Spring Celebrations!

Here's to new beginnings

I became curious about the different ways humans on our planet celebrate renewal/rebirth (the Spring stuff). You can tell I have a sci-fi-ish bent by the ‘humans on our planet’ thing – who’s to say there are not humanoids on other planets…and for that matter, I am pretty sure the non-humans on our planet celebrate more viscerally and beautifully the rites of spring than all our little civilized goings on.  But no matter how we acknowledge the mystery and wonder of spring, I think we are all captivated by its promise of hope and rebirth.

Easter: Christians (Eastern Orthodox, Catholics, Protestants) celebrate Jesus’s resurrection and the end of Lent.

Passover: Jewish festival lasting 8 days commemorates the liberation of the Hebrew people from slavery.

Holi: Hindu Festival of Spring focuses on harmony, new beginnings, and renewal of social bonds.

Rama Navami: Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Rama, the seventy avatar of Vishnu – an emblem of the ideal king and human through his righteousness, good conduct and virtue.

Ramadan: Muslim, time of fasting, spiritual purification, and community reflection.

Nowruz: (Originally a Zoroastrianism holiday) Ismaili Muslim, festival that marks the beginning of a New Year and first day of spring. A time of renewal, gratitude, hope and optimism.

Songkran: Buddhist, Thailand, a New Year’s festival about making a fresh start (water-focused).

Vaisakhi: Sikh cultural and religious holiday that commemorates the creation of Khalsa Panth in 1699, an order of initiated Sikhs devoted to serving the One Creator and humanity.

Hanami: Japanese cherry blossom festival welcoming spring.

Spring Equinox/Ostara: Celebrated in Mexico and parts of South America, also Wiccan and pagan celebration of spring, ancient Germanic, and Celtic origin.

I’ll bet I missed some, and perhaps didn’t do justice to the ones I sought to summarize – please feel free to respond/elaborate – I have the unfortunate condition of being fascinated by religious beliefs yet culturally conditioned to avoid discussing (along with politics).

Happy Whatever-You-Believe-In, and may your spring celebrations portend a beautiful summer, fall, and winter!