The Moon
Summary: Lunar Gaps
In summary, there are times each month when it is more
auspicious or appropriate to perform certain activities or
to be involved in one kind of activity or another. During
the general obscuration or cloudiness of our minds,
gaps occur, allowing us to see through the clouds; at
these times, penetrating insight is possible.
As noted, times when one can see without obscuration
(see clearly) are very much valued in the Tibetan
dharma tradition. These are viewed as real opportunities
for insight, and for the subsequent development that
such insight generates. Knowing when and where to
look for these insight-gaps has been the subject of
study and research in Tibet for centuries.
And this has not just been the subject of academic
research, reserved for the pundits. Everyone in the East
uses the lunar calendar on a regular basis. Lunar gaps
are used to plan a wide variety of events in the Tibetan