----- ----- ----- ----- ----- Please accept my apologies for the three days late announcement of the Sikh community's commemoration of their first martyr Guru, namely: Today has been the first day of the two day long Jewish festival: Shavuot Hi Everyone, 'They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them, "men of Galilee" they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven". Acts 1:10-1:12
The most important holiday in the Buddhist calendar is forth coming:
Vaisakha
Vaisakha is the name of the second month of the Indian calendar and is when Buddhists celebrate the birth, the enlightenment and the passing away of the Buddha. It is believed that these events in the Buddha's life happened at the same time of the year.
 My friend Mark's Buddha has a little bowl perfect for flower offerings The customs and traditions vary according to community and country. Common traditions include bathing of the Buddha in order to purify the mind from greed, hatred and ignorance; teachings of the Buddha's life and religion; gift giving; lanterns to symbolise the light of understanding that his teachings could bring and sacrifices of flowers to symbolise the fragility and briefness of life.
Vaisakha is a wonderfully colourful and happy holiday.
If you want to cook something special for Buddha's day choose something vegetarian from a Buddhist country like India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand or Vietnam. Also try making your own lanterns in paper.
Love,
After a long break we now have another celebration tomorrow: ..... this is your holiday:
Easter
It started yesterday with Holy Thursday when Jesus Christ held the Last Supper for the apostles. The Last Supper is an event closely related to Jewish Passover, not just because it coincides in the calendar but also because it is generally believed that the Last Supper was a Passover Seder.
In Jesus' time this event would have been on Friday not Thursday because a new day began by sunset not at midnight, hence Thursday's Supper belongs to the Easter Triduum (the three days of Easter) beginning for us on Friday.
Today is Good Friday. It is the day of the death and crucifixion of Jesus Christ at Calvary. More specifically, it is thought that he died around 3pm today. The day is recognised in all Christian traditions with some variation. Many Catholic countries hold processions with Jesus on the cross while Protestant Christians attend special church services. Fasting is observed by the Eastern Orthodox and the Roman Catholic churches. It is also common to have some restriction on commerce and consumption, for example the selling of alcohol is prohibited in The Republic of Ireland and in South Africa. I have also come across the prohibition of public dancing in Germany, although I'm not sure whether this is still the case since the law has apparently been under discussion lately.
Holy Saturday is observed as the darkest of days since it is the day when Jesus rested in the tomb. It lasts till dusk when, in some traditions, fires are common to symbolise the rising of Christ. Masses are uncommon and in the Roman Catholic church they are strictly forbidden. The altar is usually stripped bare or covered in purple or black cloth.
Sunday is Easter Sunday. It is the most important celebration in the Christian calendar. it commemorates the resurrection of Jesus. The day begins as a day of joy in all traditions. Church services are more cheerful that usual with happy music and a brighter altar sometimes decorated with spring flowers. People dress up in their best and may continue feasting through the day.
I don't want to ramble on too much about this holy weekend since you know already a lot about it, but I would like to invite your pictures from the holiday. If you do celebrate Easter, even if it is a mishmash of Pagan and Christian traditions, I would love to have your pictures and possible stories about it.
Lots of Love,
Jeanette
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----- ------ 'Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.' (Luke 1:30-32) Catholics view of Mary differ from other Christian views of her. They refer to her as 'the Blessed Virgin Mary' because they believe that she was not only a virgin but was also always blessed. Roman Catholics call this 'the immaculate conception'. By this they mean that Mary was free from the original sin from the moment she was conceived, by the act of God. This view is contested by other Christian faiths. ----- Mothering Sunday The Anglican and the Catholic Church alike celebrate today but with slight variation in practice. It is believed that the roots of the holiday can be found in ancient Greece and Rome where, in the spring, festivals were held for Goddesses. Later, by the spread of Christianity throughout Europe, these festivals were replaced by celebrations of the 'mother church'. In England since the 16th century, it is known that people used to go to their nearest big church or 'mother church' on this day. Poor people, including young boys and girls, who commonly lived in the house of their employer, were also allowed to visit their families today. They would bring with them flowers or cakes to give to their mothers. Mothering Sunday always falls on the forth Sunday in Lent so the cake was a great occasion to loosen up the fast a little. Simnel cakes were the most common because they contained dried fruit that kept well during the travels, often done by foot. We have the great pleasure to have Mmedo's mother Marie-Paule here today so for us it is a true mother's day on which I will bake a Simnel cake. Here's the recipe: Jeanette ----- Saint Patrick's Day, falls on the 17th of March every year. Saint Patrick (373-493) was sold into slavery at the age of 16 but escaped to become an Irish bishop later in life. He is famous for having been good at converting pagans into Christians. He died on the 17th of March 493 AD. He used Shamrock as a metaphor for the holy trinity to explain it as 'separate elements of the same entity'. The day is now a secular holiday that has little to do with religion. In fact, incentives were taken in the seventies to commercialise the day in order to attract more attention to Ireland. People celebrate by drinking beer, attending parades and wearing green. If you want to celebrate today pull out everything green from your wardrobe and wear it all! That's what we've done and it has resulted in a creative and different look for all of us. We also made shamrock broaches.
