 Calendar Page
Special Days and Aspects
for February 2003
Welcome to
February! Click
on a date in the calendar to see the current aspects and events for that
day.
February 1, 2003
Sun at 12
degrees Aquarius conjunct Neptune
There’s a dreamy quality to this day, and the feeling of being torn
between the compulsion to reach out with intuitive understanding to a fellow
human, and the equally strong desire to sleep late and heavy, surrounded
by blankets and dreams.
Moon
Phase
New moon in Aquarius.
Chinese
New Year: By the Chinese lunar calendar, it’s New Year’s Day,
in the Year of the Goat (or Ram). This most celebrated of Chinese holidays
is also known as the Spring Festival. It is a time for reconciliation and
forgiveness, casting aside old grudges and making new beginnings. People
drape their doors in red cloth to ward off negative energy and gather with
their families to feast. Children are given red envelopes of “lucky
money.” Good deeds done at this time are said to be rewarded with blessings
from the Jade Emperor. In Chinese astrology, this Year of the Goat is of
the water element. People born in the Year of the Goat are said to be charming
and elegant, although they’re also known for complaining. Water Goats
are particularly sensitive and intuitive. In the last Year of the Water Goat,
60 years ago, these stars were born: Ben Kingsley, Catherine Deneuve, Jim
Morrison, George Harrison, Joni Mitchell, Mick Jagger, Lynn Redgrave, John
Major, Leslie Uggams, Robert DeNiro, Chevy Chase and Lech Walesa. Happy New
Year! Kung Hei Fat Choy!
St.
Brigid’s Day: Brigid, also called “the Mary of the Gael,”
is patron saint of Ireland along with St. Patrick and St. Columba. Brigid’s
parents, who are believed to have been an Irish chieftain and a slave at
his court, were baptised by St. Patrick, and Patrick and Brigid became great
friends. As a child she was known for feeding the hungry from her father’s
dairy. In about 470 she founded a double monastery at Cill-Dara (Kildare),
for monks and nuns, and was Abbess of the convent, the first in Ireland.
She also founded an art school there, and the community developed into a
center of learning and spirituality, famous for its illustrated manuscripts.
Her feast day falls on the eve of Imbolc, a traditional Celtic celebration
of the returning of the light, and one that honors a different Brigid - a
traditional Celtic goddess whose festival long predates the saint’s
day.
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February 2, 2003
Sun at 13
degrees Aquarius opposite retrograde Jupiter in Leo
The airy reverie that was yesterday comes to an abrupt end today, as the
two biggest objects in our solar system combine their vitality and vigor
to give us a day that is energetic, bombastic and thoroughly indulgent. The
Aquarius/Leo polarity asks only one question - will you indulge yourself
or your brother today?
Venus at
27 degrees Sagittarius sextile Uranus in Aquarius
The eagerly vigorous love that characterizes Venus in Sagittarius harmonizes
today with the quirky and intuitive Uranus in Aquarius. A great day for a
bed-in, as lovers hit new levels of inventiveness while simultaneously
challenging each other to find the rebel inside.
Mars at 10
degrees Sagittarius sextile Neptune in Aquarius
Another combination of the Archer and the Water Bearer, this time focused
through the lens of Mars and Neptune. Mars’ enthusiasm is softened somewhat
by Neptune, and so the best action today may well be of the mental sort,
while your physical energy temporarily ebbs out to sea.
Imbolc:
Nature religions’ festival based on the traditional Celtic Season of
Light. It celebrates the return of the sun, the lengthening of days and the
beginning of the agricultural cycle. It invites contemplation of the divine
power from which physical and spiritual harvest will come. The traditional
Celtic celebration includes bonfires in honor of the goddess Brigid, a symbolic
purification for rejoining the outside world after a cold winter of confinement
indoors. The goddess’s name is said to mean “Fiery Arrow of
Power.” She is seen as a poetic muse, a healer, a tool-maker and a warrior.
Groundhog
Day: Maybe this is Imbolc “lite”? A holiday Linda Goodman had
particular fondness for, Groundhog Day is the secular holiday in anticipation
of the arrival of spring. The idea, dating from medieval times, is to catch
sight of a groundhog emerging from his burrow after a winter’s hibernation.
If it’s a sunny day and he sees his shadow, winter will last six more
weeks. If there’s no shadow, spring is just around the corner. Groundhogs
in the wild don’t actually have to put up with humans spying on their
burrows, though. News reports speed the word from Punxsutawny Phil, a groundhog
who gets lifted out of his home in Punxsutawny, Pennsylvania, to see if he
casts a shadow.
