October 2017...* 10/1 eve to 10/2 eve: Demokratia--Old Greek festival celebrating democracy, constitutional government, and justice under law. Zeus Agoraios, Athena Agoraias, and Themis were honored.
* 10/2: Feast of the Guardian Angels; day to honor one’s personal guardian and guide.* 10/2: Birthday of Mahatma Mohandas Gandhi (1869), Hindu advocate for human rights and self-reliance, who practiced active non-violent resistance to injustice. Gandhi envisioned a world where women and untouchables would be empowered and respected, and where members of all faiths would live harmoniously together.* 10/2 eve to 10/11 eve: Greater Eleusinian Mysteries--Old Greek festival recalling Goddess Demeter’s search for Her missing daughter Kore.
* 10/4: Christian feast of St. Francis of Assisi (d. 1226), and Animal Blessing Day.* 10/4 to 10/7: Tewa Deer Dance--celebrating the cosmic duality of feminine and masculine. The Tewa recognize gender equality and honor both male and female ancestors.* 10/4 eve to 10/11 eve: Sukkot/Feast of Ingathering--Jewish thanksgiving for the fruit harvest. Originally, a dance procession was made to vineyards and wine was offered to Elohim.* 10/5 (2:40 p.m. EDT): Full Moon (Indigo/Wise-Crone Moon).* 10/5: Day honoring Zen Buddhist philosopher Bodhidharma (470-543), who believed one could attain Buddhahood by realizing one’s own Buddha nature.* 10/7: Mindfulness Day--Zen Buddhist day for being mindful that fear and hatred of others results from ignorance of interconnectedness.
* 10/8: Chinese Buddhist festival of Goddess Kuan Yin; celebrates Her attainment of Bodhisattvahood.* 10/11 eve to 10/12 eve: Shemini Atzeret/Feast of Assembly--Jewish festival of praise and thanksgiving for life-giving rain.* 10/12 (Obs. 10/9): Columbus Day--Commemorates Europeans’ colonization of America (1492); day to mourn Native American victims of conquest and oppression (past and present), make peace, and celebrate empowerment of Native Americans.* 10/12 eve to 10/13 eve: Simchat Torah/Rejoicing with the Torah--Jewish festival celebrating the Torah.
* 10/13: Final appearance of Our Lady of Fatima, Lady of Oracles and Miracles (Portugal 1917). * 10/14: Fall Migratory Bird Day.* 10/14 to 10/28 (I 10/21): Old Norse Winter Nights Feast--The ancestors were remembered and offerings were made to the Deities (particularly the Norns, Freyja, and the Disir) to survive the season.* 10/16 eve to 10/17 eve: Old Greek festival honoring Gaia and the Nymphs (the male and female Spirits of Nature).* 10/16 to 10/19: Diwali/Lunar New Year/Festival of Lights--Hindu festival for Goddess Lakshmi (source of health, fertility, and prosperity) and Her consort, God Vishnu (the preserver); focus is on peace-making and new beginnings.
* 10/17: Old Egyptian feast of Neteret Hathor, Goddess of Fate.* 10/17: Shukaku Matsuri--Shinto rite offering thanks and first fruits of the rice harvest to the Kami.* 10/18 eve to 10/26 eve (10/22 peak): Orionid Meteor Showers.* 10/19 (3:12 p.m. EDT): New Moon.* 10/19: Kali Puja--Hindu festival honoring Great Goddess Maha Devi as Kali - decay, death, and transformation.* 10/19 eve: Old European feast of the Triple Goddess (Goddess of the Moon and the Seasons), marking the transformation of the Mother into the Crone.
* 10/23: Beginning of Scorpio (the Scorpion).* 10/24: Feast of Raphael, Angel of Healing.* 10/25 eve to 10/26 eve: Proerosia--Old Greek festival in which fruits of all the harvest were offered to Goddess Demeter.* 10/28 to 11/3: Isia--Old Romano-Egyptian festival recalling Set (God of Destruction) killing God Osiris; Goddess Isis mourning Him, resurrecting Him, and conceiving God Horus with Him; and Osiris becoming Lord of Amenta, realm of the dead.* 10/30 eve to 11/2 eve: Thesmophoria--Old Greek festival commemorating Goddess Kore eloping to Elysium with God Dionysos, accompanied by Goddess Hekate and spirits of the dead. * 10/31: Day to mourn the women tortured and killed as “witches” because of their independence, wealth, wisdom, or religion.* 10/31 eve: Halloween--Night that the dead return to visit their families; celebrated by children, dressed as spirits, going door to door for treats.
* 10/31 eve to 11/2 eve: Samhain--Old Celtic/Welsh New Year and feast of Cerridwen (Goddess of Death) and Beli (the Holly King - God of the Waning Sun).* 10/31 eve to 11/7 eve: Mid-Autumn/Day of the Dead/Hallowmas--Festival marking the transformation of life to death - the end of the agricultural year, departure of migrating and hibernating animals, and decay and death of vegetal and animal life. Observed by remembering departed ancestors and contemplating one’s own mortality.Excerpted fromTHE MYSTIC'S WHEEL OF THE YEAR 2017A Multifaith Calendar Reflecting Eco-Egalitarian Spirituality© 2016 Marija Miovskiwww.WheeloftheYear.com
