We celebrated a Lao Pee Mai, Khmer, and Thai New Year at our local temple Wat Greensboro on Sunday April 14, 2013. We had a good turnout, surprisingly more so than the previous years.

The weather was exceptionally nice, good weather to celebrate the water festival, but of course the celebration is totally different than from back home. It’s less water splashing in the US, and more shaving cream. Even this Persimmon tree got a little splash of shaving cream to ring in the New Year.

This is my first time seeing a Jaydee (stupas) made of rice bags and money tree center piece.

People brought in foods to offer to monks and there must have been at least 2000 tiny bowls, I should know since we end up washing the dishes.

Alms giving.

I’m happy to see so many people visiting the temple, the Alms line went all the way to the back.

Food offering to the monks.

Jaydee Cide (Sand Stupas)

Offering the money tree to the temple.

We pour water over Buddha images for blessing and cleansing the rust from our soul.

We songk nom pra or pour water over monk’s hands for blessing.

Bird release ceremony

Khmer New Year game

Live music and Lumvong (Lao/Khmer/Thai traditional dance)

There’s not that many vendors this year, I guess most didn’t expect such a good turnout and many didn’t setup their booths.

Please visit Wat Greensboro Facebook to see more Songkran photos.

We went to our local temple, Wat Greensboro on New Year’s Day. My oldest sister came down from NYC to tum boun (merit making) for our mom, it has been 6 years since her passing.

Another family was there making merit for their father also.

It is a tradition for us and many Buddhist worshipers to visit the temple on New Year’s Day, and it’s nice to see so many familiar faces there.

It was cold outside so the service was held inside the Buddha Room.

Morning Alms giving.

My oldest sister giving alms.

Meals were brought in by Buddhist worshipers, and were offered to the monks.

This is an odd combination, the McDonald meal was offered to the American monk.

Ajarn Somsak gave a sermon after his meal.

Also blessing water for the New Year.

Ajarn Dale walked around to give blessing water.

Lee’s funny, anything that would make her lucky she will be there.

The bathroom construction is coming along. The next step is the roof, and the bathroom should be completed by Songkran in April of this year.

We missed Maetou Gaisorn at Wat Greensboro during the last few events, and yesterday her family nimon (invited) Phramaha Somsak Sambimb, Bhikkhu Pannadharo (Darrell Kitchen) and two monks from Wat in Morganton and also Wat in Lexington to perform a blessing ceremony for her. We took this opportunity to celebrate Thanksgiving the Buddhist way, and the small Buddhist community of Conover, Newton, Morganton and Hickory came together to celebrate and give thanks, we are thankful for our boun and blessing.

 

One of her grandsons became a novice monk in her honor. This is definitely a proud moment for any parents and grandparents, below is an image of him asking for permission to become a novice monk.

The money tree was hung by the family and friends, and the total received was donated to three Wats or temples that performed the ceremony.

Phramaha Somsak Sambimb performed the ceremony.

Burning long candles that measured the circumference of each family member’s head and elbow to wrist is part of a blessing ceremony.

Pra Kao Tip or meal was prepared for the spirit of passed loved ones.

It’s nice to see Maetou Gaisorn giving alms.

Another Canon fan on the right hand side.

One of the guests tied a white string around Maetou Gaisorn’s wrist for blessing.

Food offering to the monks.

A buffet style for the guests.

A Thai dessert called Bua Loi.

There were plenty of good Lao foods.

One of the monks went around to sprinkle blessing water for good health and fortune.

I loved her outfit and asked if I could photograph her, she hesitated at first but finally agreed. She shaved her head and I would love for her to take her Beanie off, but since it was cold I didn’t have the heart to ask her. She is beautiful in her traditional outfit.

Here is a picture that I took of her inside during the ceremony.

It is always a good idea to ask the homeowner for permission to photograph the event. I asked Por Sing if I could photograph the event for my blog and Wat Greensboro’s Facebook and he said okay. I posted more photos at Wat Greensboro’s Facebook, click here to view more photos.

Click here to watch this video on YouTube

Our local temple Wat Greensboro held Thot Kathin last Sunday. The Kathin Ceremony is held within 29 days after the three-month rains retreat where people have a grand festival of offering gifts, food and yellow ropes to the monks.

It was cold on Sunday and we had a good turnout.

Many Buddhist worshipers brought Thon Phapa or money tree from home.

In order for our temple to Thot Kathin there has to be a minimal of 5 monks and Wat Greensboro only has 2 monks. The temple invited 3 monks from Wat Lao in High Point to perform the Kathin Ceremony. Below is morning alms giving.

Lee and my niece sold jewelry to help raise money for the temple.

We realized that it’s hard to sell jewelry at a temple event, so next year we might add Spring Rolls and Papaya Salad to the menu.

Bo helped and he sold some earrings and bracelet.

Her persimmons were $5 per bag.

The fun part was the parade around the temple ground, if you have time do checkout the video.

Many brought gifts for the monks.

We came back to the temple to offer our gifts to the monk.

One of the monks from Wat Lao in High Point.

Lee and my niece made $54 total and they both donated $27 each to the temple to help with the bathroom fund. The bathroom construction is going well and hopefully it will be completed by next year’s Songkran event in April of 2013.

A Thai doctor and her medical team came by to give the monks and Buddhist worshipers flu shots.

I posted more photos at Wat Greensboro Facebook, 2012 Kathin Ceremony folder.

The End of Buddhist Lent Day falls on Tuesday October 30th this year. It is the day that marks the end of the three-month rains retreat. Since this falls on a weekday, our local temple held the event on the past Sunday.

It’s cooler in our area, and extremely windy the night before as you can see that most of the leaves fell from the trees.

The morning Alms giving was Tuk Badt Tayvo. It is an old Thai tradition of Alms giving where the Buddhist worshipers would lineup and the monks come by to collect Alms. The line was led by a Buddha statue, then followed by monks.

Foods were brought in by Buddhist worshipers.

And offered to the monks.

I don’t normally take a picture of monk eating, but this has a nice composition of an American monk eating hamburger.

We took a short break while the monk ate, and Lee was selling her jewelry to raise money to help build the bathroom.

She had a small table this time since there weren’t that many people there.

I bought a couple of bags of persimmon from the temple vendor.

There’s not that many food vendor this time, and the next big event is Boun Kathin and that’s next Sunday. I know there will be plenty of food vendors on that day.

There were several vegetable vendors.

Boy lives at the temple, and I’ve noticed that he is a lot older this year.

It’s kind of funny to see him lying there listening to the sermon, I think some of us should take note.

The pouring water ceremony of Goud Nom Pra Maid Ta, and it’s making merit for passed loved ones.

Lee sold $41 of her jewelry and she offered to the temple for the bathroom fund.

Buddhist worshipers sharing meal after the sermon.

This is a neat money tree and it was offered to the temple as Tun Phapa.

My sister likes to pick the persimmon from the tree and we offered $20 as a donation for the persimmons.

I bought 2 persimmon trees from the temple and hope to be able to pick the persimmon from my own backyard in the next few years.

Freshly picked persimmon is the best.

The temple bathroom construction is coming along slowly since it is funded by donation.

It is nice to see the wall and window, and it’s amazing to see what we could build when the community come together.