Blending Christmas with Winter Solstice and Bodhi Day (Rohatsu).

First let me say Happy Bodhi Day to all. This is the day that we not only celebrate the enlightenment of Buddha but the birth of Buddhism as well. In the west it is a time dominated by the Christian holiday celebrating the birth of their savior, Jesus Christ. For many Western Buddhists this can be a time of isolation feeling disconnected from society which brings us suffering. Anytime that we feel we are not apart of all things (interconnection) we will most always feel some sort of emotional distress: depression/sadness, isolation, anxiety and even anger.

For many years I have felt anger during this time of year from feeling like I was left out and pushed aside but this year I have found a way to link myself to the season while staying true to my Buddhist beliefs. We bought a wreath which is traditionally a symbol of Christmas but is more neutral then other Christmas symbols as it is also a symbol of winter solstice which is celebrated the world over. As many know, the Christmas tree and wreath were both originally pagan symbols to celebrate the winter solstice but have since been incorporated into Christianity and Christmas.

The wreath is also a symbol of the circle of life which blends well into observance of Bodhi day. And as we know, Bodhi day celebrates the Buddha's enlightenment when he transcended that endless circle of life and death. After which he set the Dharma wheel in motion thus disseminating it throughout Asia and now the world, rolling over and crushing ignorance along the way. Thus, the circular wreath is also a symbol of the Dharma wheel for me so that whenever I look upon it I think of the precious Dharma that was so graciously given to us by Buddha.
In addition, the center of a circle in often seen in Buddhism as representing emptiness, the boundless openness of one's Buddha Nature. It represents that all things are empty of any inherent existence, that the space in the center can be the same space within a house or a cup. Inside the circle is the Universe. The idea that the wreath and all "things" are dependent upon other phenomena and elements for their existence. Thus, looking upon the wreath reminds me of that True Nature.

The circular wreath can also be seen as a symbol of completeness (containing all things) in Buddhism, Paganism and Christianity. It that regard I also see it as representing the world wide sangha, a giant circle to remind us all that we are interconnected and interdependent.

May we all find a way to make this time of year meaningful.

~Peace to all beings~