Greetings Kind People of the Earth-
As we transition into 2017, the world gets much more complicated, and we will have many ways and reasons to test our resolve, our strength, our calm and our courage. Whatever happens, it is time to remember our connection with the Earth and natural cycles, and so here is a lighthearted message from “The Mother of Time” :)
In this “new year” it is important to look at the calendar to which we refer when we use these dates.
The year “2017” is what we commonly call this New Year, using the calendar count brought to us by Pope Gregory XIII in October 1582.
Wikipedia says:
The motivation for the reform was to stop the drift of the calendar with respect to the equinoxes and solstices—particularly the vernal equinox, which set the date for Easter celebrations. Transition to the Gregorian calendar would restore the holiday to the time of the year in which it was celebrated when introduced by the early Church. The reform was adopted initially by the Catholic countries of Europe. Protestants and Eastern Orthodox countries continued to use the traditional Julian calendar and adopted the Gregorian reform after a time, for the sake of convenience in international trade. The last European country to adopt the reform was Greece, in 1923.
However, there are many, many other ways to calculate “Time” and here are just a few…
| Gregorian calendar | 2016 MMXVI |
| Ab urbe condita | 2769 |
| Armenian calendar | 1465 ԹՎ ՌՆԿԵ |
| Assyrian calendar | 6766 |
| Bahá’í calendar | 172–173 |
| Bengali calendar | 1423 |
| Berber calendar | 2966 |
| British Regnal year | 64 Eliz. 2 – 65 Eliz. 2 |
| Buddhist calendar | 2560 |
| Burmese calendar | 1378 |
| Byzantine calendar | 7524–7525 |
| Chinese calendar | 乙未年 (Wood Goat) 4712 or 4652 — to — 丙申年 (Fire Monkey) 4713 or 4653 |
| Coptic calendar | 1732–1733 |
| Discordian calendar | 3182 |
| Ethiopian calendar | 2008–2009 |
| Hebrew calendar | 5776–5777 |
| Hindu calendars | |
| – Vikram Samvat | 2072–2073 |
| – Shaka Samvat | 1937–1938 |
| – Kali Yuga | 5116–5117 |
| Holocene calendar | 12016 |
| Igbo calendar | 1016–1017 |
| Iranian calendar | 1394–1395 |
| Islamic calendar | 1437–1438 |
| Japanese calendar | Heisei 28 (平成２８年) |
| Javanese calendar | 1949–1950 |
| Juche calendar | 105 |
| Julian calendar | Gregorian minus 13 days |
| Korean calendar | 4349 |
| Minguo calendar | ROC 105 民國105年 |
| Nanakshahi calendar | 548 |
| Thai solar calendar | 2559 |
| Unix time | 1451606400 – 1483228799 |
The transition from “old” calendars to this new Gregorian Calendar was a slow process, and it is one we do not generally learn about in school. However, it is important for Earth Honoring People to understand that the “calendar” is one taken around the world with colonialism and has separated populations of People from the cycles of the Earth and local celebrations. While we may use these dates as a common language, we must remember that this calendar is not “THE” calendar. It is but one way to look at “time”.
Again, from Wikipedia:
During the Middle Ages, under the influence of the Catholic Church, many Western European countries moved the start of the year to one of several important Christian festivals—25 December (supposed Nativity of Jesus), 25 March (Annunciation), or Easter (France),[38] while the Byzantine Empire began its year on 1 September and Russia did so on 1 March until 1492 when the new year was moved to 1 September.[39]
In common usage, 1 January was regarded as New Year’s Day and celebrated as such,[40] but from the 12th century until 1751 the legal year in England began on 25 March (Lady Day).[41] So, for example, the Parliamentary record lists the execution of Charles I on 30 January as occurring in 1648 (as the year did not end until 24 March),[42] although modern histories adjust the start of the year to 1 January and record the execution as occurring in 1649.[43]
Most Western European countries changed the start of the year to 1 January before they adopted the Gregorian calendar. For example, Scotland changed the start of the Scottish New Year to 1 January in 1600 (this means that 1599 was a short year). England, Ireland and the British colonies changed the start of the year to 1 January in 1752 (so 1751 was a short year with only 282 days) though in England the start of the tax year remained at 25 March (O.S.), 5 April (N.S.) till 1800, when it moved to 6 April. Later in 1752 in September the Gregorian calendar was introduced throughout Britain and the British colonies (see the section Adoption). These two reforms were implemented by the Calendar (New Style) Act 1750.[44]
For this time we offer this video prayer for each and all of us.
In this time of separation and forgetfulness we pray to the four directions. May the wisdom of Nature be felt in my heart. May we remember that gratefulness is our path to understanding.