Candlemas:
Christian celebration of the presentation in the Temple of the infant Jesus
to God, after Mary’s 40-day ritual purification time following the birth.
An aged and devout Jew, Simeon, is said to have held Jesus and announced
that he would be a light to the Gentiles. Candles are blessed on this day,
and it is seen as a time of new beginnings. In the Orthodox Church the day
is called the Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple; the Catholic
Church calls it the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
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February 3, 2003
St.
Blaise’s Day: A church day for blessing of throats, in honor of
a healer and martyr.
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February 4, 2003
Venus enters
Capricorn
The expression of love that has been marked by conviviality and gregariousness
in Sagittarius shifts today to a more solemn, grounded and focused footing.
Venus in Capricorn is marked by a certain degree of seriousness in love,
a creative sense that leans towards a classic elegance and a form of expression
that is both rich and understated.
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February 5, 2003
Mars at 12
degrees Sagittarius trine retrograde Jupiter in Leo
Today’s keywords - exuberant, lucky, confident. What more needs to be
said?
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February 6, 2003
Bob Marley
Day: “Lively Up Yourselves” and “Get Up, Stand Up”
for “One Love.” It’s Bob Marley Day, a national holiday
in Jamaica in honor of the reggae music master born this day in 1945, who
died at age 36.
Vasant
Panchami: The Hindu festival in honor of the coming spring, new beginnings,
and nature. People wear yellow clothes to match the mustard flowers that
usher in the Vasant, meaning spring. There are feasts, kite flying,
and devotions in honor of Saraswati, the goddess of learning and all knowledge.
It is a day for wishing one another prosperity and for bestowing the wealth
of knowledge. It is customary to teach 5-year-old children the alphabet on
this day, as an auspicious beginning to their formal learning.
Waitangi
Day: A national holiday in New Zealand, Waitangi Day celebrates peace
between the native Maori and European settlers, dating to the 1840 Treaty
of Waitangi.
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February 7, 2003
Have a
great day!
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February 8, 2003
Sun at 19
degrees Aquarius sextile Pluto in Sagittarius
Today the Sun’s rays reach all the way into Pluto’s traditionally
dark domain. An excellent day to proactively take care of any skeletons in
your closet, before Pluto’s next hard aspect from the Sun - when Pluto
just may pull out those skeletons for you!
Hari-Kuyo:
During this Festival of Broken Needles, Japanese seamstresses, tailors and
people who sew at home ceremonially offer up their bent and broken needles
in a Tokyo shrine, thanking them for their service.
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February 9, 2003
Moon
Phase
First-quarter moon in Taurus.
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February 10, 2003
Feast
of St. Paul’s Shipwreck: A public holiday in Malta celebrating a
shipwreck in 60 A.D. that brought St. Paul the apostle to shore, allowing
him to escape from captors taking him by ship to stand trial in Rome. When
the ship ran aground in stormy weather, Paul escaped and was given refuge
by the people of Malta. He stayed there for three months and was credited
with healings. He is patron saint of Malta.
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February 11, 2003
Sun at 22
degrees Aquarius trine retrograde Saturn in Gemini
Are you inspired by the mood of concern for humanity, brotherhood, love and
service that seems so tangible while the Sun is in Aquarius? Today’s
the day to make long-term plans and strategies for creating permanent outlets
to honor your freshly renewed sense of service and commitment to the brotherhood
of man.
Japanese
National Day: This national holiday, filled with fireworks and speeches,
traces Japan’s national history to the reign of Emperor Jimmu Tenno
in 660 B.C.
Feast
of Our Lady of Lourdes: Commemorates the appearances of the Virgin Mary
to a teenage girl near Lourdes, France, in 1858. The girl was led to a grotto
where a spring appeared. Millions of people have visited the spring each
year since then, believing in its healing powers.
Thomas
Edison’s Birthday: The inventor of the electric light bulb was born
in 1847.
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February 12, 2003
Mercury enters
Aquarius
Today the planet of communication arrives for a turn in Aquarius, the sign
of its exaltation, beginning a time of open conversations and the ability
to bridge barriers of social, economic and religious differences, which
isn’t surprising, since tolerant Aquarius embraces differences of all
kinds.
American
Black History Month: Abraham Lincoln, “the Great Emancipator,”
the president who freed America’s slaves, was born on this day in 1809.
One hundred years later, the National Association for the Advancement of
Colored People was founded on Lincoln’s birthday. Those and other February
events related to the cause of freedom and human rights for America’s
black population led to February being designated Black History Month.
