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Feb. 18, 2026: Significance of the Year of the Male Fire Horse Collectively and for Individuals

February 18, 2026 begins the Tibetan lunar year of the Male Fire Horse.  In general according to Tibetan astrology, it is believed that this will be a year where the common people will be happier, have more influence over their own lives, and will act more from a motivation of virtue. Although there is a risk of drought because of less rainfall, there will be less illness and hunger overall. For those individuals born during this Year of the Fire Horse, their vitality will be governed by the element of FIRE, their physical health will be governed by the element of WATER, their charisma or personal power will be governed by the element of FIRE, their lungta, or element of good luck, will be governed by the element of METAL or SPACE, and their soul will be governed by the element of WOOD or WIND. Everyone has these same five natal energies governed by one of the five elements. Each year, these natal energies are in relation to the elemental energies of that specific year. There are five different possible kinds of relationships between the elements that are symbolically described as mother, son, friend, neutral, or enemy. The calculation of these relationships determines an overall potential for how the energetic forces of the year might be experienced by the individual.

For anyone born during a previous year of the Horse who thus has the natal sign of Horse, this year, as well as other Horse years, is considered a time of vulnerability to obstacles. This same astrological principle applies for each of the other eleven animal signs. Therefore, it is recommended to make an effort to engage more with virtuous activities of body, speech, and mind and to engage less with non-virtuous activities as a method to avert obstacles. According to the words of Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché, the practice of developing sincere unbiased and unlimited compassion is the greatest of all protections. Additionally, each year specific prayers and rituals are suggested in accordance with specific obstacles that have a potential to arise.

Natal Animal Signs and Recommendations to Avert Obstacles

During the year of the Fire Horse of 2026, the following natal signs have varying possibilities for obstacles during the year. They are listed below from most likely to least likely. In order to avert obstacles and challenges, the astrological text gives corresponding recommendations. Often it is recommended to avoid certain activities or environments, and to engage in activities that avert the risk and/or strengthen qualities that might be challenged or weakened. These prayers and rituals can be performed by the individual practitioner or they can be sponsored to be performed by another qualified practitioner such as by monks or nuns. For this reason, the names of the specific prayers and rituals in Tibetan are included below to make it easier for Western practitioners to make these requests. Anyone needing help in making arrangements with the nuns at Radna Menling can contact Raven Cypress Wood at RCW@Gmail.com. It is also possible to sponsor prayers and rituals with monks at either Menri Monastery or Triten Norbutse. H.E. Menri Pönlop Rinpoche’s center in the United States, Khyungdzong Wödsel Ling is assisting with this in collaboration with the monks at Menri Monastery.

What Natal Tibetan Astrological Animal Sign are You?

Because the date of the Tibetan New Year is calculated according to a lunar calendar, the date changes each year. Additionally, this date is vastly different from the Western New Year that is based upon a solar calendar. Therefore, one must know the date of Losar during the birth year in order to ascertain the natal sign. For the aid of the reader, Nine Ways is providing a link to a Tibetan Calendar Converter. Simply type the birth year into the search box at the top and click “Make Calendar.” This will render a Tibetan lunar calendar for that year. If you were born before the beginning date of the rendered calendar, type in the previous year and scroll to the bottom. This is applicable especially to those born in January and February. Calendar link: https://www.lotsawahouse.org/Static/tools/phugpa.html

For those natal animal signs that are under the influence of adverse indications for the Year of the Fire Horse, the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition is rich in methods to reverse, neutralize, or balance these conditions and to strengthen positive conditions. Some natal signs are given multiple suggestions to avert obstacles, but it is not necessary to complete each activity. These suggested prayers and rituals can be performed by the practitioner, another qualified practitioner or lama, or by a renunciate group of monks or nuns.

For those with the natal sign of Horse born after the Tibetan New Year of 1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, or 2014, it is important to avoid sick people and also to not to begin new construction on homes or other construction projects that are for personal use. However, if it must be done or if one has to be near those who are ill, it is important to perform prayers and rituals to avert obstacles. Performing a longevity practice, receiving a longevity empowerment, or reciting a longevity mantra is strongly recommended in order to support the lifespan and the vitality. Recommended prayers and rituals to avert obstacles: (It is not necessary to do every recommendation.)

