To Buddhist everywhere today marks the day of enlightenment. It was on this day that Siddhartha Gautama became the Enlightened One or the Buddha. Bodhi can be celebrated in many ways today due to the merging of some many cultural influences. To the Buddhist, it is a day of reverence, remembering, and meditation.
For others it can be a good way of recognizing your own desire for truth and clarification in your life. Traditionally, homes are strewn with colored lights and a ficus tree adorned with multi-colored ornaments that are a reminder of the many paths to enlightenment. The lights are turned on the evening of the 8th and for 30 days thereafter. A candle is also lit for these thirty days to symbolize enlightenment. Traditionally, a meal of rice and milk is served on this holiday because it is believed that Sujata offered this to the Buddha upon his awakening to help him regain strength.
How you choose to celebrate Bodhi Day is up to you. Perhaps hanging colorful prayer flags or burning incense in meditation. Maybe you would enjoy blending the holiday baking season with Buddhist celebration by making tree shaped cookies. Or perhaps lighting candles of many colors, decorating a ficus tree or string colored lights around the home. You can find Buddhist statues and Tibetan prayer flags along with a variety of incense and candles at The Omaha Healing Art Center in the Old Market. After all, Buddhism teaches that you should mix into your environment and the culture around you so not to make a spectacle of yourself.
And if meditation is your practice of choice to enlightenment the Omaha Healing Art Center offers meditation every Thursday evening at 6:30pm in their beautiful healing arts studio.
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