Happy Thanksgivukkah!

I'm a bit late with this post, I realize that. The entire extended Thanksgiving/Chanukah weekend was a whirlwind, one that didn't stop when we came home from Florida. Here are a few photos to make up for it, though, interspersed with eight things for which I'm thankful, in spirit of the combined holiday weekend. :) (I'll admit, I totally got that idea in particular from Mayim Bialik's blog on Kveller.)

1. I love that we have all these family traditions. Traditions, no matter what they are, just feel important to me, and I'm thankful that we have so many already to pass along to our son.

2. My friends are so supportive and have such wonderful advice. This parenting thing is HARD, and I'm glad to have friends who have either been there, done that or are currently there and doing that. It makes it easier knowing that there's someone else going through blowouts, teething, and learning to crawl at 2am.

3. My family -- old and new -- is very diverse in its beliefs, practices, and personalities. While they don't always get along, I'm thankful for each one of my family members, as they make a very rich environment for my son. I've learned a lot about tolerance, acceptance, and finding joy in our differences, and I know these will pass down to Tycho.

4. We had Chanukah at Matt's parents' house, then Thanksgiving at my parents' house. I love that we can share time with each of our families, due in part to how close they are in proximity to one another. I have to admit, I also love and am thankful for their food and hospitality. But mainly the food. ;)

5. I am grateful for YOU. I know I don't say this often enough, but I'm eternally grateful for your readership and, most of all, your friendship. I hope you continue to become an influence in our lives, and I hope that we can provide some helpful tidbits along the way, too!

6. I am thankful for my job, and for Matt's job, and that we can and continue to create a rich life together. I'm not talking "rich" in terms of money, but in terms of time spent, which has always been more valuable to us than any money we could make. But having good jobs and good health thanks to good insurance definitely helps, and I'm grateful that we have these.

7. Thank you Spirit for providing for us, and for giving us our greatest blessing, Tycho. I probably don't thank Spirit enough, either, but I really am grateful for everything that has been provided to us. I'm sure that hard work and dedication aren't the only things driving our lives, and if there's anything out there giving us that extra boost, well... how can you not be thankful for that. :)

8. I'mma steal this in part from Mayim: The last night of Hanukkah contains the most light of the entire holiday: eight candles and a shamash (leader candle). While we didn't get to the eighth night (bad Jew and worse pseudo-Jew!), we did get a chance to celebrate the first night surrounded by family, and you could seriously feel the light and love in the house that night. My only hope is that we can share that light and love with the world. <3

Guest Post - Susan Katz Miller, Reasons to Celebrate an Interfaith Baby

I've been following Susan Katz Miller's blog on their interfaith family for quite a while. As a Jewish-Pagan interfaith family ourselves, it's awesome to see it in action and working beautifully, especially with the most difficult part of the whole relationship: Children! Susan's children are raised in both the Jewish and Christian communities, and her blog discusses the challenges and rewards of celebrating both parents' and their own religions.

This post is a very special one. To celebrate Susan's recent book  Being Both: Embracing Two Religions in One Interfaith Family, Susan has offered to write a guest blog on celebrating a baby born into an interfaith family! Thank you so much, Susan, for this post and for all you do to support and educate the interfaith community. :)




For interfaith couples with a plan to celebrate both religions in the family, the arrival of a baby should be a source of creativity and joy, not cause for conflict. This is an opportunity to make a statement to yourselves, and to the world, that your child will benefit from both family traditions. Some interfaith couples hold back on performing baby-welcoming ceremonies, feeling that they did not have the right to claim these rituals, given the interfaith nature of their families. In contrast, I encourage the celebration of any and all welcoming rituals represented in your family tree. In my experience, and in my research, far more people end up regretting that they did nothing, than regretting that they celebrated.

I know, you’re exhausted, and the family patterns have been thrown into chaos. Do not feel you have to accomplish a full roster of traditional welcoming rituals on anyone else’s timetable, or to anyone else’s specifications. One of the wonderful aspects of being an interfaith family is that you have already been released from the tyranny of doing everything according to a single religious book. We can claim ancient religious rituals, while also reinventing them.

So if you have a Jewish baby-naming ceremony at six months, rather than at eight days, it can still have elements of tradition, and profound meaning for all in attendance. Children love the idea of having a Hebrew name: it can seem like a sort of secret alias, and an invitation to strengthen their connection to Judaism. One of the Christian rituals I really appreciate is the idea of godparents: adults who will serve as guides and protectors, as special unofficial aunts and uncles. We were living overseas when my daughter was a baby and toddler, so we didn't get around to choosing godparents. When she was in elementary school, we finally created an interfaith godmothering ceremony for her. In fact, she was old enough to help choose her own godmother. It seemed very fitting, and resonant, that the godmother she chose happened to also have a Jewish and Christian background.

If you have close relationships with clergy, they can help facilitate or lead welcoming ceremonies, as long as they understand your religious intentions and support your choices as an interfaith family. If you cannot find supportive clergy, you can still create meaningful welcoming ceremonies for babies (or older children, if you never did them), drawing on the elements that have most meaning to you from both family religions. Part of the joy of being an interfaith family, is the joy of giving yourself permission to innovate, while respecting and honoring family roots.

Blessed Ostara!! A reflection on (inter)faith and family.

Back when I first started this blog (and, let's face it, when I still needed something to write about, lol), I did these "[Insert Sabbat Here] In a Week" series, where I would share a little something every day for a week leading up to each sabbat. I really should do that again! Especially since I apparently have never done it for Ostara and therefore have nothing to link.

Bah.

Anyway, I obviously didn't plan this year very well, either, and I notice that's kind of a trend when it comes to Pagan sabbats and even Jewish holidays. Matt's really no help, either, as he tends to forget when his own holidays fall. ;) I'm hoping that, when Kit joins us, we'll both be a little better at remembering.

I’ve actually been thinking a lot lately about our currently-small interfaith family and how it will be after Kit is born, especially since that seems to be a big topic of interest once people learn that Matt and I are of different faiths and religious backgrounds. Sometimes people are actually quite surprised to learn that we’re not only not-Christian, but we’re nowhere even close to the same religion!

I know y'all aren't surprised by that, though. :)

Ostara is the perfect time to reflect on this, as Matt and I have, in some ways, found balance in our lives in respecting and celebrating each other’s faiths. The Spring Equinox is the time for finding balance once again after a very dark period, and starting a month or so from now, we get to find that balance again as we try to integrate Kit into our daily and spiritual lives, a balancing act that won’t happen overnight.

We’re fortunate that our moral codes are, for the most part, a result of secular rather than religious reasons*, and we plan on instilling those same values into Kit as he grows up. They’re pretty simple and spread across both our religions and those of others, anyway, so I don’t feel that morality is going to be an issue. However, I do feel that being interfaith family will go beyond mere morality by also teaching him – and us! – about accepting others for who they are and what they believe.

*I could go on and on about how religion isn’t the only path to moral decency, but that may be fodder for another post!

I believe that being an interfaith family is actually going to work to our benefit, as there needs to be an inherent level of respect, communication, and love between each spouse to make the relationship work, and those traits will indubitably leave a mark on their children, whether intended or not. Not that these doesn’t exist between spouses of the same religion, but growing up in a household where both parents were the same faith meant that differences in theology or morality, if any, didn’t have to be discussed as often, if at all. Our practices and moral code were just “how they were”, and I just assumed that that’s how everyone did it until I started exploring another faith for myself.

Kit is probably going to end up learning an awful lot as he grows up with Judaism and Paganism, too, with a bit of Catholicism for good measure. I know that, when I started my Pagan journey over half my life ago, I was surprised to find out that many of the customs I celebrated with my Catholic family were derivatives of a belief system (or several) that existed thousands of years before Christianity ever came to be. It’s with that knowledge that I now feel an even deeper sense of belonging when I celebrate holidays with my family, as I can see how my own customs as a neo-Pagan and those of Pagans in ancient cultures can align almost seamlessly with Catholic or Christian ones.

Judaism and Paganism are a little more difficult to amalgamate in that, unlike Christianity, Judaism did not necessarily adopt many Pagan beliefs or customs into its own practices, but strove instead to create a faith all its own (though it did take Jews a while to become truly monotheistic!). While Christianity is more adding a twist to a combination of Jewish and Pagan rites and practices, Judaism and Paganism instead stand pretty separate, as they have for thousands of years.

Fortunately, seeing it that way – that Mommy and Daddy both have their own religions, and the histories of both of those had separate but very real influences on the majority religion of their country – may actually help Kit see bits of his own interfaith upbringing in the practices and traditions of his friends who follow mainstream Christianity.

