The festivals reflect the world around us and its changing seasons and sensations. We are a part of the natural world, although we often forget this because our lifestyle separates us from nature.
The Christian calendar adopted many of the festivals that pre-date Christianity. As we celebrate the festivals together, we are looking for the essence of that festival. Looking for what is universally human in the festival.
For example, as winter grows dark, we have a feeling in us, that is a longing for warmth and light. We have to find a light within us that will help to sustain us in the gloom. At this time of year, we have Halloween where candles shine out from pumpkins. We have Martinmas, Diwali and Hanukah. When we begin to celebrate Advent, we are not exclusively focusing on the Christian tradition, we are celebrating our search for light from within.
The festivals reflect the patterns of our lives as human beings. There is feast and famine, darkness and light, joy and sadness. The festivals celebrate the abundance of the harvest, new life blossoming and the retreat of life as the leaves fall from the trees. The festivals help us to maintain a connection with the cycle of the year and with the natural world. This contact with nature and this watching of the world as it moves through the transition between new life and the darkness of winter helps us to understand ourselves more clearly.
We will be celebrating festivals that mean something to us and are relevant to the children who join me at The Phoenix Kindergarten , please share any suggestions as we always love to learn more about traditions, celebrations and festivals.
Winter
In Winter we will celebrate the festivals of inner light.
Spring
In Spring we will celebrate the festivals of growth and renewal.
Summer
In Summer we will celebrate the festivals of sunshine and flowering.
Autumn
In Autumn we will celebrate the festivals of the abundance of the Earth.