Before the new month begins,
it can be helpful to take stock
of upcoming holidays/holydays,
so we’re ready to approach them
with more intentionality.
Here’s a partial list of major observances* in FEBURARY 2022:
Tue. 2/1/22: Beginning of Black History Month
Tue. 2/1/22: Lunar/Chinese New Year, aka Spring Festival
Tue. 2/1/22: Imbolc – Celtic celebration of halfway point between Winter Solstice & Spring Equinox
Wed. 2/2/22: Candlemas – Christian celebration of Mary presenting baby Jesus at the temple for the first time
Mon. 2/28/22 – Tue. 3/1/22: Isra and Mi’raj – Muslim celebration of Muhammad’s Night Journey, a pilgrimage in the throes of grief to counsel with the Angel Gabriel and prophets of other faiths
It can also be helpful to look at
common themes and reflection questions,
to provide more of a center for our spiritual experience.
May we learn to hold these questions in our hearts,
not just this month, but all year long.
For FEBURARY one theme might be ILLUMINATION
Usually, many of us see December as the time to focus on the light of the Divine in our presence. But these February holidays/holydays return us to that focus in such an underappreciated, beautiful way. We need that reminder and reorientation during these coldest days of the year.
Additionally, like the Chinese and Celts, many cultures actually consider February 1st-2nd – rather than March 21st – to be the beginning of Spring. I always find it hopeful to remember that Winter’s gradual warming will now be underway.
I offer some reflection questions:
How can I incorporate more firelight (candles, lanterns, etc.) into my life?
How can I honor the luminous cultural contributions of the Black Diaspora to our world?
What Divine light have I been quietly carrying lately?
How can I now present that Divine light to my broader community?
What wise, luminary counsel have I needed on my own Night Journey?
What’s something that has begun to thaw in my heart?
What new warmth and life might it lead to?
May we remember the ILLUMINATION in our lives!
*In this series, A Holyear of Holydays, I focus only on major seasonal, religious, and civic holidays/holydays that are not named after any one person. This is for the sake of cross-cultural relevance and avoiding unwieldiness.
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