Dawn was breaking on February the 1st 2025, the so expected date was already here.
A couple of days earlier, the whole world had already celebrated the arrival of the spring festival, this year we dive into the 乙巳 yǐ sì: yīn wooden snake cycle.
In the magical city of Cuernavaca, at the Dragon Mountain, everybody was ready to celebrate in the biggest most splendorous way.
It was early in the morning when a parade of joyful spirits arrived, a community growing bigger and closer every year. All the available spots for eating, enjoying a hot drink, buying a commemorative souvenir, learn and practice 气功 qì gōng, get an 按摩推拿 àn mó tuī ná massage or even attend to a fascinating conference about Daoist knowledge where completely ready and starting to get full, even the small kids attending to this event had a garden full of learning and recreative activities prepared only for them. This way every attendant could find and head towards whichever activity they’re most fond of.
This year’s spring festival ceremony started around 11am, most of the attendants where gathering there to participate in such big ceremony; between processions, chanting and prayers that ascended to the heavens the feeling among all of us started to get softer and overwhelming. The ceremony was led by 邱景威方丈 qiū jǐng wēi fāng zhàng, abbot of the eternal spring temple of Mexico. Every piece was in complete harmony, with enormous grit and balance over 2 full hours passed by almost without notice.
By the end of the ceremony the traditional bags of the abundance where gifted to the attendants alongside with delicious fruits and candy blessed during the ceremony and offered to the deities at the temple’s altar.
Every following moment turned into a joyful celebration, filled with tranquility so we could enjoy all the opportunities that this place could bring. A big promenade by the corners of this beautiful sacred place, have a delicious snack by the restaurant, nourish our spirit at the conference room or even heal at the clinic in the 8 immortals palace with a 按摩推拿àn mó tuī ná massage… Every detail was key in this whole experience.
As we moved into the evening, with the sundown ahead we get ready to leave, once more under the promise of meeting again soon enough, living this upcoming year at its best… another year that is gifted to us by the heavens. Happy new year!!