In short, Kit will be raised with our two direct religions as focal points, and the others will be in the background, though they'll be of no less importance. In addition to family events and local ones through groups in which we’re involved (Central Maryland Pagans, I’m looking at you!), we’ve decided to also visit a local Unitarian congregation to celebrate with other families, both interfaith and otherwise, and to hopefully all get some more exposure to what else is out there.

It’s definitely going to be an interesting ride, and I’m sure that, for all the times we try to impart some wisdom and knowledge on him, he’s going to end up doing the same for us, possibly in even more poignant ways than we can imagine. :)

Blessed Yule!! - A Winter Solstice Mash-Up

This time of year always evokes some pretty strong emotions in me, mostly because I have such fond memories of the holiday season from my childhood. Despite not celebrating Christmas in the same sense anymore, there's still this magickal feeling that takes over every year, a feeling that I absolutely want to instill in our own children.

Since we are interfaith, there are many ways in which our little nuclear family can honor this time of year and celebrate that magick. I've come to learn that many of my friends also celebrate the winter holidays in several different ways, too, so I invited everyone to share their holiday traditions! From secular Christmas to religious Chanukah, from Florida "winters" to inspiring Solstices, and everything in between, y'all sure did deliver!

So this year is going to be a mash-up of all of them, celebrating not only our personal take on the holidays, but including yours as well! Thank you all for participating, and in typical Coexist Cafe fashion: HAPPY EVERYTHING! :)



What IS Yule, Anyway?

I get this question every year without fail. In fact, it surprises a lot of people (my awesome attorney-boss included, haha) that Pagans get a holiday to themselves to celebrate every winter, too! This is more ironic than anything considering that most of our current holiday traditions have Pagan beginnings, but when this time of year is so focused on Christmas, strangely enough, Yule gets lost in the shuffle!

Yule is a modern English word used to describe an old twelve-day religious festival observed by Northern Europeans. For simplicity's sake, even if the festival went by a different name for a certain group, I'll be using "Yule". :) The festival was later absorbed into and equated with the Christian festival of Christmas, taking many traditions and adapting their own practices. Santa Claus, the myth of Jesus Christ, and the trappings of the season (trees, stockings, caroling, everything!) are all derivatives of old Yuletide traditions.

The solstice celebration likely originated with the Norse people, who viewed Yule as a time for merrymaking, feasting, and sacrifice (if the Icelandic sagas are to be believed... and I wouldn't put it past them). Traditional customs included the Yule log, a decorated tree, and wassailing.

[caption id="" align="alignright" width="250"] Thanks to culinarychef.com![/caption]

The Celts of the British Isles celebrated Yule as well, called midwinter to them. Not much is known about their traditions as they've been lost through the ages, but those that are known still persist today. Though while they still collect mistletoe, I'm pretty sure they don't sacrifice a white bull like Pliny the Elder said Druid priests did back then!

Then there are the Romans, who had their own winter festival, Saturnalia. Full of general merrymaking, a lot of gambling, even more alcohol, and other debauchery, the week-long party was held in honor of the god Saturn -- in fact, the common greeting around that time was "Io, Saturnalia!" There was sacrifices, gift-giving, special privileges for slaves (we ARE talking Roman times), and feasting. On top of all the debauchery, and probably more importantly, the festival was to honor an agricultural god in the hopes for a fertile and abundant crop in the spring.

[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="169"] Thanks to serenedominic.com![/caption]

Oh, and as mentioned above, Jesus Christ wasn't the first Son of God... or Sun God, more accurately. Four thousand years ago, long before Christianity started popping up, ancient Egyptians celebrated the rebirth of Horus, the god of the Sun. This became wildly popular with other civilizations, which took to honoring the welcoming back of the Sun, especially as these civilizations started to realize that things went swimmingly with their crops and abundance... until the weather got cooler. Each year, the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth played over and over, and they saw that the Sun did return after a period of cold and darkness. Good reason to celebrate, if you ask me!

As their religious base grew, Christians took full advantage of many of these traditions and used them to their advantage, adopting them and applying them to their own religion in an attempt (one that proved pretty effective!) to convert the Pagans. Within a few centuries, Christians had everyone worshiping a new holiday celebrated on 25 December! Not too shabby, if you ask me... though it might behoove them to remember from where all their traditions came. ;)

In some current Neopagan traditions, the Yule celebration stems from the Celtic legend of the battle between the young Oak King and the Holly King. The Oak King, representative of the light of the new year, tries every year to usurp the old Holly King, the symbol of darkness. As we can see, the Oak King indeed kicks the Holly King's ass every year, and the light does indeed return. This ass-whoopin' reenactment is popular among some Wiccan and Pagan rituals.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Thanks to ArwensGrace at deviantart.com![/caption]

The sun returns! The light returns!
The earth begins to warm once more!
The time of darkness has passed,
and a path of light begins the new day.
Welcome, welcome, the heat of the sun,
blessing us all with its rays.

Post Round-Up

Here's a round-up of posts from TCC's previous years, as they're definitely interesting (at least I think so):

• The Science of the Solstice
  Ever wonder why, even as the Sun makes his return, the cold weather still lingers and even gets stronger? Find out here!


• Winter Solstice Lunar Eclipse
  MOAR SCIENCE! This one is from 2010.


• Pagan Songs for Yule
  My favorite collection of songs for the Winter Solstice!


• Blessed Yule and Winter Solstice
  A brief history of Yule before Christmas came about, to supplement what you just learned above.

I also really enjoyed these posts from other Pagans this year, and thought you would, too!

• Kallan at The Secret Life of the American Working Witch - The Sunday Stew: Solstice Edition


• Ellen Dugan's Blog of Witchery - Embrace the Light: A Yuletide Spell


• Sam at Bones, Buried Treasures and Beliefs - The Anthropology of Santa Claus


• The Pooka Pages (for kids and kids at heart!) - Yule 2012 Edition


• The Huffington Post - Winter Solstice: A Paean to the Pregnant Darkness


• Willow Firesong's Circle of Firelight - Yule and Solstice Carols (YAY!!)

Facebook Friends Chime In!

Last week, I posed the question of how you celebrate the winter holidays on Facebook, and I received some great responses! (I also asked on my personal page, and received some responses there as well.) Below are some of your insights, and some fun pictures to go along with some of them.

See, I love this. It gives you time to spend with your family without the stress that typically accompanies it.

Hahaha! One of my favorite things growing up was getting that themed Christmas ornament to hang on the tree each year. Mine were actually Barbie ones (I'm not entirely sure why, either!), and I'm pretty sure my mom still has and hangs it most years!

My dad had the Star Trek ones. :) In fact, my sister and I preferred them off the tree as toys than we did ON the tree...

SHE'S NOT EVEN KIDDING!! :D



If anyone ever wonders why I miss Florida, this is exactly why. ;)

Mmm, challah and Lughnasadh! Now THAT'S a tradition I could sink my teeth into! :cymbalcrash:

I also like the idea of creating your own butter. Might have to try that... with a little dance party, of course. :)

I love getting an atheist's perspective on this! I'm of the belief that atheist children end up knowing more about a wider array of religions than many of those religions' adherents, and this is exactly why. Checking out books? Reading and discussion? Delving into the actual history of the holidays? Love love LOVE it! It's the same thing as I'd want to instill in our children, even if they aren't raised atheists. :)

OH, and she had some amazing photos to share! Remember the reference to the Trek Tree? You can thank Sarah for that one:

[caption id="attachment_1553" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Trekkie Tree![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1554" align="aligncenter" width="292"] Santa "Claws", hahahahaha![/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1555" align="aligncenter" width="302"] Sarah's adorable daughter sampling some goodies.[/caption]

And Tori shares her story below about extending winter celebrations from Yule to the day after Christmas! These are just some additional things they do to make the week even more special.

Thanks to everyone who chimed in and shared their holiday traditions with us! :)



A Week of Christmas (a special post by Tori Zigler)

I've been asked on a number of occasions what Matt and I are planning to do with the holidays, considering I'm Pagan, Matt and his family are Jewish, and my family is Catholic. The easiest response, of course, is to say, "We're going to celebrate all of them!"

... easier said than done, am I right?

We're still lost for ideas, especially since we want to start new traditions with our children and would like to celebrate all three in a way that both separates the significance of each and melds them so they make sense together. So I asked you, my faithful readers, over on my Facebook page to send me your holiday traditions, no matter what you celebrate! As you can tell above, y'all definitely delivered. :)

I did get a special word by email from a good friend of mine, Tori Zigler, a prolific children's writer who herself is part of an interfaith family -- she and her husband identify as Pagan, but their families do not, so they've had to create their own traditions! See how they make the winter celebrations last not only on Yule and Christmas, but all season long...

