26/02 White Umbrella Obstacle Clearing Prayer (Tibetan Lunar New Year Eve) 大白傘篕佛母除障法會 (藏曆新年除夕)

The White Umbrella Obstacle-Clearing Puja (大白傘蓋佛母除障法會), performed on the Tibetan Lunar New Year's Eve (藏曆除夕), is a highly revered ritual practiced by Tibetan monasteries and devotees. This special puja invokes the blessings of the White Umbrella Deity (大白傘蓋佛母)—a powerful manifestation of the goddess Tara, known for her ability to protect against obstacles, harmful energies, and unseen dangers. Traditionally, the eve of the new year is considered a critical time to purify and prepare for the upcoming cycle, ensuring a smooth and auspicious beginning.

Key Benefits of the White Umbrella Obstacle-Clearing Puja:

Removal of Obstacles: This puja helps dispel negative forces, misfortunes, and karmic hindrances that may block spiritual and material progress in the new year.

Protection from Harm: By invoking the White Umbrella Deity’s blessings, practitioners receive protection against diseases, accidents, harmful spirits, and unseen obstacles.

Purification and Renewal: The puja is believed to cleanse accumulated negativities from the past year, allowing individuals and communities to enter the new year with a purified mind and spirit.

Promotion of Peace and Prosperity: The ritual encourages the flow of positive energies, ensuring a harmonious environment, peace of mind, and enhanced prosperity for the coming year.

Spiritual Strength and Stability: As part of the New Year preparation, this ceremony strengthens one’s spiritual practice, fostering inner resilience and stability in facing life’s challenges.

Tibetan monasteries emphasize performing this sacred puja on 除夕 (Chúxī) to clear the path for new opportunities and to secure divine protection for the year ahead. It is a moment of deep reflection, renewal, and collective spiritual merit-making, benefiting both individuals and the community as a whole.