As the new year begins, people tend to look back on the previous one and take stock of all the joys and defeats they have experienced. Of course, some calendars are kinder than others. If you’re currently coming off of an old year that was plagued by bad news, unfortunate situations, and all kinds of annoyances, you might feel like you want to go to extra lengths to put the past behind you. Luckily, you’re not alone. All over the world, cultures engage in practices to welcome the start of a new dawn and bid the old year goodbye.
Exploring some of the rituals surrounding the start of a new year can be a wonderful way to rejuvenate your spirits. You may even discover the perfect way to put your own old year in the dust.
Demon Dough
While various cultures around the world follow different calendars, almost all people have some type of ritual or tradition for what they perceive to be the start of the new year. In Tibet, for example, this time is viewed as beginning at the end of January. Before the arrival of the next year, however, the people of Tibet engage in a very specific tradition to ward off the evil and bad spirits that accumulated during the last year. Essentially, they would start the process by creating the likenesses of demons out of dough.
After creating these yeasty beasts, the people of Tibet would pay “worship” to these dough demons. Specifically, they would conjure all of the bad vibes the last year had brought and “put the bad wishes” into the dough. At the end of the week, the people of Tibet would take their dough far away from home and abandon it. This is a symbolic way of acknowledging the bad things that have happened in the old year and then throwing it away so the evil does not retain any control over the mind or spirit.
Getting Physical
For many people around the world, the idea of a new beginning is one that needs to exist outside of the mind. While thinking about a new start can inspire the mind, many cultures believe there needs to be a physical component in order for there to be actual, lasting change. One of the best examples of this can be found in the Festival of Kore. Often held during the 5th of January in pagan circles of Europe, this feast honors the goddess Persephone in her virginal form of Kore.
Texts describing this ancient feast suggest that a large aspect of the celebration involves creating a likeness of Kore from wood. On the day of the festival, revelers carrying lit torches would journey to the place where this wooden statue was stored, then lift the likeness of the goddess and carry it around the festival grounds. The figure would typically be carried around the area seven times – a number long associated with luck. The physical act of walking the goddess around was said to be a necessary aspect of bringing good luck to fruition.
Always Settle Your Debts
The Chinese New Year usually begins in February, when the New Moon is in Aquarius. A major belief related to this holiday is the idea of settling one’s debts before the holiday arrives. By taking this step, the belief is that you will not be carrying the bad energy of the old year into the new dawn with you. Plus, it’s an easy excuse to do good deeds and pay back borrowed money.
No matter when your culture celebrates the arrival of a new year, there are likely many rituals and traditions surrounding the event. By exploring how other cultures welcome the new year, you may find some helpful ways to purge yourself of the negative energies that the old year may have brought your way.