It’s always seemed like a real shame to me that, after all the preparations and expense, within 24 hours Christmas is over and all that’s left is the mess. Wouldn’t it be nice if Christmas lasted longer?

Yes, we thought so too! So, because of that wish, and the fact we’re Pagan and the rest of the family aren’t – meaning that we wanted to celebrate the Winter Solstice, but they didn’t - we decided to make it happen. Besides, the Roman celebration of Saturnalia lasted for eight days, so we saw no reason our celebration couldn’t last for several days too!

So, here’s what we do:

Instead of one or two expensive gifts, we buy 1 expensive gift and 4 cheaper ones each. The cheaper ones are exchanged on the 21st, 22nd, 23rd and 24th of December, and the expensive one on the 25th. The expensive one gets a slightly different label to the others so we know to not grab that one from under the tree until the 25th, but the 4 cheaper gifts are grabbed at random from under the tree. We started doing this both to spread out the gift giving and because it gives us time to enjoy and appreciate each gift before moving on to the next one. Also, ‘Santa’ usually visits on the 24th, filling our stockings with treats, and placing a small gift for us under the tree from him.

On the 21st of December we usually do some kind of a ritual, even if it’s a very small one. Last year, for example, I did a ritual to chase off unwanted houseguests, which seemed appropriate since we’d pretty much only just moved in here.

The days from the 21st through the 25th of December are then filled with any holiday activities we want to do. Always involving holiday baking, the watching of holiday movies, and the reading of holiday books, but usually also involving the making of some sort of handmade holiday decoration. Last year, for example, we made some decorated baubles for the tree, and also some penguin tree ornaments (there were four, but we gave three away). Other holiday activities may be included; pretty much anything you can think of really... Holiday parties with family and friends, holiday games, more baking (especially good if family is visiting for a party or to join in your feast), build a snowman (if there’s snow), or whatever. The key thing is to be doing things together, preferably things with a holiday feel to them, though that’s not essential.

On the 26th of December is when we have our holiday feast. It used to be that the 26th was when we had a buffet with the family, but now that we live away from the family we’ve changed things a little. What we do now is phone them on the 25th to wish them “Merry Christmas” and exchange news on who got what from who, and so on, then we have our Christmas dinner on the 26th instead. The reason for this is a combination of not wanting to try and cook a full roast between phone calls, and the fact it then leaves us free to enjoy the phone calls and exchanging of final gifts without having to worry about burning the potatoes. Besides, we technically have two roast dinners to make, since I’m a vegetarian and my hubby isn’t, so we make a vegetarian roast and a meat roast. Last year, for example, I had a cranberry nut roast to go with my potatoes and veg, hubby had ham. Making two different roasts in our little kitchen is hard work, but it’s worth it.

Also, the good thing with making those roasts just for us is that there’s enough left over for the next day, so on December 27th, all we have to do is enjoy leftovers and relax; an option we took with leftover buffet food in the past too. We don't really count that as part of our holiday celebrations though, because it's basically a day to rest from all that celebrating. I suppose you could count it though.

And that, my friends, is how to make your holiday celebrations last a week!

Tori is an eclectic Pagan, a poet, and a writer of children's books. Her series include "Magical Chapters" and "Toby's Tales". Tori can also be found on Facebook! She currently lives in England's southeast with her husband, Kelly, and her Westhighland terrier, Keroberous ("Kero").



Fox Family Traditions: One Year At a Time

Matt and I are still trying to find our footing in this holiday, especially considering how many we have to work around this time of year.

One thing we've been doing for the past few years is getting stockings prepared for opening at Yule, and a pair of PJ pants to keep us warm as the weather continues to cool off. I've put together the stockings each of these years, basically forcing us to do something for Yule (as we have or have had traditions for Christmas and Chanukah, but nothing for the Solstice). This time around, though, we're making them for each other! I'm really excited about that, as it'll add an element of surprise to this Yule celebration.

I'm so happy Matt is getting into this tradition, too, and between that, Chanukah candle lighting, and our Jewish-Pagan Christmas (Chinese and a movie, yo!), we're hoping that we can make the winter holiday season just as amazing for our kids as it has been for us.

We're taking it one year at a time. The nice thing about having our own little family is starting these new traditions, and finding out what works, what doesn't, and what we can't live without.

Again, I want to thank everyone for sharing their holiday celebrations! It makes me look that much more forward to giving Kit everything he deserves when it comes to making the Solstice magickal. :)

NASA Goddard encourages and celebrates different faiths – Part 5!

[caption id="attachment_1154" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="@NASAGoddard"][/caption]

A very happy holiday to anyone observing this month.

Like the ones in February, April, July, and August, below is the section of the email sent to all NASA Goddard employees with the holidays for the month of July, including some links at the bottom with additional information and a diversity calendar. As always, thank you to Matt for sharing!

October 1

Sukkot (Feast of Booths) (Jewish): An eight day festival commemorating the divine protection given to the Israelites during their 40 years of wandering in the desert. It is also a festival of giving thanks and celebrating the fall harvest. Begins at sundown the previous day.

October 5       

National Diversity Day: “Embrace diversity, embrace our world” is the slogan of this day, celebrated each year on the first Friday of October.

October 8 

Columbus Day: Columbus Day was first celebrated on October 12, 1792 to honor the day Christopher Columbus, a well known Italian explorer, landed in the Bahamas in 1492. One hundred years later, it was celebrated again at the urging of President Benjamin Harrison. Since 1920, it has been celebrated annually and, in 1971, became a federal legal holiday to be celebrated on the second Monday in October. Also commemorated in multiple Latin American countries to celebrate shared Spanish and Indian heritage.

October 9   

Simchat Torah (Jewish): Means “rejoicing in the Torah” and immediately follows Sukkot. It celebrates the conclusion of the public reading of the Torah. Begins at sundown the previous day.

October 9

Leif Eriksson Day (Norwegian American): A day of tribute to the landing of Norseman on the North American continent around 1000 CE, led by Leif Eriksson from Greenland. This holiday, proclaimed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964, honors the Icelandic explorer Leif Ericsson, who is believed to be the first European to land on North American soil. Almost five hundred years would pass before another European landed in the Americas, when Columbus made his voyage of exploration

October 11     

National Coming Out Day: Commemorates the 1987 march in Washington, D.C. to support gay and lesbian rights. This is also a day to encourage gays and lesbians to step out with pride.

October 16     

National Boss Day: A day dedicated to appreciate our supervisors at work. It is usually celebrated on October 16 but if it falls on a weekend day, it is then celebrated on the work day closest to the 16^th.

October 16     

Navaratri (Hindu): During the 9 days festival of Navaratri, God in the form of the universal mother, commonly referred to as Durga, Devi or Shakti is honored. Culminates with a celebration on the tenth day “Dassehra” to commemorate Rama's victory over Ravana and honors the goddess Durga. This festival is also known as Vijay Dasami.

October 20     

Birthday of the Bab (Baha’i): Remembers the 1819 birth of Siyyid Ali Muhammad, who took the title of “the Bab” and is recognized as prophet-herald of the faith. Begins at sundown the previous day.

October 24

United Nations Day (United Nations): This day commemorates the founding of the United Nations in 1945.

October 26

Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice) (Islamic): Commemorates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son Ishmael in obedience to God’s word (God interceded by replacing a ram for the child). The three-day celebration occurs at the end of the Hajj, the pilgrimage to Mecca, which is one of the five pillars of Islam. This is the most important feast of the Muslim calendar. Begins at sundown the previous day.

October 31

Halloween: This festival, which takes its name from All Hallows Eve (the eve of the feast of All Saints), originated among the Celts of Britain and Ireland, for whom October 31 was new year’s eve. On this night it was believed that the souls of the dead revisited their earthly homes, and huge bonfires were set to frighten away evil spirits. With the rise of Christianity, the autumn festival came to be associated with All Saints Day. Secular Halloween customs reflect its pagan origins and were introduced to the United States by immigrants, especially the Irish, in the nineteenth century. Today the most widely observed Halloween custom is a benign version of “trick or treat,” in which costumed children go from door to door collecting sweets.

October 31     

Samhain (Pagan): The first day of the New Year and marks the move from summer to winter in the Northern Hemisphere. This harvest festival, one of the “Greater Sabbats,” honors Saman, an ancient lord of the dead. According to folklore, on this day the souls of all those who had died the previous year gathered.

October 31     

Reformation Day (Christian Protestant): Commemorates the day in 1517 when Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses (propositions) to the door of Wittenberg’s Palace Church, which led to the establishment of the Protestant denominations of Christianity.

http://www.diversityresources.com/multicultural-calendar.html

http://www3.kumc.edu/diversity/

http://www.diversitycalendar.com/Home.html

L'Shanah Tovah from The Coexist Cafe!