Lots of Love, Jeanette ----- According to the Nanakshahi calendar today is the Sikh New Year: Baisakhi/Vaisakhi Today is the first day of year 539. Sikhs celebrate New Year in memory of Guru Gobind Singh who founded the Akal Khalsa (Community of the pure) in 1699. Akal Khalsa gave Sikhs a clear identity and values to live by and set them apart from Hinduism and Islam. The day also marks the beginning of the harvest season in Punjab, India. Sikhs celebrate by washing in the morning, preferably with a bath in a river. Visits to a Gurudwara are also common and brought along is sweets and money. At home Sikhs do not worship on New Years day but share a meal with friends. Meals are based on luxurious ingredients. Meat, alcohol, lassi and Mithai (sweets) are served. Tonight I will cook Sarson ka Sag and Makki ki Roti. Happy New Year! Jeanette ----- 4 March: Purim Holi Hola Mohalla Purim Purim is a Jewish festival that commemorates a plot by Haman to annihilate all the Jews of the Persian Empire. The plot failed thanks to the cunning of Esther who was the wife of the Persian king Xerxes. Xerxes reined the Persian Empire between 485-465 BCE. See the Book of Esther in The Bible. During Purim Jewish people read about Haman's plot in The Bible. As it is written that Purim should be a Jewish holiday it is celebrated accordingly: 'Days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor' Esther 9:22 Holi Holi is an annual Hindu spring festival. It is two days long and always takes place on full moon. There are a few different religious stories attached to the significance of the day. One of the stories is about the king of the demons Hiranyakashipu. Brahma had granted him a boon so that he was almost impossible to kill. He then became overconfident and demanded that people worshipped him only. Despite these orders his own son Prahlad kept on worshipping Lord Vishnu and that made Hiranyakashipu so furious that he decided to kill him. But because Lord Vishnu protected the son, all attempts failed. The last attempt is connected to the holiday Holi. Hiranyakashipu then ordered his son to sit on a fire in the lap of his sister Holika while a fireproof shawl protected his sister. As it happened, the shawl flew off Holika who then burnt to death while the shawl moved to protect Prahlad. The day Holi celebrates the burning of Holika. Bonfires are therefore common during Holi. Another tradition is to throw powdered colours and water on each other. This is connected to another story not mentioned here. Hola Mohalla The Sikh holiday Hola Mohalla follows on from the Hindu Holi. It is thought that the holiday was originally created to distract Sikhs from the Hindu one. It was Guru Gobind Singh who announced the day as a Sikh holiday around 1700. He wanted the day to be used to practice martial skills in the form of pretend battles. Today Sikhs celebrate with martial arts parades, music and poetry reading. Please chose one of the three or mix them all and celebrate today. Lots of Love, Jeanette Today is: Ash Wednesday It is the first day of Lent, which is the period before Easter. At many Christian masses today priests will mark people's foreheads with a symbolic cross of ash. The cross is a symbol of mourning and sorrow at the death that sin brings into the world. It is also a symbol of Jesus' suffering on the cross. The priest may also read out this reminder: "Remember, man, that you are dust And into dust you shall return" (Genesis 3:19) Jeanette ----- Shrove Tuesday, Fettisdaden, Mardi Gras or Pancake Day. They all refer to the same event in the Christian calendar; it is the last day before Lent. Lent is the 40 days before Easter when Christians contemplate what they have done wrong. It is also a time of abstinence which explains Shrove Tuesday as a day when all fat in the household should be used up. In England, Shrove Tuesday is more commonly known as 'pancake day'. Pancakes are eaten because they contain milk, butter and eggs all of which were traditionally forbidden during Lent. The name Shrove comes from the word 'Shrive' which means to confess. Confessions would be done today to clear oneself of sin before the start of Lent. In Sweden, Shrove Tuesday is called 'Fettisdagen'. Again, it refers to the tradition to eat fat before the fasting period commences. Instead of pancakes, people in Sweden eat 'semlor' which are buns scooped out and filled with marzipan and wiped cream. In France, Shrove Tuesday is called Mardi Gras which means 'fat Tuesday. Crepes would be eaten today but more specifically Mardi Gras is a time for carnivals. All over the country carnivals are held with music, parades and good food. The celebrations are linked to the Christian fast during Lent so all celebrations stop after today. Because tomorrow is the first day of the fast