Hannah Pynn, Author at Dean of Student Life

This blogpost series is called Holidays and Holy Days to inform our OSU community about significant religious and spiritual observances. If you know of a significant holiday or holy day coming up, please communicate the information to Hannah Pynn hannah.pynn@oregonstate.edu in the Dean of Student Life office.

March 26th, 2013 is the Zoroastrianism holiday Khordad Sal.

Context

Khordad Sal is the Zoroastrian celebration of the birth of Zoroaster, the founder of the Zoroastrianism religion. The holiday is specifically celebrated in India and Iran, immediately following the Persian new year, Noruz. Zoroaster is credited as being the author of the Zoroastrian texts, the Gathas, which are religious liturgical hymns.

Significance

The Gathas contain references to Zoroaster’s triumphs over personal obstacles, family history details, and accounts of spreading his teachings. Zoroaster was born into a family of priests and experienced his first illumination from Ahura Mazda, the highest deity of Zoroastrianism, at the age of 30.

Zoroaster’s doctrine was based on human’s mental struggle between truth and lie, for the purpose of sustaining truth, creation, existence, and free will. The central ethics of the faith are based on “Good Words, Good Thoughts, and Good Deeds.”

Rituals/Traditions

Parties
Prayers at sacred Fire Temples (fire representing purity, God’s light, and wisdom)
Brightly colored folk art decorate homes called Rangoli
New clothes are worn by everyone
Flowers decorate homes
Sharing a grand feast with family and friends
Reflect on lives and actions
Make resolutions for the future

Additional Resources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoroaster

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khordad_Sal

http://festivals.iloveindia.com/khordad-sal/Khordad-sal-date.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/zoroastrian/worship/worship.shtml

http://www.readthespirit.com/religious-holidays-festivals/zoroastrian-observe-greater-noruz-on-khordad-sal/

http://www.zoroastrian.org/articles/index.htm

March 26th, 2013 is the beginning of Passover/Pesach (beginning at sundown the night before).

Context

Passover is a seven day (8 days for Jews not in Israel) Jewish holiday that commemorates the liberation of the Jewish people from slavery in ancient Egypt 3,300 years ago. The Bible tells the story of the Jewish people enslaved in Egypt for centuries who were then freed by God through the leadership of the prophet Moses. God inflicted 10 plagues on the Egyptians to demonstrate his holiness and power to the Pharaoh who did not believe in monotheism. The tenth plague was the death of all the first-borns (humans and animals) in Egypt. The Israelites were instructed to mark their homes with the blood of a slaughtered lamb and then to eat the lamb for their evening meal. This act demonstrated ultimate trust in God to pass over Hebrew families and not inflict this plague on their families. Overcome with grief for his own first-born son, the Pharaoh acknowledged God and released the Israelites from slavery.

Significance

Tradition states that the Israelites were in such a hurry to leave Egypt that they did not wait for bread dough to rise. To commemorate their flight, only unleavened bread is eaten during Passover, which is also called “The Festival of the Unleavened Bread.” Mazo bread is a symbol of the holiday. Biblical instructions for the original Passover meal are still followed by Jewish tradition today. Messianic Jews and some Christians also observe Passover.

Remembering God’s actions of saving his people is an important tenant of this holiday: “For seven days eat bread made without yeast and on the seventh day hold a festival to the Lord. 7 Eat unleavened bread during those seven days; nothing with yeast in it is to be seen among you, nor shall any yeast be seen anywhere within your borders. 8 On that day tell your son, ‘I do this because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 9 This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that this law of the Lord is to be on your lips. For the Lord brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand. 10 You must keep this ordinance at the appointed time year after year.” (Exodus 13:6-10)

Rituals/Traditions

Passover Sedar meal (Click here to read more!)
Burning chametz (leavening ingredients) to remove all of it from the home
Cleaning the whole house, to make the house kosher
Eating lamb for Sedar, all meat of the lamb must be consumed before morning
Baking matzo in the weeks before Passover
Fast of the Firstborn
Sedar is celebrated in the home, rather than the synagogue
Inviting guests to the Sedar meal
Hallel and Nirtzah – songs of praise, thanksgiving, and re-dedication in remembrance of liberation
Sedar traditions are meant to peak the interest of children and engage them in the rituals

Additional Resources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passover

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/passover/

http://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/aid/871715/jewish/What-Is-Passover.htm

http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/first-day-of-passover

March 24th, 2013 is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week before Easter.