I know I've been MIA for a while, but it's not from lack of trying or ambition, I swear. This time of year is especially hectic, from about the start of September through the end of the year, between Sabbats and High Holy Days and other celebrations.

Speaking of High Holy Days... last night kicked off Rosh Hashana!

Jewish Year 5773: sunset September 16, 2012 - nightfall September 18, 2012

 

Occurring on the first and second days of Tishri (the seventh month of the Jewish year), Rosh Hashana literally means "head of the year" or "first of the year", indicating what is commonly known as the Jewish New Year. It is one of the holiest days of the year and, while not named "Rosh Hashana" in the Bible (rather, it's referred to as Yom Ha-Zikkaron (day of remembrance) or Yom Teruah (day of sounding the shofar)), it is instituted in Leviticus 23:24-25.

Like the American New Year, Rosh Hashana is a time for making "resolutions" and turning to introspection, looking back at mistakes from the past year and planning changes to make in the new year. One custom is that of "casting off" or Tashlikh, when, on the afternoon of the first day, one walks to flowing water such as a creek or a river and casts off what is in one's pockets (often bits of bread crumbs) into the water, symbolically casting off sin. While it's not a tradition mentioned in the Bible, it's a long-standing custom.

Some other customs associated with Rosh Hashana:

• Shofar: Fashioned out of a ram's horn, the shofar is blown somewhat like a trumpet 100 times a day, with a total of four different types of notes: Tekiah, a 3-second sustained note; sevarim, three 1-second notes rising in tone; teruah, a series of short, staccato notes extending over a period of about 3 seconds; and tekiah gedolah (literally, "big tekiah"), the final blast that lasts about 10 seconds minimum.


• Work and Worship: No work is permitted on Rosh Hashana. The day is instead spent in synagogue, where the regular daily liturgy is expanded somewhat. A special prayerbook called the machzor is added to these daily liturgies as so many changes happen on this day (and Yom Kippur).


• Apples and Honey: As a symbol for a wish for a sweet new year, apples are dipped in honey and enjoyed with a touch of added sweetness. Bread is also dipped in honey at this time for the same reason. I recommend trying them both (and for you vegans, to swap out the honey for agave nectar)!


• Greetings: The common greeting during Rosh Hashana is "L'Shanah Tovah", literally "for a good year." This is a shortening of "L'shanah toval tikatev v'taihatem" (or "tikatevi v'taihatemi" to women), which means, "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year."

So that all said, a very happy new year, may your new year be sweet, and a very happy 5773! :)

NASA Goddard encourages and celebrates different faiths – Part 3!

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Holidays to balance out your hot and sticky summer! Thank heavens, too -- we all need something other than air conditioners, swimming pools, and ice-cold lemonade to keep us afloat as we roast. (Though honestly, none of those are all that bad.)

Nothing for us Pagans this month, but still plenty to go around! A very happy holiday to anyone observing this month. :)

Like the ones in February and April, below is the section of the email sent to all NASA Goddard employees with the holidays for the month of July, including some links at the bottom with additional information and a diversity calendar. As always, thank you to Matt for sharing!

July 3

Asalhapuja (Buddhist): A Theraveda Buddhist celebration of the Buddha’s first sermon and the setting of the Wheel of Truth into the world.

July 4

Independence Day (United States): Marks the 1776 signing of the Declaration of Independence by representatives of the 13 colonies. The U.S. proclaimed autonomy from England and formed of the United States of America.

July 4

Shab-e-Barat (Islamic): A fast in preparation for Ramadan. It is believed that on this night, Allah absolves sins and fixes the destinies of humans for the coming year. It is common, particularly in India and Pakistan, to ask Allah to forgive people who have died. Begins at sundown the previous day.

July 9

Martyrdom of the Bab (Baha’i): Commemorates the arrest, torture, imprisonment, and execution of the Bab, the prophet-herald of the faith, in Tabriz, Persia, in 1850. Begins at sundown the previous day.

July 14

Bastille Day (France): Commemorates the event that launched the French Revolution. On this date in 1789, the Bastille, which held political prisoners and became a symbol of oppression by the monarchy, was stormed and prisoners freed. Given their French heritage, many Louisiana parishes, including New Orleans, hold Bastille Day festivals featuring Cajun food, music, and dance.

July 20

Ramadan (Islamic): This begins the first day of the Islamic month of Ramadan, the ninth and holiest month of the Islamic year. The fast of Ramadan is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, and mandatory for every Muslim who has reached puberty except those who are ill, pregnant, or on a journey. During this month, no water or food may be taken from sunrise to sunset. The feast of Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan.

July 20

First Special Olympics Games (1968): On this date, the first Special Olympics, an athletic competition for children and adults with cognitive disabilities, opened at Soldiers Field in Chicago. The first Special Olympics had 1,000 participants from the United States and Canada.By 1995, this competition had expanded to include Winter Special Olympics (added in 1977) and to involve 7,000 participants from all 50 states and 143 countries.

July 23

Birthday of Haile Selassie (Rastafarian): One of the holiest days of the year for Rastafarians, this holiday celebrates the birthday of Emperor Haile Selassie (1892–1975) of Ethiopia, who is revered by the Rastafarians as a descendant of King Solomon and is believed to be the incarnation of God. He was born Tafari makonnen and later took the name Haile Selassie, meaning Power of the Holy Trinity. The etymology of Rastafari is based on the word ras, meaning “prince” and Haile Selassie’s birth name, Tafari.

July 24

Pioneer Day (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints): This marks the day in 1847 that Brigham Young led other believers in the teachings of Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, into the valley of the Great Salt Lake, where they would establish the center of their church and build Salt Lake City.

July 26

Americans with Disabilities Act Signed (United States): Celebrates the 1990 signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which provides for reasonable accommodation in work situations and standards for physical accessibility to buildings and public transportation.

July 29

Tisha B’Av (Jewish): This holiday commemorates the destruction of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem in both 586 B.C.E. and again in 70 C.E. All Jewish holidays begin at sundown on the evening before the date shown.

We invite you to visit the Web sites used to compile this calendar for additional information. There you will find a wealth of information on days that are recognized throughout the world. Please find the sources listed below:

http://www.diversityresources.com/multicultural-calendar.html

http://www3.kumc.edu/diversity/

http://www.diversitycalendar.com/Home.html

NASA Goddard encourages and celebrates different faiths - Part 2!

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I was hoping to get one for last month, but sadly, I didn't. That's okay, though! Matt's workplace still does these, and it's nice to see how inclusive they are of all religions. (See all the way at the bottom for Beltane!)

Like the one in February, below is the section of the email sent to all NASA Goddard employees this morning with the holidays for the month of April, including some links at the bottom with additional information and a diversity calendar. And thank you to Matt for sharing!

April 1

All Fools’ Day (International)  The origins of this day are probably in France in 1564 when the change of the Gregorian calendar moved New Year’s Day from April 1 to January 1.  Those who insisted on celebrating the “old” New Year became known as “April Fools,” and it became common to play jokes and tricks on them.

April 1

Palm Sunday (Christian) Commemorates the day Jesus Christ was given a king’s entry into Jerusalem, marked by the strewing of palm leaves before him.  Marks the beginning of Holy Week, a time of solemn devotion to and memorializing of the suffering (passion), death, and burial of Jesus Christ that followed, begins today.

April 1

Ramanavami (Birthday of Rama) (Hindu).  Celebrates the birth of Shri Rama, one of the incarnates of the Hindu god Vishnu.  Fasting is common on this date.

April 1

La Semana Santa (Holy Week) (Latin America, Spain) Celebrated April 1-8, 2012 this is one of the highest holy days of the year is Easter for Latino Catholics.  Holy week involves solemn processions, masses, and prayer.  Cascarones (confetti-filled, painted egg) is a custom in Mexico and the U.S.

April 2

World Autism Awareness Day (International) A day to acknowledge that autism is the fastest-growing serious developmental disability in the world.  As many as 1 in 150 children are affected, and the disease does not discriminate by geography, class or ethnicity.

April 5

Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday (Christian) is the Christian feast or holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles.

