Did Phil See His Shadow?
February 2nd - Imbolc, Candlemas, and in North America - Groundhog Day.
As the light grows longer
The cold grows stronger
If Candlemas be fair and bright
Winter will have another flight
If Candlemas be cloud and snow
Winter will be gone and not come again
A farmer should on Candlemas day
Have half his corn and half his hay
On Candlemas day if thorns hang a drop
You can be sure of a good pea crop
- traditional Scottish poem
We should really begin with the month "February", whose name comes from the ancient Latin februum which means purification and the Roman purification ritual Februa held on February 15th. Traditional gods associated with this time of year center on craftsmanship and water, particularly water for purification, hence Aquarius - the Water Bearer - is the season's zodiac sign. Hephaestus from the Greek pantheon is a patron of smiths, artisans, and sculptors; and Mimir in Norse legend; and in many pagan tales, it is at this time the god releases the goddess so she can bring fertility to the Earth.
From Celtic traditions we have Imbolc and St. Brighid, and later Candlemas, all embracing the goddess and celebrate the purification of the virgin. In ancient Scotland, Ireland and Wales, Imbolc was also a time of weather prognostication, and the tradition of watching serpents or badgers to see if they would emerge from their winter burrows is perhaps a precursor to the North American Groundhog Day.
The earliest known reference to Groundhog Day comes from James Morris' diary entry mentioned in The Folklore of American Holidays - by H. Cohen and T.P. Coffin - the Morgantown, Pennsylvania storekeeper wrote:
"Feb. 4, 1841 Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate."
February 2, 1887 was the beginning of celebrating Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney, PA.
Punxsutawney Phil predicted an early Spring in 2007...like many human weather forecasters, he was wrong. You can click on the link to find out Phil's forecast for 2008...but remember, he's just a weather forecaster, check with your local gods and goddesses for purification!
Quote for ToDay:
"Advertising is the modern substitute for argument; its function is to make the worse appear the better." - George Santayana - philosopher, poet, and cultural critic
0 comments:
Post a Comment