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Almanac of the Ancients:
April 2008
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by Triple Moon Goddess |
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Well the ancients have blessed the herd and the fields. They have aired out their homes, and are getting ready to plant for the new season. The rain , the sun, the warm breezes all were back. The baby lambs, and the crocus poking their heads out, even if there was still snow on the ground. The gods were happy! It was a time of renewal and life would go on. Spring is traditionally a time of new beginnings. Think about what new beginnings you want in your life. Hopefully you did some manifesting during the equinox last month. It is never too late to add a “new” start to your life, especially during the first full month of spring, so if there are any that you want to add, now is a perfect time.
Spring has sprung. It will finally start to FEEL like spring in the northern hemisphere. The name April comes from Aprillis, who was also known as the ancient Roman love goddess Aphrodite. Aprillis was her Latin name, and it ended up on the Gregorian calendar. Remember that March was originally the first month, and April the second, so the new year was still fresh to the ancients. Some scholars claim the name April comes from aperire, meaning “to open”. I like the Aprillis theory myself,
April shares the sun signs of Aries the Ram and Taurus the Bull. Two headstrong signs, see I didn’t say stubborn.......Ask for a “girl’s best friend”, diamonds for your birthday , as it is the stone of the month. The traditional flowers are daisy and sweet pea. Bring in some daisies from a local florist, they really will make you “feel” spring. They smell wonderful, and full of bright color and will welcome the season in grand style. Remember to honor your gods and goddesses of the month. They are : Aphrodite, Artemis, Astarte, Erzulie, Terra, Venus, and Yang-Hua.
Speaking of goddesses, April third was Magna Mater- An ancient Roman festival to honor Cybele. Cybele is the Phrygian earth goddess. She is a life and rebirth goddess, as she resurrected her son Attis. Her Roman equivalent is the Magna Mater. An oracle told the people that in order to end wars, a meteorite (that was said to represent Cybele) must be brought to the Phrygia to Rome, and to her temple. The meteorite was brought ,and the wars ended , the crops flourished. This festival came out of that event. An idol of Cybele was paraded through the streets, she is often depicted with a chariot drawn by lions. It was believed that she mush be honored to keep peace and happiness for the area. Today would be a good day to honor her and ask for peace in the world.
You will notice that this month has a real Asian flavor to it , and a water theme throughout. Two things to keep in mind as you celebrate this month with the ancients!
April celebrates the birthdays of Kuan Yin in some cultures and Buddha. On April 8, Buddha’s birthday is celebrated in many cultures, with processions to his temples, There gifts (mostly flowers), are left at the Buddha’s feet. Hydrangea tea is poured over the bronze statues of the infant Buddha who sits in a pool of sweet tea. Buddha’s birthday is celebrated in many countries to this day (including India and China). Today would be a great day to invite a friend out for a cup of tea, or take some time to relax and meditate on the oneness of the world.
Siddhartha Buddha is currently recognized as the supreme buddha of our age. His life ended around 483 BCE, but many still honor him and his teachings today. His teachings were passed down in an oral tradition, and are preserved today by the sangha. He was born in what is now Nepal. If you really want to live the ancients life, maybe take a trip to beautiful Nepal this spring!
Kuan Yin (and other spelling such as Guan Yin) is the goddess of compassion, a bodhisattva. She is mostly worshiped by Eastern Buddhists, but has gained a following all around the world. Chinese Taoists see her as immortal, and she is considered a goddess by many. She has different spellings, celebrations, birthdays, etc. depending on which culture (including Thailand, Vietnam and Japan) you look at, however they all agree that she is the compassionate one. She is usually depicted carrying water and a willow branch. Water is a theme in April, and Kuan Yin may have been the first to make that tradition.
Another goddess, Fortuna, is also honored in April, on the 11th. Her followers would read “fortunes” form pieces of oak selected from a jar. Today would be a good day to have your fortune told. She is also the goddess of luck/fate. All over the world there are little practices on this day to help bring good luck or good fortune. Bread is baked with crosses to honor the Roman goddess Diana on this day. In Greece to this day, myrtle and bay are worn by children to protect them from the “evil eye”. In Armenia, Anahit, the goddess of love and the moon is honored. It is easy to see how different days carry the same themes from cultures all over the world.
