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Bring Meaning & Benefit to 2026 by Taking a Vow of Nonviolence for 1 Day, Multiple Days, or a Full Year

Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché

The auspicious day of March 3, 2026 is the first full moon of the Year of the Fire Horse and marks the traditional birth anniversary of Buddha Tönpa Shenrap as well as the birth anniversary of His Eminence Menri Pönlop Yangtön Trinley Nyima Rinpoche. This is an especially auspicious time to perform virtue and receive vows because the power of the activity is greatly multiplied. By taking a vow of nonviolence to abstain from eating meat from compassionate loving kindness during this time, unimaginable spiritual merit and benefit for both self and others is generated. One can accept this vow for a single day, multiple days, or for the entire Fire Horse year. The names of all those who take the vow and submit the form below will be offered to His Eminence Menri Pönlop Rinpoche on February 27th for the benefit of his long life and indestructible good health. Information on taking the vow and submitting the form are below.

Compassion, Virtue, and the Importance of Taking a Vow

In the Yungdrung Bön tradition, and many other wisdom traditions throughout the world, one of the foundational precepts is that of nonviolence towards other beings. Violence and harm towards others originates from the arising of one or more of the five poisons of ignorance, anger, attachment, greed, or jealousy as a thought that develops into harmful speech or harmful actions. As spiritual practitioners, our practice is to diminish the five poisons and to develop wisdom and realization. By being mindful of the actions of our body, speech, and mind, and training ourselves towards acts of virtue and compassion for others, not only does this reduce our own suffering and confusion, but it also brings greater meaning to our life and expands our view beyond that of temporary, worldly concerns and desires.

In our modern world, it is rare to need to kill animals and eat their flesh in order to survive. We now have many other choices available to us. Therefore, it is not necessary to eat food that has been the cause for animals to experience such great suffering and fear. Additionally, because of the desire to eat meat, others are engaged in the nonvirtue of breeding, keeping, and slaughtering animals which in turn creates a cause of suffering for them.

However, just being a vegetarian is not necessarily an act of virtue. When cows only eat grass it is not an act of virtue because they have not made a choice to eat as an act of compassion. It is just their nature. Similarly, many people abstain from eating meat for a variety of reasons that are not related to compassion for other beings. This is good, but it is not an act of virtue. By refraining from eating meat as a result of generating compassion and a wish that others not suffer, makes it an act of virtue. By first accepting this as a vow and then fulfilling that vow, not only is there benefit from the virtuous activity but there is also the benefit and merit of having fulfilled a sacred vow. Doing this on an auspicious day greatly multiplies the power of these virtuous acts. (For more about virtue and nonvirtue, see this previous article: https://ravencypresswood.com/2024/10/26/buddha-tonpa-shenraps-instructions-for-lay-practitioners-part-1-of-3-right-mind-right-conduct/) The benefits of saving animals from slaughter are so great that both Yungdrung Bön and Buddhism have specific rituals for this special act of compassion.

A goat that has been saved from ever being slaughtered wears the five-colored cloth of having been consecrated and empowered..

The 19th century Yungdrung Bön master Khyungtrul Jigmé Namkha Rinpoche gave the following advice to both the ordained and the laypeople of Khyunglung Gurgyam regarding eating meat:

“It is said that meat is the cause of suffering, wrongdoing, and negative rebirths. If it is possible to give it up, it is much better. Even if you have a very great desire to eat meat, do not accumulate this defilement every day. Those who eat meat are lacking in the exalted quality of compassion.” 

In the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition, it is common to take a vow of abstaining from eating any kind of animal meat as a temporary vow. These vows are often observed by laypeople during the four auspicious days each month which are the full moon, new moon, and two quarter moon days. Anyone performing a healing ritual, especially any kind of longevity practice, abstains from eating meat. After the death of a loved one, it is an especially powerful act of virtue to accept a vow of abstaining from meat for a full year and dedicating the merit of that virtue for the deceased.