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February 13, 2003
Id-ul-Zuha
or Bakr-Id (also called Eid-al-Adha): Islamic feast day and the concluding
rite of those making a Hajj or pilgrimage to Mecca. The holiday
commemorates the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to follow Allah’s
will, even when he perceived that God was asking him to sacrifice his son.
In the Islamic version of the story, it was Ishmael who was to be sacrificed;
In the Jewish version, it was Ishmael’s brother, Isaac. In both stories,
God stops the father from making the sacrifice and the boy lives. A goat
or ram is sacrificed instead. Modern Moslems perform similar sacrifices on
this day, and meat is distributed to all.
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February 14, 2003
Valentine’s
Day: Send some love to a sweetheart. It’s a day for hearts and flowers,
chocolates and wine and romance ... because, well, as the old Cole Porter
song says, “Birds do it, Bees do it ... Let’s fall in love.”
There are a lot of stories related to St. Valentine, apparently a loving
soul imprisoned and martyred for his beliefs, but no one knows for sure which,
if any, of them are real, so churches don’t do much in Valentine’s
honor these days. The holiday’s timing is probably due to the conventional
wisdom of Europe in the Middle Ages that birds choose their partners in
mid-February. Coo away, lovebirds.
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February 15, 2003
Lantern
Festival: The Chinese New Year holiday (See February
1) traditionally kicks off a period of celebration that continues until
the Lantern Festival, when the party moves out from family homes into the
streets of the community for a big parade. This is the weekend of the big
Chinese New Year/Spring Festival parade and celebration in Chinatown in San
Francisco, California.
Nirvana
Day: This date is observed in the Mahayana Buddhist tradition in
commemoration of the death of Shakyamuni Buddha and his passing into
Mahaparinirvana, the extinction of the ego-self and reunification with the
universe.
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February 16, 2003
Retrograde
Jupiter at 11 degrees Leo opposite Neptune in Aquarius
A delusional influence made all the more treacherous by how great it feels
to be so deluded. A time to stay focused on the tangible, as your inclination
will be towards the abstract, the high ideals. Only time will tell if these
lofty aims were ever based in truth, or instead, grounded in the sinking
morass of far-flung dreams based on deception.
Mars at 19
degrees Sagittarius conjunct Pluto
A collision of egos on a Titanic level! The “I am” energy of Mars
is made all the more forceful and assertive by the addition of the strength
and will of Pluto. A hint of violence is in the air, and those who are driven
strongly by their egos will find today to be an argumentative and perhaps
even dangerous day. Unfortunately, the fighting is not for what’s
“right,” but instead the fight is to “be right,” and
that can leave one looking very foolish indeed a couple of days from
now.
Moon
Phase
Full moon in Leo.
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February 17, 2003
Sun at 28
degrees Aquarius conjunct Uranus
We won’t see this same transit again for over eighty years, so today’s
the day to make the most of it. Let go of your expectations of the routine
and predictable and instead plunge headfirst into the electric eye of this
airy hurricane, and see what magical land you’re transported to.
Presidents
Day: The only American presidents deemed worthy of holidays in their
honor were both born in February. The nation’s first president, George
Washington, and the one who fought to hold the country together through the
Civil War, Abraham Lincoln, are both honored on this national holiday, celebrated
on the third Monday in February. Lincoln was born February 12, 1809, and
Washington is believed to have been born February 22, 1732. See the
Washington’s Birthday listing below to learn why there’s some doubt.
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February 18, 2003
Nepal
National Day: The Himalayan country between India and Tibet celebrates
the anniversary of the day it became a democracy in 1951. Prior to the Nepalese
revolution, the Rana family ruled the country from its capital of Katmandu.
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February 19, 2003
The Sun enters
Pisces
Today the Sun begins its transverse of the changeable, mysterious and intuitively
spiritual waters of the Fish. Pisces continues the theme of brotherhood that
was prevalent during the time of Aquarius, and develops it further by seeking
even deeper understanding and adding the element of compassionate service
to the mix.
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February 20, 2003
Mars at 22
degrees Sagittarius opposite Saturn in Gemini
Tug of war. The egotistical nature of Mars fights back at Saturn’s
restraint, but not in the explosive fashion one might expect. Instead, this
combination of energies can provoke a strong feeling of internal tension,
and the strain of holding back only increases the feelings of anger and
tension.
