Thought For The Day – Wednesday 29th January 2025
Blessings
Above: First picture: A woman offers prayers at the Hong San Koo Tee temple in Surabaya, Indonesia, on January 29, 2025, to mark the Lunar New Year. This temple is used for three faiths: Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism.
Second picture: People pray at Wat Mangkon Buddhist temple in Bangkok, Thailand, to mark the Lunar New Year last year.
Third picture: People seeking blessings at Wat Mangkon Kamalawat Buddhist temple in Bangkok for the Lunar New Year 2025.
In our lives, we reflect on what we are grateful for, treasuring those people and moments, striving to be the best version of ourselves. The little things make the most difference.
This endeavour is not just holistically external, shown in our compassionate, good and selfless actions to, and for, others.
It is also deeply internal as we healthily, humbly and personally reflect for development, growth and improvement.
Peace without. Peace within.
Every day, if we are granted it, is a new start, a new opportunity to look after others and ourselves.
This life is wonderful but challenging. Together we encourage, learn, nurture and support.
Integral to this care is appreciating and understanding other people, and cultures.
Through such positive and respectful engagement we make connections, support one another and learn about so much about ourselves.
Lunar New Year celebrations begin today.
This is also known as the Spring Festival, Chinese New Year, or the New Year after the country it is celebrated in.
The date of the Lunar New Year, marks the first new moon in the Lunisolar calendar, which is based on the cycles of the Moon and the Earth.
The celebrations will last 15 days until a special lantern festival brings the celebrations to a close.
At this time, red envelopes with money are given for good luck. Red lanterns are displayed and there are fireworks. Homes are cleaned to eliminate bad luck. Families and communities come together. People wish one another happiness, health and prosperity.
There can be dragon parades. The dragon represents good luck, resilience and health. Performing the dragon dance during festivals and celebrations drives away evil and ushers in goodness and blessings for the community.
Food is important and symbolic. Noodles symbolise longevity, dumplings symbolise wealth and fish symbolises abundance.
The Lunar New Year Festival has been celebrated for many centuries. One legend states it began with the defeat of a beast called Nian which was driven away with red colours, bright lights and loud sounds.
Each year is named after one of the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac in a twelve year cycle, which positive characteristics associated with those born in that year.
2025 is the Year of the Snake for most cultures, with care, determination, discretion, intuition, understanding and wisdom are emphasised.