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You say "Mardi Gras", I say "Imbolc 18" - and both are just artifice for consideration and action, not reaction...

21/2/2012

2 Comments

 
One of the blessings of making your own calendar and following your own observances is that every once in a while, you get completely lost in the 'normal' folks cycle... So, I guess it's the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, which itself is a little bit of  peculiar one.

The Lenten season - in Latin Quadragesima, or Fortieth but later bastardized into Lent from the English, via old German, Lenz for "long" since this  is the periods where days become noticeably longer - is the pentiential preparation of the believer. The penance (necessary when you believe you are born in "original sin" and must atone for being wrong versus believing you are born with an "original debt" which is to be paid back through ethical actions) takes many forms: prayer, repentance, almsgiving and self-denial (and for some, mortification).

I was raised in the Roman Catholic tradition and let me tell you, those folks have a penchant for costumes, drama, dressing up and acting out... It makes for an interesting experience, but not one that I continue to resonate with.

However, observance, fasting, reflection, the desire to be better, and to atone for one's misdeeds is ultimately not the exclusive property of one religion, so we see these observances and restrictions imposed willingly by spiritual seekers in every tradition.

So, Mardi Gras, Shrove Tuesday, Lententime, Careme, Paresimi, CarnivaKorizma, Carghas or Crawys - it's a time to observe and reflect. It's a time to celebrate the lengthening of the days...

So, let me  ask - how many of you observe some form of self-denial? Are you willing to comment and share? If you do, what do you find to be experience and how do you process it? Are you doing it as a habitual action, or can you ritualize it?? And, does spending 40 days in reflection help you understand the prophets and their periods of fasting and separation?

Beyond concepts of right or wrong, moral or spiritual, tradition or observance - what is the experience?? And, how will that experience inform and serve you??

If you haven't observed the Lenten period, perhaps I can invite you to make this a simple 40 Day Challenge, a personal one. Perhaps, rather than denial and exclusion, you can choose a virtuous aspect or act to incorporate into your days for the next 40 - simply to reflect on the experience of making a positive choice and committing to it?

Are you in? What are you doing? Why? Oh, and you can dance like it's Carnivale for the entire 40, roll on homies!!

Give thanks and praise!
2 Comments
Liz link
21/2/2012 01:51:24 am

I love spring, always have and not our Texas "spring" where the weather is warm for a few days, but we have flashes of winter "cold" coming back. I mean the spring where the trees bud, baby birds are born, and our gardens sprout those sweet little seedlings. Also, growing up catholic, this time of year was always fascinating to me because of the rituals the church takes during this time of year (WAY different than those found near the winter solstice.. i mean come on bunnies and painted eggs, but that is for another tangent)

... because I have always associated lenten with creation, life started, and rebirth it never has made sense to me the idea of "giving something up". Instead (even though years have passe since I have been a practicing catholic) I have chosen to create something for 40 days. Usually it pertains to creation of my community, a way to give back (40 days of giving up my seat on the bus on my way to work or buying coffee for someone), some would see these as random acts of kindness. I call them opportunities for creating, creating love, connection, and possibly smiles. I chose to create, since it's spring and truly everything is growing around us, i take my time to reflect on what I'd like to grow.. (and this year it truly is something special that's growing :) )

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Jack
21/2/2012 12:05:43 pm

i wasn't raised in any particular tradition/religion. The hands of my grandparents, more than my parents encouraged me as a youth, but Yoga has brought more spiritual thought, feelings and ritualizations than what has come before. I lived in The Big Easy for ten years, there was always a party, everyday. Lundi Gras, Mardi Gras, the party started weeks before either of these days, ash Wednesday(a true shocker to me the first few years), aka no meat day. People would ask me what I was giving up for Lent and my reply was what do you mean? You throw yourselves to the dogs for a good week, then quit this,that and the other for 40 days. Why quit the very thing you just enjoyed/desired yesterday? Self denial at it's finest. Alas, I enjoy the givings of my life and seem to deny myself a little bit of everything so that I may give to others, particularly to family and friends, but it takes character and virtue to do this on a DAILY basis, not for just 1/9 of the year. Some days it might be painful, but honestly it's all agreeable at the end of the day, maybe because it's habitual. If I make it ritualistic, as your post as invoked, It can become much more positive.

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