Nowruz and New Budding moon (leap moon)

Nowruz is the Persian New Year, which begins each year at the time of the spring equinox in Iran, and is celebrated for two weeks. The word Nowruz means New Day in Persian. It’s an ancient Persian belief that creation of the world took place on the first day of spring.

And tonight is the new moon. (Correction: This is the second Budding Moon - a leap moon in China) The Chinese call the third new moon the Sleepy Moon, because the drowsiness of spring is in the air.

On the first three days of this moon, the Chinese in Beijing celebrate the birthday of Hsi Wang Mu with a temple festival. Hsi Wang Mu is the Grandmother Goddess of the Western Heaven, also called the Great Yin. She controls the cosmic forces of time and space, determines life and death, and controls disease and healing. She watches over the tree of the peaches of immortality.

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 and set intentions for the next phase of my year.

Agenda:

1. Retreat Day
2. Choose a month theme
3. New moon altar and meditation

4. Dye a few eggs

5. Prepare the sabzeh

6. Make Koloocheh Cookies

7. Set up a haft sin

8. Nowruz Ceremony

1. Retreat Day:

If at all possible, I schedule a day or two of retreat on the new moon, or near to it. My retreat days took place this last weekend.

2. Choose a month theme:

Today I choose a theme for the month, and begin to give attention to it. My theme this month is balance - the balance of concentration and mindfulness, action and study, social and alone time, yearning and resistance.

In feng shui, the center of the home is the area of Tai Chi, the great ultimate. The image is of the celestial ridgepole, the line that connects two sides; it's the circle around and the point between yin and yang energies.

 

The center is the place where my soul lives; it touches all other areas of my life. My life flows around the solid base of my center. Goals for balance at the center might have to do with grounded-ness, finding clarity in chaos, embracing paradox, or allowing myself to flow with life’s changes. Remind myself to look at change as an adventure not a disruption. Also, this is the place of connection to Spirit - I might seek a closer relationship with the Spirit outside myself. 

3. New moon altar and meditation:

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?

I cleared everything except:

• a dragonfly - for change, transformation, adaptability, and self-realization.

and I added:

• a golden candle - for balance in the center.
• a basket of tiny eggs - for hope, new beginnings, and completeness.

Next, I light a small white candle on my altar, center and meditate on the Great Yin - all that is dark, quiet, soft, and mysterious- and how grateful I am for this energy in my life.

4. Dye a few eggs: 

Yep, colored eggs are a traditional part of Nowruz. The favorite colors are red, green and yellow, but all colors are used. This year we used boiling water, a teaspoon of vinegar, and 20 drops of food color to dye these eggs: So much brighter than the little tablets!

5. Prepare the sabzeh: 

The sabzeh is a shallow bowl of sprouts, a symbol of new life. Lentils or wheat are traditional, but I used just wheat berries this year. I started seeds 2 weeks ago, and today we trimmed the tops and wrapped the sprouts up with a red ribbon. 

6. Make Koloocheh Cookies:

Koloocheh is a Persian cookie with a rich date and walnut filling, baked for special occasions. 

The recipe is here.

7. Set up a haft sin:

A few days before Noruz every household spreads a tablecloth on the carpet or table called the Sofreh-e Haft Sin, or Cloth of Seven Dishes.

Traditionally the cloth is white, but we use an appliqued cloth that my art class students made. We were inspired by Persian embroidered suzani.

After we spread the suzani out on the table, we have a hunt to find the symbolic items to put on the haft sin table- including seven bowls filled with seven symbolic foods, each beginning with the Persian letter sheen.

• Sharab- wine, for happiness
• Shakar- sugar, for sweetness
• Shir- milk, for nourishment
• Shireh- fruit syrup (usually grape), for vigor
• Shahd- honey, for productive teamwork
• Shirini- candy, more sweetness
• Shir berenj- rice pudding, for health

Other symbols of spring are also placed on the table; each family has its own traditions, but the common items are: 

Haft sin from 2016

• Sabzeh sprouts, for new life
• A mirror to reflect the images of creation 
• A candle for each child, to represent wisdom and happiness 
• A Holy Book or book of poetry
• Spring flowers 
• Colored eggs, for fruitfulness 
• Coins, for prosperity 
• Rose water for healing 
• Cookies for a sweet life

8. Nowruz Ceremony:

Family and friends gather to wait for the Nowruz ceremony, which traditionally happens at the exact moment of the equinox. Everyone greets each other with "Nowruz Mubarak!" - Happy New Day! 

Next the oldest person holds up a mirror and each person looks into the mirror and smiles. The mirror is for reflecting a person's past, and reminding a person to reflect on future goals and pledges. In Zoroastrian theology, the soul receives a reflection of a person's thoughts, words and deeds.