* 4/1: Veneralia--Old Roman festival celebrating Venus (Goddess of Peace) vanquishing Mars (God of War) with love. * 4/1 (OC 4/8): Palm Sunday--Christian feast marking Savior Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem to teach love and justice for all humanity and to sacrifice Himself for the liberation and redemption of all.
* 4/5: Day commemorating the birth of Mahavira Vardhamana Jnatrputra (599 BCE), founder of the Jain faith. Jainas avoid aggression and practice harmlessness, simplicity, and charity to attain enlightenment and unity with Deity. * 4/5 (OC 4/12): Maundy Thursday/Last Supper of Savior Jesus He washed the feet of His male and female disciples, gave them bread and wine as His body and blood, told them to love one another, and told of the Paraclete who would come after Him.
* 4/6 (3:19 p.m. EDT): Full Moon (White/Virgin Moon). * 4/6 eve to 4/14 eve: Passover/Pesach--Jewish festival recalling their deliverance from slavery in Egypt and celebrating freedom from oppression.
* 4/7: Birthday of William Wordsworth (1770), poet and mystic who found connection with Deity while communing with Nature.
* 4/8 (OC 4/15): Easter/Pascha--Christian celebration of Lord Jesus’ resurrection by the power of the Holy Spirit. * 4/8: Zen Buddhist celebration of the Buddha’s birth (563 BCE). Buddhists study sacred texts, meditate, pray, chant mantras, and make devotional offerings to the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
* 4/14: Cetacean Day--Day to honor all creatures of the sea and to meditate on Deity manifesting as sea creatures - Goddess as Delphine/Dolphin (Old Greek) & Sgana/Orca Whale (Haida); and God as Qolqalg Odai/Salmon (Haida). * 4/14 to 4/25 (I 4/19): Old Norse Summer Days Feast--Offerings were made to the Deities (particularly Odin, Thor, and Freyr) for success, peace, and plenty.
* 4/20: Beginning of Taurus (the Bull/Cow/Calf). * 4/20 eve to 4/23 eve (4/21 peak): Lyrid Meteor Showers.
* 4/21 (3:18 a.m. EDT): New Moon. * 4/21 to 4/24: Iroquois Corn-Planting Ceremony--in thanksgiving for the corn seed. Iroquois believe Awenhai/Sky Woman descended from the Sky and created Earth.
* 4/22: Earth Day--Day to honor the Earth and to meditate on Deity manifesting as Mother Earth.
* 4/24 eve to 4/25 eve: Feast of Old Greek Goddess Aphrodite Day to honor peace and compassion.
* 4/26 eve to 4/27 eve: Feast of Old Greek Goddess Artemis, who represents the feminine in Nature and protects women throughout their lives. * 4/26 to 5/3: Mayan Rain Festival--honoring Rain God Chac and His attendant Chacmool, and welcoming the fructifying rains.
* 4/27: Arbor Day--Day to honor trees, to plant trees, and to meditate on Deity manifesting as trees - Goddess as Helice/Willow (Old Greek), Yggdrasill/Ash (Old Norse) & Asherah/Palm (Old Canaanite-Hebrew).
* 4/28 eve to 4/29 eve: Feast of God Poseidon, Goddess Amphritrite, and all Old Greek Gods and Goddesses of the seas. * 4/28 eve to 5/3 eve: Floralia--Old Roman festival devoted to Flora, Goddess of Flowers. * 4/29: Day for meditation on Tantric Bodhisattva Deities Avalokitesvara and Green Tara, consciousness and empowerment of Compassion. Buddhists recognize the equality of all sentient beings.
* 4/30 eve to 5/2 eve: Beltaine.
* 4/30 eve to 5/4 eve: Mid-Spring/May Day/Walpurgis
April Action OfferingsHeal and nurture your relationship with your father and father-in-law. Start an organic garden to cultivate fruits and vegetables. Organize a party to plant trees in your neighborhood or a local park. Organize a party to clean up a river, lake, or beach. Write to your congressmen/women in support of stronger laws to protect fish from being harvested above the maximum sustainable yield.
Excerpted fromTHE MYSTIC'S WHEEL OF THE YEAR 2012A Multifaith Calendar Reflecting Eco-Egalitarian Spirituality© 2011 Marija Miovskiwww.WheeloftheYear.com
