“Blessings and Good Luck on this New Year!” 

The Tibetan New Year begins on February 21, 2023, the first day of the first month of the Tibetan Calendar. It is the Tibetan Year 2150. Although both the Chinese and Tibetans use a similar astrological cycle of 5 elements and 12 animals, their calendars use different systems of counting the days, so consequently the Chinese New Year and the Tibetan New Year seldom fall on the same day. This year Tibetan Losar starts a month later than the Chinese New Year.

Tibetan families prepare for Losar some days in advance by thoroughly cleaning their homes and attending karma purification ceremonies at local temples. Debts are settled, quarrels are resolved, and new clothes are acquired.

Losar is celebrated for 15 days, with the main celebrations occurring on the first 3 days. The first day of Losar starts before sunrise with eating special foods such as khapse changkol. The day is spent paying respects at the temples and monasteries. Day 2 is usually spent visiting with friends and relatives. Day 3 is the traditional day to make smoke offerings and put up new prayer flags.

The past year, 2022, was the Year of the Water Tiger. Tigers are aggressive, ambitious, competitive and strong and its year was somewhat turbulent - marked by action and change; political unrest, catastrophes, heroic deeds, sudden and daring attacks. Fortunately, the quality of water had a tendency to temper the roar of the tiger.

This next year, 2023, is the year of the Water Rabbit. The Rabbit is the symbol of longevity, peace, prosperity, luck and creativity. Add the water element, representing sensitivity, intuition and inner peace, to this and the coming year should bring more diplomacy, compromise and hope. 

Since the Rabbit represents Longevity, this month we're featuring a wall-hanging print of "The 6 Symbols of Longevity." This painting is common on the walls of monasteries and in Tibetan homes. The painting depicts a scene of the “Eternal Stone Mountain Paradise” where the people and animals live in harmony with their environment. The 6 Longevity Symbols represent the elements needed to create a self-sustaining, balanced environment. 

The 6 Symbols of Longevity Wall Hanging

Our prints are made from 8 silk screens (one for each color). The cloth is a high quality heavy weave cotton, hemmed on all side. There's a hand carved wooden rod though the fold at the top with a rainbow colored string for hanging.

Size: 20" x 29.5" Sale Price: $16

This paradise is not some other realm. The earth provides mankind with the natural environment and resources, which human beings depend on to live and develop.It is obvious that mankind should not compromise these resources for the sake of grasping short-term benefits. If they destroy these resources, weather and geographic catastrophes will become more frequent in this land. Human beings will destroy their own natural environment and eventually wipe themselves out.

The 6 Symbols of Longevity are:

The Long-lasting Cliff, Stone Mountain, is composed of the land; the solidity and eternal.

The Long-living Man: So long as the land sustains us, human beings can survive.

The Long-living Tree: Vegetation needs to be permanently living through the lands vital force.

The Long-lasting Spring: Neither human being nor other life forms can survive without life-giving water.

Long-living Crane: Human beings should look after their friends, the birds so they may survive forever

Long-living Deer: The many kinds of fauna are our neighbors and need to be protected by humanity

The "6 Symbols of Longevity" design can inspire the peoples of the world to cherish the earth and all life on it, sustaining it in a harmonious state. Only by taking this approach, can the environment where we all live be protected. An ecologically balanced system allows a sustainable and pleasant home where the ideology of "6 Longevities" can become a reality.

The three main Deities of Long Life (Tse Lha Nam Sum) are Ushnishavijaya, Amitayus and White Tara

Ushnishavijaya means, the Victorious One with the Ushnisha. The “ushnisha”is a the cranial protuberance at the top of the Buddha’s head; the symbol of his enlightenment. She is known as Namgyalma and she is a Yidam, a manifestation of the Buddha’s enlightened mind. She is typically depicted as being white in color, seated, with eight arms holding various symbolic implements in each of her hands. Often referred to as the Mother of Buddha, she is a powerful tantric meditation deity with a famed healing mantra. Faithful recitation of the Ushnishavijaya Dharani Sutra and Mantra can heal disease, lengthen life and purify karma.

Amitayus, Eternal Life, is a form of the Primordial Buddha Amitabha, boundless Light. He is usually depicted sitting and holding in his hands a “long life vase,” containing the nectar of immortality and the leaves of the Ashoka tree, which symbolizes long life without disease. By engaging in Amitayus practice one can develop the qualities of boundless life, merit and wisdom, which are essential for spiritual development; eventually attaining the deathless state of enlightenment.

White Tara is the motherly aspect of the Goddess Tara, who manifests in 21 forms. She is depicted with 2 hands; one in the gesture of protection and the other holding the stem of an Utpala flower with three blossoms, representing the Buddhas of the past, present and future. She has 7 eyes (three on her face, one one each hand and the soles of her feet) – symbolizing her compassionate vigilance to see the suffering of the world.

Our Health & Longevity Prayer Flags have drawings of the 3 Tse Lha Nam Sum deities surrounded by the Tse Lha Nam Sum Sutra for Long Life printed in Tibetan script.

The Health and Longevity Prayer Flags are one of the 5 designs in our sets of horizontal and vertical prayer flags. They are the blue fabric flags. Separate Health and Longevity vertical pole prayer flags may be ordered individually in various lengths in both Tibetan Style (with streamers) and in Bhutanese Style (without steamers). The vertical prayer flags pictured above are (from left to right):

2BC - 2 Print Vertical, 3.5' tall, $22

4BC - 4 Print Vertical, 6' tall, $32

6BC, 6 Print Vertical, 9' tall, $38

5BB, 5 Print Bhutanese Style, 7' tall, $34

7BB, 7 Print Bhutanese Style, 10' tall, $38

Our woodblock printed horizontal mixed sets also have Health and Longevity flags (the blue flags).

The new "Naga Offering Days" calendar for the year has been posted on the website.

During the 12th month of the Tibetan Calendar (Jan. 22 - Feb. 20), the Nagas are guarding and holding their treasures. If you make offerings to them on a teb day, they will come under your command and will grant you all your wishes. If you make offerings to them on a dok day, then no matter how good your offering is, they will think it is bad and there will be no result.

During the last month of the year, the best days to make offerings to the Nagas are Jan. 31 (Guru day) and the Feb. 6. Avoid making offerings on days other than the Naga Offering Days, particularly Feb. 8.

During the 1st month of the year (Feb.21 - March 21), the Nagas listen to Dharma teachings. If we make offerings to the Nagas on the teb day during this month, there will be three benefits: increased longevity, success in spiritual practice, and increased prosperity. If you make offerings on dok days during this month, the Nagas will perceive your offering as wild animals attacking them. Make offering to the Nagas only on the listed offering days. Almost every day is a bad day to make offerings during this month. The ONLY day you can make offerings is on March 17 - the Dakini day, and it is an excellent day, so make an extra effort to do the Naga offering pujas on this day.

We've added an archive with all our previous newsletters to our website.

For the past two years, I've been writing a monthly newsletter with information about Radiant Heart Studios, prayer flags, Tibetan culture, Buddhist practice days, iconography and a some of my life's adventures. It's a bit of a challenge to come up with new things every month and I hope you get something out of it. I appreciate your feedback and questions and I'm open to any suggestions you might have. I appreciate getting photos of prayer flags on display, especially ones you got from us.

Email me at: prayerflags1@gmail.com

Thank you for taking the time to look at my newsletter,

Timothy Clark

Owner of Radiant Heart Studios