The Seven Causal Means of Cultivating Compassion and the Mind of Enlightenment for the Benefit of Others

The Yungdrung Bön religious tradition gives a specific, seven-point practice to train the mind to generate compassion for others. This practice can be applied to any situation, especially when feeling kindness and compassion seem difficult.

  1. མ་ཤེས།   Ma shé: knowing the mother. We remind ourselves that at some point throughout our limitless lifetimes, every sentient being as acted as as our kind mother by offering her body for our birth, and caring for us to keep us alive and safe, even in the face of danger and hardships.
  2. དྲིན་དྲན།   Din den: being grateful. We Feel grateful for their great kindness and sacrifice.
  3. དྲིན་དུ་བཟོས།   Din du zö: repaying the kindness.  Feeling grateful, we generate the desire to repay their kindness.
  4. བྱམས་པ།   Jam pa: loving kindness. We generate loving kindness towards them a wish that they experience happiness.
  5. སྙིང་རྗེ།   Nying jé: compassion. We generate a wish that this person not experience suffering.
  6. ལྷག་བསམ།   Lak sam: a special kind of motivation, “I will do it!” We firmly decide to act in order to bring them happiness and remove their suffering.
  7. བྱང་ཆུབ་སེམས།   Jang chup sém: the mind of enlightenment. Having decided to act, we engage in acts and practices not only for our own benefit, but for the benefit of others and their release from suffering.
His Eminence Menri Pönlop Trinley Nyima Rinpoche

Take the Vow, Fulfill the Commitment, Dedicate the Merit, and Make Aspirations for the Future

It is said that it is possible to go before any image of an enlightened one, a chorten [Sanskrit: stupa], or a sacred text, prostrate with devotion, and accept a vow. Although this is considered a real vow, it is also considered unstable because there is no living witness. Because of the absence of a witness or community that is aware of the vow that has been taken, it is easier for the vow to be broken. Therefore, everyone who submits the form below with the details of their sacred vow will have their name given to H.E. Menri Pönlop Yangtön Trinley Nyima Rinpoche who will act as the sacred witness of their vow. These names will be given to him together with a monetary offering and a prayer for his long and healthy life.

The Vow and How to Formerly Accept It

The actual vow is to accept the complete abandonment of eating any kind of animal flesh from a mind of compassionate loving kindness for the avowed time period. Additionally, one aspires to refrain from all harmful actions of body, speech, and mind.

The time period for the vow can be the single, auspicious day of March 3, 2026. The time period for the day is marked from dawn of March 3rd until dawn of March 4th. Or, one can choose to take the vow for every full moon day of the Year of the Fire Horse. [Days are marked as described above and the lunar dates for these specific days are listed at the bottom of this article.] Or, one can choose to take the vow for every full moon day AND every new moon day. Or, one can choose to take the vow for all four auspicious days each month which are the full moon, the new moon, the lunar 8th day, and the lunar 22nd day. Or, one can choose to take the vow for the entire Year of the Fire Horse from the first full moon day of March 3rd until the dawn of the next lunar year on February 7, 2027.

To accept the vow, fill out the form below and submit as soon as possible. Then, on February 27th (the day the commitments will be offered to H.E. Menri Pönlop Rinpoche*) in the morning go before a sacred image, chorten, or scripture of the Yungdrung Bön and perform three prostrations with devotion. If none of these sacred supports are available, it is possible to use the image of Buddha Tönpa Shenrap at the top of this article as a sacred image. If one knows the practices of guru yoga, refuge, and generating the mind enlightenment, perform these as the foundation. If not, imagine the sky is infinitely filled with enlightened ones who spontaneously radiate the pure light of their immeasurable compassion to you, penetrating your body, speech, and mind with their blessings. Generate a wish to develop within yourself this same kind of wisdom and immeasurable compassion. As part of that practice of compassion, accept the vow of nonviolence with these words:

“Because of wanting others to not suffer and instead to experience happiness, I vow to refrain from eating meat for [state time period you have decided to keep the vow]. During this time, may I not cause any harm to others through the actions of my body, speech, or mind, and may the seeds of this virtuous activity increase and ripen into a beneficial result for all sentient beings that is unimaginable!”

