The magical charm of trefoil shamrock goes way beyond the fifth century Christian legend of St.Patrick. The three leaf plant (trefoil) is said to be the source of inspiration for the triskele, triple spiral, pagan symbols and beautifully illustrated knot-work illustrated in the Books of Kells. So why is this little plant classed as lucky? And why does it appear in mythology across so many civilizations?
Read moreFULL MOON LANTERN FESTIVAL
The Annual Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations will draw to a close, with the Lantern Festival heralding the first Full Moon of the Chinese New Year.
You’ve probably heard of the 12 Days of Christmas. The Chinese have a similar custom; only it’s 15 days long and denotes a different festival. From the first day of the Lunar New Year to the 15th day of the Lunar month, specific traditions and customs take place as Luna grows from New to Full. This year in the Gregorian (Universal) calendar, Feb 27th aligns with the Full moon, it’s the 16th Day of the 1st Month in the Year of the Ox in the Asian Calendar. However, celebrations take place on the evening before, Feb. 26th, hence the 15th day.
Read more13th Solar Term — Autumn is Coming
Autumn Begins. Image via thefuturekept
Game of Thrones, may well have made famous the slogan “Winter is Coming”, but the Chinese Almanac (Tong Shu) can take credit for ‘Autumn is Coming’.
Read moreThe cross quarter festival of Lughnasadh or Lughnasa kicked started the month on 1 August; marking the solar point between Solstice and the next Equinox. 7 August 2024 we’ll welcome the beginning of Monkey month; which every year indicates the Mid-Point of the Chinese Year. It’s followed five day later by a Full Moon Festival - The Hungry Ghost Festival.
1st Solar Term — Li Chun
‘Cherry blossom with birds’ was created by Ohara Koson in Shin-hanga style.
Officially speaking the Year of the Dragon has commenced. The Feng Shui fraternity observes 4 February as the beginning of their Solar New Year; and this year it’s cause for double celebration. Behold a major cosmic state of change is occurring. We’ll bid adieu to 20-years of Earth elements transitional governance. Wood Dragon years always opens the door to a New Age — Now, Fire’s vigil begins till 2043. We bid farewell to Rabbits ’s reign as the Yang Wood Dragon year triggers the Lower 60-year ERA of a wider 180-year Great Cycle - The fiery Age of 9 is upon us.
Chinese calendar is Lunisolar, incorporating both Sun (solar) and Moon (lunar ) cycles. The SOLAR New Year commences when the first of 24 Solar Term called ‘Start of Spring’ (Li Chun 立春) is set in motion on 4 Feb 2024 @8:29am UTC (7:29pm AEDT, 12:29am PST).
Read more2024 WEATHER PREDICTIONS
The aftermath of last weeks Cyclone Kirrily is omnipresent; as I write folks in QLD, Australia are bracing as a third cyclone looms! Following my retrospective of 2023 Weather predictions; I’m sharing some 2024 weather prophecies and another weather metric — Dragon’s role.
Read more2023 WEATHER RETROSPECTIVES
Chinese metaphysics offers insightful weather intel; however I refrain from detailed weather predictions in my Annual Astro forecasts. Mainly due to global nature of forecasting ing vastly different climates. Thus tracking weather is time consuming, full-time job! But Australia’s wild weather, from soaring temps to cyclones has got me looking back on my 2023 weather prediction.
Read more22nd Solar term + Winter Solstice
‘Winter Solstice’ Stunning image by Lao Shu from Book of Time.
TThe pinnacle of Winter is upon folks domicile in the Northern Hemisphere when the 22nd Solar term commences on Winter Solstice (21 December 2022), marking the beginning of the “Extreme Winter” node. When the North bids Sun adieu in favour the longest night, the South heralds the zenith of the Sun and welcomes the opposing Solstice. The Sun ingresses into zodiacal sign of the mountain Goat, Capricorn on 22 Dec. This particular lunar month is depicted in Asian paintings by the pairing of a falcon, pine tree and a wren, and known to the Ancients Chinese as ‘Preserved or Meat Month’.
Read moreThree friends of Winter
Image credit :: rZhao Mengjian (1199? - 1264 AD), Three Friends of Winter, in Qin Xiaoyi, ed., Songdai shuhua ceye mingpin tezhan - Famous Album Leaves of the Sung Dynasty (Taipei: Guoli gugong bowuyuan pianzhuan weiyuanhui, 1995), pl. 66, p. 222. Collection of the National Palace Museum, Taibei. Detail of album leaf, ink on paper, 32.2 x 53.4 cm
Everyone needs a friend. Some prefer the furry or feathered kind and some favour mankind, but have you ever considered the Plant Kingdom as your friend? In Chinese plantlore a specific group of three plants are called the Three Friends of Winter.
19th Solar Term :: 'Winter is coming'
Image credit unknown sourced via diana212m
To Game of Thrones devotees the ubiquitous phrase - ‘Winter is coming’ carries meaning, but I’m guessing the Chinese had first dibs on the phrase! In Chinese culture, Seasons commence about one and a half months before the comparative seasons in the Western Civil calendar. The 19th Seasonal Node nods to ‘Winter’s Coming’ or the ‘Beginning of Winter’(Lì dōng 立冬) as it’s also known. This solar term is the one of eight key nodal transition points, it denote the midpoints between the equinoxes and solstices. Commencing on 8 Nov 2023, we also prepare to welcome the swine of the Chinese Zodiac - the Yin Water Pig. And the 10th Lunar month begins on 13 Nov. 2023.