Context

Palm Sunday marks the Sunday before Easter and begins the week-long observance of Holy week in all Christian and Catholic traditions. Palm Sunday is also celebrated in Orthodox Christianity, but is celebrated on April 28th, 2013 in accordance with the Orthodox calendar.

Palm Sunday recognizes the day that Jesus entered into Jerusalem about a week before he was executed. Crowds waved palm branches and laid the branches on the ground to create a path for him into the city. Citizens of Jerusalem celebrated Jesus’ entry by saying, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!” (John 12:13) These actions and words signified the belief that Jesus would rise to political power as a religious king sent by God.

Significance

This holiday is often celebrated as solemn holiday, marking the days leading up to the betrayal of Jesus, and his execution at the end of the week. But there is hope in remembering that Jesus raised from the dead a week later on Easter. Some celebrate this holiday joyfully, remembering that Jesus was not a political leader, but has risen from the dead and defeated the effects of sin and death.

Although Jesus was expected to rise in political power, Jesus did not use force or political authority. Religious leaders and political powers feared the influence Jesus had on the masses. Jesus quietly rode on a humble donkey into the city still drew crowds of followers, but this marked the beginning of plots to kill Jesus to remove his influence by his radical ideas of God’s love and grace.

Rituals/Traditions

Palm Branches in church services
Donkey processionals
Holy water used as a blessing
Recounting the word “Hosanna”
Saving the palm branches to be burned for next year’s Ash Wednesday

Additional Resources

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/palm-sundayhttp://www.crystalinks.com/noruz.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palm_Sunday

http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/palm-sunday

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/24/palm-sunday-holy-week_n_2943824.html?utm_hp_ref=religion#slide=2257750

March 21st, 2013 is Nowrūz, the Iranian/Persian New Year and the most important Zoroastrian holiday.

Context

The word Nowrūz (pronounced NO-ROOZ) is a compound of two Persian words that mean “new” and “day”. Nowrūz marks the first day of spring and is celebrated on the spring equinox. Nowrūz (also spelled Noruz or Newroz) is a Zoroastrian festival that was invented by Zoroaster, the founder of the Zoroastrian religion. Nowrūz is a 13 day festival that begins on the night of the equinox when families gather to celebrate the sun crossing the equator.

While the Zoroastrian faith was founded in Iran, Nowrūz is also celebrated in parts of India, Central Asia, South Asia, Northwestern China, Crimea, and in the Balkans. Iranians and Parsis around the world celebrate Nowrūz, regardless of their religious backgrounds Nowrūz is also considered a non-religious national holiday in many countries. Baha’i’s also celebrate Nowrūz as the conclusion to their Nineteen Day Fast. It is unclear when this holiday was first celebrated, but records show that it began during the ancient Persian empire between 555-330 BC and the holiday persisted after the establishment of Islam in Iran.

Significance

Some believe that actions on Nowrūz affect the rest of the coming year, so if kindness and generosity is demonstrated on Nowrūz, the coming year will be good. Nowrūz also is a time for cleaning the house to make their lives fresh for the new year. Preparations for Nowrūz in Iran begin almost a month in advance, in anticipation of the most important holiday in Iran. Baha’i’s view the holiday as a time for internal spiritual cleansing in addition to physical cleansing. Shia Muslims celebrate Nowrūz as the day when Ali was declared the successor of the prophet.

Rituals/Traditions

The Haft-Sin (or the Seven S’s) is a table that displays 7 traditional items that begin with S
1. Sabza – wheat, barley or lentils that have been allowed to grow for 7 days, symbolizing renewal and are disposed of after the celebration to symbolize taking away the bad influences of the previous year
2. Sepand – seeds of wild rue burned as incense
3. Sib – apples (symbolizing beauty and health)
4. Sekka – newly minted coins (symbolizing wealth)
5. Sir – garlic cloves (symbolizing medicine)
6. Serka – vinegar (symbolizing age and patience)
7. Samanu – a thick, sweet paste made from wheat, oil, water, almonds and walnuts (symbolizing affluence)
8. Additional items often used to decorate the haft-sin table include:
  1. Candles (Fire)
  2. Mirrors (Sky)
  3. Colored eggs (Fertility)
  4. A holy book
  5. Hyacinth flowers
  6. Dried fruit
  7. Sumac berries
  8. Wine
  9. Sugar/honey/syrup/candy
Wearing new clothes and shoes, then donating the previous year’s clothing to the poor
Exchanging gifts between friends and family
Outdoor picnics to avoid bad luck on the 13th day of Nowrūz
Lighting fire (the holy element of Zoroastrianism) and holding celebrations around the fire, or jumping over bonfires!
Visiting elders of the family first, then making short visits to friends and family

Additional Resources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nowruz#Nowruz_in_the_Zoroastrian_faith

http://www.crystalinks.com/noruz.html

http://www.zoroastrian.org/articles/nowruz.htm

http://altreligion.about.com/od/holidaysfestivalsevents/p/nawruz.htm

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/nowruz

March 2-20th, 2013 is the Nineteen-Day Fast of the Bahá’í faith.

