New Year’s Day Six Blessing Ode
In this first month of the year, spring’s dawn unfolds. Winter plums bloom to greet the new age; auspicious snow veils the earth, foretelling abundance. The six directions<sup>1</sup>awaken with spring’s breath—purple mists<sup>2</sup>from the east fill the cosmos, while auspicious clouds drift westward to illuminate noble halls.
Behold the Dao, formless yet birthing the dance of yin and yang;<sup>3</sup>the Dharma’s gate, revealing form as emptiness.<sup>4</sup>Harmony at home and peace among kin align with Heaven’s will and nature’s course; prosperity in work and fulfillment in deeds follow the Dao’s natural law and unite with ultimate truth.A father’s kindness and a child’s filial piety resonate with the Dao’s profound subtlety. Laozi said, “The highest virtue flows like water—nourishing all without contention.” A parent’s love is as vast as rivers and seas; a child’s devotion returns like streams to their source. A husband’s integrity and a wife’s virtue mirror heaven and earth’s ordained roles.<sup>5</sup>TheBook of Changesdeclares, “Heaven reigns above; earth rests below—thus the cosmic order is fixed.” A husband’s resolve stands firm as mountains; a wife’s wisdom shines pure as the moon.
As for siblings, bound by shared roots and karmic ties;<sup>6</sup>elders and juniors ordered by natural sequence, born of cause and effect. Within, let no resentment dwell; without, let strife dissolve. Such is the light of prajñā<sup>7</sup>wisdom, piercing ignorance’s veil, and the Dao’s eternal truth nurturing universal harmony.
Yet a thriving household clings neither to possession nor emptiness. TheDiamond Sutrateaches, “Let the mind arise without attachment.”<sup>8</sup>Kinship thrives on affection, courtesy its foundation—like silkworms spinning threads, yet unbound by their cocoons; lotuses rising from mud, unstained by the mire.
A discordant home sees fortunes flicker like candle flames; divided hearts make endeavors as fragile as foam. On this sixth day of spring,<sup>9</sup>as the Dipper’s handle turns to Yin,<sup>10</sup>we bid farewell to poverty’s specter and welcome wealth’s grace, embarking on new journeys to gather boundless blessings. May you all:
—Walk the path of wuwei<sup>11</sup>, so harmony reigns as heaven and earth unite;
—Awaken to emptiness’s truth, hearts pure as flawless crystal.
May joy bless every hour, peace grace every season;
May parents flourish like cedars, children bloom as orchids and osmanthus.