  • ཚེ་སྒྲུབ་འདོན་པ།
  • ཁམ་ཆེན་འདོན་པ།
    • Recitation of the Kham Chen Dönpa. The Kham Chen is the Perfection of Wisdom, or [Sanskrit: Prajnaparamita] scriptures in the Yungdrung Bön. These scriptures are comprised of sixteen volumes. The source and embodiment of the scriptures is the female Buddha Sherap Lopelma, an emanation of Sherap Jamma. She has given us The Heartdrop of Jamma and stated that reciting this short text with faith and devotion is the same as reciting the entire Ka section of the Yungdrung Bön canon which is the collection of the teachings given by the buddhas and is comprised by hundreds of volumes. The English, Spanish, and French language translations are available here: https://www.lulu.com/search?sortBy=RELEVANCE&page=1&q=raven+cypress+wood&pageSize=10&adult_audience_rating=00
  • བརྒྱ་བཞི།
    • Four Hundred Offerings, Gya Zhi. This is a ritual that includes an offering of one hundred butter lamps, one hundred tsa tsa, one hundred food offering torma, and one hundred ransom effigies. It can be performed by the individual or sponsored.
  • གཙུག་ཏོར་གདུགས་དཀར།
  • འབུམ་འདོན་པ། 
    • Hundred Thousand Recitations, Bum Dönpa. There are a number of scriptures included in this category. This recitation can be performed by the individual or sponsored.
  • ལྡོག་གཟུངས།
    • Reversing Mantras, Dok Zung. This is a text filled with mantras that have the power to reverse or repel obstacles and negative energies. It can be performed by the individual or sponsored.
  • གེགས་ལྡོག
    • Reversing Obstacles, Gek Dok. This ritual is specifically for reversing or repelling obstacles. This recitation can be performed by the individual or sponsored.
  • དགེ་སློང་བཞི་སྡེ་ལ་དྲོ་དྲངས་བ།
    • Offering Four Renunciates a Meal, Gé Long Zhidé la Dro Drangwa. Here, a meal is provided for four monks or nuns as a way to remove obstacles.
Detail of Yungdrung Bön astrology thangkha. Private collection Raven Cypress Wood.

For those with the natal sign of Rat born after the Tibetan New Year in 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, and 2020: these people have less of a chance for a significant obstacle than those with a Horse sign, but it is still significant. Therefore, it is recommended to avoid legal issues if possible, to engage in practices to raise the lungta such as raising prayer flags, and to invoke their personal protectors known as Drala. Dra La translates as warrior or guardian deity for the enemy or opponent. They are an ancient class of powerful guardians. Each individual has their own personal drala that protects them. It is also very effective and beneficial to repair or construct roads or trails especially between a community and a temple or hermitage. For example, the nuns of Radna Menling are now raising funds to repair and fortify the road to their nunnery. Supporting this endeavor is a way to avert obstacles. (This is a link to the GOFUNDME page created by Sandrine Perkins to support the road construction for the nuns: https://www.gofundme.com/f/road-from-menri-monastery-to-ratna-menling-nunnery) Recommended prayers and rituals to avert obstacles:

  • མདོ་མང། 
    • Many Sutras Recitation, Do Mang. This is recitation of a text that is a compilation of supplications, invocations, Praises, and Aspirational Prayers. Recitation of this text can be done by the individual or sponsored.
  • སྒྲ་བླ་གསོལ་བ། 
    • Supplication of the Drala, Drala Solwa. See above paragraph for description. Recitation of this text can be done by the individual or sponsored.
  • རྒྱལ་མཚན་རྩེ་མོ།
    • Raising a Victory Banner on the Summit, Gyaltsen Tsémo. In general, this is a ritual for raising the lungta, or force of good luck. It includes raising prayer flags and/or invoking the deities of good luck and prosperity. For more about the energetic force of lungta, see previous article: https://ravencypresswood.com/2022/04/16/what-is-lungta/. Recitation of this text can be done by the individual or sponsored.
  • ཚྭ་ཚྭ་གདབ་པ། 
  • ལམ་བཅོས། 
    • Constructing or Repairing Roads, Lam Chö. See above paragraph for description and opportunity to engage in this practice.
  • སྲོག་བསླུ་ཚེ་ཐར།
    •  Life Force Ransom and Rescuing Life, Sok Lu Tsé Thar. This is a ransom offering and rescue of animals that are destined to be slaughtered. These animals are given consecrations and empowerments and marked so that it is known that they are forever not to be harmed or killed. When animals are released, they should be released in a supportive environment and in conditions that provide for their needs. Saving the life of a human being who has been sentenced to death is the greatest tsé thar. For more about the Tsé Thar ritual, see previous article: https://ravencypresswood.com/2020/04/15/how-to-restore-the-lifespan-by-saving-the-life-of-other-beings/
Depiction of the Dra la

For those with the natal sign of Tiger or Dog born after the Tibetan New Year in 1938, 1950, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, and 2022 (For Tiger) and 1934, 1946, 1958,1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, and 2018 (For Dog): They have a lesser chance of encountering a significant obstacle than Rat signs, but it is recommended to make offerings to accumulate merit, especially through the Gya Zhi, The Four Hundred Offerings. In this ritual ceremony a total of four hundred offerings are made: one hundred butter lamps, one hundred food offering torma, one hundred tsa tsa, and one hundred ransom effigies. It is also recommend to invoke one’s drala as described above. Recommended prayers and rituals to avert obstacles:

  • བརྒྱ་བཞི།
    • Four Hundred Offerings, Gya Zhi. This is a ritual that includes an offering of one hundred butter lamps, one hundred tsa tsa, one hundred food offering torma, and one hundred ransom effigies in order to accumulate merit.
  • སྒྲ་བླ་གསོལ་བ། 
    • Supplication of the Drala, Drala Solwa. See above for description. Recitation of this text can be done by the individual or sponsored.

For those with the natal sign of Garuda or Rabbit born after the Tibetan New year in 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, or 2017 (for Garuda) or 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, or 2023 (for Rabbit): it is recommended to avoid starting a personal business, to limit long distance travel, to recite the Medicine Buddha mantra or sutra, and to not take risks with one’s health. It is also recommended to perform or sponsor a Tsé Thar, Life Release. Recommended prayers and rituals to avert obstacles:

  • སྲོག་བསླུ་ཚེ་ཐར།
    • Life Force Ransom and Releasing the Life, Sok Lu Tsé Thar. See above for description. This can be done by the individual or sponsored.
  • སྨེན་ལྷའི་འདོན་པ། 
    • Menla Dönpa, Medicine Buddha recitation of sutra or mantra. This can be done by the individual.
      • Life Force Ransom and Releasing the Life, Sok Lu Tsé Thar.

