Religious Calendar

[mangalavara]

Many religions involve following a religious or liturgical calendar. It might not even be a liturgical calendar but a cultural one associated with a religion. Is there a calendar that you follow in your religion? If so, do you keep up with it every day of your life, or do you only keep up with significant dates on that calendar?

Example calendars are the Vikrami Calendar, the Tamil Calendar, the Nanakshahi Calendar, the Hebrew/Jewish Calendar, the Revised Julian Calendar, the Islamic Calendar, and the Zoroastrian Calendar. Polytheistic reconstructionists/revivalists might follow the Attic Calendar, the Macedonian Calendar, or the Kemetic/Egyptian/Sopdet Calendar, as examples.

 

[JustGeorge]

I like calendars. I can't say I use any past a point of calculating festivals or fasting points for personal reasons, though in all fairness, I don't do much with the Gregorian calendar past making appointments.

I keep note of festivals I find, and put them on a digital calendar, whether they're 'mine' or not. I just think its interesting. I like being mindful of what goes on in the world.

 

[Viker]

I go by the Wheel of the Year, the four calendar season changes plus their mid points, and the lunar phases calendar. I also observe various personal and otherwise significant dates.

 

[mangalavara]

I like calendars.

That makes two of us.

My interest in calendars began back in the days when I was a Hellenic polytheist. I followed the Macedonian Calendar, which is quite similar to the Jewish Calendar.

though in all fairness, I don't do much with the Gregorian calendar past making appointments.

It’s almost the same in my case. To me, the Gregorian Calendar is work-related and has something to do with a handful of important dates. While calendrical days begin at midnight on the Gregorian, I recognize sunrise as the time when calendrical days begin.

I keep note of festivals I find, and put them on a digital calendar, whether they're 'mine' or not. I just think its interesting. I like being mindful of what goes on in the world.

I like that. The world is a diverse place, and the diversity of cultures and holidays is amazing.

I go by the Wheel of the Year, the four calendar season changes plus their mid points, and the lunar phases calendar.

I am familiar with the Wheel of the Year, but I’m not sure what you mean by ‘the lunar phases calendar.’ Do you mean certain lunar phases that occur during a period of 28-30 days?

 

[JustGeorge]

That makes two of us.

My interest in calendars began back in the days when I was a Hellenic polytheist. I followed the Macedonian Calendar, which is quite similar to the Jewish Calendar.



It’s almost the same in my case. To me, the Gregorian Calendar is work-related and has something to do with a handful of important dates. While calendrical days begin at midnight on the Gregorian, I recognize sunrise as the time when calendrical days begin.



I like that. The world is a diverse place, and the diversity of cultures and holidays is amazing.



I am familiar with the Wheel of the Year, but I’m not sure what you mean by ‘the lunar phases calendar.’ Do you mean certain lunar phases that occur during a period of 28-30 days?

I had wondered what Hellenic polytheists followed!

I tend to recognize a new day at sunrise, too. It makes more sense to me.

I sometimes wonder if energy from certain festivals rub off on people, even if they don't observe them. For example, my kids were really rowdy leading up to spring break, even though they're homeschooled and we don't do spring break.

I also felt really down and out last week. It hit me later that last week was Holy Week for many Christians in my area. I'm not a Christian, but many in my area are, and I wondered if I was picking up some the 'down' energy that I assume would go along with Holy Week(up until Easter).

 

[mangalavara]

I had wondered what Hellenic polytheists followed!

Most of them, at least outside of Hellas, probably follow the Attic/Athenian Calendar.

I tend to recognize a new day at sunrise, too. It makes more sense to me.

When the sun rises, it is like when flowers bloom or when a baby is being born. There are new flowers and a new human being. Similarly, when the sun rises, there is a new day.

Where I am, it is 2:07 AM at the moment. Most people here think it is now Wednesday. To me, it is still Mangalvar; Budhvar will start at sunrise.

I also felt really down and out last week. It hit me later that last week was Holy Week for many Christians in my area. I'm not a Christian, but many in my area are, and I wondered if I was picking up some the 'down' energy that I assume would go along with Holy Week(up until Easter).

It sounds like you were certainly picking up the ‘down’ energy associated with Holy Week. Do you ever feel uncomfortable when it is Good Friday? Back in the US, I felt uncomfortable on that day, especially at night. In fact, whenever I was out on that night any year, I noticed that creepy people were also out. Here in Korea, it’s not bad.

By the way, whenever I have a sudden interest in reading the Qur’an, I soon discover that it’s either at the beginning of Ramadan or somewhere in the middle.

 

[Viker]

Do you mean certain lunar phases that occur during a period of 28-30 days?

Yes. Quarters, fulls and new moons. Also, the major events like the upcoming Black moon on May 19. And lunar/solar eclipses.

 

[JustGeorge]

Most of them, at least outside of Hellas, probably follow the Attic/Athenian Calendar.



When the sun rises, it is like when flowers bloom or when a baby is being born. There are new flowers and a new human being. Similarly, when the sun rises, there is a new day.

This human seems to be born with the midday sun.

Where I am, it is 2:07 AM at the moment. Most people here think it is now Wednesday. To me, it is still Mangalvar; Budhvar will start at sunrise.

Is there a lot of activity at 2am there?

It sounds like you were certainly picking up the ‘down’ energy associated with Holy Week. Do you ever feel uncomfortable when it is Good Friday? Back in the US, I felt uncomfortable on that day, especially at night. In fact, whenever I was out on that night any year, I noticed that creepy people were also out. Here in Korea, it’s not bad.

I felt awful all last week. It didn't even really hit me until a Catholic friend said something on Saturday that it was Holy Week. My mind was cloudy, and I felt like someone had hit factory reset on my brain.

By the way, whenever I have a sudden interest in reading the Qur’an, I soon discover that it’s either at the beginning of Ramadan or somewhere in the middle.

That's very interesting!

Yes. Quarters, fulls and new moons. Also, the major events like the upcoming Black moon on May 19. And lunar/solar eclipses.

What's a Black Moon?

 

[mangalavara]

Is there a lot of activity at 2am there?

Not a lot, no. Many people will be outside throughout the night though. People in Korea don’t sleep that much.

 

[idea]

I follow the academic calendar with seasons such as in-service, curriculum day, first day of semester, official day of record, midterm, w-day, spring break, finals week, commencement, mini-mester, summer1, summer2 - each term is the chance for a new beginning, milestones, closure, all-nighters, celebrations and defeat. There are those who endure to the end, some that change paths - romances ebb and flow, new parents, some are lost but not forgotten. Some return after years in the field - I make them advise the younglings, tell tales of their adventures out in the real world. It's a good calendar to live by. Those who can't do - teach? there are thank-you notes - someone who no longer has test anxiety, another who didn't get a degree but has a career with the software they learned, another who kept expanding their project - the goofy intro project, and its not goofy anymore.. the first in their family to graduate.. the ones now working at NASA ... it takes a tribe to be sure, an amazing goofy diverse lot with all kinds of different beliefs and areas of expertise - a funny sort of tribe, but sometimes we raise them up, lift them up, it's a good calendar.