April 5

The Memorial of Jesus Christ’s Death/ Lord’s Evening Meal (Jehovah’s Witness)  

On the evening of Nisan 14, 33 C.E., Jesus introduced a special observance that the Bible calls “the Lord’s evening meal.” (1 Corinthians 11:20; Matthew 26:26-28). Jesus instituted it to help his apostles and all true Christians after them to bear in mind that by means of his death as a perfect human, he gave his soul, or life, as a ransom. Regarding this observance, Jesus commanded: “Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19) Observing the Memorial reminds us of the great love shown by both Jehovah and Jesus in connection with the ransom. We can show our appreciation for the ransom by being present at the yearly observance of the Memorial of Jesus’ death. This year the anniversary falls on Thursday, April 5, after sundown.  Jehovah’s Witnesses engage in a special campaign a few weeks before the event distributing invitations to neighbors worldwide to attend this most sacred event.  Please check with Jehovah’s Witnesses locally for the exact time and place.

April 6

Good Friday (Christian) Culminates the Lenten season and commemorates the crucifixion of Christ.  There are few explanations as to why the holiday is known as "Good" Friday since it commemorates a sorrowful time in Christianity. Some scholars believe that "good" is a corruption of the word "God's" while others speculate that "good" was used to denote "holy".

April 6

National Tartan Day (Canada, U.S.) Tartan Day was established by an act of Congress in 1998 to recognize the role Scottish Americans played in the founding of the nation and to acknowledge the many contributions that have been made by people of Scottish ancestry. Some notable Americans of Scottish descent include John Witherspoon, Alexander Hamilton, Andrew Carnegie, Woodrow Wilson, and Sir Alexander Fleming. Tartan Day also commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath, the Scottish Declaration of Independence, on April 6, 1320.

April 7

Passover (Jewish) Am eight day festival marking the liberation of the Isrealites from bondage in Egypt.  Traditionally, the first and last two days are viewed as holy, while dietary restrictions last the entire week. Begins at sundown the previous day.

April 7

The Annunciation (Coptic & Eastern Orthodox Christian) This holy date celebrates the Angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary of Galilee that she would be the mother of Jesus.

April 8

Buddha’s Birthday (Vesak) (Buddhist) Celebrates the founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama.  He is thought to have lived in India from 563 to 483 BCE.

April 8

Easter (Christian) This is the holiest day for Christians. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus after he was crucified and died in Jerusalem. It is Jesus' suffering and death on the cross, often referred to as the "passion," followed by his resurrection that is central to Christian faith. Easter culminates the penitential period of Lent that starts with Ash Wednesday. Palm Sunday, which marks the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem, occurs one week before Easter. Easter is a joyous holiday, since it marks for Christians the fulfillment of the Biblical prophecy of the coming of the Messiah. Many churches hold sunrise services on Easter Sunday to symbolize the return of light to the world after Jesus' resurrection. The day is observed with feasts and celebrations. The name "Easter" reflects many pagan customs that are now associated with the holiday. Present day scholars accept St. Bede's theory that "Easter" is derived from the "Ostern" and "Ostra", Teutonic and Scandinavian goddess associated with spring and fertility. The Easter egg is an example of the pagan origins of Easter. Pagans believed that eggs symbolized earth being reborn each spring. Christianity adapted this custom to symbolize the rebirth of humanity. Easter eggs were first decorated in the late 13th century C. E. but the most famous eggs were created by Carl Faberge.

April 8

Palm Sunday (Coptic & Eastern Orthodox) Palm Sunday is observed on this day according to the Julian calendar followed by Coptic Orthodox Christians and Eastern Orthodox Christians. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Palm Sunday is often called the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem and is the beginning of Holy Week. On Lazarus Saturday, the day before Palm Sunday, believers prepare palm fronds by knotting them into crosses in preparation for the procession on Sunday.

April 13

Vaisakhi (Sikh)  Marks the first day of the Hindu New Year, celebrated in several countries and Indian states.  It is widely celebrated by Sikhs as the day when Guru Gobind Singh chose five leaders, known as the Panch Payare, and declared this day as the birthday of the Sikh nation.

April 13

Good Friday (Coptic & Eastern Orthodox Christian). Also known as Great Friday, this is the day Coptic Orthodox Christians and Eastern Orthodox Christians commemorate Jesus' crucifixion.

April 15

Easter (Coptic & Eastern Orthodox Christian) Easter is celebrated on this day according to the Julian calendar followed by Coptic Orthodox Christians and Eastern Orthodox Christians. In the Orthodox church, the celebration of Easter begins just before midnight on Holy Saturday with the lighting of candles during Easter midnight mass.

April 19

Holocaust Memorial Day (Yom Ha-Shoah) (Jewish) This day has been designated by Israel's Knesset, or Parliament, as a memorial to the 6 million Jews killed by the Nazis in their program of mass extermination of all Jews in Germany and the countries under German occupation. This program, building on long-standing anti-Semitism, began with arrests and imprisonment of Jews in the early 1930’s and extended in the 1940’s to forcing Jews into slave labor camps and extermination in death camps such as Treblinka, Sobibor, and Auschwitz. May be observed by a fast from sundown the previous day to sundown this day

April 20

National Day of Silence (GLBT)  A day to protest the discrimination, harassment and abuse – in effect, the silencing – of members of the GLBT community.

April 21

Festival of Ridvan (Baha'i)  A 12-day celebration commemorating Baha’u’llah’s stay in the Garden of Ridvan.  During this time, the prophet-founder of the faith made his declaration of his mission as God’s messenger.  Begins at sundown the previous day.

April 22

Earth Day (United States)  First observed in 1970 to call attention to pollution in the environment and the need to conserve natural resources. Now celebrated internationally on various dates as a time to call attention to the need to conserve natural resources.

April 25

Administrative Professionals Day (United States) National Professional Secretaries Week and National Secretary's Day was created in 1952 as a holiday in recognition of the importance of secretaries.  The National Secretaries Association was formed to recognize the contributions of secretaries and other administrative personnel to the economy, to support their personal development and to help attract people to administrative careers in the field. The association's name was changed to Professional Secretaries International in 1981 and, finally, the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) in 1998. In 2000, IAAP announced that names of the week and the day were changed to Administrative Professionals Week and Administrative Professionals Day to keep pace with changing job titles and expanding responsibilities of the modern administrative workforce. Administrative Professionals Day® highlights the important role of administrative professionals in all sectors of the modern economy worldwide. It is on the Wednesday of Administrative Professionals Week®, which is on the last full week of April. Many employers and supervisors arrange events to show their appreciation of the work carried out by administrative professionals

April 26

Gathering of Nations Powwow (4/23–25) (American Indian)  This three-day event, held annually at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, is the largest powwow in North America. More than five hundred tribes from Canada and the United States come every year to participate in this celebration of American Indian culture, which features drum groups and ceremonial singing, chanting, and dancing in traditional dress. There are exhibitions of American Indian artifacts and authentic Indian crafts for sale. The Gathering of Nations organization seeks to promote the traditions and culture of the American Indian people in the most positive manner possible and to dispel stereotypes created about the Indian people. The powwow provides educators with an opportunity to develop instructional materials on Indian history and culture for elementary and secondary schools. (m)

April 26

Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day (United States) Parents are encouraged to bring their daughters (and/or sons) to work on this day, and to use this opportunity to educate their children on the nature of employment. Information regarding Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day events at Goddard in Greenbelt is forthcoming, check Dateline later this week.

April 27

Arbor Day (US) Arbor Day is a nationally-celebrated observance that encourages tree planting and care. Founded by J. Sterling Morton in 1872, it's celebrated on the last Friday in April.

April 30

Beltane (Celtic, Pagan) Beltane divided the ancient Celtic year in half.  Fires were often lit to symbolize contact with the life-giving sun.  The holiday is one of the “Greater Sabbats” during the Wiccan year and celebrates the union of the Goddess and God.

April 30

Día de los Niños (Latin Americans) A holiday recognizing children as the center of the Latino family.

We invite you to visit the Web sites used to compile this calendar for additional information. There you will find a wealth of information on days that are recognized throughout the world. Please find the sources listed below:

http://www.diversityresources.com/rc/index.php?key=LTaqtAOLBkCP

http://www3.kumc.edu/diversity/

http://www.diversitycalendar.com/Home.html

Judaism and Circumcision: The Mitzvah of the Brit Milah and a Pagan's take on the whole thing

**First, let me start off by saying that, while I’m not an “intactivist” by any means, my views in this post will not align with all of yours. That’s part of the nature of sharing your opinion. :) Despite these differences, though, please be aware that I do respect yours and your reasons for them. That being said, I’m not necessarily going to hold back for the sakes of those who disagree, so if you’re pro-circumcision for any reason and don’t want to argue with me about it, this is your heads up!**

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A friend of mine, Dana, recently posted an article to her FB page entitled, “50 Reasons to Leave It Alone.” I admit that I didn’t click on most of the embedded links, but one of the points did strike me as interesting, as I had honestly never known this:

43.) If you are Jewish, you should know that there is considerable debate about the religious necessity of circumcision.