For males with the natal sign of Dog (years are above) and females with the natal sign of Dragon born after the New Year in1928, 1940, 1952, 1988, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, or 2024: During this year, the “sky door is open towards them.” Thus, if they are having construction done on their home, the roof should not be put on this year. This will block the sky door and can create obstacles. Recommended prayers and rituals to avert obstacles:

  • གནམ་མཁའི་སྙིང་པོ།་
    • Essence of the Sky, Namké Nyingpo. Recitation of this text can be done by the individual or sponsored.
  • གནམ་སྒོ་གཅོད་པ།
    • Destroying the Sky Door, Nam Go Chöpa. Recitation of this text can be done by the individual or sponsored.

For males with the natal sign of Pig and females with the natal sign of Snake: During this year, the “earth door is open towards them.”Thus, it is recommended to not dig into the earth such as for construction and to recite or sponsor the recitation of the Sa’i Nyingpo, Essence of the Earth or Destroying the Earth Door.

  • ས་ཡི་སྙིང་པོ།
    • Essence of the Earth, Sayi Nyingpo. Recitation of this text can be done by the individual or sponsored.
  • ས་སྒོ་གཅོད་པ།
    • Destroying the Earth Door, Sa Go Chöpa. Recitation of this text can be done by the individual or sponsored.

Gu Mik, Nine Eyes: According to Tibetan astrology, there is also a calculation known as Gu Mik, Nine Eyes. This applies to anyone whose age is a multiple of nine during the Year of the Fire Horse, i.e. in 2026, anyone aged nine, eighteen, twenty-seven, and so on. For these ages, it is recommended to perform the Gu Mik Choka, The Nine Eyes Correcting Ritual. However, it is very important to note that when someone is born, Tibetan Astrology considers them to be one year old and at their subsequent birthday, they are two years old. According to Western calculation, they are only one year old at their subsequent birthday. Therefore, from a Western calculation, these individuals are one year younger. For accuracy, it is important to always confirm the animal sign rather than the listed age when referencing astrological texts or information. This calculation has been done for 2026 and is given below.

Born After Losar in:Natal SignTibetan Age in 2026Western Age in 2026
2018ཁྱི། Dog98
2009གླང་། Ox/Elephant1817
2000འབྲུག Dragon2726
1991ལུག། Sheep3635
1982ཁྱི། Dog4544
1973གླང་། Ox/Elephant5453
1964འབྲུག Dragon6362
1955ལུག། Sheep7271
1946ཁྱི། Dog8180
1937གླང་། Ox/Elephant9089
1928འབྲུག Dragon9998

Those born after Tibetan New year in 2018, 2010, 2002, 1994, 1986, 1978, 1970, 1962, 1954, 1946, 1938, and 1930, and before the following Tibetan New year; it is important to avoid funerals and especially keep a distance from dead bodies, to limit construction of personal projects, and to keep the place in the home where food is cooked clean and free of defilements during the year of the Fire Horse. If these things do happen, it is important to cleanse by means of cleansing rituals using water. For example, the practice of Nampar Jompa is commonly used to empower water that is then used for cleansing contamination in these kinds of situations.

For any other natal signs, it is generally considered either a good or neutral year although looking in detail at each of the five natal, elemental relationships mentioned above will provide more detailed information.

Qualities of the Horse as a Natal Astrological Birth Sign

In general, the Horse is very energetic with an active mind. It is inspired, motivated and charming. It wants adventure and exploration rather than to stay at home. It is always on the move and in excess this can become a kind of instability or an inability to stick with things long enough to complete them. This life of excitement can sometimes give way to impatience. The Horse can be quite charming, likes to talk, and therefore finds it difficult to keep secrets. Although it appears independent, because of the fear of failure the Horse relies upon the validation and support of friends and family. 

The Horse’s positive direction is South. The Horse’s soul day is Tuesday and the life-force day is Friday. These are the best days for beginning new projects and activities that are meant to grow and increase. The obstacle day is Wednesday. This day is best for cleansing and letting things go. It is not a favorable day for beginning new things.

The Southern face of Mount Tisé

Gangkar Tisé

Every sacred site has its own special year when pilgrimage to it is considered especially auspicious. Horse years are especially auspicious times for pilgrimage to the sacred sites of Mount Tisé and Kongpo Bönri.

Although Mount Tisé, or Gang Tisé, is commonly known as Mt. Kailash, it was given the name of Gangkar Tisé by Buddha Tönpa Shenrap himself. In ancient times it was known as Gang Nyen Yabak Shara in reference to a mountain god that resided there. During his time at the mountain teachings and performing miracles, Buddha Tönpa Shenrap renamed it Gangkar Tisé. Gangkar meaning white snow, Ti meaning water, and Sé meaning protector.

Mount Tisé is located in the western part of the Tibetan Plateau. It rises to an altitude of 21,778 feet and is the source of four rivers: the Indus, the Sutlej, the Brahmaputra, and the Ghaghara. Nearby is the sacred Lake Manasarovar and the texts speak of their interwoven relationship.

