It’s the morning of the year

Today, the 1st day of the 12th month, is the Chunig-pa Losar - the traditional day of offering. I didn’t plan for it, except visiting a friend who invited me for the lunch. This morning, I wake up before the sunrise. It’s still dark and unbearably cold. Let me tell you that in Thimphu, January is the most barren time of the year. December, too.

And since January is already here, we experience that the sun comes up late and goes down early. For me, these two months are usually deep dark – albeit more eloquently, dreary. Because that the daylight is shortened and the night gets prolonged.

As I walk around, I see the trees expose their dark branches and trunks. And the bushes have withered to the ground. The valley, mountains, rivers, and the soil beneath my feet exist starkly naked, barren and dark.

The wind, outrageously chilly and freezing, blows as if God had just opened his refrigerator for us. And we all shiver like a lean prayer flag, until our bones hurt. For me, everything about the winter in Thimphu is cold, dark and long.

And this morning, as I sit in my veranda, I see the day unfurling itself towards morning, and Losar too. From the horizon in the east, the sun begins rising, illuminating gloriously, lighting the otherwise dark valley. It’s the morning. It’s the Losar, too.

As the sun shimmers all over the Thimphu valley, I’m realizing that we’re entering towards the light, daytime. It’s, of course, the morning of the year. Henceforth, the day will become longer and the night shorter. More light, less dark.

The Chunig-pa Losar says it all that we’ve just entered into the last month of the year. But the day is also meant for again celebrating the coming of the new beginning as we enter again towards light. It means that wisdoms would awaken our minds gradually – lighting our own conscience, thus, our darkness and ignorance is dissolved.

A Losar Tashi Delek to all the bloggers and my wonderful readers!