Since my family are essentially all gone from my life (the story of a childless child of immigrant settlers), and I'm able to choose my own holidays and how I celebrate them, every year I become more and more enamoured and awestruck by the Solstices and Equinoxes. It's amazing how Christmas has completely usurped this most ancient of events, the winter solstice, which is a very real relationship with a very real Sun that emerges anew (as if newly birthed) and begins to end (at least temporarily, for 6 months) the increasingly scary (especially to the ancients!) and mysterious darkness of days. Happy Solstice to all of you, and Merry whatever other holidays you celebrate ... just please do your celebrating without sacrificing any of our animal friends :-)
The thing that strikes me when I read about ancient civilisations, is that they were, on the whole, exceptionally tolerant of other people's religious practices. In the early days of the church, the Christians seem to have looked for analogies to their beliefs, in other religious practices. To them, the birth of the Son was a good analogy for the rebirth of the Sun. I'm not sure that I would characterise Pope Julius' decision to move Jesus' official birthday to December 25 as a usurpation; more like a melding of traditions. As the church grew in power, its attitudes toward other religions (and of course dissenting views within its own fold) became more hostile. This seems to be the nature of all institutions, sadly.
BTW, we're enjoying a delicious feast of mushroom loaf, beet wellingtons and a 100% animal-free Christmas pudding and custard today :).
A day chosen to honor when truth put on flesh and then spread good news to the poor, the sick, the captives, and the blind to set a liberty those who are oppressed.
A person who lives all year enjoining some of the same desire consciously may not be fully agnostic, Merry Christmas fellow traveler.
Any fixed date of a Roman calendar could not represent a day on the Hebrew calendar. A little searching for the day in question some time ago, two Hebrew holidays seem to appear likely, Hannukah for conception, Festival of Lights, and the Feast of Tabernacles, when he did tabernacle among us.
The words and deeds of Jesus inspire me. He preached a gospel of love and forgiveness, and the world would be better off if everyone took his messages to heart.
When recently asked what I wanted for Christmas I replied, a nice sunny day. Never mind, maybe next year. One of the councils (in the republic of Victoria) put up Make Merry signs. It created quite a negative stir and people crossed out make and replaced with Christmas. It seems rather PC but I guess council was trying to be inclusive. I blend frozen amla with a sliver of ginger in warm water to make a drink. How do you consume dried amla?
Is there anything more cringeworthy than "Make Merry"????? I'm sure if was in India for Diwali, they wouldn't be using euphemisms for the name of that festival, so as to avoid offending people who aren't Hindu.
I usually sprinkle amla powder on my porridge, but I've never come across the whole dried berries before. I'll probably throw them in the porridge too!
Woke madness that councils should be called out on. The owner of an Indian grocer told me not to consume herbal products from India unless they are organic due to heavy metals.
Since my family are essentially all gone from my life (the story of a childless child of immigrant settlers), and I'm able to choose my own holidays and how I celebrate them, every year I become more and more enamoured and awestruck by the Solstices and Equinoxes. It's amazing how Christmas has completely usurped this most ancient of events, the winter solstice, which is a very real relationship with a very real Sun that emerges anew (as if newly birthed) and begins to end (at least temporarily, for 6 months) the increasingly scary (especially to the ancients!) and mysterious darkness of days. Happy Solstice to all of you, and Merry whatever other holidays you celebrate ... just please do your celebrating without sacrificing any of our animal friends :-)
The thing that strikes me when I read about ancient civilisations, is that they were, on the whole, exceptionally tolerant of other people's religious practices. In the early days of the church, the Christians seem to have looked for analogies to their beliefs, in other religious practices. To them, the birth of the Son was a good analogy for the rebirth of the Sun. I'm not sure that I would characterise Pope Julius' decision to move Jesus' official birthday to December 25 as a usurpation; more like a melding of traditions. As the church grew in power, its attitudes toward other religions (and of course dissenting views within its own fold) became more hostile. This seems to be the nature of all institutions, sadly.
BTW, we're enjoying a delicious feast of mushroom loaf, beet wellingtons and a 100% animal-free Christmas pudding and custard today :).
Merry Christmas!
A day chosen to honor when truth put on flesh and then spread good news to the poor, the sick, the captives, and the blind to set a liberty those who are oppressed.
A person who lives all year enjoining some of the same desire consciously may not be fully agnostic, Merry Christmas fellow traveler.
Any fixed date of a Roman calendar could not represent a day on the Hebrew calendar. A little searching for the day in question some time ago, two Hebrew holidays seem to appear likely, Hannukah for conception, Festival of Lights, and the Feast of Tabernacles, when he did tabernacle among us.
The words and deeds of Jesus inspire me. He preached a gospel of love and forgiveness, and the world would be better off if everyone took his messages to heart.
Merry Christmas to you too!
I don’t believe in Jesus or Santa. Nevertheless, merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
You don't believe in Santa? But what about the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy, and honest politicians?!?!?!?!?
Merry Christmas and wishing for a New Year where more and more of us are awake to the agendas of the deep state/ Mr Global
Yep, that's my New Year wish too!
When recently asked what I wanted for Christmas I replied, a nice sunny day. Never mind, maybe next year. One of the councils (in the republic of Victoria) put up Make Merry signs. It created quite a negative stir and people crossed out make and replaced with Christmas. It seems rather PC but I guess council was trying to be inclusive. I blend frozen amla with a sliver of ginger in warm water to make a drink. How do you consume dried amla?
Is there anything more cringeworthy than "Make Merry"????? I'm sure if was in India for Diwali, they wouldn't be using euphemisms for the name of that festival, so as to avoid offending people who aren't Hindu.
I usually sprinkle amla powder on my porridge, but I've never come across the whole dried berries before. I'll probably throw them in the porridge too!
Woke madness that councils should be called out on. The owner of an Indian grocer told me not to consume herbal products from India unless they are organic due to heavy metals.
I generally steer clear of the powdered products because of the contamination issue. That's why I was so excited to see whole dried amla berries!
True, though I'm not sure how safe they would be either from an Indian grocer.
If of interest, these are some of the companies I trust.
https://www.bioveda.com.au/collections/ayurvedic-organic-herbs
https://www.ayurorganic.com.au/product-category/herbs-spices/single-herb/
https://sattvic.com.au/pages/search-results?findify_q=amla
Thank you! I have no doubt that 2024 is going to be a year to remember.