In 1844 C.E., the Yungdrung Bön sage Karu Drupwang Tenzin Rinchen Gyaltsen, also known simply as Karu Drupwang Rinpoche, wrote a pilgrimage guide to Mount Tisé entitled, An Index of Gang Tisé. This pilgrimage guidebook has become the definitive guide to this sacred mountain and the surrounding area. In H.E. Yongdzin Rinpoche’s pilgrimage guide to Tisé, he frequently quotes from Karu Drupwang Rinpoche’s guidebook. In it, Karu Rinpoche gives detailed descriptions of the mountain’s attributes and the deities and protectors that gather and abide there.

“Especially from the depths of its body, a single, white syllable AH radiates light into the sky which dissolves into this sacred place, blessing it. Therefore, this place is indistinguishable from the enlightened body Künzang. The four corners are like heaps of jewels, and is where all rikdzin and khandro gather on auspicious days to turn the wheel of tsok offerings that increase attainments, clear obstacles, and bestow both the supreme and common accomplishments.”

“Moreover, there are thirteen hidden secret caves, thirteen divine bathing pools, thirteen chortens of sacred relics, and thirteen unchanging landmarks. There are three sites of enlightened body, speech, and mind, three sites of the three protectors, and four manifestations of wisdom and miracles.”

Buddha Tönpa Shenrap traveled to this mountain on his way to Tibet in order to introduce the Yungdrung Bön teachings to the Tibetan population under the guise of retrieving his stolen horses from a group of demons that were trying to provoke him. During his time at Mount Tisé, he was joined by five hundred sempa [Sanskrit: bodhisattvas] and divine, human, and lu [Sankrit: naga] disciples. At the mouth of each of the four rivers that originate here, he taught a specific scripture and left the print of his divine feet in the rocks.

The Northern face of Mount Tisé

Throughout history countless yogis and yoginis such as Tonggyung Tuchen, Lishu Taring, Choza Bönmo, Drenpa Namkha, and Tséwang Rikdzin, to name only a few, practiced and performed miracles here. The warmth and energy of their blessings remain and can be felt. The mountain has many cave, bathing pools, self-appearing syllables, and countless miraculous signs. As for the benefits of this great sacred site, Karu Rinpoche writes this:

“Regarding the benefits of this great mountain, if elaborated, it would be beyond comprehension. But if a few essential points are summarized, this great mountain of snow is known as The Mountain of Enlightenment. It is said that if one takes a step here, even if one tries to go to the lower realms after dying, one will not be able to. If one meditates, practices, circumambulates, frees lives, performs rituals, accumulates merit, gives generously, raises prayer flags, builds stone mounds, or performs any good deeds whether large, medium, or small, all are multiplied by eighteen billion. On auspicious days, this number is even greater. In particular, during the Year of the Horse, the multiplication is beyond imagining.”

Kongpo Bonri

There is one sacred mountain in Tibet that both Buddhists and Bönpo circumambulate counter-clockwise, the Bön way. That mountain is Kongpo Bönri, the Bön Mountain. Located in Southeastern Tibet on the Northern bank of the Yarlung River, Bönri rises to over 14,700 feet in altitude. In general, it is heavily forested and circumambulation of the mountain takes three to seven days. Tourists generally begin their pilgrimage from the Eastern slope.

The demon Khyappa having stolen seven of Buddha Tönpa Shenrap’s horses, took them to the Kongpo valley in Southeastern Tibet and hid them beneath the castle of the king of Kongpo. Seeing this as an opportunity to introduce the Yungdrung Bön teachings into Tibet, Tönpa Shenrap followed him. Reaching the Kongpo valley, the demon tried to block the Buddha’s approach with a mountain. Pushing this demon mountain down with the power of his mind, Lord Tönpa Shenrap manifested another mountain in its place in the shape of a spearhead that would be for the benefit of his followers. This was Kongpo Bönri.

Kongpo Bönri, the sacred Bön Mountain

As time passed, visits and pilgrimages to this sacred site became quite rare. However, in the Iron Horse year of 1330 C.E., Togden Ripa Druksé, at the age of 41, opened a sacred door to Bönri. He had been prophesied as an emanation of Takla Mebar that would have such realization that whoever touched his lotus feet would attain liberation within three lifetimes. He spent many years at Bönri practicing and performing miracles. Since that time during Horse Years, the Great Horse Pilgrimage takes place. This is a pilgrimage to Bönri from the faithful around the world regardless of their religious affiliation.

The famed Tulku Loden Nyingpo, born in 1360 C.E., visited Kongpo Bönri and wrote five songs praising the wonderful qualities of the sacred mountain and the incredible events that took place there. However, it was the Tertön Sangye Lingpa, born in 1705 C.E., that wrote the much cited pilgrimage guide entitled A Mala of Wish-Fulfilling Trees, A Guide to Bönri. It is said that whoever encounters the great sacred mountain of Bonri which embodies the mind of enlightenment, will have the obscurations of their past lives purified. Even those who merely pray to it with their minds will have their obscurations washed away.

