Something Old....Something New
Looking into some of the traditions around the New Year has highlighted one practise that my Dad used to do - 'first footing'. It is an old custom that's rules differs widely from location to location. It was generally required that a male, usually with dark hair or dark face should bring good luck to the house hold, by carrying a symbolic gift, either bread and coal, or sometimes whiskey and something green. Custom maintains that the first footer should enter by the front door, but leave by the back....on stopping through they would remain silent, stoke the fire and place the coal on it before leaving.
Another tradition was divination, it was called 'dipping', when opening a random page of the bible and reading a passage from within. Ash reading from the domestic fireplaces was popular, as was taking note of the first person of whom you met on the first morning of the New Year.....sometimes going as far as believing that the christian name of this person, would be the name of the person to whom you would marry.
New Year's Day only became a Bank Holiday in 1974, but before this it was customary that no work should be carried out on this day. No washing should be done (I've kept with this tradition!), but new clothes should be worn. Also you should have coins in your pockets, or you would be poor all year round.
Nothing should be taken out of the house, unless something had been bought in first, this would ensure prosperity in all matters.
Older traditions all make reference to visiting and to gift giving, much like Christmas.
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| First Footing |
Another tradition was divination, it was called 'dipping', when opening a random page of the bible and reading a passage from within. Ash reading from the domestic fireplaces was popular, as was taking note of the first person of whom you met on the first morning of the New Year.....sometimes going as far as believing that the christian name of this person, would be the name of the person to whom you would marry.
New Year's Day only became a Bank Holiday in 1974, but before this it was customary that no work should be carried out on this day. No washing should be done (I've kept with this tradition!), but new clothes should be worn. Also you should have coins in your pockets, or you would be poor all year round.
Nothing should be taken out of the house, unless something had been bought in first, this would ensure prosperity in all matters.
Older traditions all make reference to visiting and to gift giving, much like Christmas.
So to the New Year 2012...it is a significant year to those within the spiritual community, for it signifies the year of a great shift in consciousness and awareness. The ancient cultures around the world have prophesied that it will be the end of an era, aaccording to the Mayans, the close of the first cycle is the completion of the Galactic Year. It takes 225 million Earth years for the Milky Way Galaxy to make one complete rotation in the sky.
2012 also marks the end of:
Nothing is for certain about what these changes will bring, save one....the world will not end!!!
For me, 2012 means a step closer to the end of poverty, global power struggles, more people joining together, to help, heal and love one another and the planet, and world peace.
But I'll leave you with a few links to what others have to say.......X
http://earthsky.org/human-world/kathryn-reese-taylor-on-the-mayans-and-2012
http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/esp_2012_02.htm
http://www.dianacooper.com/2012/
http://www.theemergenceproject.net/speakersJOD.htm
http://2012rising.com/article/the-galactic-alignment-in-2012-part-1
Moon - First Quarter 50%
Yoga - Tadasana, Star, Trikonasana, Releasing Technique (letting go of all last years baggage), Archer (focus on goals for the future), Garudasana, Gate Sequence, sequence - high kneeling namaste..cat/cow..face down dog..face up dog..cat/cow..hare..child..high kneeling namaste, Setu Bandhasana,Halasana, Badhakonasa & Ardha Matsyendrasana.
Card Message - Two of Pentacles (sensation, the senses and the body)
A need to seek balance in your life requires trust and playfulness rather than concentration or caution. Material wealth and practical matters. Juggling two or more jobs, homes or demanding relationships. Juggling a number of factors in your life may be a joy for you, rather than a burden.
1st January - Kalends of January/New Year's Day/Fortuna/Jupiter/Juno/Eygptian Day
"Ring out the old,
Ring in the new,
Ring out the false,
Ring in the true."
New Year's Day - sacred to the Greek divine gods Zeus and Hera, also the Roman Jupiter and Juno. It is a day of offering to the goddess Fortuna, to ensure a beneficial year to all.
Oshogatsu (or Shogatsu) Shinto New Year, one of the most popular occasions for shrine visits
Gratitude - A new beginning
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