Ru | En
Sacred Calendars
The traditional division of the annual circle as a way of organizing ideas about the universe
Magical, mystical and ritual perception of the annual cycle as the main symbol and display of the eternal mystery of life has existed in all peoples of the Earth - since the very ancient times when man lived in a single rhythm with nature and higher forces.
The ancient Indo-European tradition is characterized by the perception of an 8-part, rather than 12-part, annual cycle, which is still reflected in the calendar rituals of many peoples. In some Indo-Europeans - for example, in Lithuania - the 8-part calendar was preserved and used until very recently.
If the 12-part calendar is, in fact, an attempt to coordinate for practical use two differently-step rhythms - the rhythm of the Moon with its lunar months and the rhythm of the Sun's movement on the ecliptic, with a very approximate observance of the borders of 12 constellations, turned into zodiacal "houses", the eight-part calendar is based on a single rhythm - the annual transformation of the Sun. In this rhythm, four main strong points are distinguished, on the basis of which four additional points are calculated. The main points - the points of the "Solar Cross", summer and winter solstice, autumn equinox and spring equinox - are noticeable on the even flow of the river of time even without calculation. It is enough to carefully observe the duration of the day.
8 parts of the annual colo (circle) are organized similarly to the turn of the solar wheel during the day - which is not surprising, since all Indo-Europeans considered the solar cycles as sacred. Thus, the main, solar cross, around which the annual colony "rotates", becomes the cross connecting two solstices (winter and summer, midnight and noon respectively) and two equinoxes (spring and autumn, sunrise and sunset of the year). The second cross, in turn, was calculated by the golden ratio from the first: there was a point that divided by the golden ratio the stretch of time between the two main points. This cross included four more holidays: the peak points of each of the seasons, respectively.
Below we give a description of the names of the holiday points, resorting to the sources of all three Northern European traditions - Celtic, Scandinavian and Slavic:
December 22 - Winter Solstice, Alban Arthuan. Koliada with the Slavs, Yule with the Scandinavians.
February 1 - Imbolk, Gromnitsa among the Slavs
March 22 - Spring Equinox, Alban Eiler. "Floating" Shrovetide with the Slavs.
May 1 - Beltane (Bealteinne). Day of Živa among the Slavs.
June 22 - Summer Solstice, Alban Herium, Kupala among the Slavs.
August 1 - Lughnasadh, Slavs' Perun Day
September 22 - Autumn Equinox, Alban Elued
November 1 - Samhuinn, Slavic Autumn Dades.
December 22 - Winter Solstice, Alban Arthuan. Koliada with the Slavs, Yule with the Scandinavians.
February 1 - Imbolk, Gromnitsa among the Slavs
March 22 - Spring Equinox, Alban Eiler. "Floating" Shrovetide with the Slavs.
May 1 - Beltane (Bealteinne). Day of Živa among the Slavs.
June 22 - Summer Solstice, Alban Herium, Kupala among the Slavs.
August 1 - Lughnasadh, Slavs' Perun Day
September 22 - Autumn Equinox, Alban Elued
November 1 - Samhuinn, Slavic Autumn Dades.
The principle of the annual colo - which includes the birth, growth, maturity, and death of the Sun - can be applied to the life cycle of many different systems. The most obvious analogy is the earthly path of man. And, of course, different stages of the year favor different tasks in activity.
That is why knowledge of sacred calendars is the key to a more subtle and clear understanding not only of the world order of our distant ancestors, but also of the processes that are still going on around us and inside of us.
That is why knowledge of sacred calendars is the key to a more subtle and clear understanding not only of the world order of our distant ancestors, but also of the processes that are still going on around us and inside of us.
On the subject we have:
