 |
| A walk in the countryside |
What happened to the First day of Spring? Why do they
change things? I wanted to write about
the first day of Spring, March 21 and found my traditional day is not quite the
same. The day moves. Okay. I can
understand some government bureaucrat said let’s do it different and screw
everything up.
So I did a little research. Every culture has the celebration of Spring
around the spring solstice. From Aztec to
Egyptian, stone calenders were set to highlight the sun on certain days of the
year. The spring solstice was prominent. Look at the remains of Stonehenge or
the monuments on Easter Island.
Going back several thousand years, we find the
Celtic Lá na Féile Bríde, or the “Festival
of Saint Bridget”, in Manx as Laán Arragh (Day of Spring), and as
Candlemas or Bridget’s Day in English. Brighid, Bride or Bridget is yet
another Pagan deity turned by the Christians into a “saint,” in order to co-opt
Her worship. This
goddess was a triple-faced deity, originally a Sun and Fire Goddess, of
Poetry/Divination, Healing and Smith-craft, whose followers kept an eternal
flame burning in Her honor. Note that as Brighid, a Druid and Celtic entity,
Her three aspects are all the same age as each other, not the
“Mother-Maiden-Crone” trinity.
Interesting is that St Bridget’s Day is the celebration of the lambing and lactation of the ewes, a basic source of food and clothing. The occasion of the birth of lambs (not to mention kids and calves) was a cause for rejoicing and a sign of life in the “dead” world of a Northern winter. Probably why we eat roast lamb on Easter.
This leaves me with my original question why change it?
Ancient Awakening http://www.wildrosepress.us/maincatalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=177_136&products_id=4511
Buy hyperlink Ancient Blood http://www.wildrosepress.us/maincatalog/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=177_136&products_id=4511
Kindle
http://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Blood-Finding-Rhodes-ebook/dp/B0052NUR12/
8 comments:
I'm glad you've mentioned that, Barbara! Here was I thinking today (21st) was the first day of spring and it was being heralded yesterday. First time I remember that happening.
With six inches of snow on the ground here on the prairie, I forgot all about spring. I'm in a spring state of mind!
Hi Rosemary,
I noticed when they changed the first day of autumn. I guess I'm just nit-picky about things.
Barbara
Hi Brenda,
since I'm in florida with unseasonably warm days, I can't sahre your pain. lol I do remember lots of snow in Connecticut for many first days of spring, even Easter had its share.
Barbara
The spring equinox (1st day of spring) is based on when the earth is equi-distant from the sun (not tilted toward or away from it on its axis.)They've got it lined up to the exact minute on some websites. So I guess that's why it can vary by a day.
It's amazing to me that these ancient civilizations had it figured out without all our modern equipment. Very cool blog, Barbara.
For the first time since I can remember, Spring in New England feels like summer. At least for a couple of days...and I'm not complaining.
Hi Jerri,
You know what Mark Twain said about the New England weather.
Barbara
Hi Jannine,
I found this information doing research on my next paranormal.
Barbara
Post a Comment