In my experience, circumcision — or the brit milah, literally “covenant of circumcision”, or the Yiddish bris — was required according to certain Biblical passages, namely Genesis 17:10-14 and Leviticus 12:3:

10 This is My covenant, which ye shall keep, between Me and you and thy seed after thee: every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 And ye shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of a covenant betwixt Me and you. 12 And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every male throughout your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any foreigner, that is not of thy seed. 13 He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised; and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14 And the uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken My covenant.

Genesis 17:10-14

3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

Leviticus 12:3

Is it just me, or does even just the word “Leviticus” make you think of circumcision? Like I’m saying “cut” in another language. It gives me the heebie-jeebies.

Honestly, the whole thing has always given me the creeps. Like I was explaining to Dana, the thought really freaks me out, and I told Matt a bit ago that I could not be in the room while it was happening. If that’s the case, why would I let my son go through it at all? If I can’t be there to support and hold and cuddle and console him, why put him through it in the first place?

I understand that it’s a mitzvah and that the procedure is done differently by a mohel — a Jewish person trained in the art of the brit milah — than by a urologist at a hospital, but I still can’t help the involuntary feeling I get when I think about someone, anyone, harming our eventual child. Yes, it’s a religious rite of passage, and yes, it’s rather common among the Jewish population. It still seems wrong, though.

Part of it may be that I am, of course, not Jewish. I don’t understand some of the mitzvot, and in some way, as I never and will likely never (consciously) practice them, I never will.

But I do find some solace knowing that there are actually Jewish individuals, couples, and families who feel the same way I do, that circumcision doesn’t really serve any real medical or, even Judaically, spiritual purpose. Like many other commandments aside from circumcision, those deemed too brutal to actually do and were at least therefore modified to accommodate a modern Jewish life, why can’t the brit milah be modified to accommodate those who wish not to do this to their child? After all, it’s been done before!

And ultimately, it kind of stings that anything would be done to or for a child in the name of religion. I left the religion of my parents because I felt it wasn’t right for me, and I sometimes regret having gone through their ceremonies and rituals when I ended up abandoning it. I wasn’t committed, and I don’t expect my child to be committed, either.

To me, all the painful stuff aside, the act of the brit milah is one done for the parents, not for the child. There are increasing numbers of Jews who are not having the procedure done (almost all of whom are associated with a more humanistic Judaism), and are leaving the choice up to the boy when he grows older. In fact, several Jewish men have gone through this.

Add the element that our children will be raised in an interfaith household, and that circumcision is a decision that is made for a child who does not yet understand religion (much less a specific one!)… yeah, one can see why I’m not comfortable with the idea. I’d much rather leave it all intact and, should our possible son grow up and believe a brit milah is right for him, support him the entire way through.

Just as I would pretty much anything else he decides. :)

NASA Goddard encourages and celebrates different faiths.

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On the first of every month, my husband's employer (NASA Goddard) sends out an email with activities and events going on at the Center, including a list of all the celebrations for that month. One would absolutely expect nationally-recognized holidays to be on there, as well as Christian ones as they're the religious majority.

Surprisingly, though, and this was pointed out to me by Matt when he started working there... they include all faiths! Baha'i, Islam, Hindu, smaller sects of Christianity, Judaism, Humanism, and even Paganism/Wicca! It always shocks me to see a Sabbat there.

Below is the section of the email sent to all NASA Goddard employees this morning with the holidays for the month of February, including some links at the bottom with additional information and a diversity calendar:

February 1

Columbia Disaster (United States) Commemorates the day in 2003 when NASA lost astronauts Anderson, Brown, Chawla, Clark, Husband, McCool, and Ramon during landing. NASA continues to honor the fallen heroes of the STS-107 crew and their dedication to the spirit of exploration and discovery.

February 2 

Groundhog Day (United States) Legend holds that if the groundhog comes out of its hole and sees its shadow, it will go back in and six more weeks of winter and a bad growing season will follow. If it’s cloudy, the groundhog will see no shadow, winter will soon be over, and crops will be good.

February 2 

Candlemas (Christian) Celebrates the presentation of the baby Jesus, the Christians’ Savior, in the Temple of Jerusalem 40 days after his birth. This religious holiday originated with the ancient Jewish custom that required mothers to present their first male child in the temple. As a Jewish mother, Mary would have presented Jesus on February 2. The day is associated with light and purification. The holiday takes its name from the custom of blessing the church's supply of candles for the year on this date.

February 2 

Imbolc  (Pagan and Wiccan) A celebration of light and the coming of spring; one of the “Greater Sabbats” during the Wiccan year. Imbolc, which, like all Pagan and Wiccan holidays, begins at sundown on the day before, is a celebration of fire and light and the return of life.

February 4

Mawlid al-Nabi (Islamic)  Commemorates the prophet Muhammad’s birthday circa 570. Begins at sundown the previous day.

February 8

Tu B’Shevat (Jewish) Israel’s New Year Celebration for trees, similar to National Arbor Day in the U.S. Jews around the world also observe this holiday. Begins at sundown the previous day.

February 12

Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday (United States)  This day commemorates the birth of Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865), one of the greatest presidents of the United States, who changed the course of history by preserving the American Union during the Civil War, thereby preserving American democracy. In the process of saving the Union, Lincoln issued the historic Emancipation Proclamation, which paved the way for the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution ending slavery in the United States. Lincoln's eloquence and conviction are reflected in such historic speeches as the Gettysburg Address, given at the site of the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania during the Civil War, when he declared that "this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth." On this day, wreath-laying ceremonies are held at the Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historic Site in Hodgenville, Kentucky, at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., and at Lincoln's tomb in Springfield, Illinois.

February 12

Darwin Day (Humanist)  A week to promote both an understanding among people of all religions and living according to the principles of fellowship, equality, and justice.

February 13

Brotherhood/Sisterhood Week (Christian, Jewish)  A week to promote both an understanding among people of all religions and living according to the principles of fellowship, equality, and justice.

February 14

Race Relations Day (United States) A holiday designated by some churches to encourage understanding among all races.

February 14

Valentine’s Day (United States) Recognizes the possible execution date around 270 AD of one of two Christian martyrs named Valentine. Legend says that one secretly performed marriages between young people in opposition to the Roman Emperor’s ban on marriage; another had the power to patch up lovers’ quarrels. Since the Middle Ages, this day has been dedicated to romantic love.

February 15

Susan B. Anthony Day (United States) Honors one of the first woman’s rights advocates, working especially for equal suffrage. She was born on this day in 1820.

February 20

Maha Shivaratri (Shiva’s Night) (Hindu) Honors the Lord Shiva, who, on this night, danced the Tandav, believed to be a dance of creation, preservation, and destruction. This festival honors Shiva who, along with Vishnu and Krishna, is one of the most important deities in Hinduism. It is observed in the spring and is celebrated with fasting, prayer, and meditation

February 20

Great Lent begins (Coptic Orthodox Christian) Also known as the Great Fast, this begins the Lenten season for the Coptic Orthodox Christians, who follow the Julian calendar. It begins with a one-week preparatory fast, followed by a 40-day fast commemorating Christ’s fasting on the mountain. The fast of Great Lent, which includes Sundays, officially ends on the Saturday before Holy Week, known as Lazarus Saturday, although fasting continues during Holy Week (Pascha). During this time, no animal products, such as meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, or butter, are allowed. Moreover, no food or drink may be taken between sunrise and sunset.

February 21

President’s Day (United States) A federal holiday that celebrates the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln, born February 12, 1809, and George Washington, born February 22, 1732. Present usage often regards this as a day to honor all former U.S. presidents, although the Federal holiday is still Washington’s birthday.

February 21

Mardi Gras (United States) or Fat Tuesday is a boisterous celebration held annually on Shrove Tuesday, the day before the season of Lent begins in the Western Christian liturgical calendar. The actual date varies from year to year since it depends on the date of Easter. Mardi Gras is the culmination of a long carnival season which begins on January 6, the Twelfth Night of Christmas (Epiphany). The custom was brought to the United States by the French who had paraded a fat ox through Paris.

February 21

International Mother Language Day (United Nations) This day was proclaimed by UNESCO on November 17, 1999 to promote linguistic and cultural diversity and to celebrate the nearly six thousand languages spoken in the world today. It is observed on February 21 in international recognition of Language Martyrs’ Day in Bangladesh.

February 22

Ash Wednesday (Christian) The first day of Lent, a period of penance and self-examination. The ceremony that gives this day its name includes a priest marking the foreheads of penitents in the sign of the cross as a reminder that they were but ashes and dust. Dietary restrictions apply on all Fridays during Lent.