and of a time when close attention is given to religious life, many of the celebrations also focus on the loosening up of rules and customs in general. It can be thought of as a last transgression before one has to reserve oneself in the name of Christianity. Therefore, to celebrate today one might want to break a few rules, behave less contained and eat a lot of fat. Jeanette ----- Maha Shivratri (The grand night of Lord Shiva) Lord Shiva is one of the deities of Hindu trinity, the other two being Brahma and Vishnu. On Maha Shivratri, Lord Shiva is believed to have performed the ’Tandava’, which is a primal dance of creation, preservation and destruction. It is also believed that on this day he got married to Parvati Ma and further that he manifested himself in the form of a Linga. To celebrate today Shiva devotees wake up early to have a ritual bath followed by dressing up in fresh new clothes. They then visit the nearest Shiva temple where Lord Shiva is bathed ritually through the day in milk, honey, water, sugar, yoghurt and ghee. On the day some observe strict fast while others eat fruit and drink milk only. It is thought that sincere worship today of Lord Shiva frees a person of sin and liberates the person from the cycle of birth and death. To celebrate today you might want to fast, eat fruit and drink milk or maybe have a bath. It would be appropriate to make an Indian meal tomorrow, as the fast should be broken then. Have a wonderful Maha Shivratri, Jeanette ----- I would like to announce the coming of Parinirvana Day on Thursday. It is the Buddhist celebration of Buddha's death. Buddha's death is celebrated because after achieving enlightenment at the age of 35 he was, at the time of his death, ready to achieve complete Nirvana (also called Parinirvana). Parinirvana is possible upon the death of the physical body and grants release from the Skandhas that are form; feeling; perception; mental fabrications and consciousness. On Parinirvana Day, Buddhists go to the monasteries to contemplate on individual Nirvana and on the meaning of life and death. In some communities it is also a social occasion where traditional food is prepared. On Thursday I will celebrate by reading some Buddhist texts written by the Buddha before his death in which I found similarities to some of Aristotle's philosophy, especially from his book 'The Metaphysics'. Among the few ancient Buddhist texts I have read so far I have found philosophical rigour that I previously only found in the Greeks. I think these parallels between the East and the West are important to explore. Jeanette ----- Nice and sunny day here in Brighton today for celebrating the Jewish holiday Tu Bishvat. Tu Bishvat is one of the four Rosh HaShanah's (New Years). The name only stand for the calendar date so more specifically it is the 'Rosh HaShanah La'llanot, meaning 'New Year of the Trees'. Traditionally, the fruits that grew from this day were counted for the following year regarding Tithes. Tithes being one-tenth of something and can refer to taxes, fees, contribution to religious organisation etc. Kabbalistic tradition says that eating fruit particularly associated with Israel today gives the individual an opportunity to connect to the abstract Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden. If you feel curious you can try any of these seven mentioned in the Torah: 1. Wheat 2. Barley 3. Grapes 4. Figs 5. Pomegranates 6. Olives 7. Dates I would also make the point that if you want to avoid a glimpse of the Truth you should take care avoiding these fruits of Israel today. Enjoy the Holiday, Jeanette Christians celebrate 'Candlemas' today. It is the celebration of the purification of Virgin Mary and of baby Jesus being presented in the temple in Jerusalem. The purification of Mary took place 40 days after the birth of Jesus. It did so in accordance with Jewish religious law that said that a woman remains unclean for about 40 days after giving birth to a baby boy and needs, after this period, to go to the temple for purification. Upon arrival at the temple the woman would give a lamb and a bird as sacrifice, this to honour the sovereignty of God and as thanksgiving for a happy delivery. According to the Bible, Virgin Mary gave two turtle doves as sacrifices. This was a common replacement, instead of a lamb, for poor people. Candlemas is the celebration of Virgin Mary's purification. It is also the celebration of when baby Jesus was presented in the temple. Again, according to religious practice and after the purification of the mother, a baby was brought to the temple to be offered to God. It seems that a little money was paid to the church and then the child was given back to the mother. Candlemas got its name because it was also the day when the priest blessed the stash of candles to be used for the coming year. Traditionally, six of the candles had to be beeswax candles. Therefore, I would suggest lighting some candles tonight, preferably beeswax once if you have any (smells nice too). You could also read Luke 2:22-39 where the event is retold. Lot of Love, Jeanette Tomorrow we have a Sikh holiday to celebrate, namely the birthday of Guru Har Rai. It is customary to attend the Gurdwara, which is the Sikh place of worship, and to read the teachings of Guru Har Rai. I therefore propose that we read these verses that Guru Har Rai often recited (Bhai Gurdas Varan XXVIII. 