There is something quite profound to the emergence of new life after what has been a bleak and cold winter, dark and full of snow and ice. Outdoors a lot, one marvels at each minute change of wind direction, precipitation and light. The world’s religions each celebrate the symbolism of new life in different ways. Many begin this last transitional push by fasting and rituals leading up to a new year or new state of being. Even the birds have kicked out old nesting materials and are in the process of building new digs as they migrate back and rejoice with the emergence of new food.
Bahai’s began the month with a 19 day fast which leads up to the New Year- 168BE (Baha’i era). That's news to those who just finished celebrating the Chinese Year of the Rabbit, 2011 which is the New Year 4708. It started Thursday, February 3rdand continues until January 22ndof 2012. The month of March also began with Mahashivaratri, a Hindu festival dedicated to Shiva. Hindus celebrate Holi, a festival dedicated to the love between Krishna and Radha- it’s a joyful time with riotous intense color showered upon one another and bonfires lit on the 19th. Meanwhile, Christians entered 40 days on Ash Wednesday the 9th, leading up to the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, the Christ (or one who is to come, fulfillment of Hebrew prophecy of the coming Messiah) at Easter. It is a serious time for reflection and repentance to be considered worthy to be called followers of Jesus. The devout marked their foreheads with the sign of the cross made in ash from last year's palm fronds from Holy week.
Lest, Baha’is and Shinto/Buddhist/Confucians lay sole claim to a new year, Sikh’s begin their new year 543 on the 14th. Not to be outdone and certainly a force to be reckoned with, the Irish nationality claims March 17thas the day of their Patron Saint, Patrick and for all purposes, an Irish new year. Let’s all raise a toast! While speaking of toasts, Jewish believers celebrate the lively Purim based on the Book of Ester who saved her people through a story about turning the table.
The 20thwhich is the Vernal Equinox, launches Wiccan celebrations of Ostara, the Goddess and re-awakening of life. It is where many Easter customs came from- such as decorating eggs, the rabbit etc. upon which the Christian Easter celebration was superimposed. It is believed by some that Jesus was actually crucified in the Fall when palms and figs would have been in abundance in Israel, making sense tothe Passion week story, rather than Spring when these items were not found.
The Zoroastrian New Year 1380 falls on the 21st. The period leading up to that was for rejoicing over the creation of humans. Interspersed with the religious holidays are International Day for Women, Day of Remembrance of Victims of Slavery, and United Nations World Day for Water and International Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
Buddhist and Shinto also mark the 20thin meditation and to revere ancestors. This is particularly apt with the story of the nuclear meltdown unfolding in Japan in the background of all this new life. With each successive disaster and scar upon the planet and humankind, it is perhaps a time to sit with these diverse understandings and the knowledge that what connects us most is our shared home, earth, and humanity. In that, we are on the same page, in the same place. Read More . . .
Local Events
Hear Buddhist and Catholic nuns 7 pm March 30thdiscuss insights about their practice of religion at Methodist Theological School in Ohio, Delaware Sponsored by the TCGC.
Celebrate Purim at Temple Beth Shalom in New Albany, children in costume.
March 19thfrom 5:30-6:30pm. Hear how Queen Ester took a stand to save her people.
Visit the Gift of Light Expo, psychic fair and holistic health expo the 19th and 20th at Veterans Memorial Sunday 10-6pm.
Meditation for this post:
‘Our new challenge is to reinvent our civilization. The major institutions of the modern period, including that of agriculture and religion and education and economics, need to be re-imagined within an intelligent, self-organizing, living universe, so that instead of degrading the Earth's life systems, humanity might learn to join the enveloping community of living beings in a mutually enhancing manner. This great work will surely draw upon the talents and energies of many millions of humans from every culture of our planet and throughout the rest of the 21st century.’ - Brian Swimme
Copyright, 2011, Patricia A. Rodemann
Twitter: awesomejourney
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