February 22

George Washington’s Birthday (United States) The birthday of George Washington (1732-1799), hero of the Revolutionary War, president of the Constitutional Convention, and first president of the United States of America, is observed on this day. When the Second Continental Congress assembled in Philadelphia in May 1775, Washington, one of the Virginia delegates, was elected Commander in Chief of the Continental Army. He became a prime mover in the steps leading to the Constitutional Convention at Philadelphia in 1787. When the new Constitution was ratified, the Electoral College unanimously elected Washington President. Celebrated for the first time in the late eighteenth century when George Washington was still president, Washington's Birthday became an official Federal holiday in 1885. The Uniform Holidays Bill of 1968, which took effect in 1971, moved the holiday from February 22 to the third Monday in February. Since state governments are not obliged to adopt Federal holidays and can determine their own legal holidays, some states, such as Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Texas, renamed their state holiday "Presidents' Day," while other states, including Connecticut, Illinois, and Missouri, chose to observe two separate holidays to commemorate the birthdays of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

February 26

Ayyam-i-Ha (Baha'i) Intercalary Days The days from February 26 to March 1 adjust the Baha'i year, which consists of 19 months with 19 days each month, to the solar calendar. These days are observed with gift-giving and special acts of charity. A time of rejoicing, generosity and welcoming neighbors in preparation for the period of fasting from March 2–20.

February 27

Great Lent begins (Eastern Orthodox Christian)  Also known as Clean Monday in Greece and Green Monday in Cyprus, this begins the Lenten season based on the Julian calendar followed by Eastern Orthodox Christians. Eastern Orthodox Lent, known as Great Lent, includes Sundays and officially ends on Lazarus Saturday, the day before Palm Sunday, although fasting continues during Holy Week. While many people no longer fast for forty days, most people observe the fast strictly for the two weeks preceding Easter

We invite you to visit the Web sites used to compile this calendar for additional information. There you will find a wealth of information on days that are recognized throughout the world. Please find the sources listed below:

http://www.diversityresources.com/rc/index.php?key=LTaqtAOLBkCP

http://www3.kumc.edu/diversity/

http://www.diversitycalendar.com/Home.html

Body Art: The Magick and the Permanence (Pagan Blog Project 2012)

I’m deathly afraid of needles but I've always wanted to get a tattoo, so for my 22nd birthday, my now-husband surprised me by paying for my first (and currently only) traipse into the world of permanent body art. I stressed for weeks as I figured out what I wanted, then worked for about an hour with a tattoo artist to create the perfect design. I twisted my fingers as I waited for my turn, maybe did a nervous shit (ha!), and finally lay down as the artist gave me both a piece of art to last a lifetime and an incredibly adrenaline rush to boot.

The inspiration for my tattoo came from my Pagan journey so far and my thoughts on how I’ve changed over the years. To many people, my tattoo is a simple Costa Rican tree frog; to me, it’s a symbol of evolution, of transformation, of growth from a baby Catholic tadpole to the mature Pagan frog I am today... an identity which continues to grow as each layer of skin is shed to reveal a new, more enlightened frog. I prefer to see my frog from an Olmec point of view: The “God of rebirth”, reborn after consuming itself and thus caught up in the never-ending cycle of life and death.

And it’s no coincidence that early Christianity often referred to frogs as the “witches’ familiar”. ;)

Like many body art enthusiasts, my tattoo was a deliberate chosen act, meant to be representative of a certain point in my life. Tattooing is much more than an art form, exemplified by its roots: A Eurasian practice since Neolithic times, tattoos have been used for purposes in medicine, war, power, criminal punishment, respect for the dead, growth and maturity, and other applications, with different cultures often having different significances and stigmas attached to the practice.

A Brief History of Tattooing in 150 Words (no less!)

The first recorded application of tattoos was on Ötzi the Iceman, a mummified body from approximately 3300 BCE found in the Ötz valley in the Alps. He had approximately 57 carbon tattoos consisting of simple dots and lines on his lower spine, behind his left knee, and on his right ankle; it’s surmised that these tattoos were used as a form of healing as their placement resembles acupuncture. Mummies dating from the end of the second millennium BCE have been discovered all over the world.

The history of tattooing is far too extensive to ever put into a blog post, so I urge you to check out ways in which different cultures use tattooing. For sake of brevity, I’m going to skip over a few (hundred) generations of this history and arrive to present-day tattooing and applicable religious connotations. :)

Today’s tattooing practice has origins in Polynesia; Europeans discovered the Polynesians’ art forms and mimicked their practices, which attracted much interest at exhibits, fairs, and circuses in Europe and the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries. Tattoo “parlors” started to spring up all over the world, and the invention of the first electric tattooing instrument in 1891 made the practice really take off.

Tattooing and Religion

While many ancient religious and cultural groups encouraged tattooing for one reason or another, there are a few that abstain from and even abhor the practice as it lends to a decidedly Pagan bent. Then there are others that encourage the practice, deeming tattoos to have magic(k)al or spiritual origin and meaning.

Judaism

Leviticus 19:28 prohibits getting tattoos: “Do not make gashes in your skin for the dead. Do not make any marks on your skin. I am God.” While the ancient practice of rubbing ashes of the dead into cut skin is an obvious interpretation of this halakha (Jewish law), modern tattooing is included in other interpretations by Orthodox and Traditional Jews.

The Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De’ah, known as the Code of Jewish Law and a compilation of halakha by Rabbi Jacob ben Asher, also prohibits markings on the body beyond the ancient practice in 180:1. Conservative Jews point to the subsequent verse, which states that “[i]f [the tattoo] was done in the flesh of another, the one to whom it was done is blameless”, to say that tattooing yourself is different from obtaining a tattoo, and therefore the latter is acceptable. This is rejected by Orthodox Jews, however, reading instead that this refers to forced tattooing as was done during the Holocaust; due to its forced nature, it would not be considered a violation of Jewish Law on the part of the victim.

To disassociate from other religions, Judaism also prohibited tattoos since it was common practice for ancient pagan worshipers to tattoo themselves with religious iconography and the names of gods.

While having a tattoo does not prohibit participation in most sectors of the religious Jewish community, the Modern Orthodox community accepts laser removal of a tattoo as teshuvah (repentance), even when removed post-mortem.

Then there’s Reform and Reconstructionist Jews, which neither condemn nor condone tattooing.

Christianity

The same Leviticus verse is often cited by Christians to prohibit tattooing, while those Christians that have superseded the Old Testament with the New sometimes still find explicit or implicit directives in scripture, ecclesiastical law, or church-originated social policy against tattooing.

As Christianization spread among aboriginal and indigenous people, a decline in tattooing also occurred simultaneously as the practice was considered to be a “pagan” or “heathen” activity and was forbidden.

Catholic teachings regarding tattooing are actually rather interesting: There are no prohibitions, and the act of getting a tattoo “for the sake of God”, as the Catholic council of Calcuth stated in 786 CE, was commended as praiseworthy. (This is probably why my parents didn’t spazz too much when they discovered both my sister and I were tattooed.)

Islam

Tattoos are forbidden and even considered a sin in Sunni Islam pursuant to the Sahih Bujhari, as it changes the creation of God: “The Prophet forbade [...] mutilation (or maiming) of bodies.”

Buddhism

Sak Yant Temple tattoos, inked by Buddhist monks, Brahman priests, and Ruesi ascetics, are made of Sak Yant designs to carry protection. This practice is done in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar. Some Thais believe that protection against enemies is imbued within you when done by a Buddhist monk.

The tools are not at all comfortable; in ancient times, monks used a very hard Rattan tree thorn sharpened to a point and measuring up to three feet in length, while modern tools include sharpened umbrella spikes and coffin nails picked up after a traditional cremation, each of which would be sharpened and attached to the end of a stick for use. These practices vary from temple to temple and with each Yant master.

The inks also vary, from the ancient use of sap from a rare tree found in the east area of Thiland muxed with a small amount of snake venom and cooked to a black pigment, to the use of Chinese ink mixed with aromatic oils and whiskey.

After the tattooing, during which a unique design, method, and meaning is imprinted into the skin, the monk provides a particular kataa, or prayer, to accompany the work. The monk speaks the kataa so that the words blow over into the newly inscribed tattoo, awakening the power within it. The Sak Yant is then said to become alive and to continue growing with its owner for the rest of his life.

