Archive for Wednesday 29th January 2003 - Two ancient traditions celebrate new beginnings this weekend...
Chinese people around the world will be celebrating the arrival of the year of the Goat or Sheep on Saturday.

Their New Year festivities coincide with the ancient Celtic festival of Imbolc, celebrated here since pre-Christian times.

Both of these early spring festivals are lunar. According to Chinese astrology, the year of the goat should be one of artistic creativity and contemplation when we should take the time to ³smell the proverbial roses². Less conflict is optimistically expected than in 2002, the year of the horse.

For the Celtic tradition, the cross quarter festival of Imbolc honours a sense of reawakening as winter starts to change into spring.

Glennie Kindred, expert on these lost traditions, explains: ³Imbolc is about connection to your intuition and inner visions. As we move out of a dark period of contemplation it is about connecting to them and making them real. You can now plant and grow the seeds of where your heart wants to take you.²

2003 is year 4700 in the Chinese calendar, the oldest on record. The origin of Imbolc, the festival of earth awakening, is not recorded, but honours the ancient Celtic goddess, Brigit, who is said to preserve tradition through poetry and song.

New Year festivities stretch over several days for the Chinese with public firework displays, family get-togethers and exchanging of gifts. Imbolc, these days, is a more private affair. Small groups gather to light symbolic candles, read poetry, eat and make crosses to commemorate Brigit.

Mark Winter