Saturday, March 19, 2011

Religious Time Markers

This written on March 19, 2011. On the 20th a signal gathering of religious holy days point up the natural roots of many religious anniversaries.

The months of March and April are crowded with religious holy days greatly because of the arrival of spring in the northern hemisphere. This points up the central role of natural forces in world religions development. The moon and its phases have held human attention throughout recorded history and likely since earliest life that we call human. I believe that it is safe to assume that the creators of the Jeffers Petroglyphs were informed by the moon as well as the sun and stars in their thought processes and cultural development

The following information is a specific illustration of the influence on religious experience in the 21st century.

In 2011 more than the usual number of religions observe sacred events on the Equinox which happens on March 20. Jewish Purim takes place recognizing Jewish deliverance from genocide. Wicca/Pagan observers celebrate Ostara as spring arriving in the Northern Hemisphere and Mabon as Fall arriving in the Southern Hemisphere as. Some Hindu people observe Holi as a colorful celebration of the arrival of Spring. Sikhs observe Hola Mohalla. And Christians observe Sunday with worship services commemorating Easter coming in about a month. On Monday the Baha’is have Naw Ruz, their New Year. The Persian Zoroastrians observe Norous as their New Year.

This concentration of holy days takes place at times when the various calendars happen to gather religious events together. During 2011 this appears to be one of those coincidental gatherings that call attention to the natural ties of world religions. The Jeffers Petroglyphs have no dates attached or hints as to the cycle of observations, The hints may be there but we do understand their language yet. Perhaps thoughtful persons of the 21st century will use imagination to raise possible insights into the ancestors.