In The Wish-fulfilling Jewel of Daily Practice, Shardza Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche details thirteen daily yogas to be performed as a way to integrate the activities of daily life into spiritual practice. As a support for keeping sacred vows that have been taken, he gives the following advice:

“Each day at sunrise, remember the vows you have previously taken and generate the intention to guard them so that they do not degenerate.”

*If it is not possible to perform the acceptance of the vow on this day, then it is fine to do so between February 27th and March 2nd.

My Commitment to Nonviolence

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Thank you for your response. ✨

The Time Commitment of My Vow of Nonviolence (Choose One):

Lunar Dates for Auspicious Days During the Year of the Fire Horse

  • March 3rd= FULL MOON
  • March 10th= 22nd Lunar Day
  • March 18th= NEW MOON
  • March 26th= 8th Lunar Day
  • April 1st= FULL MOON
  • April 9th= 22nd Lunar Day
  • April 17th= NEW MOON
  • April 24th= 8th Lunar Day
  • May 1st= FULL MOON
  • May 8th= 22nd Lunar Day
  • May 16th= NEW MOON
  • May 24th= 8th Lunar Day
  • May 31st= FULL MOON
  • June 7th= 22 Lunar Day
  • June 15th= NEW MOON
  • June 22nd= 8th Lunar Day
  • June 29th= FULL MOON
  • July 7th= 22nd Lunar Day
  • July 14= NEW MOON
  • July 22nd=8th Lunar Day
  • July 29th= FULL MOON
  • August 5th=22nd Lunar Day
  • August 12th= NEW MOON
  • August 20th= 8th Lunar Day
  • August 28th= FULL MOON
  • September 3rd=22 Lunar Day
  • September 11th=NEW MOON
  • September 19th=8th Lunar Day
  • September 26th= FULL MOON
  • October 3rd=22nd Lunar Day
  • October 10th = NEW MOON
  • October 18th= 8th Lunar Day
  • October 26th= FULL MOON
  • November 1st= 22 Lunar Day
  • November 9th = NEW MOON
  • November 17th= 8th Lunar Day
  • November 24th= FULL MOON
  • November30= 22nd Lunar Day
  • December 8th= NEW MOON
  • December 17= 8th Lunar Day
  • December= FULL MOON SKIPPED THIS MONTH
  • December 30th= 22nd Lunar Day
  • January 7th 2027= NEW MOON
  • January 15th= 8th Lunar Day
  • January 22= FULL MOON
  • January 28= 22nd Lunar Day
  • February 6th= NEW MOON
  • FEBRUARY 7th 2027 is LOSAR, TIBETAN NEW YEAR

Raven Cypress Wood ©All Rights Reserved. No content, in part or in whole, is allowed to be used without direct permission from the author.

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4th Anniversary of the Parinirvana of Buddha Tönpa Shenrap’s Shen Lineage Descendant, Shensé Norbu Wangyal Rinpoche

Shensé Norbu Wangyal Rinpoche

On the 3rd day of the 12th lunar month, February 3rd 2022, the living descendant of the Shen lineage of Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwo, Shensé Norbu Wangyal Rinpoche, passed into parinirvana in Lhasa, Tibet. In 2026, this date coincides with January 21st. Over 18,000 years ago, in the ancient realm of Olmo Lungrik, the founder of the Yungdrung Bön spiritual tradition, Lord Tönpa Shenrap Miwoche, was born into the human realm as a prince. He later adopted the life of a monk in order to display the path of renunciation to his followers. Prior to this however, he was married and had sons and daughters. Shensé Norbu Wangyal Rinpoche was a direct descendants of this Shen lineage. At this time, it is appropriate to make offerings, prayers of aspiration, and perform spiritual practice and acts of virtue.

Amazing!

You have the body of Gyalwa Shenrap who tamed the three thousand-fold universe.

You have the genuine, speech of the descendants of Yung Wang.

You have the perfected mind of wisdom and compassion of Lachen Drenpa.

I supplicate at the feet of Shensé Wangyal!

