon Moon. 

Chinese dragons are a symbol of cosmic Chi, good fortune, and new beginnings, but the time around the Dragon Moon is strongly yang, with bright sunlight and moist heat. The Chinese consider this to be a dangerous and unhealthy season.  

The new moon is my monthly time for “seeding” intentions. I write down what I hope to focus on in the next 30 days or so, and then give my ideas a period of gestation, like seeds in the soil, before I take action. Having this regular time each month to focus my goals has helped to give me clarity of purpose.

Agenda for today:

1. Journal:

What are my next steps in life?

How am I manifesting yin and yang now?
What might give my life more balance?

List my intentions for the month of June in these areas-

Self, Friends and Family, Teaching, Artwork, Writing, Home and Garden, Work/Business, and Volunteer work.

2. New Moon Meditation:

Light a small white candle. Center, and feel myself fill with thankfulness for all I have now in my life.

3. Plan:

As the moon waxes, I expand-- plant seeds, make connections, and begin new projects. Today I will plan my first small steps.

4. Slow Down:

I feel strong and effective when I harness my yang energy to get stuff done, but I like to remember that yang's main goal is to protect yin, and yin's function is to nurture yang. They work together when they are balanced. 

The Chinese have many customs to help to protect against the excessive yang energy of this season. I want to make an effort now to find ways to bring restorative yin energy to my life: Slow down, rest well, drink more water, and practice ‘discipline of purpose’.

Full Strawberry Moon and Wesak

Tonight is the full moon, my monthly time for action and release: I look again at the “seeds of intention” I planted 2 weeks ago at the new moon and decide on my next steps to take, I take those steps, then I release my expectations in order to clear space for new ideas and new intentions.

This full moon is called the Strawberry Moon. Sweet, ripe strawberries are a gift from Mother Earth that remind me of the springtime renewal of life, and the creative power I have to make my dreams real and visible. June is a highly yang time of movement and strength, the season of completion, abundance and fulfillment: The maiden grows into a woman. I have hope that I will reach the full flowering of my self, begin to enjoy the fruits of my visions, and relax in the richness of success.

My Wesak lantern on our back porch.

Today is also Wesak (pronounced way-sak), celebrated usually on the May full moon, but sometimes (like this year) on the June full moon. This is the day that Buddhists honor the birth of Gautama Buddha  in 623 BCE, in Lumbini, Nepal, and also honor his enlightenment and death. Buddhists all over the world celebrate this day to remember the Buddha's virtues, and express their gratitude and appreciation for his teachings. They celebrate by finding ways to be more Buddha-like: By practicing meditation, visiting monasteries and listening to sermons from venerable monks and nuns, serving free vegetarian meals to poor people, making donations to charities, and distributing gifts. 

Agenda for today:

1. Altar:

It's time to discern what to put on my altar for June. (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? 
Today I add- 

• a dragon, for strength and good luck.
• a sun, for clarity and yang energy.
• a picture of the Buddha.

Each month at the full moon I put a motto or quote on my altar, to ponder. This month:

I also add new candles, in colors that symbolize what I want to focus on. June’s color is the yellow of the sun and its element is fire, which purifies and gives life. I add-

• a yellow candle, for clear thinking, success, and confidence.
• a green candle for strength and vitality.

2. Journal:

June is a month for fine-tuning, and for decisive action. I climb energetically to the top of a hill, survey the landscape, and put myself in context; I evaluate my progress, see what I’ve accomplished so far this year, and make adjustments in my goals.

Review the intentions I set 2 weeks ago, at the new moon. Review also the goals I set at the beginning of the year.

Do these aims all still seem vital? What are my next steps? How can I best bring some of my goals to completion?

Write about problems, disappointments, and changes I've encountered lately. 
How well have I risen to the challenges I face? 

3. Practice at my theme:

My theme this month is strength- Just as I need my home to be in good repair to weather a storm, I need to be strong myself. When I am strong, I thrive on moving forward without the baggage of fears and grudges. My intentions:

• Continue the discipline of healthy diet and exercise I have begun.
• Review my Life Mission.
• Work in my garden a little bit everyday.
• Save money for summer.
• Celebrate and make food and crafts with friends.

