September 2009 Holidays

SEPTEMBER HOLIDAYS

September 2009...
* 8/23 to 9/3: Ganesha Chaturthi.

* 9/1 eve to 9/2 eve: Old Greek festival honoring Athena Polias and Zeus Polios as protectors of city and state.

* 9/3: Day gender discrimination was outlawed world-wide (1981); day to mourn all manifestations of sexism.

* 9/4 (12:03 p.m. EDT): Full Moon (Harvest Moon).

* 9/5: Mindfulness Day--Zen Buddhist day for being mindful that harm to the Earth and sentient beings results from ignorance of interdependence.

* 9/6: Day Latin American Catholic Bishops espoused Liberation Theology (1968). They believe that the Gospel requires Christians to aid the poor and oppressed in the struggle for economic and social justice.

* 9/7: Labor Day--Day to reflect on the sacredness of all work and the value of ethical, meaningful employment.

* 9/8 (OC 9/21): Birthday of Blessed Mary, catalyst of liberation and redemption.

* 9/8: Baha'i feast honoring the one Deity as Izzat - the Almighty.

* 9/8: Animal Day--Day to honor all creatures of the land and to meditate on Deity manifesting as animals - God-Goddess as Ra/Lion & Rait/Lioness (Old Egyptian); Nandi/Bull & Prisni/Cow (Hindu); God as Cernunnos/Stag (Old Celtic) & Mica/Coyote (Lakota); and Goddess as Rhpisunt/Bear Mother (Haida).

* 9/8: Death day of Mother Ann Lee (1784), mystic and founder of the Shakers, who worshipped with ecstatic dance and song, and believed Deity to be Father, Son, Mother, and Daughter.

* 9/9: Christian feast of St. Joachim, father of Blessed Mary and grandfather of Blessed Jesus; guide of grandfathers and elderly men.

* 9/10: Birthday of Thomas Thayer (1812), Universalist who believed Deity to be at work in evolution and continuing Creation.

* 9/11: Day terrorists killed over 3,000 innocent civilians of many ethnicities and religions from 86 nations (2001); day to mourn all victims of terrorism.

* 9/12 eve: Vigil for lost grandparents; night of mourning and healing.

* 9/12 to 9/16: Zoroastrian celebration of Divine Spirit Spenta Armaiti, creator and protector of Earth.

* 9/13: Grandparents' Day--Day to give love and thanks to all grandparents; day for all grandparents to celebrate their age and contemplate their sacred duty to share their wisdom with the young.

* 9/13: Day Israelis and Palestinians committed to peaceful coexistence (1993); vigil for true peace, justice, religious tolerance, and equal rights for all in the Middle East.

* 9/14: Birthday of Margaret Sanger (1883), non-violent advocate for education, autonomy, and responsibility concerning sexuality, reproduction, and birth control.

* 9/15: Day the first woman was ordained a Congregational/Unitarian minister in the U.S. (1853).

* 9/16 eve: Laylat al-Qadr/Night of Power--Commemorates the first revelation of the Qur'an to Muslim Prophet Muhammad by the Angel Gabriel in 610 CE. The Qur'an says: Let there be no compulsion in religion.

* 9/17: Christian feast of St. Hildegard von Bingen (d. 1179)--mystic who sang praises to the Holy Spirit as Grace (Caritas) and Wisdom (Sapientia). She recognized the Holy Spirit to be the feminine aspect of the Holy Trinity, and found Her everywhere in Nature.

* 9/18 (2:44 p.m. EDT): New Moon.

* 9/18 eve to 9/20 eve: Rosh Hashanah/Jewish New Year (Year 5770)---Commemorates Creation of the World by Elohim, the one universal Deity; begins ten days of self-examination and penitence for harm done.

* 9/18 to 9/21: Iroquois Squash Ceremony--in thanksgiving for the squash harvest.

* 9/19: Appearance of Our Lady of La Salette, Mother of the Harvest (France 1846).

* 9/19 eve to 9/22 eve: Eid al-Fitr--Muslim festival celebrating the end of Ramadan.

* 9/19 to 9/28: Navaratri/Durga Puja--Hindu festival of Great Goddess Maha Devi as Durga, Protector of the Powerless; celebrates Her destruction of evil and restoration of cosmic order.

* 9/21: International Day of Peace--Day to demonstrate for peace with justice throughout the world.

* 9/22 (5:18 p.m. EDT): Autumn Equinox--Marks the beginning of Autumn and point of equal daylight and darkness; celebrates the bounty of Mother Earth with feasting and aiding those in need.

* 9/22: Old Slavic Dozhinki--At the end of the grain harvest, God Jarilo/Lado betrays Goddess Morana/Lada, and he returns to the realm of the dead. Moranas anger and sadness causes the world to become dark, cold, and dead.

* 9/22: Day the world's nations committed to protecting the skys ozone layer from harmful chemicals (1988); day to mourn continuing air pollution.

* 9/22 to 9/23: Coya Rayni--Inca festival honoring Moon Goddess Quilla; focus is on purging sickness and evil.

* 9/23: Taoist festival honoring the Shen of Winds, West, and Autumn; thanksgiving is made for the harvest. Taoists live simply, respect life, and recognize the equality of all.

* 9/23: Aki-no-Higan--Day Japanese Buddhists mark the time of change by meditating on the impermanence of life.

* 9/23: Beginning of Libra (the Scales of Lady Justice).

* 9/24: Yoruba/Santeria feast of Obatala, Orisha of Peace and Justice.

* 9/25 (A 11/5): Old Egyptian festival of Neter Amen-Ra-Atem, the Great God, and Neteret Amenet-Rait-Mut, the Great Goddess.

* 9/25: Indigenous Peoples' Day--Day for celebrating the life-affirming spiritual traditions of indigenous peoples world-wide.

* 9/26 to 10/3: Navapad Oli‑‑Jain period of fasting, recitation of holy scripture, and meditation on the principles of right knowledge, right faith, right conduct, and right penance.

* 9/27: Baha'i feast honoring the one Deity as Mashiyyat - Divine Will.

* 9/27 eve to 9/28 eve: Yom Kippur/Day of Atonement--Jewish day of fasting, prayer, reconciliation, making reparation for harm done, and helping those in need.

* 9/28: Birthday of Confucius (K'ung Fu-Tzu) (551 BCE). He taught that societal harmony could be realized when individuals acted with loving care for family, concern for friends and neighbors, benevolence to strangers, and respect for all.

* 9/29: Feast of Michael, Angel of Protection, and Uriel, Angel of Justice.

* 9/30: Christian feast of Hagia Sophia (Holy Wisdom), Soul of the Universe, and source of faith, hope, and love.

* 9/30: Birthday of Jalal ad-Din Rumi (1207), Sufi saint and poet. He believed the soul to be one with Deity, and thought ecstatic experience of Deity could be attained with music, whirling dance, and chanting Deitys holy names.

* 9/30: Birthday of Elhanan Winchester (1751), Universalist who exhorted people to lives of personal ethics and social reform.

* 9/30 eve to 10/1 eve: Demokratia--Old Greek festival celebrating democracy, constitutional government, and justice under law. Zeus Agoraios, Athena Agoraias, and Themis were honored.