Path of circumambulation on Kongpo Bönri. Photo credit: The Thousand Stars Foundation

“At its crown, a host of lamas, rikdzin, and deities reside. At its throat, groups of peaceful and wrathful yidams brilliantly shine. At its heart, is a luminous assembly of mother and sister khandro. At its belly, Bön guardians and religious protectors gather. At its secret place, are perfectly established, sacred burial grounds. In the surrounding area, are assemblies of guardians, lords of terma, nyen, medicine goddesses, local earth goddesses, gods, and lu. I supplicate to the supremely sacred place, the great Bönri!”

Extract of Supplication to the Sacred Place of Bönri where Blessings are Quickly Attained written by Khandro Dechen Wangmo and included in the book A Blazing Mala of Wish-fulfilling Jewels by Raven Cypress Wood

Other historically significant Horse Year events for the Bönpo include:

  • In the Fire Horse year of 914 B.C.E, the great lama Drenpa Namkha and Öden Barma are born.
  • In the Fire Horse year of 1486 C.E., the treasure discoverer Patön Lundrup Palzang discovered a portion of the Mother Tantra scripture.
  • In the Iron Horse year of 1810 C.E., Kündun Sonam Lodrö ascended the golden throne of Menri Monastery, becoming its 22nd abbot.
  • In the Wood Horse year of 1834 C.E., as a result of strong encouragement by the 22nd Menri Trizin Kündun Sonam Lodrö, Nangtön Dawa Gyaltsen founded the esteemed Ralak Yungdrung Ling Monastery on the banks of the Yarlung Tsangpo River.

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

The auspicious day of March 3, 2026 is the first full moon of the Year of the Fire Horse and marks 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 will be offered to His Eminence Menri Pönlop Rinpoche on February 27th for the benefit of his long life and indestructible good health. Follow this link for more information and to fill out and submit the form for your personal vow of nonviolence. https://ravencypresswood.com/2026/01/24/bringing-meaning-benefit-to-2026-by-taking-a-vow-of-nonviolence-for-1-day-multiple-days-or-a-full-year/

In this short video, Raven Cypress Wood talks about how taking the vow, even for a single day, can bring meaning to your life and develop the Four Immeasurable Qualities: https://youtu.be/8jQlrNXFmvU

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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9,842nd Anniversary of the Buddha’s Twelfth Deed: Demonstrating the Truth of Impermanence

Lord Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché lying in the sleeping lion posture and obtaining parinirvana in the presence of gods, humans, and lu.  

On the new moon day of the 1st Winter month in the Water Hare year, Lord Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché demonstrated the truth of impermanence by leaving behind the container of his physical body and transcending worldly suffering. In 2025, the anniversary of this date coincides with December 19th on the Western calendar. Any virtuous activity performed through the three doors of body, speech, or mind on this day is greatly multiplied.

At the age of eighty-two shen years (8,200 human years), the enlightened Lord Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché began to display the truth of impermanence for sentient beings by allowing the constituents of his physical body to become weak and to manifest illness. Alarmed, his disciples performed rituals and administered medicine. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of these methods according to relative truth, the Buddha temporarily recovered.

However, after a brief time had passed, he caused his physical condition to again weaken. This provided an opportunity for the Buddha to give teachings to his disciples regarding the process of death. Before leaving his physical human body, the Buddha spoke with his assembly of disciples and entrusted them with the responsibility of being lineage holders for particular teachings. He then prophesied regarding the future of his teachings including his teachings of mind, the time period when the written scriptures would no longer exist but would continue only by being held in the mind.

Lord Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché

“After I pass into nirvana, for 1,800 years the legacy of the teachings made during the presence of a Buddha’s body will be completed. Then, after my representative appears, my teachings of speech will remain for 10,000 human years. After that, the teachings of mind will remain for another 10,000 human years. After the teachings of mind come to an end, the average human lifespan will eventually decrease to only ten years. At that time, the future Teacher will appear. Those connected to me and my teachings, having reached the irreversible stage on the path, will dwell in liberation in the realm of absolute reality.”

At dusk on the new moon day of the 1st Winter month at the Nine-leveled Yungdrung Mountain, Lord Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché adopted the posture of a sleeping lion and demonstrated the accomplishment of passing beyond suffering. After the cremation of his physical body, the relics from the ash were distributed among the gods, humans, and the lu [Sanskrit: naga] as objects of faith and devotion.

After that, the assembly of disciples led by Aza Sangwa prepared vast and unsurpassed offerings and then presented them to the Teacher. Aza Sangwa then sang this verse:

“Highest Shen, having perfected renunciation and realization, you have blissfully departed. With compassion for beings, you took on a human form as the Victorious One. To you who took on this form, I prostrate!

Noble son of the Victorious One, glory of beings, you took on a form for the sake of migrating beings, a self-arisen emanation body. You sat upon the throne of the universal monarch and guided beings through the Nine Ways. In the realm of absolute reality, your nature is spontaneously perfect. Appearing as an tülku, you contemplated the welfare of beings. In the billion world systems of this pure realm, you emanated a billion emanations to tame. To you who fully tames, I prostrate!

For the difficult to tame sentient beings of cyclic existence, you deeply contemplate them with wisdom and loving compassion. You pacify their suffering and misery, causing them to abandon the lower realms and to be established on the path of liberation. To the perfect guide, I prostrate!

The Teacher, the glorious lamp of omniscience, although passing into nirvana in the vast expanse of the nature of phenomena, in order for your unceasing compassion to remain, you established the three aspects of the teachings as your legacy. To the Victorious One, I prostrate! 

