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NEW YEAR, NEW BEGINNING
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327 Route 105
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“Tradition! Tradition!” shouts Tevya, the lovable, if philosophically challenged, protagonist of Sholom Aleichem’s classic tale, turned Broadway and Hollywood songfest, “Fiddler on the Roof”. “Fiddler” tells the saga of daily life in Anatevka, a fictional yet archetypal shtetl (village) in Czarist Russia, fated to be laid waste by a pogrom. Forced, from their homes, the residents of Anatevka must leave behind the only way of life they have ever known. As the story closes they are refugees, setting out on a journey into an uncertain future. The past is dead. Perhaps less dramatically, each passing year, we symbolically leave behind pieces of our own past. “Ring out the old and ring in the new”. Tradition! Or is it? In actual practice, the New Year is celebrated in accordance with a variety of cultural and religious traditions and in many cases on different days of the year.
Rites of Spring
The first day of January heralds the arrival of each New Year according to our contemporary Gregorian calendar. January is named for Janus, the two-faced god who simultaneously looks back at the past and forward to the future. In the ancient Roman calendar, befitting an agrarian society, the New Year began at the Spring Equinox. March was the first month, and Sept-ember, Oct-ober Nov-ember and Dec-ember were respectively the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th months, as indicated by their surviving Latin names. July and August, were the fifth and sixth months, originally named Quintiles and Sextilis, until they were co-opted by a couple of influential latter day Romans. “Render under to Caesar the things which are Caesar’s” as the saying goes. The ancient Roman year had only ten named months, beginning in March and ending in December. A nameless long winter break followed, until in 713 BC, the second king of Rome Numa Pompilius, added January and February. In 46 B.C., Julius Caesar established a new dating system, fittingly dubbed the Julian calendar (of course). With a mere stroke of the pen (or chisel?), he moved the beginning of the year to January--since it contained the festival of Janus, the god of gates and later the god of all beginnings.
Fall Festivals
The Celtic/Druidic New Year begins in late October during Samhain, the most sacred holiday on the Wiccan wheel of the year. Wiccans celebrate this festival as the "Witches New Year". Early Christianity transformed this festival into “All Hallows Eve”, forerunner of Halloween. Samhain, marks the end of summer and beginning of winter. It is the time when the Goddess descends to the underworld and once again begins the eternal cycle of life. Conceptually (pun intended) the New Year begins as the seed of new life is nurtured in the womb of the Earth Mother. The son/sun god is reborn at Winter Solstice. In the tradition of grafting Christian holy days onto pagan celebrations (as a way to win converts) in the fourth century, Pope Constantine moved the birthday of Jesus to December 25th. (No records of the actual birth date survive. However many astrologers believe Jesus was born in March.) Numerous pre-Christian Pagan religions honored their gods' birth or rebirth on or about that day. Their deities were typically called “Son of Man, Light of the World, Sun of Righteousness, Bridegroom, and Savior”. God and goddess emerge from the underworld at Spring Equinox. The pagan festive of Oestre (Easter, anyone?) marks this rebirth and renewal.
Hebrews
The Jewish New Year, "Rosh Hashana" (literally "the head of the year" in Hebrew) falls on the first day of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, during our month of September. The Jewish calendar, like many of ancient origin, is lunar based and therefore its festival days do not fall on the same modern calendar day each year. Rosh Hashana, the time when the actual year number advances, is a celebration of the anniversary of God’s Creation of the Earth as described in Genesis--the ultimate "in the beginning" point. The exact day of Creation is calculated by subtracting the number of the current year, in this case 5766, and then adding back in the six days it took to perform the task, plus the seventh day when God rested. Some modern Jewish theologians have speculated that the length of the first seven days could figuratively be considered to encompass several millions of years.
The Hebrew calendar has no less than four New Years. The actual first calendar month, Nisan (although it occurs 6 months after Tishrei which begins the calendar year!) begins on the first new moon (as do all lunar months) following the Spring Equinox. The first day of Nisan is the New Year for Kings. Ah, the legacy of special privilege! The remaining two interim New Year festivals, Tu B’shevat, for fruit bearing trees and Elul, for animals, mark the beginnings of fiscal years, when taxes (tithes) on these commodities were collected. These celebrations have been reinvented in modern times to give thanks and honor the Earth. As kings haven’t survived the centuries, celebration of the Royal New Year has ceased.
Dog Days Ahead
Chinese New Year is the main holiday of the year for more than one quarter of the world's population. Although the People's Republic of China uses the Gregorian calendar for civil purposes, a special Chinese calendar is used for determining festivals. Various Chinese communities around the world also use this calendar. The Chinese calendar is lunar based; therefore, the Chinese New Year’s corresponding date on the Gregorian calendar shifts annually. The Year of the Rooster, which began February 9th, 2005 gives way to the Year of the Dog on January 29th, 2006--perhaps a welcome change in light of the Avian Flu outbreak in the Far East last year. The rooster has a spotty reputation because he can appear boastful and extravagant-- cocksure, while the dog is considered to be honest and faithful—“man’s best friend”.