15): A true Sikh rises before the night ends, And turns his thoughts to God's Name, To charity and to holy bathing. He speaks humbly and humbly he walks, He wishes everyone well and he is joyed to give away gifts from his hand. He sleeps but little, And little does he eat and talk. Thus he receives the Guru's true instruction. He lives by the labour of his hands and he does good deeds. However eminent he might become, He demonstrates not himself. He sings God's praises in the company of holy men. Such company he seeks night and day. Upon Word is his mind fixed, And he delights in the Guru's will. Unenticed he lives in this world of enticement Jeanette ----- Hindus celebrate today in worship of the Goddess Saraswati. Saraswati is the Goddess of knowledge and learning. She also represents Shakti, creativity and inspiration, and presents herself when the weather is pleasant and nature is in its full grandeur. It is believed that she was born today. One way to celebrate is to learn something new today since the day is thought to be especially auspicious for learning. Many Hindus teach their children to read their first words on this day. Please be inspired to fill up with new knowledge. Jeanette ----- Today is the fist day in the new year of the Islamic calendar. The day has no religious significance. However, in recent years some Muslims have started to exchange presents and cards with each other. The day can also be used to remember the life of the prophet Muhammad. If you want to recognise the day without doing anything you can opt for not celebrating. Shia Muslims and Sunni Muslims do not celebrate New Year. For Shia Muslims it is because the whole month is used to mourn a martyr called Iman Hussein. Sunni Muslims do not celebrate because they believe that this is the day when the fist caliph Abu Bakr died. Take your pick, Jeanette ----- Orthodox Christians follow the Julian calendar and therefore they celebrate today. To celebrate properly you should have fasted for 40 days prior to today but why follow every rule? Celebration does not have the commercial aspect that western Christianity has but is similarly focused on spending time with friends and family. Eating well and drinking is part of the feast and tonight I am going to celebrate with friends cooking dumplings. The meal is a Russian tradition and a friend’s Russian mother has kindly given the recipe. Mmedo will also read a text from the bible about Jesus' baptism in the river Jordan. Please join in, as you like, Lots of Love, Jeanette I wish you a great 2007! I would also like to take this opportunity to tell you that despite my graduation in the autumn I have decided to go back to studies later in 2007. It might come as a surprise to you but I am going to become a teacher of religion! Luckily, Brighton University thinks that I will be perfect for the job and have accepted me on a one-year teaching degree. There is only one problem...I don't know much about religion (set aside protestant Christianity). Therefore, I have to use the coming year, before I start the pedagogy, to become an expert. This is why I have decided to celebrate as many holy days as possible. Practice is the way to knowledge after all. I have made a multi faith calendar using six of the main world religions. I will try to keep you up to date so you can celebrate too if you feel like it. The first one is tomorrow: 3 January - Mahayana Buddhism; New Year celebration In Mahayana countries the New Year is celebrated on the first full moon day in January. There are many ways to celebrate depending on the country and culture but I have chosen a mishmash to suit myself: I will light candles. I will cook a vegetarian meal to praise the Buddhist tradition of not killing anything living on the first day of the year. The meal will be based on buckwheat noodles common in Japanese celebrations. I will also squirt water on everyone I meet and give my not yet acquired Buddha statue a bath. Water in Buddhism symbolises purity, clarity and calmness. For the New Year it washes away old dirt and cleans the mind so that it can start anew. Lots of Love to All of You, |
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