4. Take Action:

The full moon is a time to celebrate life, stay up late, see friends, exercise harder, and be more creative and outgoing. The crazy full moon energy builds and builds; it’s best to acknowledge it so it doesn’t throw me off balance. This surge of energy allows me to take action on intentions I set two weeks ago.

June has a different pace- less scheduled though more active. My aim this month is to stand still and calm in the center while I am hiking, cleaning, writing, socializing, teaching, digging, swimming, traveling and painting.

5. Make a lantern for Wesak:

Many Buddhists in Asia decorate for Wesak with flags and elaborate lanterns. I made a tissue paper lantern called an atapattama. They are usually made out of thin pieces of bamboo, but I found a good video demonstration on YouTube showing a simple wire technique. 

(For a view of last year's lantern look here.)

Supplies:

• 2 nails and a hammer
• piece of scrap wood
• ruler
• C-clamp
• 16 gauge wire
• wire cutter
• masking tape
• thin wire
• votive candle
• awl
• tissue paper
• scissors
• white glue

1. To make the frame of the lantern you will need six squares of wire. The easiest way to bend the wire into consistent squares is to use nails: Pound two nails into the scrap wood about 6-inches apart and clamp the wood to a table.

Wire squares ready to build a lantern.

2. Bend the wire around the nails, leaving a short 1-inch piece at the start. As you bend each corner, straighten the sides as best you can, and make the corners close to 90º-angles. 

Overlap the fourth side with the short first piece, and cut the wire. Tape the overlapping pieces with a bit of masking tape. Repeat for five more squares.


3. Lay one square down for the base of the lantern. Attach four other squares to the base- corner to corner- with masking tape, to make a checkerboard pattern.

4. Now join the other squares where the arrows indicate, to create triangles between every square. Add the sixth square to the top to complete the shape of the lantern- this cool shape is called a cuboctahedron.

Cuboctahedron with votive suspended in the center.

5. I decided to suspend my votive candle in the middle of the lantern for safety-

To do this, take the candle out of its little metal holder, and punch four holes around the sides of the holder with an awl.

Thread long pieces of thin wire through the holes and attach the ends of the wires to the four center cross points of the lantern. Replace the candle.





6. Now all you have to do is cover the sides with tissue. I left the top and bottom open-

Cut four squares and eight triangles of tissue, a little bigger than the shapes you need to cover. Brush slightly runny white glue along the edges of the paper and stick it onto the wire.

Add a string at the top for hanging.





6. Cook Hath Maaluwa (Seven Vegetables Curry):

Buddhists all over the world refrain from eating meat on this day, and serve vegetarian meals to poor people. 

Here’s a tasty vegetarian curry from Sri Lanka. You can use any seven vegetables that are in season in your area. The recipe calls for coconut milk, but I left it out because of an allergy.

Ingredients:

• 1/2-c. raw cashews 
• 1 potato 
• 1 small sweet potato 
• 1 small onion 
• fresh ginger 
• 2 cloves garlic 
• 1 tsp. crushed curry leaves 
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, turmeric, curry powder, chili powder, black pepper, and salt to taste 
• 1 carrot 
• 1/2 small eggplant 
• fresh green beans 
• 1 can chickpeas
• coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp. oil 
• 1/2 tsp. each cumin, fenugreek, and mustard seeds 

Serves 4-

1- Put the cashews in a large pot, add 2 c. boiling water, and let them soak.

2- Peel and cube the potato and sweet potato. Add to the pot and begin to simmer.

3- Chop the onion and mince the ginger and garlic. Reserve half, and add the rest to the pot, along with crushed curry leaves and powdered spices. Cook on low heat until potatoes are half cooked, about 10 minutes.







4- Peel and chop the carrot, eggplant, and beans and add to the pot. Cook another 10 minutes. Drain, rinse, and add the chickpeas. Add coconut milk, or water if needed, to just cover the vegetables.

Cook until the curry boils and thickens.

5- Meanwhile, heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a small frying pan, and add cumin, fenugreek, and mustard seeds. 

When they start to splutter add the reserved onion, garlic, and ginger. Brown them a bit and add to the curry. Serve hot with naan or rice.