Raven Cypress Wood ©All Rights Reserved. No content, in part or in whole, is allowed to be used without direct permission from the author.

Did you enjoy this content? This article is made possible by generous donors who want content like this to continue to be available. Don’t want to miss a post? Scroll to the bottom and click “Follow this blog.”

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January 19th: Happy Zhang Zhung New Year!

Ceremonial dance during Zhang Zhung Losar. Photo credit: Unknown

The 1st day of the 12th lunar month is celebrated as New Year’s Day according to the custom of the ancient land of Zhang Zhung. In 2026, this date coincides with January 19th on the Western calendar.

This New Year’s Day, or Losar in the Tibetan language, was celebrated jointly by the countries of Zhang Zhung and Tibet as one of their most important festivals. Even after the fall of the Zhang Zhung empire, the country of Tibet continued to celebrate the “1st month of Spring ruled by the Gyal star” as the start of the New Year. However, during the period of the Mongol-backed Sakya rule of Tibet, use of the Zhang Zhung based calendrical system was ended and the celebration of the Tibetan New Year became known as The Royal New Year. The 1st lunar day of the 1st lunar month was changed to be one month later and began the Tibetan calendrical system. In 2026, this lunar day coincides with February 18th.

Still, Zhang Zhung New Year, also known as Bön Losar, Sonam Losar (Agricultural New Year) by farmers, or as Lambing New Year by nomads, continues to be widely celebrated throughout many areas of Dolpo, Nepal, India, Ladakh, and Tibet. This is an important celebration and preservation of an ancient culture. For those celebrating today as New Year’s Day it is the beginning of the Year of the Male Fire Horse.

Menri Monastery has issued an announcement that due to the recent parinirvana of His Eminence Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche, the New Year celebrations this year will be subdued and kept to the religious observations and without the usual entertainment.

Fumigation offering for New Year at Menri Monastery

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Menri Monastery’s Annual Rites of the Fierce, Black, Wisdom Stake: Wal Phur Nakpo

His Eminence Menri Yongdzin Yangtön Trinley Nyima Rinpoche performs the rites of Wal Phur Nakpo at Menri Monastery. Photo credit: Unknown

Each year during the 23rd-29th lunar days of the 11th lunar month, monks at Menri Monastery undergo a seven-day intensive retreat for the enlightened fierce deity and tantric yidam Wal Phur Nakpo. In 2026, these dates coincide with January 11th-17th. This deity is the black-colored manifestation of Phurba.

From the Father Tantra, there is a group of five yidams, or meditational deities, that are collectively known as the Sé Khar Chok Nga, The Five Supreme Citadels or The Five Supreme Embodiments. Collectively, these dzok ku deities are the manifestation of Buddha Tönpa Shenrap’s enlightened body, speech, mind, quality, and activity. The manifestation of enlightened activity is embodied by Walsé Chempa who is also known as Phurba. Because he is the yidam of enlightened activity, he automatically becomes the yidam deity of every Menri Trizin. (For more information about the Sé Khar Chok Nga, see previous article: https://ravencypresswood.com/2016/06/05/the-five-supreme-embodiments/)

The term phurba has most often been translated as dagger or sacred dagger. However, it is more precisely a sacred stake or peg that is used to suppress or overpower negative forces and obstacles. From a commentary regarding the meaning of the Wal Phur Nakpo practice:

“Regarding the meaning of being called Phur: because all impure karma and afflictive emotions are staked within the pure enlightened body and its complete non-conceptual wisdom, he is called Phur, The Stake.

The yidam Wal Phur Nakpo has three faces, six arms, and each hand holds a phurba. He and his consort’s body are joined below the waist and form a single phurba adorned with snakes. The top of the phurba has a four-cornered wisdom-knot. Below the knot is a crocodile with a protruding, vicious face that symbolizes the destruction of all impure karma and afflictive emotions. Below that, the enlightened body, speech, and mind of the yidam are inseparably united as the symbolic three edged, pointed blade. The three blades terminating into a single, sharp point represent the apex of completely fulfilling the four kinds of enlightened activity: peaceful enlightened activity, expansive enlightened activity, powerful enlightened activity, and wrathful enlightened activity.

