Shasta Interfaith

02/19/2026

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02/19/2026

Happy Lunar New Year!

In the Chinese zodiac, February 17, 2026, starts the Year of the Fire Horse. Different regions across Asia celebrate Lunar New Year in many ways and may follow a different zodiac.

The Lunar New Year is a celebration of the arrival of spring and the beginning of a new year on the lunisolar calendar. It is the most important holiday in China. It is also widely celebrated in South Korea, Vietnam, and countries with a significant overseas Chinese population. In China, the Lunar New Year starts the Spring Festival season that ends fifteen days later on the evening of the Lantern Festival. Celebrations and dates vary across different countries and cultures, but some similar customs include cleaning the house, eating symbolic foods, and spending time with family.

While zodiac signs are rooted in tradition and folklore, many people continue to follow them for cultural connection, personal insight and celebration during the Lunar New Year.

It is a time for renewing family bonds, honoring ancestors, and ushering in good fortune for the coming year.

The Year of the Horse is widely celebrated during Lunar New Year festivities in China and other Asian countries. Decorations, zodiac-themed gifts and traditional performances often reflect the year’s animal.

The Horse holds strong symbolism in Chinese culture, representing strength, success and perseverance.

02/18/2026

Maha Shivaratri, the "Great Night of Shiva," is a major Hindu festival celebrated annually in 2026 on February 15 to honor Lord Shiva, marking his marriage to Goddess Parvati, his cosmic tandava dance, or the night he consumed poison to save the world. Devotees observe strict fasting, perform abhishekam (ritual bathing) of the lingam with milk, water, and honey, and hold all-night vigils (jagran) chanting "Om Namah Shivaya"

02/18/2026

The start of Ramadan, a holy time for Muslims, is determined by the sighting of the waxing crescent moon, and the exact date has finally been determined as Feb 17, 2026.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It commemorates the angel Jibril (Gabriel) revealing the holy Quran to the Prophet Muhammad.

Muslims worldwide celebrate Ramadan, and the observance is not limited to just Muslims. Non-Muslims are also welcome to participate in Ramadan activities.

During Ramadan, a typical day begins with Muslims waking before dawn to eat a meal called suhoor. Once day breaks, fasting begins. Then, right at sunset, the fast ends with a meal called iftar.

Muslims do more than fast during the day. They also abstain from water while practicing self-control and using the month of Ramadan to accumulate blessings and spiritual discipline. Muslims are also encouraged to read the Quran, practice gratitude and compassion, avoid wrongdoings and temptations, and give to those in need.

Friends and families will say "Ramadan Mubarak" to each other, which means "blessed Ramadan," and often gather for iftar to cook and eat food and worship together. After the five obligatory daily prayers, an optional prayer called Taraweeh (Tarawih) is performed at night.

Although Muslims are obligated to fast during Ramadan, they must be healthy individuals of age. Exemptions include:
The elderly
Those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or menstruating
Children who haven’t reached puberty
People with illnesses

The celebration marking the end of Ramadan is Eid al-Fitr (or Eid ul-Fitr). It lasts one day and is likely to begin on the night of March 18, 2026, per Islamic Relief.

On the morning of Eid al-Fitr, Muslims will gather at mosques worldwide for a community-wide prayer and to greet other Muslims by saying ‘Eid Mubarak’, which means ‘Blessed Eid’ in Arabic. Traditions include celebrating with friends and family, wearing brand-new clothing, eating delicious food, and giving sadaqah (a voluntary charitable contribution).

02/18/2026

Ash Wednesday is W, Feb 18, 2026, and the Lenten season is underway.

The religious holiday is a significant part of the Christian faith despite undergoing multiple changes throughout the years, as a celebratory ritual observed for centuries.

Ash Wednesday marks the first day of Lent, the 40 days of fasting and penance that culminate in Easter Sunday. On Ash Wednesday parishioners around the world have the sign of the cross made on their foreheads with ashes to mark the holy day.

01/27/2026

The United Nations General Assembly designated January 27 as International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Find out how to observe this important day.

01/16/2026

From the Self-Realization Fellowship:
It was in January of 1925, when Paramahansa Yogananda first spoke about yoga as the science of the soul in Los Angeles. He is pictured here with a full house at the Philharmonic Auditorium. Soon afterward, Yogananda would establish in Los Angeles the international headquarters of his work, which has been the nucleus for his mission of spreading the teachings of Kriya Yoga worldwide ever since.

01/15/2026

01/10/2026

They ask for nothing.
No donations.
No slogans.
No enemies to defeat.

They simply walk.

Right now, Buddhist monks are walking nearly 2,300 miles—from Texas to Washington, D.C.
Step after step.
Silently.
With bowls, robes, and discipline.
Alongside them walks Aloka, a rescued dog—no speeches, no opinions, just presence.

This is not a protest.
It is not performance.
It is practice.

In Buddhism, peace is not demanded from the world.
It is embodied.

The monks walk because walking itself is the teaching:
Mindful step.
Mindful breath.
Mindful intention.

Every step says:
👉 Violence does not heal violence.
👉 Noise does not cure suffering.
👉 Anger cannot end anger.

The Buddha taught that peace begins when the mind stops fighting reality.
When greed softens.
When hatred is not fed.
When compassion becomes action.

That is why this walk is unsettling for some—and deeply healing for others.

Because it exposes something uncomfortable:
We are exhausted from arguing about peace,
yet unfamiliar with living it.

People line the roads.
Strangers cry.
Online trackers follow their progress daily.
Not because the monks are asking us to change the world—

—but because their calm reminds us that we can.

This walk is medicine for anxious minds.
A mirror for divided hearts.
A quiet reminder that peace is not an idea.

It is a discipline.
A daily choice.
A step you take even when no one is watching.

They walk for peace.
And somehow… the world remembers how to breathe. 🪷

Sometimes the loudest message
is a silent step forward.

01/01/2026

Ramadan 2026 is Feb 17, 2026 to March 19, 2026.

Ramadan is considered one of the holiest months of the year for Muslims. In Ramadan, Muslims commemorate the revelation of the Qur’an, and fast from food and drink during the sunlit hours as a means of drawing closer to God and cultivating self-control, gratitude, and compassion for those less fortunate. Ramadan is a month of intense spiritual rejuvenation with a heightened focus on devotion, during which Muslims spend extra time reading the Qur’an and performing special prayers. Those unable to fast, such as pregnant or nursing women, the sick, or elderly people & children, are exempt from fasting.

When does Ramadan take place?

Length & Purpose of Fasting

Muslims fast from pre-dawn to sunset, a fast of between 11-16 hours depending on the time of year for a period of 29-30 days. Ramadan entails forgoing food and drink, and if married, abstaining from s*x during sunlit hours. For Muslims, Ramadan is a time to train themselves both physically and spiritually by avoiding any negative acts such as gossiping, backbiting, lying, or arguing. Muslims welcome Ramadan as an opportunity for self-reflection and spiritual improvement, and as a means to grow in moral excellence. Ramadan is also a highly social time as Muslims invite each other to breakfast together and meet for prayers at the mosque.

The ultimate goal of fasting is gaining greater God-consciousness, known in Arabic as taqwa, signifying a state of constant awareness of God. From this awareness, a person should gain discipline, self-restraint, and a greater incentive to do good and avoid wrong. In commemoration of the revelation the Qur’an, which began in the month of Ramadan, Muslims attempt to read the entire book during Ramadan. The entire Qur’an is also recited during special nightly prayers.

For more info: ing.org