Losar Celebration 2021

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After celebrating the Gregorian calendar New Year on Jan. 1, Columbus KTC is preparing to welcome the Tibetan New Year (known as “Losar”) on Friday, Feb. 12.

As the “old year” comes to a close, it is a Tibetan cultural tradition to clean one’s shrine and home in preparation for the “new year.” 

In that same way, it is a Tibetan Buddhist tradition to purify one’s thoughts and mindstream in the days before Losar (New Year) to bless and release the old year and prepare for the new year ahead.

At Columbus KTC, we will gather as a community for three nights before Losar to bless and purify the old year and make offerings toward goodness and auspiciousness in the new year.

Then, on Losar morning, we will offer lamps and recite prayers to bless ourselves and the community and start the new year with auspicious energy and blessings.

And, as Losar occurs on a Friday this year, we will be able to host a 2-hour Saturday morning Shamatha Meditation Retreat on the morning of Saturday, Feb. 13. 

The first two weeks of Losar coincide each year with the Great Occasion of the Buddha’s Performance of Miracles (Chötrul Duchen, in Tibetan), one of four Sacred Days on the Karma Kagyu tradition’s yearly calendar. This means that the benefit and blessing of any practice we do during this “Waxing Moon of Miracles” (sometimes called “The Month of Miracles”) is multiplied millions of times. 

We hope you can join us for these programs, all of which will be webcast on Zoom.


Registration is not needed for the pre-Losar and Losar Day events, but registration will be required for the Saturday Shamatha Retreat.

Celebration Schedule:

  • Pre-Losar Chenrezig chant – Tuesday, February 9, 2021 – Time: 7 pm to 8:00 pm Eastern Time
  • Pre-Losar Green Tara chant – Wednesday, February 10, 2021 – Time: 7 pm to 8:00 pm Eastern Time 
  • Pre-Losar Smoke/Incense Offering – Thursday, February 11, 2021 – Time: 7 pm to 8:00 pm 
  • Losar Morning Chants – Friday, February 12, 2021  Time: 8:00 am to 9:00 am Eastern Time
  • Losar Shamatha Retreat – Saturday February 13, 2021 Time: 10 am to 12:00 pm Eastern Time

Please visit our Virtual Shrine Room for details on accessing the Zoom meetings.

Registration is not needed for the pre-Losar and Losar Day events, but registration will be required for the Saturday Shamatha Retreat.

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Registration Fees (cost per session, empowerments, materials, meal, etc): All evening prayer sessions free of charge; Saturday Shamatha Retreat by donation. No one will be turned away for lack of funds; contact lamakathy@columbusktc.org to request fee-free registration.