Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day

Celebrating St. Patrick’s Day

Saint Patrick's Day, celebrated on Mar 17 annually, may have begun as a commemoration of Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity to early 17th century Ireland. It was observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion (especially the Church of Ireland), the Eastern Orthodox Church, and the Lutheran Church.

Later still, it evolved into a celebration of Irish heritage and culture. Today however, this day is celebrated by many worldwide regardless of religion or race. On that day everyone plays at being Irish all in good fun. Festivities generally include parades and festivals, cèilidhs, and the wearing of green attire or shamrocks. 

Those that are religious do attend church services and observe the Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol that are lifted for the day. The rest simply have fun dressed up in green, having green parties and lots and lots of drinking. Perhaps it’s because of the Irish people’s legendary fondness for alcohol, particularly Irish whiskey, beer or cider that has fostered this binge; making this an integral part of the celebrations. 

Especially since The St Patrick's Day custom of "drowning the shamrock" or "wetting the shamrock" was historically popular in Ireland and now spreading to the rest of the world. For those of you not in the know, at the end of the celebrations, a shamrock is put into the bottom of a cup, which is then filled with whiskey, beer, or cider. It is then drunk as a toast to St Patrick, Ireland, or those present. The shamrock would either be swallowed with the drink or taken out and tossed over the shoulder for good luck.

The custom of wearing green shamrocks, green clothing, and accessories also has its reasons:

St Patrick is said to have used the shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish. In pagan Ireland, three was a significant number and the Irish had many triple deities, a fact that may have aided St Patrick in his evangelistic efforts. The shamrock may have been represented because of its regenerative powers and was recast in a Christian context near Easter‍. Icons of St Patrick are often depicted with a cross in one hand and a sprig of shamrocks in the other- a sort of a visual concept to explain the Trinity.

This said; there is now room for some debunking and reveal actual historical facts:

First of all, St. Patrick was British, not Irish. He was born in Scotland in the year 387 when the Roman Empire controlled Britain. At 16 years old he was captured by Irish pirates and forced into slavery for six years before he escaped. He went to Rome where he became a priest. He was subsequently assigned to England but afterwards sent to Ireland as Bishop of the Catholic mission.

The popular belief that St. Patrick achieved sainthood by driving the snakes from the Isle of Ireland is unfortunately false also. It's more likely Ireland never had any snakes; this fact was proven according to National Geographic. For during the Ice Age, about 10,000 years ago, the climate in Ireland was rather inhospitable to the cold-blooded reptiles. So snakes never caught on.

A more likely explanation would be that the "snakes" are an allegory for Druids. Patrick converted the Druids to Christianity and apparently was very successful at it; so successful in fact that in 1946 Pope Paul VI declared Ireland to be the "most Catholic country in the world." 

Have a good St. Patrick Day

Best of luck to you all

The Reason We Love Jade

The Reason We Love Jade

The term jade is applied to two different metamorphic rocks that are made up of different silicate minerals: nephrite and Jadeite. Simply put, Nephrite consists of microcrystalline interlocking elements of calcium, magnesium and iron; the higher the iron content the greener the colour. Jadeite on the other hand is a composed of sodium and aluminium-rich pyroxene. 

Jadeite, measuring between 6.0 and 7.0 Mohs hardness, is about the same hardness as quartz. It is more fragile and more difficult to carve. Nephrite ranking between 6.0 and 6.5 Mohs hardness scale, though slightly softer, is nevertheless tougher than jadeite and therefore can be worked with quartz or garnet sand, and polished with bamboo or even ground jade. 

Canada provides the major share of modern lapidary nephrite. The most valuable Nephrite however comes from Hetian in the southern part of present day Xinjiang Province. It has been mined from the mountains and is found as pebbles in the river beds. The most desirable Hetian jade is translucent and has an oily surface sometimes referred to as "mutton fat". Nephrite can be found in a creamy white form (known in China as "mutton fat" jade) as well as in a variety of green colours; whereas jadeite shows more colour variations such as white, green, black , blue, lavender-mauve, pink, and emerald-green colours that can be translucent to opaque.

Of the two, jadeite is rarer. Translucent emerald-green jadeite is the most prized variety, both historically and today. Burma (Myanmar) and Guatemala are the principal sources of modern gem jadeite. In the area of Mogaung in the Myitkyina District of Upper Burma, jadeite formed a layer in the dark-green serpentine, and has been quarried and exported for well over a hundred years. 

Wearing a jade bangle that fits close to your wrist and bumps the bones on your wrist stimulates acupuncture points that are located around the wrist bone, and keep the qi flowing smoothly for health and youthfulness.

The rarest are the colors of white, lavender, red, often described as "hong", and yellow. Black jade is often very dark green jade, but black jade color is rare, often seen as charcoal. Jade is a natural stone, has lots of lines, fissures that look like small cracks but are not signs of damage. As moisture carries other minerals through the jade the different colors are deposited.

 Jade is valued for its intrinsic qualities; for one thing it is believed to be closely related to the human body, and the jade qi energy and the body qi energy flow between each other. Jade qi helps to balance the body. If the wearer is healthy and happy, the jade they wear will become more beautiful each consecutive day. If however one sees their jade is looking dull or flat, take heed and be extra vigilant in preserving good health.

It is interesting to note also that the minerals that make the colors are part of the qi energy and represent different energies: 

- Green jade has energy for healing mind and body, calmness and balance and love. Light green is more yin qi, and darker green is more yang energy.

