Because it accepts that Deity is ultimately mystery...
The Mystic's Wheel of the Year calendar celebrates the diversity
of beliefs and practices in all the world's religions. It promotes understanding
of, and respect for, all religions. It includes both Eastern and Western
religions. It includes both ancient and contemporary religions. It includes
views considered unorthodox as well as those considered orthodox. It recognizes
universal spiritual principles and the elements common amongst the world's
religions. It reflects deep ecumenism.
This calendar helps in rediscovering Deity in non-patriarchal ways.
It helps to explore various concepts of Deity--as within all and beyond
all; as all forms and formless; as masculine and feminine and genderless;
as an infinite, all-encompassing, and universal unity; and as all-embracing
love.
This calendar also promotes deep ecology, social justice, and world peace.
Consequently, it focuses on ecological, egalitarian, and peaceable aspects
of the world's religions. It recognizes the interconnectedness, interdependence,
and sacredness of all Nature. It recognizes the need for environmental healing
through preservation and conservation. It recognizes the need to have respect
and deep compassion for all humanity and for all animals. It recognizes
the equality of men and women and the equality of all peoples. It recognizes
the human rights of all. It embraces multiculturalism and rejects cultural
imperialism. It recognizes that peace will only be achieved through justice,
cooperation, and elimination of weapons of mass destruction.
And ultimately, this calendar hopes to promote love for Deity and love for all...because that is what mysticism -- and eco-egalitarian spirituality of all kinds -- is all about.
The Mystic's Wheel of the Year calendar features holy days
of:
* Judaism (Kabbalah)
* Christianity (Ecumenical Mysticism/Wisdom Tradition)
* Unitarian Universalism (including Transcendentalism & Deism)
* Islam (Sufism)
* Baha'i Faith
* Hinduism (Shaiva, Vaishnaiva & Tantric)
* Buddhism (Tibetan, Zen, Pure Land & Theravada)
* Jainism
* Sikhism
* Taoism
* Shinto
* Zoroastrianism
* African religions (Santeria & Old Egyptian)
* Native American religions (Iroquois, Navajo & Pueblo)
* Meso American religions (Inca, Mayan & Aztec)
* Old European religions (Greek, Roman, Slavic, Celtic, Anglo-Teutonic &
Norse)
Our intent is to treat all religions equally. There is no intent to favor
or disfavor any religion. There is no intent to "convert" anyone to or from
any religion, though we do hope to serve as a means to better understand
one's own tradition as well as other traditions.
Some holidays have been reclaimed to reflect their positive, non-patriarchal,
Nature-based aspects. Our intent is to be inclusive and respectful to both
genders, all peoples, and all traditions.
Because this calendar is an interfaith calendar, the term "God" is used
only when referring to a male Deity. The term "Deity" is used to refer to
a gender-neutral Deity or a Deity that encompasses both male and female
characteristics.
Holidays are calculated based on available information. Except where the
religious tradition dictates otherwise, lunar-based dates are calculated
using U.S. Eastern time.
The Mystic's Wheel of the Year calendar also includes:
* a primer on Eco-Egalitarian Spirituality
* days focused on milestones/teachers/activists in the deep ecology (environmentalist),
social justice (human rights/feminist), and peace (disarmament) movements
* solar and lunar cycles, eclipses, helions, meteor showers, visible planets,
and astrological periods
* experiential meditations (for each phase of the moon throughout the year)
* empowering meditations
* action offerings (to help the environment and further social justice)
* art as meditation
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
This calendar was first published in 1995. As there remain many more religious
traditions and celebrations yet to be included in the calendar, it remains
a work in progress.
Currently in the works: Projects on prayer and religious scholarly works
relating to environmentalism, freedom of religion, gender equality, human
rights, and peace.
The 2010 calendar is available organized by tradition and as an integrated
calendar by month. The 2010 integrated calendar can be downloaded and printed
out in calendar format -- gratis, of course!
Because we were not raised in all the denominations of all these traditions,
our knowledge and understanding is regretfully limited and superficial.
