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| Flowers from the Garden for Offering |
Saturday morning, I woke up at 7:30 a.m., when the alarm went off. That's the earliest I've been up in a long time. Even the outdoor cats looked surprised to see me up so early! Usually, they are waiting outside the sliding glass door, when I wake up, waiting for their breakfast. Today, they looked at me from their various spots in the garden, and waited until they saw me put out their food before they came running up to the door! LOL!
I decided to have my coffee before I did anything else. I checked my blog comments and replied to some while I had my coffee. Then, at 8:00 a.m., I went into the kitchen to get started on the dump cake. Put that in the oven at 8;15 a.m., and while it baked, started taking out the containers of soup and curries from the fridge and reheating them. Friend R called around 8:30 a.m. to say she's on her way over. She helped to make the salad and cut up the fresh fruits for me. In the next hour and a half, friend R, my daughter, and I did all what needed to be done! I had almost forgotten to cook the rice, until my daughter asked me, around 10:00 a.m. if there was anything else to do and I checked my list and remembered the rice! She put the two types of rice to boil in the two rice cookers and they cooked while we finished up all the other things on my list. We were all done and ready by 10:30 a.m., as planned! Cousin P came over just before 11:00 a.m.
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| The Living Room Seating Arrangement |
The living room sofas are covered with white sheets as a sign of respect for the monks (a symbolic purification). Except, a certain kitty decided he needed to check it out for comfort!
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"Just checking to see if it was done properly"
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He got chased off by friend R, who, then, lint rollered the sheet to remove cat fur from it!
The monks arrived a few minutes, later. There were two Sri Lankan monks, a monk from Bangladesh, and a Korean monk, who was very intrigued that my daughter knew Japanese (she minored in Japanese during her undergrad studies).and had a long conversation with her in Japanese! Around 11:15 a.m., we started the ceremony by making an offering of light (lit candle), incense, flowers and a portion of the prepared meal at the altar:
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| Tray of Food for Offering at the Altar (prior to being offered) |
After that, the monks were served their meal. I thought I took two photographs of the monks, seated with their begging bowls, but, apparently I didn't click the camera, properly, because the photographs I took seem to have disappeared!
After the meal was over, the Korean monk spoke about the importance of the mindfulness in breathing (anapanasati in Pali) meditation, the monks chanted blessings while we all held a special thread that was tied around a bottle of blessed water and passed around among us, and we symbolically transferred the merits we accrued from the almsgiving to our departed family and loved ones, by pouring water from the teapot into an empty cup (that is placed in a basin) until the cup overflows (the empty cup represents the departed loved ones, the water represents the merits).
After that, we received a sip of the blessed water and a piece of the special thread was tied around our right wrists as a reminder of the blessings and as protection. The sound waves of the blessings being chanted have been absorbed by the thread and the monks chant additional blessings as the thread is tied. One may cut the thread off, after wearing it for some time, but I usually wear my thread until I receive a new one at the next almsgiving or blessing ceremony I attend, whenever that might be. One of the monks also went around the house, blessing it, which I appreciated very much.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, I had my daughter offer the monks the envelopes I had prepared ahead of time (containing a monetary donation). We also served two plates of food and containers of fruits, apple dump cake, and candies for them to take back to the temple for two people who are staying at the temple. I remembered how, when I was undergoing chemo and had lost my appetite, these same monks would bring me plates of food from almsgivings they'd attended, in the hopes that I might enjoy it.
After the monks left, friend R, cousin P, my daughter, and I had our lunch. Then, friend R and cousin P helped with the washing up. After they left, daughter helped me to put away the rest of the food. I froze some of it, so daughter could take some back with her, when she goes back to Berkeley. Daughter and I have been resting since then. I put a load of laundry to wash, just now, and am making a cup of tea.
Today, I am grateful for:
- Being able to hold my annual year-end almsgiving
- My daughter being here to help and participate
- Friend R and cousin P coming to help and participate, too
- Everything going off well
- Leftovers!
Saturday's To Do List:
- Bake apple dump cake - DONE
- Take out chair covers, cover chairs - DONE
- Arrange flowers in vases - DONE
- Cut up fruits and arrange in saucers; cover - DONE
- Arrange a variety of sweets in saucers; cover - DONE
- Dish out yogurt into bowls; cover - DONE
- Pour palm treacle into sauce boat (to be served over yogurt) - DONE
- Dish out dump cake, cover - DONE
- Cook rice (2 types - white and red) - DONE
- Make salad - DONE
- Warm up curries; dish out into smaller serving dishes for serving to monks
; bigger serving dishes for guests (there was no need to dish out to bigger dishes as there were only two guests)- DONE
- Serve up offerings to the Buddha and offerings for the Order of Monks - DONE
- Boil water and keep warm for those monks who prefer hot water - DONE
- Pour water and juice into glasses - DONE
- Put away leftovers/wash dishes - DONE
- Do laundry - STARTED
Tree decorating might have to wait until Sunday, because I am tired!
Sunday's To Do List:
- Put away washed dishes
- Put away dried laundry
- Do another load
- Iron the table cloths and serviettes
- Decorate the tree
- Put up the winter village
- Finish up the Christmas gifts
How was your Saturday? What are your plans for Sunday?