Read moreFEAST OF APPLES - SAMHAIN
Apple orchard Image credit © by Äpfel-Obstgarten
I’ve no doubt candy filled bags of loot and masks of the ghoulish variety are all that’s on the minds of kids. If Halloween fancy dress isn’t your jam, then here’s the download on the true meaning of Samhain. With some very on point cross cultural synergies with Humble apple.
SO WHAT IS SAMHAIN?
Halloween or 'Samhain' (pronounced SOW-win) as Celts called it, was first and foremost a celebration of the end of harvest time and the beginning of a dark half of the calendar year. Naive Irish speakers will know that the calendar months of May and November are called Beltaine and Samhain respectively (oh and August is called Lunasa). These are three of the four Cross Quarter days on the Wheel of the Year, Imbolc in spring completes the quartet. Witches know these markers as Great Sabbats. These power points are Midpoints or Culminating points of a given season - Samhain occurs between the Fall Equinox and Yule (Winter Solstice).
Read moreDOG DHARMA 2023
8 Oct 2023 — Yang Water Dog 壬戌 month kicks off on 8 Oct @9.17pm (Beijing). While the Ninth Lunar month in the Chinese Calendar; known to the Ancients as Chrysanthemum month, will commence under 15 Oct., New Moon Eclipse @4:55am Sydney (more times below*). This month is oft depicted in paintings by the pairing of a dragonfly and chrysanthemums — the quintessential flower of Autumn. Or as above, via Black Dog, as elementally Water is associated with the colour black. So how will man’s favoured companion, guide us through October’s dense terrain?
Read moreOld Farmer's Day + Michaelmas Day 2023
‘Tis Old Farmer’s Day on 12 Oct. Without the colloquial wisdom of our agricultural godfathers we’d be flummoxed and bewildered by natures seasonal ebb and flow. The introduction of ‘calendars’ first noted the helical rising of Sirius perpetual habits and cue to specific time of year, when the Nile Flooded. Prior to Solar calendars the lunar lady was the favoured chronicle. Moon has always commanded attention in the night skies, yet the lingering mystery of planting by the Zodiac signs and moon phase may well perplex those who doubt — but for those who believe, they receive. No matter your country of origin, every culture observed moon’s modes and practiced her wise ways unlocking a fortnight of fecund planting days in every month. The Farmer’s Almanac is an agriculturalist bible.
Read more17th Solar term : Cold Dew 2023
Golden season. Image by ck_ck.
A week has past since the full Moon Festival (Mid-Autumn Festival) that followed the Equinox. The 17th Solar Term of Cold Dew (Hanlu 寒露) gets under ways on 8 Oct., as does a New zodiacial month - Yang Water Dog month. Followed by the New Chinese lunar month, kick starting the 9th or Chrysanthemum month; as it was known to the Ancients.
Read moreWorship the Moon / Mid-Autumn Festival
Moon ink painting with reeds. japanese-showa-era-nihonga-scroll
Most lunar months in the Chinese calendar denote a Double Festival - like the Double fifth or ninth but the there’s no Double Eight FESTIVAL. Surprising, given the number eight is such a significant number in Asian communities. On a smaller scale, veneration of the Eight Immortals takes place, specifically the female Immortal, He Xiangu. During Osmanthus month( an ancient name for the month) the Mid Autumn Festival or the Moon Festival is primarily celebration. Since the moon is central to its namesake festival; Luna would be full bloom on the eighth day of the 8th of the 8th lunar month. This year (2023) the Moon Festival falls on 29 Sept. in the Gregorian calendar, and celebrates the Full Moon which occurs at 7:57pm in Sydney*(more Full moon times below).
Read more2023 Autumn Equinox (Qiu Fen) 16th Solar Term
16th solar term of ‘The Autumn Equinox’ (Qiu Fen). Image by #unknown
The Equinoxes work in pairs; marking the moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator – from North to South and vice versa at the time of the opposition. If you’re unfamiliar with Asian Solar Terms, then the word ‘Equinox’, may only hold a singular astrological date and meaning that’s done and dusted on one day. However, to devotees of Solar Terms, Qiu Fen 秋分 (Autumn Equinox), represents a two week long occurrence beginning on 23 Sept 14:52 Beijing and ends 7 Oct. The same period in the Pagan Calendar, represents ‘Mabon’ on the Celtic Wheel of the Year. While we remain in Rooster Month; in Western astrology the Sun enters the astrological sign of balance and checks, kicking off Libra season.
Read moreOld Farmer's Day
‘Tis Old Farmer’s Day on 12 Oct. Without the wisdom of our agricultural godfathers we would be flummoxed and bewildered by the ways of the lunar lady and ne'er a Farmer’s Almanac would exist. Moon has always commanded attention in the night skies, yet the lingering mystery of planting by the Zodiac signs and moon phase may well perplex those who doubt - but for those who believe — they receive. No matter your country of origin, every culture observed moon’s modes and practiced her wise ways unlocking a fortnight of fecund planting days in every month.
Read more