I won’t lie, the practice makes me cringe and gives me other visceral reactions, but I completely respect its background, reverence, and spiritual meaning behind these ancient tattoos. ;)

Tattooing, Magick, and Modern Witchcraft

Many Pagans are fully aware of the power of symbols, having used them in their rituals, worship, and magick. Chances are, you’ve come across people in the Pagan community with at least one tattoo adorning their body, whether it is a pentacle, crescent moons, Celtic knot work, a representation of the Goddess or Green Man... the list goes on and on. There are also the less Pagan-identified tattoos such as my own, where totem animals, flora and fauna, ankhs and other Egyptian designs, and other symbols are used.

These tattoos are chosen with purpose, of course, knowing that their symbolism is not only representative of their faith, but of their personal views on that faith, too, to represent one’s growth and experience in one’s Pagan journey. Their permanence lends another story, one which exemplifies how permanent one’s decisions can be in one’s life, including the decision to follow a certain religious or spiritual path.

The actual act of getting a tattoo can be a magickal experience in itself, not just what the symbol means to a person after the fact. Consider for a moment a few things when obtaining a tattoo:

• Pain is inevitably involved, which is a useful way for you to attain a trance-like state for magickal workings. (If getting a larger tattoo, you might want to consider a friend driving you home...)

• Shedding blood is also inevitable; as the needle pierces through several layers of your skin, droplets of blood appear on the surface, a symbol of your connection to life.

• The tattoo is “anointed” afterward with water to cleanse it and begin the healing process. If you desire, you might ask the artist to allow you to bless the water beforehand, thereby additionally charging the tattoo with your energy.

Do you have a tattoo? What meaning does it hold for you?

 

Sources

• Animals and Witchcraft: Frog and Toad


• Ask the Rabbi: Are Tattoos Forbidden?


• Encyclopedia Britannica: Tattoo (Body Decoration)


• Finding My Religion


• Sacred Skin: Tattoos in Modern Paganism


• Sak Yant Thai Tattoos

A very happy holiday season, indeed!

It has been quite an eventful week! Matt and I had a good chunk of time off this past weekend (I had a four-day, he had a three-'n'-half-day), which was spent frolicking around Maryland and generally having a great time.

I got to meet another internet friend this past Thursday! Bethany (Beatnik Betty) and I have been LiveJournal friends for ages. Seriously, I don't even remember when we became friends -- it had to have been at least four years ago. She lived in DC before Matt and I moved up, but she ended up moving to Portland a few months before we got up here, so we never had the chance to meet! Recently, she came back to DC to pursue a new job opportunity in Baltimore (which she greatly deserves and where she is thoroughly kicking ass), and we finally met one another!

[caption id="attachment_936" align="aligncenter" width="501"] Jane, Bethany, me, and Ilya... my first time meeting all of them![/caption]

It was a really fun night, and I'm looking forward to hanging with her again. :)

(Ilya is from the internet, too! Looks like I'll have to count up just how many people I've met and see if I managed to nix off #23!)

It's such a bizarre feeling, knowing so much about someone strictly because of the internet and finally getting to greet that person face to face. If you've never done that before, it's akin to having a best (albeit imaginary) friend that you've never hugged before, only to finally get to and know that this person is real. Such a cool experience, especially when that friend is as cool as Bethany.

Friday was spent cleaning the house in preparation for our realtor's wife (who is a mortgage loan officer -- meant to be, am I right?), who came over to get our signatures for a refinance on our home. We only bought the house in February, but with the refi, we managed to cut our interest rate by 0.65%, which was fantastic! While things are financially tight around here for a little bit as a result, it's going to help us out so much in the long run. And we love working with Mike DeHaut and his wife, so that was an added bonus.



Saturday, Christmas Eve, was pretty quiet. We had been lighting the candles all through Chanukah, and after doing so that night, we settled in for a tradition that started with my family and that I force Matt to continue at home: Watching Christmas Vacation by the light of our Yule tree and laughing maniacally to the whole Jelly Club rant! I swear, that movie never gets old. Matt immediately followed it up with The Hebrew Hammer, which I predict is going to be a new tradition in our house, haha.

When, you know, the future kiddies go to bed.

I'm pretty sure we're not gonna let them watch that movie until they're at least sixteen.

[caption id="attachment_938" align="aligncenter" width="320"] Where do you think you're going? Nobody's leaving. Nobody's walking out on this fun, old-fashioned family Christmas. No, no. We're all in this together. This is a full-blown, four-alarm holiday emergency here. We're gonna press on, and we're gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny fucking Kaye. And when Santa squeezes his fat white ass down that chimney tonight, he's gonna find the jolliest bunch of assholes this side of the nuthouse.[/caption]

And finally, Christmas Day! We planned on having a pretty relaxing day, but it seriously kicked off running, starting with a get-together at a Chinese restaurant in Rockville with a friend of Matt's and his wife. Oh, yes. We got your Jewish Christmas right here! We filled up on more MSG than we probably should have stomached and chatted a bit about their baby boy, who is due anytime next month!

We started feeling exhausted on our drive home, but somehow managed to get the energy to drop off gingerbread cookies to the neighbors we've met since we lived here. We were able to personally wish a happy holiday to three of the four homes we visited, and they all invited us in, even for a short time, to chat a bit and, in the case of two families, meet their relatives.

The last house we visited was a family who I admit is my favorite on the block. They have two adorable little girls, aged six and almost three, and their parents, John and Megan, are just all-around kickass. When we dropped off their cookies, Megan asked us what we were doing for the holidays, and we said something about probably just going back home and having a quiet evening. There was NO HAVING THAT, of course, so she invited us in for drinks and to meet their crazy relatives! As they gave us full glasses of red wine, Megan announced to everyone, "These are our neighbors, Matt and Steph. They're all alone for Christmas!"

And it just kind of went from there, lol.

It was a wonderful time! Sure, there was the fact that John, and pretty much everyone else, was three sheets to the wind, but after meeting his father-in-law (who referred to Barack Obama's daughters as "the little bitches" and complained about wasting government funds even after learning that my husband works for the most poorly-funded faction of the federal government...), I totally understood why. We were poured a second glass of wine by John as his father-in-law told us WWI stories and used at least one racial slur or wisecrack about government money every other line.

I was pretty impressed that he didn't say anything about Matt being Jewish (and I quietly kept my Paganism under wraps), but we learned that he had a Jewish friend who passed away earlier this year, so I guess he didn't have anything to say about Jews then and there.

Oh! Speaking of religion, John asked me at some point (away from his father-in-law, ha) if I was Pagan! I was like, uh...? A few weeks ago, I was wearing a shirt I had bought in Salem with the wheel of the year on it, and he recognized it! Apparently, he was a Pagan while growing up, and though he doesn't celebrate the Sabbats too much anymore, he still regards himself a Pagan, and we had a good ol' time talking about converting as teenagers and the ridiculous things we did back then.

"Ha! Did you cast a circle and everything?"
"TOTALLY. And I did spells pretty regularly until I was about 18!"
"Dude, we were so young and ridiculous back then...!"

[caption id="attachment_939" align="aligncenter" width="325"] Shirt looks a lot like this, actually.[/caption]

All in all, it was a great weekend! We have some plans coming up for the new year -- spending some time with my cousin and his family in Bethesda -- and we're looking forward to 2012 and the many plans we have ahead of us. :)

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and have a very happy New Year coming up!

[caption id="attachment_941" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Oh yeah, and as for Chanukah? We actually made it through all eight nights! Thank you, iPhone, for capturing this moment. Proof that it did, in fact, happen. ;)[/caption]

*****

ETA before this post posts automatically: Oh my god, and today! TODAY! Awesome attorney-boss and I often talk about random stuff, one of which is scuba diving. I don't remember if this came up before or after showing him my 30 Before 30 list, but we had long talks about his scuba diving escapades and his love of sharks. Seriously, sharks! The kind of stuff that would make Matt's skin crawl, lol.

Anyway, for the holidays, awesome attorney-boss kept talking about an inspirational gift. I was thoroughly confused until, after being told where it was, I received this:



OMGOMGOMGOMGOMGOMG

Seriously, cue the spazz-attack I had! Under wraps, of course, because I'm at work and all, but still! Scuba diving is on my List, and to have this kind of, well... inspiration is just...! Just!! I'm still kind of coming down from the high of checking out these pictures and these beautiful places to someday hopefully visit!

(I don't think there was a single non-exclamation-pointed sentence just then. If that gives you ANY INDICATION of my excitement. :D)

After thanking him for the book, he said, "Now go get certified." You don't have to tell me twice! I've been researching some local dive instruction places ever since. (Though I honestly may wait until a trip to visit family in Florida to do this. Maybe even in the Keys? Yes, please, as I've never been!)

Matt's reaction, by the way, when I told him about the book and my subsequent spazzing? "Hah, cool! Now if only I wasn't scared shitless of a) sharks, and b) deep water." Well... at least I can still dive, right? ;)