The new year did not begin in the 10 days into Winter Solstice until Rome added two months to the calendar. Those months were January and February. This is why September is the 9th month when “sept” means “seven.” October is the 10th month when “oct” means “eight.” November is the 11th month when “nov” means “nine.”
January was named after the Greek God Janus, the god with two faces and keeps all of the doors.
Now, who does THAT sound like? None other than Esu.
In the Ifa/Orisa tradition, Esu is the Divine Trickster, Enforcer, and Messenger. He is the intermediary between humans and the spiritual realm. Nothing can be done in the Ifa/Orisa traditions without Him. He is largely regarded as a male entity, although some of His roads are female. He is largely represented by having two faces, which represent our own dualities. The doors represent the choices in life that we make, that either lead closer to or farther away from our divine selves.
Do you see? First, Esu opens the way for the New Year’s Day that is a trick indeed. The tricky time door is the more popular one. It comes 7 days after Christmas while hitching the 6th and 7th day of Kwanzaa. He poses as a Greek getting his giggles…
3 months and 21 days later, Esu also opens the way for the naturally aligned New Year’s on March 21. 3 Esu’s most popular sacred number, and 21 is one of His most powerful sacred numbers. So, there He is again, opening the less popular (for now) yet truthful New Year, and the way to Aries energy!
How do you use both? Use 1.1 New Year as an incubation period, a hibernating season of preparations for the 3.21 New Years! Keep these plans and preparations very private, as this is time inside of self.
If you are living the Ifa/Orisa life, offer Esu offerings at both time doors!
We are all waking up to the reality that new years begin when 4 seasons complete themselves.
Onile, The Spirit of Mother Earth, whispers this clue when She blooms in birth of Spring Equinox. Personally, I have been celebrating New Year’s on March 21 since 2019. Even have the party flyer to prove it! I apologize. I am having a bit of an I-told-you-so-moment!
Happy New Year, either way you celebrate living another year!
Ase in Love,
iiiYansaje T. Muse
The Blaq Madonna of the Airwaves.
P.S. This article was written on the 3rd day of January…There He is again.
Iba Esu!
