by Melody Lin, San Jose

[San Jose] According to Chinese custom, lion and dragon dances are performed together for important celebrations, as the Chinese consider dragons to be friendly, helpful creatures associated with good fortune. And the lion is also an important Chinese totem, symbolizing power and courage, and capable of warding off evil spirits.

Thus, San Jose initiates planned to invite a local lion and dragon dance group to perform at the San Jose Center during the 2004 Ching Hai Day celebration; however, the group’s dragon costume was extremely long, requiring a total of 60 performers, who were difficult to contact. Then, just as the initiates were about to give up on their plan, one of the sisters suggested that they create their own dragon costume and perform the dance themselves. So the brothers and sisters pulled together and eventually made the idea come true.

On February 22, 2004, when the long-awaited Ching Hai Day arrived, the “dragon team” initiates took out their dragon costume after group meditation to begin the celebration, and as they walked down the mountain near the Center it began to rain softly, as if Master were showering them with blessings. The dragon made its way around the garden in front of Master’s house and then into the meditation hall and onto the stage. After this, initiates in two lion costumes performed a lion dance to the rhythm of drums, and everyone greatly enjoyed the activity. The entertainment continued with a lovely performance by a fellow practitioner who sang several spiritual songs. Next the celebration ended blissfully with all the initiates singing the song “I Love Supreme Master Ching-Hai,” newly composed by the sister who had created the dragon’s head:

“You are like the moon; you are like the sun,
Enlightening my heart and my soul;
You are like my parents, always taking care of me,
And giving me love and happiness.
Master, we love you, we need you so much.
You cleanse my heart and take away my karma,
And bring my soul back to Heaven.”

*Thailand * New Zealand * Formosa * Peru * Costa Rica * USA

Events Date Book

To keep pace with the planet’s ongoing spiritual elevation, the local centers of The Supreme Master Ching Hai International Association are holding more and more video seminars and other Truth-sharing events worldwide.
You are welcome to join in these activities with your friends and relatives. For the latest schedule of our Truth-sharing activities, please visit the following URLs:
http://www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw/eng/latest_news/events-datebook.htm (English)
http://www.godsdirectcontact.org.tw/ch/latest_news/events-datebook.htm (Chinese)