Getting back to the fields, Cerelaia was celebrated on the12th. This is where we get the word “cereal” from. It was a seven day festival to honor the goddess of agriculture. Different scholars give different dates for the beginning of her festival, but this date is most “popular”. Woman dressed in white and ran through the streets with lit torches to re-enact her search for her lost daughter Proserpina. She is an agricultural goddess and was honored to help the grains grow.
Let us return to the water theme of the month. Songkran was celebrated by the ancient Buddhists as “new year” on April 14. In Thailand, Buddhists still celebrate New Years as April 13 and 14. Statues of the Buddha are bathed in water, and water is thrown everywhere until everyone and everything are soaking wet! There are boat races, as water is a central theme, and plays. Gold leaf is added to the Buddha statues after their “bath”. Children will even buy live fish and set them free in the streams and rivers. Pyramids of sand are built along river banks with small flags added to their tips. Some children also buy and release song birds ! What a wonderful celebration of fun, cleansing, and beauty!
Again keeping with the water theme, Maryamma or Mariamne is honored on this day. She is the Hindu goddess of the Sea. Returning to Nepal, we have the annual festival of the Rain god, named the “Chariot Festival”, which begins on April 14 and lasts for approximately eight weeks. The festival is dedicated to Machendrana, the ancient Indian god of rain. The name is similar to Maryamma / Mariamne, and may be all of the same origin.If it rains today, go out and dance in the rain and say “thank-you” to the gods!
April 23 was Vinalia-There are two wine festivals or vinalias. This is one and the other is in August. This is a little different from water, but the ancients drank wine all day long, just as we drink water or soft drinks today. The first wine stored last autumn is poured to honor Jupiter. Have a glass of wine and celebrate !
April showers bring......flowers. On April 28, Floralia was celebrated. The ancient Romans honored the Sabine goddess Venus, with flowers on this day. Goats and rabbits were let loose, and vegetables were distributed as fertility tokens. People dressed in their most colorful clothing and put flowers in their hair. Wear a flower in your hair, and leave veggies outside for the bunnies today to honor Venus !
Also this month, let’s go from flowers to trees. The Pagans planted trees, and it is still a wonderful thing to do for Gaia. Plant a tree to honor an ancient goddess. Myrtle is popular in celebrations this month. The myrtle celebrates Venus and Aphrodite. Plant an oak for Demeter or Diana; a Pine for Attis and Cybele; a sycamore for all Egyptian goddesses, or a willow for Atremis and Kuan Yin.
Last but not least, the final day of the month is Beltane Eve- An ancient Gaelic holiday based in the Celtic tradition. It was the beginning of summer season, time to move the livestock to the summer pastures. The celebration began with a bonfire, especially in Ireland. Beltane means “May”which is right around the corner!
Have a wonderful April, and when the April showers come, please remember that water was a very important part of the ancients lives during the month of April. It was honored, and used in many celebrations. It is cleansing, and beautiful.
Take a walk in the woods, and see what new flowers are popping up. Take a walk along a stream , or by a lake. Swim if you can! Drink some green tea or wine. Bring flowers into your home. Throw open the windows at least once and let in that fresh rain washed air. It is a time of cleaning up , starting over, and renewal. Take the time to renew your body and soul and venture out into the year!
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Triple Moon Goddess,
Psychic Tarot Consultant
& Author
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Triple Moon Goddess has been psychic all her life, receiving her first deck of cards, 36 years ago, at age ten.
As a Psychic, she is currently reading on Keen, Kasamba, and in person, most recently, in Evansville, IN.
In addition to a BA in psychology from Montclair State in NJ., She has studied Mediumship with Denise Ilwaine, and currently studing Reiki.
She is a student who "plays Tai Chi", and enjoys playing with energy.
Triple Moon Goddess also teaches monthly metaphysical classes at the Bead Angel, in Evansville, covering different topics each month. She has also taught Tarot classes and psychic development classes; led "ghost hunts", and "seances".
She has attended many metaphysical classes, both in person and correspondance (before the internet!). She also teaches quilting!
As an avid reader, she loves to pass on everything she can to others.
She was the editor on "C.R.U.M.B.S.," a New Age self help book., and currently writing a book on tarotand readings.
She is the mother of two children, one of which is autistic, and teaches her a great deal about viewing the world through different eyes.
Email:
triplemoongoddessgina
@hotmail.com
Web:
www.Keen.com/
Triplemoongoddess
URL
www.myspace.com
/triplemoongoddessgina
Blog URL
http://blog.myspace.
com/
triplemoongoddessgina
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