BOB ABERNETHY: On our calendar this week, new year's for the Chinese, Vietnamese, and Tibetans. It's the Year of the Horse, which is known for natural disasters. Asian fortunetellers advise caution.

For Tibetan Buddhists, the new year is celebrated with dancing, and we sat in as members of the Drepung Loseling Monastery in Washington, D.C. performed. Our guide was Geshe Lobsang Tenzin, who spoke of the power of negative and positive energy, and about the legends associated with snow lions and [the] Black Hat Masters.

GESHE LOBSANG TENZIN: Sha-nak Gar-cham ... Dance of the Black Hat Masters originated in Tibet in about 11th century.

Legend has it that there was a tremendous revolution that destroyed the dharma, the spiritual practices in Tibet. The dance was performed to overcome the intense negativity.

The dancers have in their left hand a skullcap, and in their right hand, they hold a dagger. [The] skullcap representing the blissful state of mind. The dagger symbolizes the wisdom that cuts through the ignorance of the negativities.