Holy son of the Victorious One, although you were without any need for practice or attainment while experiencing various hardships, you perfected practice and attainment as an example for the benefit of migrating beings. To you who has perfects attainments, I prostrate!

Although there is no birth or death in the Victorious One’s body, in order to demonstrate with an example that phenomena with characteristics are impermanent, you showed the manner of passing into nirvana into the vast expanse of the true nature of phenomena. To the one who is completely accomplished, I prostrate!

Extract from the Zi Ji

Having offered this praise, the entire assembly prostrated, circumambulated, and made offerings. As a result, all the realms of the world intensely trembled. From the sky, many bright lights shone forth. From the intermediate space, many melodious sounds resounded. From the earth, many beautiful flowers bloomed. Among the realms tamed by the Teacher, countless sentient beings from the realms of the gods, the demi-gods, humans, animals, hungry ghosts, and hell beings attained buddhahood. Those who remained behind were filled with great joy and became extremely attentive to the Yungdrung Bön teachings. Then, the Teacher’s pronouncements were finalized and compiled into precious volumes totaling sixty thousand, that were enshrined within the sacred site of Trimon Gyalzhe.

The parinirvana of Lord Buddha Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché is observed each year by monks, nuns, and lay practitioners worldwide. Photo credit: Unknown

One year later, an assembly of thirteen yungdrung sempa [Sanskrit: bodhisattvas] compiled the teachings of Lord Buddha. Time passed, and the era of being able to rely upon the physical presence of the Buddha drew to  a close. Then began the era of relying upon the Buddha’s speech. Lord Tönpa Shenrap’s successor, Mucho Demdruk, descended from the sky into Olmo Lungring and began to turn the wheel of Yungdrung Bön for gods and humans. Among his disciples were “the six intellectual ornaments of the world.” These six scholars translated the teachings of Lord Buddha into their respective native languages of Tazik, India, China, and Trom and therefore were able to spread the teachings of enlightenment in every direction.

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96th Anniversary of the Birth of His Holiness the 33rd Menri Trizin Lungtok Tenpé Nyima Rinpoché

Close-up of traditional scroll painting depicting His Holiness the 33rd Menri Trizin Lungtok Tenpé Nyima Rinpoché

His Holiness the 33rd Menri Trizin Lungtok Tenpé Nyima Rinpoché was born in Tibet on the 15th day of the 5th lunar month in the Western year 1929 in the village of Kyongtsang in the far eastern province of Amdo. In 2025, this date corresponds with July 10th on the Western calendar.

When he was eight years old, his father took him to the nearby monastery of Phuntsok Dargyé Ling where he learned to read, write and chant. At the age of fourteen, he received instructions on the preliminary practices of dzogchen and completed the nine-hundred thousand accumulations three times. In 1945 at the age of seventeen, he received novice monk vows from Kyangtsang Lama Sherap Tenpé and was given the name Sherap Namdak. He completed his Geshé Degree at the age of twenty-five under the guidance of Lopön Tenzin Lodro Gyatso Rinpoché. The following year, he traveled South to the Bön province of Gyalrong, where he printed copies of the Bön Kanjur from traditional woodblocks. After gathering a vast amount of material and using mules to carry more than 100 volumes of the sacred texts, he made an arduous six-month journey back to his monastery. In 1956 at the age of twenty-eight, he traveled to the famous Yungdrung Ling Monastery and received monk vows from the Pönlop and was given the name Sangyé Tenzin. In 1960 at the age of thirty-two, as he passed through Mustang and Dolpo on his way to India, he borrowed many rare texts in order to reprint them in India and ensure their preservation.

In 1968, many esteemed Yungdrung Bön lamas gathered together in order to coordinate the process of selecting a successor of the late 32nd Menri Trizin. After several days of extensive prayers and rituals, Sangyé Tenzin’s name emerged as the one to hold the lineage of Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen. In 1969 at the age of forty, after extensive preparatory initiations, he assumed his duties as the 33rd Abbot of Menri Monastery and began leading the effort to re-establish Menri Monastery in Dolanji, India.

His Holiness the 33rd Menri Trizin Rinpoche. Photo credit: Unknown

In 1970, he began construction of the main temple of Pal Shenten Menri Ling in Dolanji and lead efforts to restore Menri Monastery in Tibet. In 1972, he opened a dispensary at Pal Shenten Menri Ling that distributed medicine freely to the monks, the Tibetan settlers in the nearby village, as well as to the local Indians. In 1975, he began a school for the Bönpo children, and in 1978 he founded the dialectic school to continue the tradition of in-depth education of the traditional and philosophical sciences that results in the esteemed degree of geshe.

After many years of indescribable and tireless efforts on behalf of the Yungdrung Bön tradition as well as the worldwide Bön community and all sentient beings, he displayed the truth of impermanence and passed into nirvana on the 27th day of the 7th lunar month in the Western year 2017. The auspicious occasion of the celebration of his birth is an opportunity to generate great merit through spiritual practice and virtuous activities of body, speech and mind.

“EMAHO!

To the lama who is the embodiment of all of the victors and spiritual masters, who acts principally through the accomplishment of Bön for sentient beings who are as limitless as the sky,

I offer prostrations with my body, prostrating with my arms, legs and head!

