Tuesday

Children’s Day

An Excerpt from the Shambhala Touching the Earth Collective December 2023 Newsletter

In thinking about this year’s December Newsletter only one thing came to mind…Children’s Day!

Over the past three years, The Touching the Earth Collective has been the Children’s Day presenter on Shambhala Online Sunday Gatherings. It was a short hop from our mission to seeing how we could be the hosts.

A quick review from an Introduction to Shambhala Culture shares the reasoning we felt called to hold these holidays in Shambhala Touching the Earth Collective’s  sphere of tradition and influence.

What is a Nyida Day?

“Nyida Days are seasonal holidays celebrated in the Shambhala Community. The word nyida comes from the Tibetan nyi ( from nyima, or sun) joined with da (from dawa, or “moon”). The name truly reflects the sense of these holidays, as they commemorate the changing of the seasons. As Shambhala practitioners, we are encouraged to have a connection with the earth and natural changes in our surroundings. The changing seasons remind us of the impermanence and cyclical nature of all things. We celebrate the Shambhala Nyida Days on each solstice and equinox, so there are four Nyida Days in total.”

Winter Solstice in the north, Summer Solstice in the south

Winter solstice in the north is celebrated as Children’s Day in December. This holiday celebrates the children of Shambhala, but is also a seasonal celebration for the whole community. In the southern hemisphere it is the longest day of the year and marks the summer solstice. In the north, this holiday is often marked with a candlelight gathering, acknowledging that we are entering the dark days of winter. Children offer gifts for other children who are in need. We sing songs, dress in our finest, and usually have a visit from the Children’s Day King and Queen! All Shambhalians are heartily encouraged to attend this celebration of our children, our culture, and our future. In the southern hemisphere the warmth and long hours of daylight make it a perfect time to be outside. The theme of light could be incorporated with lanterns, sparklers, and other festive outdoor light elements that children and the whole community could enjoy.

Beyond the difference of long and short days of sunlight, globally we are feeling the darkness of wars, hostility, greed, destruction and acts of inhumanity. It is this darkness that drew us here at Touching the Earth, to celebrate the children…and dedicate this newsletter to the light and warmth of Children’s Day.

Please celebrate with us, online December 17th, as we join together to share our wisdom and happiness of children, with music and collective poetry creation, your offerings, smiling faces, and bringing peace to the world.

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To read the full December 2023 Shambhala Touching the Earth Collective Newsletter click here.