Life is a fascinating journey; we may set out with a plan – route map, itinerary and compass (or sat nav) at the ready but we never know what’s round the next corner.
Like the pilgrims of old, who’d set out on a quest to find what was important to them – it might be a place or a person – they had to undertake the journey.
As do we all.
‘The steep and rugged pathway…’
There’s a proverb that says, ‘a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,’ first found in the Tao Te Ching, a classical Chinese Taoist text usually credited to Laozi and probably written between the 4th and 6th century BC.
As with every journey we need to take time out to refresh and re-energise.
To ‘perch’ every now and then.
I hope that the posts you’ll find on this site will help you relax, refresh and re-invigorate so you can continue your own amazing pilgrimage.
Chinese New Year comes with the first new moon of the lunar calendar – this year it falls on 17th February in 2026, and heralds the beginning of the fifteen day spring festival. Celebrations vary depending on the country or region, but there are a few common traditions.
The new Lunar Year arrives…
The Chinese zodiac calendar is a twelve year cycle, each year being represented by a different animal. 2026 sees the Year of the Horse. This is paired with a heavenly stem – one of the five elements – in this case, ‘Bing’, or ‘big sun’. Thus, 2026 becomes the Year of the Fire Horse.
The Year of the Fire Horse
The tradition of lighting firecrackers and fireworks, hanging lanterns and wearing red clothing is believed to ward off evil and bad luck.
Red clothing is worn to ward off bad luck
The Lunar New Year festivities often last over fifteen days. Food plays a big part part and households spend much time preparing delicious dishes.
Special meals and offering hospitality play an important role in part in the festivities.
A big spring clean of the home aims to sweep out all the accumulated rubbish and bad luck of the past year. It’s then considered bad luck to sweep up or remove rubbish on the first few days as this may mean clearing out all the new good luck and fortune.
Cleaning the house is important for clearing out all the bad luck of the old year
Families travel far and near to gather for festive dinners. Presents and fruit are given in abundance; red packets of money are given to unmarried members of the family – these are believed to ward off evil spirits and bring prosperity.
A red packet of money
On the third day of the new year (perhaps as a result of the overexcitement of the festivities!) it is believed that arguments are likely to occur. Some people try to avoid these by shunning company and visiting temples instead, making offerings to offset bad luck.
Visiting a temple helps fend off any disagreements and arguments!
The highlight of the holiday comes on the 15th day of the festival with the Lantern Festival. This falls on the first full moon of the year and marks the departure of winter and beginning of spring. Lanterns are lit, to symbolise the driving away of darkness and the arrival of hope. In ancient Chinese society, this was the day when young girls would be allowed out to enjoy seeing the lanterns and meet young men – hence the day has also been called Chinese Valentine’s Day.
Colourful lanterns ensure the festival brings light and hope for the new year.
Mention the word ‘web’ and thoughts probably turn straight to the worldwide web – that great engine that connects us to other people, other thoughts and ideas so quickly and so (usually!) efficiently.
The world wide web – where would we be without it…?
But it’s at this time of year that spider webs grab our attention, shimmering and glistening as they waft in a breeze, catching the clear and gentle autumn light.
A sparkling spider’s web shimmers as it catches the light
Spider webs are made from a natural silken fibre made of protein. This fibre has an extraordinarily high tensile strength – five times stronger than steel! The beautiful webs are, for the spider, the means of catching food, raising young, and travelling.
A fly caught in a web generates a vibration along the web – this alerts the spider who then moves in for the kill.
The spider lies in wait for its hapless victim.
Webs are also used to weave a protective covering for the young spiders so they can grow free form the threat of predators. A web can also be used for travelling – known as ‘ballooning’. The spider releases strands of silk that catch a breath of wind and enable the spider to travel – sometimes great distances.
The golden silk orb-weaver, a spider that lives in warm parts of the world, spins webs with a beautiful golden sheen. This silk has even been used to create cloth, an example of which was exhibited at the Victoria and Albert Museum in 2012.
So next time you flinch or hesitate at the sight of a spider, remind yourself just how amazing these creatures are and enjoy the beauty of their intricately woven environment.
The autumn equinox approaches and the excitement that comes with the onset of autumn builds…
The equinox approaches and the full moon is spectacular…
It is a fair time of the year. The sun creeps lower in the sky and the heat lessens but the light is clear; mornings come with a hint of chill and evenings are darker.
Autumnal light adds a special brightness to all things
But it is a time to celebrate the ‘drawing down’ of nature as plants shed their leaves, new growth slows, leaves fall and autumn harvests are gathered in.
Enjoy the autumnal colours – they can be truly spectacular!
The colours can be beautiful and need to be enjoyed, admired and wondered at… Enjoy!