I prostrate with my speech, chanting with a joyous and inspired melody!

I prostrate with my mind, paying homage with single-pointed motivation and devotion!

May the negative actions and defilements of my three doors become purified!

AH OM HUNG CHI PAR RAYNA KO PUNG AKSHO TRI TSE GU DÜN HRUN”

— From Offerings for the Lama

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Celebration of the 90th Birthday of H. H. the 14th Dalai Lama Gyalwa Rinpoche & Statement Regarding the Continuation of the Dalai Lama Lineage

July 6th is celebrated as the birthday of the one born as Lhamo Döndrup, recognized at the age of two and formally installed at the age of fifteen, as the leader of the Geluk school of Tibetan Buddhism and therefore both the spiritual and secular leader of Tibet. Upon his enthronement, he was renamed Jetsun Jampel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso: Holy Lord, Gentle Glory, Compassionate Defender of the Faith who is an Ocean of Wisdom. He is known as Yizhin Norbu Rinpoche, the Precious Wish-fulfilling Jewel, and referred to as Gyalwa Rinpoche, Most Precious Conqueror, by Tibetans. He is known around the world as His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama.

The title Dalai Lama was first given in 1578 C.E. to Sonam Gyatso, leader of the Geluk school of Tibetan Buddhism, by the Mongolian leader Altan Kahn who had just received teachings from him. The term Dalai Lama is a combination of the Mongolian word dalai meaning ocean, and the Tibetan word lama commonly meaning spiritual master and literally translated as mother of the soul, or highest mother. Sonam Gyatso became known as the 3rd Dalai Lama because the two previous leaders of the Geluk school were posthumously awarded the title. Beginning with the 5th Dalai Lama in the 17th century, the authority and influence of the Dalai Lamas expanded beyond sectarian boundaries into all schools of Tibetan Buddhism as well as becoming enjoined with the secular function of governing the country of Tibet.

Upon the occasion of his 90th birthday, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama has issued a public statement regarding the continuation of the Dalai Lama lineage.

Statement Affirming the Continuation of the Institution of Dalai Lama

(Translated from the original Tibetan)

On 24 September 2011, at a meeting of the heads of Tibetan spiritual traditions, I made a statement to fellow Tibetans in and outside Tibet, followers of Tibetan Buddhism, and those who have a connection with Tibet and Tibetans, regarding whether the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue. I stated, “As far back as 1969, I made clear that concerned people should decide whether the Dalai Lama’s reincarnations should continue in the future.”

I also said, “When I am about ninety I will consult the high Lamas of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions, the Tibetan public, and other concerned people who follow Tibetan Buddhism, to re-evaluate whether or not the institution of the Dalai Lama should continue.”

Although I have had no public discussions on this issue, over the last 14 years leaders of Tibet’s spiritual traditions, members of the Tibetan Parliament in Exile, participants in a Special General Body Meeting, members of the Central Tibetan Administration, NGOs, Buddhists from the Himalayan region, Mongolia, Buddhist republics of the Russian Federation and Buddhists in Asia including mainland China, have written to me with reasons, earnestly requesting that the institution of the Dalai Lama continue. In particular, I have received messages through various channels from Tibetans in Tibet making the same appeal. In accordance with all these requests, I am affirming that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue.

The process by which a future Dalai Lama is to be recognized has been clearly established in the 24 September 2011 statement which states that responsibility for doing so will rest exclusively with members of the Gaden Phodrang Trust, the Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. They should consult the various heads of the Tibetan Buddhist traditions and the reliable oath-bound Dharma Protectors who are linked inseparably to the lineage of the Dalai Lamas. They should accordingly carry out the procedures of search and recognition in accordance with past tradition.

I hereby reiterate that the Gaden Phodrang Trust has sole authority to recognize the future reincarnation; no one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter.

Dalai Lama

Dharamshala

21 May 2025

His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama with His Eminence Yongdzin Tenzin Namdak Rinpoche.

Around the world on this day, devotees will begin the day with a large fumigation and smoke offering, and then present offerings and prayers to an image of His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Especially on this day, there will be many prayers for his long and healthy life.

Prayer for the Long Life of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama

Gang ri ra wé kor wé zhing kham su
In a heavenly realm, surrounded by a chain of snow mountains,

Pen dang dé wa ma lü jung wé né
The source of all happiness and help for beings

Chenrezik wang Tenzin Gyatso yi
Is Tenzin Gyatso, Chenrezik in person.

Shyap pé kal gyé bar du ten gyur chik
May his life be secure for hundreds of eons!

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Sacred Dances of the Tibetan New Year

Losar cham dance at Triten Norbutse Monastery. Photo credit: Unknown

Sacred dances are performed as part of the Tibetan New Year celebrations and monastic rituals each year. Although many of these dances were historically performed in secret, over the centuries it became customary to allow the public to view the dance performances. Sacred dance exists in both Buddhist and Yungdrung Bön religious traditions as a means of conveying wisdom related to the path of enlightenment as well as the mundane world. Sacred dances, Tibetan: cham, are performed by both monks and laypeople. Each cham has its own unique steps, gestures, costume, and accompanying instruments. When an ordained person wears the dress and ornaments of a deity and performs the dance, they dissolve attachment to their own identity and merge with the enlightened body, speech, and mind of the deity. In this way, the dances are to be viewed not as worldly entertainment, but with devotion and the pure view that one is in the presence of the actual deity and receiving a multitude of inconceivable blessings. In this way, illness, obstacles, and negative influences are pacified; and health, longevity, and prosperity are strengthened.

