Vasanta Panchami

Tuesday 4th February is the Hindu Festival of Vasanta Panchami, held in honour of Sarasvati, the Goddess of learning, wisdom and arts. Sarasvati wears white, rides a white swan and is depicted playing a stringed instrument called a Vina. Traditional celebration involves wearing yellow and taking a ceremonial bath. 

Setsubun

Monday 3rd February is Setsubun Bean-Throwing Festival is the day before the beginning of Spring in Japan. The name literally means "seasonal division", but usually the term refers to the Spring Setsubun, celebrated yearly on February 3rd as part of the Spring Festival and  accompanied by a special ritual to cleanse away all the evil of the former year and drive away disease-bringing evil spirits for the year to come.

Imbolc 2014

Saturday 1st February & Sunday 2nd February is the Pagan Imbolc Ceremony is one of the four Great Celtic Festivals, and which is a Wiccan and Druid Festival of Fertility and Growing Light.  It is sacred to the Goddess Brigit or Bridie, the power of the new moon, the Spring of the year, the flowing sea, corn dollies and the Great Moon Mother - Patroness of Poetry Making and Healing.  Look at what you want to achieve this year and ask Brigit's help in making it happen.

Chinese New Year of the Horse

Chinese New Year of the Horse

From 31st January we will move into the Chinese New Year, progressing from the year of the Black (Water) Snake to the Year of the Green (Wooden) Horse.  Below is a summary drawn from these two Chinese websites:Chinese Fortune Calendar and Go To Horoscope

Horses are intelligent, competitive and sociable, giving people a ride to destinations, so are associated with travel, ambition and swift success. Horses pursue freedom, passion and independence. They can be noble but also proud.

2014 will bring success and abundance for those who are hard-working and focussed, plus reward for honesty, integrity and humility. Those who behave without morals may see karmic retribution! It is a year to be sociable, especially with friends and relatives, and also close to nature with frequent access to, and appreciation for, the outdoors.  The Year of the Horse is said to be a good year to look smart and elegant; high heels and cascading hair will be lucky apparently (what about the men??).

Interestingly the lucky element for a horse year is Fire and the lucky numbers are 3, 5 and 7.  Perhaps it is especially auspicious since this is a 7 year.

The New Moon on 30th January - preceding the start of the Chinese New Year of the Horse - is an ideal day for the new Personal Celestial Profile Attunements.

I'd also recommend this Alabe Website link for a very succinct review of the Chinese expectations from the year to come, I found this after I'd compiled the above, but thought it excellent. 

New Moon

Thursday 30th January is the Pagan Imbolc Dark Moon @ 21.39, making it another auspicious day as it is the second New Moon of the month.

For those who didn't manage to do a personal or corporate Vision Board for 2014 at the beginning of the month, this presents another opportunity. The New Moon Abundance Ritual should be carried out within 24 hours.