A Yungdrung Bön monk performs the rites of Wal Phur Nakpo at Menri Monastery. Photo credit: Unknown

The term wal has multiple meanings. The most relevant meanings in this context are that of (1) sharp, bladed, pointed and (2) fierce, wrathful, forceful. From the same commentary as mentioned above,

“Regarding the meaning of being called Wal: externally, he is called Wal because he is the point from which arises the external, common accomplishment of piercing and incinerating every enemy and obstructer that would interfere with manifesting external activity. Internally, he is called Wal because of being the point of great wisdom and performing the uncommon and meaningful activity of incinerating and overcoming all erroneous conceptuality. Therefore, he is called Wal, The Pointed.

Both the yidam and his consort have wings. The retinue includes many assistants and messengers that are winged or actually manifest as hawks.

Trowo Druksé Chempa statue. Ligmincha International private collection. Photo credit: Raven Cypress Wood

“With a magical display of activity and movement that arises from an immovable state, you subdue misleading enemies and obstructers.

Fierce Wal Phur, you directly manifest the enlightened activity of the Wal deities.

Praise for the Wal deity whose divine appearance self-arises from the vast expanse of space in order to quickly accomplish fierce enlightened activity!”

— From The Concentrated Essence of Wal Phur translated from the Tibetan by Raven Cypress Wood

When performing the rites of Wal Phur Nakpo, the scriptures give specific instructions regarding the many items and substances that are needed, how to use them, proper measurements for making a phurba, how to establish the mandala of the yidam, the types of offerings that are needed and how to arrange them, and so forth. The image of the mandala, a representation of the sacred architecture of the spontaneously arising palace for the deity, is either made with colored sand or printed and placed on or near the shrine. Once all the materials have been prepared and properly arranged, everything is ritually purified.

On the first day of the retreat, the yidam Wal Phur Nakpo along with his consort and vast retinue are formally invited to take a seat upon the throne in the center of the mandala palace. From this moment until the conclusion of the retreat, no one is allowed to interact with the mandala or the offerings placed upon it except during the formal ritual activities during the retreat. In this way, The Phurba practitioners transforms their ordinary body, speech, and mind into the enlightened body, speech, and mind of the deity and therefore make themselves a proper vessel for the blessings and enlightened qualities of the yidam.

Representation of the Mandala palace of Wal Phur Nakpo.

Raven Cypress Wood ©All Rights Reserved. No content, in part or in whole, is allowed to be used without direct permission from the author.

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Happy New Year! Highlights of 2025 for Nine Ways and A Peek Into 2026

Happy New Year! I would like to take this opportunity to share a little bit about the work of Nine Ways in 2025 and what is on its way in 2026. First, I would like to thank all of you who donated towards the work of Nine Ways in the past year. It is these donations that make Nine Ways possible and support my ability to translate Yungdrung Bön texts and publish articles and books to support the worldwide sangha. I appreciate each and every donation and offer my heartfelt gratitude. In this time when it seems as though everything is becoming monetized, I remain committed to keeping Nine Ways free and accessible without a paywall in 2026. However, this is only possible through your support. Supporters giving once a year or monthly donations are the reason Nine Ways is still available. Thank you!

2025

In 2025, Nine Ways published 30 articles with over 55,000 views throughout 139 different countries. Many articles were subsequently translated into other languages and, with permission, published on other websites to extend the reach of Nine Ways even further.

The Nine Ways website expanded to include the Nine Ways Shop ( https://ravencypresswood.com/nine-ways-shop/ ) that offers practice support and ritual items for Yungdrung Bön practitioners in the continental U.S. Purchase of the current items supports the memorial chorten for Yangtön Lama Tashi Gyaltsen Rinpoche that will be built in his home village of Tsarka in Dolpo, Nepal. To date, Nine Ways has raised over $1,500 for the chorten. These funds have been sent to his nephew, Geshe Tenzin Yangtön, who is overseeing the planning of the chorten. With these additional funds, he is now happily planning a larger and nicer chorten than he originally thought was possible.