Happy Anniversary
Differing cultural traditions notwithstanding, these examples illustrate a useful prototype. A new year, whether secular or religious, is always an anni-versary ( from the Latin “annus” meaning circuit of the sun)—the beginning of any designated annual cycle (and by default the ending of the previous one). For example, our Federal Government has a fiscal new year that begins on July first. Astrologically, one's true birth anniversary occurs at the moment the sun returns to the exact degree it occupied at the time of birth--hence the term "Solar Return". Significantly, because the solar year and calendar year are out of synch (reconciled every four years on February 29th) the solar return doesn't always coincide with the calendar birthday.
With each recurrent yearly cycle, we relive the process of reviewing and releasing the past and facing a yet uncharted future. At this critical juncture, the opportunity for a fresh start has inspired the long standing tradition of making New Year’s resolutions. However, well intentioned these important commitments may be, most of us can attest to their short lives. Born in a rush of initial enthusiasm, they often suffer from a lack of follow through; when the moment passes the momentum fizzles like stale leftover champagne. Perhaps the weight of responsibility is just too daunting; perhaps the prospect of failure too disheartening. Tuning into the cosmic realms an energetic picture of the process readily emerges. The New Year occurs under a Capricorn Sun (and this year a Capricorn New Moon) with Mercury and Venus following suit. Capricorn is an energy of responsibility, self-discipline and structure—a perfect setup under which to organize, exercise and count calories! However, as Capricorn wanes in late January and the Sun and inner planets move into freedom-loving Aquarius, some of our best laid plans become casualties of our rebellious natures. By far, the least sustainable conditions occur when these same planets move into laid-back Pisces in late February and March. What a pity, New Years comes but once a year—that is, unless it doesn’t. What if we all got a second chance? Or even a third?
Unlimited Potential
Each New Year is an annual occurrence, the culmination of an annual cycle. But, it’s not the only new beginning. The number and variety of both annual and interim cycles, each with an opportunity for a fresh start, is plentiful. As stated in the message of the Tao, "to everything there is a return". Each month the Sun moves into a new sign of the Zodiac. Planets change signs in the heavens in predictable cycles. The Solstices and Equinoxes divide the year into quarters. Every month, the moon begins a new cycle. And what of the dawning of each new day? In addition to natural cycles, many cultural and religious celebrations occur at regular intervals. We mark personal milestones and life passages-- birthdays, weddings, new babies, new homes, new jobs, deaths in the family. The anniversaries of these events also cycle through our lives. Every recurrence, whether over long or short periods of time, provides an opportunity to review and reflect on what is passing out of influence and to commit to opening a new chapter in our lives. This process unfolds naturally and often the missing ingredient is simply our consciousness of the connections. For example, when I began keeping a lunar journal two years ago I was astounded at the synchronicity with which new projects emerged at the new moon, blossomed at the full and cycled through to completion by month’s end.
Beyond Resolutions
Expanding our consciousness about the cyclical rhythm of life is the first step in taking advantage of the opportunities these cycles present. Inherent in all of them is a repetitive sequence of waxing and waning-- birth, growth, maturity, decay, death and rebirth. The timing of these phases depends on the length of the cycle. By aligning our actions and expectations with the natural flow of the process we enhance the possibilities of success. We know when to push ahead, when to hold and when to fold. Working the system demands a new paradigm that goes beyond resolution. Resolutions are subject to the exercise of the personal will. Will power often challenges us to push against the river. A more powerful methodology aligns with the energies of a cycle to co-create a new reality. Co-creation begins at the outset of a new cycle, with a declaration of intention. This intention must also be aligned with the higher will and consistent with an individual’s life purpose. It must be supported emotionally by intense desire and be clear of any limiting beliefs. It is important to invite in the assistance of the higher self, Universe (God, angels, masters or guides). Ritual and/or mediation work well initiating this step. Next, even though one may take considered actions in the direction one wishes to go, one must also surrender all attachment to the way in which the process unfolds as well as to the anticipated results. Allow for serendipity—the unexpected surprises that often yield miraculous outcomes. And remember, if you don’t get what you want, you will always get what you need—an important lesson! Recognize, acknowledge and give thanks for it. And, please, also take these opportunities to join with like minded souls in co-creating a brighter future for humanity, Mother Earth and all life on this planet.
Do You Read Me?
One of my intentions for this year is to create a relationship with my readers. I’ve been writing this monthly column for two years. Yet, I have heard from only a few readers. I welcome your comments, feedback, suggestions for topics, etc. (No personal questions about your horoscope, please!) If I can’t answer all your email personally, I will acknowledge trends in this space. So that we may become better acquainted, I also invite you to browse my new webpage on this site. Contact me here.
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