Happy Holi! March 8, 2023

Wednesday March 8, 2023

3/8/2023 @7:00 AM EST

 Full Moon Phase – illumination, realization, fulfillment, shadow, relationships, experience

– Moon in VIRGO – Void of Course 9:07 AM – 9:44 AM Moving to Libra

– Best Days (from the Farmer’s Almanac) – March 8 – Host a Party, Cut Hair to Slow Growth, Mow to Slow Growth, Entertain Friends, Slaughter, Set Eggs

– Planting Calendar (from the Farmer’s Almanac) – March 8th – 9th Fine for sowing grains, hay, and forage crops. Plant flowers. Favorable days for planting root crops.

– Aspect of the Aeon Sophia: (Wisdom): – Kamala – Goddess of Passion

– Aspect of the Aeon Thelete: (Will/Desire): Seth – God of the North, God of Enlightenment

– Sabian Symbol for the Solar-Lunar Month – New Moon in Pisces SUN/MOON – 02 PISCES: a squirrel hiding from hunters    (EARTH – 02 VIRGO: a large white cross dominating the landscape stands alone on top of a high hill )

– Sabian Symbol for the Solar-Lunar Year: a flock of wild geese

– SUN – 18 PISCES: in a huge tent a famous revivalist conducts his meeting with a spectacular performance

– EARTH – 18 VIRGO: two girls playing with a ouija board

Happy Holi!

Holi also known as the Festival of ColoursFestival of Spring, and Festival of Love, is one of the most popular and significant festivals in Hinduism. Holi celebrates the arrival of Spring in India, the end of winter, and the blossoming of love, and for many, it is a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships. The festival is also an invocation for a good spring harvest season.

How would we in America celebrate a holiday completely unknown here? It’s a good question, especially if you have no idea how they even celebrate it far away.

One good idea is to actively seek out food from that country. Think about it. One Cinco de Mayo, Americans all flock out to get tacos. On St Patrick’s Day, its corned beef and cabbage (Or is that Beer and French Fries?).

Here in America, Indian food is a little different. Mostly because most Americans have never tried it. Or of they have, it was once. And they either do not remember it or they have a unique story about it. I have one unique story about when I was a kid and an Indian Friend offered me a piece of Indian Candy. It looked good – a flat wafer that had a shiny surface. I popped it in my mouth and began to chew. And it took eveything inside of me not to spit is out and bleach my tongue afterwards. It tasted like chalk. Live and learn.

Other times (about 4 in my lifetime) the Indian food was good. Do I remember anything about it? Not really. There was some Curry spiced food. I remember thinking it was OK, but nothing to write home about.

I would say that I would love to be introduced to Indian food by someone who knew about it and could recommend things that are good. Because let’s face it. There is not just one kind of Indian food. 1.4 Billion people do not eat the same thing over and over again, every day.

How often do you go out and eat other ethnic foods? And how much variety do you choose from? I would say I love Italian food. But of all the Italian restaraunts I have been to, I will usually always have Pizza or Chicken Parm or Fettucini Alfredo and a salad. Would I like Linguini and clam sauce? Probably. But would I ever order it on my own? Probably not. And with that thought, how can I really say I love Italian food.

Ask yourself the same for other ethnic or themed foods. Chinese? Sushi? Mexican? Seafood? Steakhouse? How often is it the same things that you order over and over again.

Put an even bigger spin on it, Imagine what people in Europe get when they go out for American Food. More often than not it will be McDonalds or KFC.

My point is that we have so many choices, but more often than not we go with what is comfortable.

I’d like to follow this thought up with a reminder about my Happy Monday message from a couple weeks ago about Trying something new every day. Next time you are at a restaurant, do not go for your regular choice. Try something you haven’t tried before. Whether it is a special or just something you might have overlooked in the past.

I clearly failed today at that. While out shopping I walked by both the Indian Bistro and Laxmi’s Indian Food reasturant and picked up Hoagies and Cheesesteaks. Old reliables. I could have celebrated the Holi Hoiliday in a new way. Live and Learn.