- White jade has the pure energy of the universe, and helps us develop deep wisdom from within, and calms our spirit.

- Lavender jade is often reserved for older women in Chinese culture, and has energy for inner peace, spiritual awareness and is often used for meditation and balance, and is a teacher of all things.

-"Hong" jade, red/orange color, has energy for protection and safety, success, confidence, courage and happiness.

-Yellow jade qi augments happiness, prosperity, spiritual growth and satisfaction in life.

- Black jade is very yang, and the carvers try to make each piece with only a small amount of black. Black jade is used by martial artists, those who practice Tai Chi and Qigong, to build up the body qi.

Jade is also believed to protect the person who wears it. Caught in an accident or other such, the jade bangle bears the brunt and gets broken or destroyed sparing the wearer from any harm. Here’s one such story: A women was once being treated in a hospital with serious cardiac illness she’d not been expected to survive. She happened to be wearing her always-present red jade bangle bracelet. As the doctor thought she was going to die, suddenly her jade bangle spontaneously broke in several pieces, and her health miraculously rebounded and she made completely recovery. There many such stories about jade protecting a person who wears it.

It is any wonder why it is considered quite fortunate to give or receive a gift of jade. Jade is a popular gift particularly around the New Year, with both the giver and receiver being blessed with good luck for the year, and even longer.

When jade is worn for a long period it is believed to become part of the wearer, therefore giving such a gift to a family member or a close friend carries the connotation that the presenters are giving the other a part of themselves. 

So do wear a jade, in full knowledge that wearing this beautiful stone will enrich one’s life, balance the body, mind and also the spirit.

Good Luck.

Easter Traditions of Eggs and Rabbits

Easter traditions of Eggs and Rabbits

In multicultural Canada, some who are not Christian might wonder why at this time the stores are stocked with decorative eggs, chocolate eggs and bunnies. 

A brief explanation therefore is warranted:

Why Eggs?

First and foremost, Eggs are known to be a traditional symbol of fertility and rebirth, pre-dating Christian traditions.  The custom of decorating eggshells is an ancient one. Ostrich eggs with engraved decorations for instance dating back 60,000 years have been discovered in Africa.  Meanwhile decorated ostrich eggs, and representations of ostrich eggs in gold and silver, were usually placed in the graves of ancient Egyptians and Sumerians going back as far as 5,000 years.

The ancient Zoroastrians painted eggs for Nowruz, their New Year celebration, at the spring equinox. The tradition continues today among Persians of Islamic, Zoroastrian, and other faiths. The sculptures on the walls of Persepolis show people carrying eggs for Nowruz to the king.

Easter eggs are special eggs that at present are often given to celebrate Easter or springtime. This tradition goes all the way back to early Christians of Mesopotamia, who had once stained eggs red in memory of the blood of Christ. The egg symbol was later officially adopted by the Christian church as the symbol of resurrection.  For all Christians, it is a reminder that Jesus rose from the grave.   It once was a custom to use up all the household eggs before Lent began. Eggs were originally forbidden during Lent you see, as well as other dairy and meat products.

Easter eggs are a popular symbol of life in Russia, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine and other Central European countries ‘folk traditions.  A batik (wax resist) process is used to create intricate, brilliant colored eggs, the best known of which is the Ukrainian pysanka and the Polish pisanka.  At one time, 60 or more eggs would have been decorated by the women of the household. These eggs would be taken to church on Easter Sunday to be blessed before being given away.

There are many other decorating techniques and traditions of giving Eggs as a token of friendship, love and good wishes.  In some Mediterranean countries, especially in Lebanon, chicken eggs are boiled and decorated dye and or painting. In Greece, on Easter Sunday friends and family hit each other’s egg s together.  The one whose egg does not break is believed to be in for good luck in future.

In Germany eggs decorate trees and bushes as Easter eggtrees, and in several areas public wells as Osterbrunnen.

In Scotland children roll painted eggs down steep hills on Easter Sunday.  Egg rolling is also a traditional Easter egg game played with eggs in the United Kingdom, Germany and many other countries.   

This tradition was brought to New World by European settlers and continues to this day. In the U.S.A. it is done on flat ground and is pushed along with a spoon. On the White House lawn the annual Egg Roll is a fun event and is accompanied by the Easter egg hunt. 

 Why Rabbits?

The Easter Bunny or Easter Rabbit is a endearing character that brings Easter eggs (mostly in the form of chocolate) to children.

Rabbits and Hares, like Eggs, are considered fertility symbols since the olden days. Because birds lay eggs and rabbits give birth to large litters in the early spring these became symbols of the rising fertility of the earth at the March Equinox.

Rabbits are prolific breeders. They can conceive a second litter of offspring while still pregnant with the first.  This phenomenon is known as  superfetation. Lagomorphs mature sexually at an early age and can give birth to several litters a year (hence the saying, "to breed like a rabbit"). It is therefore not surprising that their springtime mating antics should enter into Easter folklore.  

In ancient times it was widely believed that the hare was a hermaphrodite. The idea that a hare could reproduce without loss of virginity led to an association with the Virgin Mary. It may also have been associated with the  Holy Trinity, as in the  three hares motif, representing the "One in Three and Three in One" of which the triangle or three interlocking shapes such as rings are common symbols.

Happy Easter Everyone!