First day of CNY

It has been a tradition to visit temples on the 1st day of CNY and as usual, we checked the "Tong Shu", the book of knowledge get the the most auspicious time to visit the temple. It was from 5am to 9am and we choose to le.ave for the temple at 7.30am. In the book of knowledge, there are four different grading of time ie bad,average, good and excellent.

This is Taoism and it is believed that date,time and place guide our destiny and we can avoid the pitfalls and the misfortune in our life. Taoism is a religion based on Lao Tzu's teaching and philosophy. His teaching was recorded in the " The book of knowledge". "Tao" in mandarin means "the way".

Usually, we go the "Goddess of Mercy" or Kuan Yin temple at Pitts Street and it was usually jam packed. In the old days, we pray with joss sticks, candles and other prayer materials. The temple will be smokey and we could hardly breath and furthermore, you could ended up been burned by the joss sticks as some people will hold their joss sticks too low and some believers are first timers to the temple. The feeling is like the song " Smoke gets into your eyes" and there is a burning sensation. The practice of using joss and candles dated back to centuries and in the current years, some of temples have ban the burning of joss sticks and candles and we can pray in any prayer pose we choose. The practice of burning joss sticks and candles have banned in many countries.

For this temple, we can still burning joss sticks and candles and there are helpers that comes around to removed the burning joss sticks and candles. They did it in an "efficient" way clearing the joss sticks and candles within seconds after you have placed the joss sticks and candles in the prayer gongs or shelves. It actually have little meaning because the prayer materials only burns about 10% before it is removed. I believed these helpers have to clear the gongs, otherwise, it will be full and is dangerous if it catches fire. It will also benefits the helpers and temple because these prayer items can be recycled and re-used and it brings money to the helpers and the temple.

During the process when I light the candle and pray, there was this foreigner taking photographs in the temple. He was curious and look surprise. He looks at me and I felt abit uncomfortable as if he is laughing at me from his inside. I believe the practice have some meaning in the past and in the Chinese tradition, these joss sticks and candles are the food for the deities and "gods". I was brought up by my mother in these traditional way and it had become back of my life and mental habits. I know it looks quite unbelievable and illogical to a lot of people but who cares as we attempt to communicate with the deities and "Gods". Every religion have their folklores and illogical teachings as well. No religion is perfect as it is created by "Mankind" through the centuries.

Anyway, I have been fulfilled my obligations and discharged my duties which have been taught to me since young. Of course, I have a choice to stop this practice but I think is better to maintain these traditions so that we remained God-fearing and it adds some meaning to life. We have our choices and we should respect each other until a true "GOD" appears.

For the time being,we should do the time we enjoy and feel good about.We hsould just enjoy our CNY and also each passing moments of this festive period when we are still in it. It will be gone in the next few days and become hsitory in our life.

Namaste.