As we bid farewell to the old year and prepare to welcome the new, we conclude our annual six-day spiritual ceremonies—the Kangso and Gutor—two powerful rituals for protection, purification, and renewal.

The first three days are dedicated to the Kangso, a sacred offering ritual to the guardian deities, or Dharmapalas. This ceremony expresses gratitude and devotion to these protective beings while seeking their continued blessings for the coming year. Through prayers, fire offerings, and ritual tormas, practitioners restore spiritual commitments, dispel obstacles, and invoke positive energy. It is a time of deep reverence, allowing individuals and communities to strengthen their connection with the divine forces that guide and protect them.

The final three days mark the Gutor ritual, held on the 29th day of the last lunar month. This powerful purification ceremony is performed to eliminate negative energies, cleanse karmic impurities, and remove obstacles before stepping into the new year. Monastic communities engage in ritual exorcisms and torma offerings, symbolically casting away misfortunes and negativities accumulated throughout the year. Sacred Cham dances, performed with elaborate masks, depict the triumph of wisdom over malevolent forces. Fire purification ceremonies take place to burn away spiritual defilements, and households participate in incense offerings and blessings to ensure a fresh and auspicious start.

As these sacred ceremonies conclude, may this transition bring peace, prosperity, and harmony to all. Wishing you a joyful and blessed Lunar New Year ahead.