Mercury at
10 degrees Aquarius opposite retrograde Jupiter in Leo
This aspect can either soften the difficulties described above, or contribute
to an incredibly frustrating day - the choice is yours. On its own, this
transit is typically a pleasant one, leaning towards big ideas, grand schemes
and a kaleidoscope of intellectual reveries. If, however, you are caught
up in the power struggle of the Mars/Saturn opposition, then the optimistic
daydreams run the risk of being forfeited to a spate of unchecked ego energy,
and a mouth that won’t stop. Breathe deeply. Count to ten…
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February 21, 2003
Mercury in
at 11 degrees Aquarius conjunct Neptune
Ethereal space-age energy inspires artistry, mystery and imagination. A
beautifully dreamy day for some, confusing to those who won’t let go
of their “just the facts, ma’am” mentality.
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February 22, 2003
Abu Simbel
Festival: “Sun Day” comes but twice a year in the innermost
rooms of the Egyptian temple known as Abu Simbel. The temple, built about
1300 B.C. for Ramses II and Queen Nefertari, was configured so that the light
of the rising sun could illuminate its 180-foot deep chambers only two days
a year, in February and October. The temple was moved to make way for the
Aswan Dam in 1964, so its special days now are February 22 and October 22,
a day earlier than they once were. Meditation is the usual ritual for the
contemporary crowds that gather at sunrise on the festival days while the
sun briefly illuminates images of four Egyptian gods within the walls: Ptah,
Amen-Re, Ramses and Re-Horakhty.
George
Washington’s Birthday: Although born in England on February 11,
1732, Washington lived during an era when the calendar itself was subject
to change. The English adopted the Gregorian calendar during his lifetime,
after which the anniversary of his birth was calculated to fall on February
22.
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February 23, 2003
Moon
Phase
Last-quarter moon in Sagittarius.
Brotherhood
Sunday: The Sunday nearest Washington’s Birthday has been, since
1934, the first day of Brotherhood Week in the United States, by proclamation
of the president, under sponsorship of the National Conference of Christians
and Jews. It commemorates the promise of the first president that the new
country would provide “to bigotry no sanction; to persecution no
assistance.” The day and week are meant for interfaith sharing and
discussion.
Terminalia:
Congratulations! You’ve made it through another year. Or you would have,
if this were ancient Rome. February 23 was celebrated as the end of the year
and the time to give Terminus, god of boundaries, his due. Landowners would
head out to their property’s borders, or to the terminus stone marking
the outer limit of Rome, and leave sacrifices and garlands of flowers on
the landmarks, then head back home to party with their families.
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February 24, 2003
Have a
great day!
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February 25, 2003
Buergsonndeg:
The tiny European country of Luxembourg has celebrated the symbolic end of
winter with this festival since before the Christian era. People go up into
the hills and light bonfires as a symbol of the sun’s warmth and light.
Philippines
People Power Anniversary: On this day in 1986, Philippines President
Ferdinand Marcos was forced out of office when millions of Filipinos demonstrated
in support of Corazon Aquino’s election victory. Both Marcos and Aquino
had claimed victory in the election. Then, two leaders in Marcos’s
government denounced him and took refuge in military camps on the Epifanio
de los Santos Highway. When those camps were threatened by pro-Marcos military
forces, 2 million unarmed people stood up to the military, forming a human
shield along the highway and making offerings of flowers, food and prayers.
The revolution lasted three days, from February 22-25. The unarmed civilians
won and Aquino became president. The holiday is also known as the Fiesta
sa EDSA, referring to the abbreviation of the highway’s name.
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February 26, 2003
Have a
great day!
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February 27, 2003
Have a
great day!
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February 28, 2003
Mercury at
22 degrees Aquarius trine Saturn
After a weeklong respite from any major planetary influences, the month ends
on a serious note with a transit that will give you the energy and concentration
to accomplish great feats of organization and practical tasks.
Kalevala
Day: A celebration of Finnish legends and literature. Kalevala, meaning
Land of Heroes, is a 20,000-verse epic that is Finland’s national poem.
In the 1800s, there was not much in the way of written Finnish literature,
but the culture’s creation legends and other tales were kept alive in
stories passed down for centuries. Dr. Elias Lönnrot and some assistants
traveled the country collecting the folklore, and on February 28, 1835, completed
the first edition of the poem. The Finnish people celebrate with parades,
concerts and readings on this holiday.
Marzas:
Young men in Spain traditionally herald the coming of spring by serenading
their sweethearts while walking through the streets on the last night of
February and the first of March. The songs refer to March and spring, and
the serenaders are rewarded by the townspeople with gifts of food and
candy.
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Astrology
by Terri Smallwood; holidays compiled by Maria Barron
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