Monks of Menri Monastery undergoing a performance exam for the cham dances of 2024. Photo credit: Unknown

His Holiness the 33rd Menri Trizin Lungtok Tenpé Nyima Rinpoche is widely credited with personally rescuing the Bön traditional sacred dances from obscurity. He was a student in Amdo and had responsibility for the dances for six years. During the first three years, he performed at the end of the line of dancers which indicates being new to the dance and needing to follow others. The final three years, he performed at the beginning of the line as the dance master who leads all the other dancers. He trained both monks and nuns to perform the cham and was able to preserve the complete performance instructions for the dances.

His Holiness 33rd Menri Trizin demonstrates sacred dance steps at Menri Monastery. Photo credit: Unknown

Among the variety of cham within the Yungdrung Bön religious tradition, there are three cycles of sacred dance that are commonly performed: (1) Sacred Dance of the Mother Tantra, (2) Sacred Dance of the Nine Zema Sisters, and (3) Sacred Dance of the Nine Indestructible Shenraps. 

The Sacred Dance of the Mother Tantra was not commonly performed for the public until after the 15th century. The Buddhist Mother Tantra cham dance is similar in that it also demonstrates the path of liberation and shares the characteristic of the dancers wearing black hats with black coverings hanging in front of the eyes. This cham is performed after first creating the mandala of the Mother Tantra, inviting the collective Mother Tantra deities, and then performing a feast offering. The steps of the dance are divided into three categories that are named according to the first three characters of the Tibetan syllabary: KA, KHA, and GA. During the KA steps, all of the deities are invited with the sound of the large drum. With the KHA steps, the six emanations of Sipé Gyalmo, the forty peaceful and wrathful deities, the forty-five female guardians, and the thirty-five supreme deities of space are presented with offerings. With the GA steps, the four kinds of enlightened activity are accomplished and blessings are bestowed. This dance has been greatly supported by the Shen family, the descendants of the the enlightened Lord Tönpa Shenrap Miwoché.

Mother Tantra cham with its characteristic black hats. Photo credit; Unknown

The Sacred Dance of the Nine Zema Sisters depicts the beginning of our three thousand-fold world system according to Yungdrung Bön cosmology. According to one account, the goddess Lhamo Chucham Gyalmo and Lha Gö Tokpa produced twenty-seven eggs. From the first nine eggs emerged the Zema Gu, or the nine Zema sisters who have animal heads and human bodies. These nine sisters were appointed as protectors by Takla Mebar. It is said that this dance began with the tertön Shenchen Luga who discovered the associated text in 1017 CE.

During the dance, the dancers wear animal masks that represent each of these nine sisters. From the twenty-seven eggs emerged the twenty-seven sisters. In the early days of Tibet, all twenty-seven sisters were depicted in the dance. This cosmology is so deeply rooted in Tibetan history that the country of Tibet was once referred to as “born from an egg.” The nine zema sisters depicted in the dance are:

  1. Blue Dragon-headed
  2. Dark-green Snake-headed
  3. Black Garuda-headed
  4. White Lion-headed
  5. Red Bear-headed
  6. Dark-red Wolf-headed
  7. Dark-brown Tiger-headed
  8. Yellow-green Garuda-headed
  9. Female Lu with a Hungry Mouth

This dance has fifteen different kinds of steps:

  1. Guiding Along the Path Steps
  2. Tiger Steps
  3. Gait of a Lion Steps
  4. Peaceful and Wrathful Steps
  5. Meri Steps
  6. Mother Tantra steps
  7. Wrathful Manner Steps 
  8. Welcome Steps
  9. Energy Moving Steps 
  10. Drawing the Arrow
  11. Taming the Sky
  12. Taming the Earth
  13. Shooting Four
  14. Sipé Gyalmo Steps
  15. Cycle of Bön Lamas Steps
Monk dancers dressed as the six emanations of the protector Sipé Gyalmo. Photo credit: Unknown

Sacred Dance of the Indestructible Shenraps is different from the other dances in that there are many lead dancers. It has been performed since the 15th century every year on the 29th day of the 12th lunar month as instructed by the founder of Menri Monastery, His Holiness the 1st Menri Trizin Nyammé Sherap Gyaltsen. This sacred dance depicts nine religious protectors of the Yungdrung Bön tradition that have all taken vows to protect the religion and its followers. The dance has nine distinct types of steps that each have a precise meaning. The nine protectors depicted in the dance are:

  1. Sipé Gyalmo who is the principal of the dance
  2. Mudü who is the chief of the fierce dré and srin spirits
  3. Tsen who is chief of the powerful tsen dré spirits
  4. Absé Gyalwa who is another chief of the powerful tsen spirits
  5. Nyipangsé who is a gyalpo or king spirit of Zhang Zhung
  6. Dzam Ngon who is also known as Blue Dzambhala or Kubera and is a wealth deity
  7. Sheltrap Chen
  8. Drakpa Sengé
  9. Tago
Monk dancers emerge from the meditation hall to perform before the crowd at Menri Monastery. Photo credit: Unknown

Tibetan translations by Raven Cypress Wood

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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