Cheshire February 2018
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YourHEALTHandWelbeing<br />
CAKESANDHEARTS<br />
BY:DomingaDevitt<br />
TheRomansnamedthismonthFebruarius–meaning<br />
cleansing,namingitforFebrua,theirfestivalofpurication<br />
on15th<strong>February</strong>.TheAngloSaxonnamewasSol-monath,<br />
whereastheWelshnamewasYmisbach–orthelitlemonth.<br />
MonathistheoldEnglishwordforamonthandSolisold<br />
Englishformud,sothetranslationofMudMonthdescribes<strong>February</strong>quitewel,asanyonewho<br />
dugthegardenin<strong>February</strong>wiltestify!TheSaxonsalsocaled<strong>February</strong>the‘cakemonth’<br />
becausethiswaswhencakeswerebakedandleftintheploughedeldasanofferingtothe<br />
godsforaplentifulcrop.<br />
14th<strong>February</strong>isofcourseStValentine’sDay,butbeforealthepresentdaycommercialisation,<br />
thiswastraditionalybelievedtobewhenthebirdschosetheirmates.Manyoldtraditionsand<br />
customsareasociatedwithromanticactivitiesonthisdatesuchastherstmananunmaried<br />
girlsawonthisdaywouldbeherfuturehusband.<br />
The14th<strong>February</strong>wasadayspecicalyforthechoosingofaloverinancientRome.Onthis<br />
daytheycelebratedaholidaydevotedtoJuno,QueenoftheGodsandpatronesofmariage.<br />
Younggirls’nameswouldbewritendownandthrownintojarsandthenpickedoutbyprospectivesuitors.ThepairwouldthenbetogetherfortheLupercaliafestivalwhichstartedon<br />
15th<strong>February</strong>.<br />
Thisloterysystem oflovewasbannedin498ADbyPopeGalesiuswhodecideditwasteribly<br />
un-Christian(!)andrenamedthedayaftera3rdcenturyChristianmartyrcaledStValentine.<br />
ThelegendgoesthatwhenEmperorClaudiusIdecidedthatsinglemenmadebetersoldiers<br />
thanthosewithwives,heoutlawedmariageforyoungmen.<br />
Valentine,realisingtheinjusticeofthedecree,deedClaudiusandcontinuedtoperform marriagesforyoungloversinsecret.WhenValentine’sactionswerediscovered,Claudiusputhim<br />
todeath.Despitetherebrandingofthedate,thepaganapproachtothematingseasonlingeredoninfolkmemory,andcombinedwithfolklorebeliefsinBritaintoensurethe14th<strong>February</strong>persistedasadayoflove.<br />
PleasecontactmeforaKarmicPathspersonalconsultation<br />
(ChesterorHeswal).<br />
Telephone:01516013081.Emaildominga@karmicpaths.co.uk.<br />
KarmicPaths<br />
www.karmicpaths.co.uk
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