In September, A Blazing Mala of Wish-fulfilling Jewels: A Compilation of Daily Prayers from the Yungdrung Bön Religious Tradition was published. For more about this book, see the announcement article here: https://ravencypresswood.com/2025/09/28/now-available-a-blazing-mala-of-wish-fulfilling-jewels-a-compilation-of-daily-prayers-from-the-yungdrung-bon-religious-tradition/

Throughout the year, due to the visibility of Nine Ways, I am contacted by Yungdrung Bön practitioners around the world requesting help in arranging personal rituals or prayers, seeking clarification regarding Tibetan language or translation advice, and/or help in connecting with a community sangha or nearest Yungdrung Bön lama. Please continue to reach out. I am happy to help when I can or connect you with someone else who can help.

2026

In 2026, Nine Ways will continue to offer articles related to the Yungdrung Bön tradition free of charge. If there is a particular subject that you would like to know more about and think it might also be of interest to the wider community, feel free to email me at RCW108@Gmail.com and suggest topics for articles.

In 2026, I will be expanding my online and in-person mentorship of Yungdrung Bön practitioners seeking guidance or advice regarding their practice or in preparation for an intensive personal retreat. These can be one-time consultations or regular meetings based upon what is most needed at the time. I am also available on a more limited basis for those wanting to have in-person support or guidance for their practice or personal retreat for one or more days. Email me at RCW108@Gmail.com for more information or to set up an appointment.

In response to many requests over the past couple of years, online classes are coming! I am in the process of planning a series of one-day as well as multi-day classes and support groups. Stayed tuned for more updates.

Nine Ways will publish my book of prayers and practice guidance that are for the benefit of those recently deceased. This book is entitled Planting a Garden of Virtue for the Deceased. This book will contain prayers and rituals that are performed throughout the first three days after death and the subsequent 49 days of the intermediate state before rebirth. Among the prayers that have been translated to include in this book is The Sutra of Destroying the Doors to Negative Rebirths. This text is one commonly recited in the Yungdrung Bön Tibetan community especially if a death was the result of a sudden accident or any kind of violence. In February 2025, a dear friend of mine was shot and killed in a random act of violence. This is the prayer suggested to me by His Eminence Menri Pönlop Yangtön Trinley Nyima Rinpoche. Having recited this prayer for 49 days, I was inspired to translate and publish it for the benefit of others. This is an excerpt from The Prayers of Aspiration within The Sutra of Destroying the Doors to Negative Rebirths:

“Having stopped the continuation of the heat and cold of the hell beings, may hatred and anger transform into an expanse of loving kindness! Having stopped the continuation of the hunger and thirst of the hungry ghosts, may desire and attachment transform into an expanse of generosity! Having stopped the continuation of the stupidity and muteness of the animals, may dull-mindedness transform into an expanse of wisdom! Having stopped the continuation of the savagery of humans, may jealousy transform into an expanse of openness! Having stopped the continuation of the fighting and disputes of the demi-gods, may pride transform into an expanse of peacefulness! Having stopped the continuation of the loss and downfall of the gods, may laziness transform into an expanse of diligence! Having stopped the continuation of the delusions of the beings in the intermediate state, may they transform into buddhas of happiness!”

Title page of The Sutra of Destroying the Doors to Negative Rebirths

The Tibetan New Year, or Losar, will be on February 18th and will be The Year of the Fire Horse. The article describing the significance of the Fire Horse year and its meaning according to Tibetan astrology will be published on Nine Ways in the coming weeks.

I hope that everyone and their loved ones are all doing well and that 2026 brings you abundant happiness, indestructible health, prosperity, merit, and positive circumstances!

Raven Cypress Wood with His Holiness the 34th Menri Trizin Rinpoche

Raven Cypress Wood ©All Rights Reserved. No content, in part or in whole, is allowed to be used without direct permission from the author.

Did you enjoy this content? This article is made possible by generous donors who want content like this to continue to be available. Don’t want to miss a post? Scroll to the bottom and click “Follow this blog.”

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