And we accept that this calendar will not please everyone. However, we pray that it
will please
Deity!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sacred images from various traditions:
---Jewish
[Hebrew calligraphy: the Kabbalistic Tetragrammatan; excerpts from the Torah:
Genesis/Bereishit ch. 1; the Kabbalistic Tree of Life]
---Christian
[Holy Father and Holy Wisdom at the Creation, Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom),
Theotokos Eleusa-Kiksk (Mother of God), Pantocrator (All-Powerful Jesus),
Mother Mary and Child Jesus, Compassionate Jesus, The Nativity of Jesus,
The Last Supper of Jesus, Notre Dame de Sous Terre: Black Madonna and Child,
Pieta: Sorrowful Mother of Jesus, Nuestra Senora, El Cristo, Lunar Madonna,
Meditating Christ, Greek calligraphy (excerpts from the Wisdom Literature
of the Septuagint/Old Testament: Wisdom of Solomon & Wisdom of Sirach) ]
---Muslim
[Arabic calligraphy]
---Hindu
[Shiva (God) and Parvati (Goddess), Ganesha (God), Lakshmi (Goddess), Vishnu
(God), Krishna (God) and Radha (Goddess), Shiva (God), Devi Gauri (Goddess),
Maha Devi Shakti (Great Goddess), Lakshmi (Goddess), Krishna (God) and Radha
(Goddess), Maha Devi Durga (Great Goddess), and Maha Deva Shiva (Great God)]
---Buddhist
[Bodhisattva Kuan Yin, Buddha Siddhartha/Sakyamuni, Green Tara (Tibetan
Bodhisattva Goddess of Compassion), Avalokitesvara (Tibetan Bodhisattva
God of Compassion), Prajna-Paramita (Tibetan Bodhisattva Goddess of Wisdom),
Manjusri (Tibetan Bodhisattva God of Wisdom), White Tara (Tibetan Buddha
Goddess of Health and Longevity), Amitabha (Tibetan Buddha God of Salvation),
Kuan Yin Bodhisattva (China), Bamiyan Buddha (Afghanistan), Kuan Yin Bodhisattva
(Zen Buddhist), and Zazen Buddha (Zen Buddhist)]
---Prehistoric
[Willendorf Goddess (Austria 30,000 BCE), Laussel Goddess (France 20,000
BCE), Pazardzik Goddess (Thrace/Bulgaria 4500 BCE), Nile Goddess (Predynastic
Egypt 3100+ BCE), Knossos Goddess of Crete (Minoan Greece 1800 BCE),
and Gazi Goddess of Crete (Minoan Greece 1350 BCE)]
---Ancient Egyptian
[Neteret Maat (Goddess), Neter Thoth (God), Neteret Isis (Goddess), Neter
Osiris (God), Neteret Bastet (Goddess), and Neter Horus (God)]
---Ancient Middle-Eastern
[Lilith (Sumerian-Hebrew Goddess: Iraq-Israel 2300 BCE), Astarte (Canaanite-Hebrew
Goddess: Palestine-Israel 1900 BCE), Hebat (Hittite Goddess: Turkey 1500
BCE), Inanna (Sumerian Goddess: Iraq 800 BCE), Anahita (Persian Goddess:
Iran 500 BCE), and Al-Lat (Arabic Goddess: Saudi Arabia 100 CE)]
---African
[Fertility God and Fertility Goddess]
---Mayan
[Ixchel/Moon Goddess, Chacmool/Rain God, Fertility Goddess, Fertility God,
Mushroom Goddess, and Animal Deities]
---Native American
[Navajo sacred sand paintings]
---Old Celtic
[Matres/The Mothers, Cernunnos/The Horned God, Brigantia/The High Goddess,
Taranis/The Thunder God, Brigid/The Triple Goddess, and Viridios/The Green
Man]
---Old Norse
[Freyja (Goddess) and Freyr (God), Odin (God), Valkyries (Goddesses), Tyr
(God), Freyja on Boar (Goddess), and Thor (God)]