Context

The Nineteen-Day Fast is one of the most important components of the Bahá’í practice for individuals aged 15-70. The fast lasts from sunrise to sunset and is meant to bring Bahá’í’s closer to God through a physical and spiritual reinvigoration. Bahá’u’lláh, founder of the Bahá’í faith, established the guidelines of the fast to occur during the last month of the Bahá’í 19 month calendar. The fast is an individual obligation with exceptions for the ill, travelers, those outside of the age range of 15-70, pregnant or nursing women, and women who are menstruating (who are required to observe the practice in another way).

Significance

Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Bahá’í faith, explains that “It is essentially a period of meditation and prayer, of spiritual recuperation, during which the believer must strive to make the necessary readjustments in his inner life, and to refresh and reinvigorate the spiritual forces latent in his soul. Its significance and purpose are, therefore, fundamentally spiritual in character. Fasting is symbolic, and a reminder of abstinence from selfish and carnal desires.”

Rituals/Traditions

The period of fasting begins with the end of the Intercalary Days and ends with the festival of Naw-Ruz (the Bahá’í new year)
Fasting includes abstinence from food, drink and smoking from sunrise to sunset
Bahá’í’s rise early to eat protein, complex carbs, and caffeine to sustain them throughout the day
If someone accidentally eats during fasting hours, it is not considered breaking fast as it is an accident
In regions of high latitude, the times of the fast are fixed by the clock rather than by the sun schedule
Many Bahá’í’s take this time to appreciate the simple things

Additional Resources

Rainn Wilson offers his perspective on his Bahá’í Fasting practice – http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rainn-wilson/bahai-fast-slowly_b_2811057.html

Facts about the 19 Day Fast – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nineteen_Day_Fast

A daily fasting blog – http://nineteendays.wordpress.com/

Brief summary of the fast – http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/bahai/customs/fasting.shtml

This blogpost series is called Holidays and Holy Days to inform our OSU community about significant religious or spiritual observances. If you know of a significant holiday or holy day coming up, please communicate the information to Hannah Pynn hannah.pynn@oregonstate.edu in the Dean of Student Life office.

February 23rd-24th, 2013 is Purim, a Jewish holiday beginning at sundown.

Context

Purim celebrates the Jews’ salvation from Genocide in ancient Persia, as told in the book of Esther. The holiday is also called “Feast of Lots” reflecting when, according to the story, the prime minister Haman cast lots to determine the date for the genocide of the Jewish people. Haman hated Jews because after being chosen as prime minister by King Ahasuerus, he wanted everyone to bow to him when passing through the city and a man named Mordecai refused. Mordecai was the uncle to the newly crowned Queen Esther, who had not yet revealed her Jewish identity to the king. After Haman had told the king that the Jewish people were a threat and needed to be eliminated, Esther bravely confronted the king and convinced him to free her people. Purim is more of a national holiday than a religious holiday.

Significance

The name of God is not mentioned throughout the entire book of Esther. Part of the significance of this holiday is celebrating God’s presence and action at all times, even when it is not obvious. Also, God saving His people through the actions of an orphaned woman, who is the second wife of the king, and who is not a native to the kingdom, demonstrates God’s use of unlikely, insignificant characters.

Rituals/Traditions

Reading the story of Esther together
Festive meal
Giving gifts and food to neighbors and friends
Giving to the poor
Baking 3-cornered pastries called “Haman’s ears” or “Haman’s pockets”
Satirical skits (sometimes illustrating the story of Esther)
Dressing up in costumes (sometimes dressing as the characters in the story or other awesome costumes)

Additional Resources

Pictures of awesome Purim celebrations – http://photos.newhavenregister.com/2013/02/22/photos-purim-holiday-celebrations-in-israel/#name here

Facts about the holiday – http://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/holidays/purim.htm

Wiki – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purim#Greetings

Esther as a story of feminism in ancient Persia – http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deborah-rosenbloom/purim-a-tale-of-womens-empowerment_b_2741397.html

Being Jewish means lots of holiday parties – http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eitan-press/purim-how-to-get-drunk-on-god_b_2734923.html#slide=2135012

February 13th is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.

Context

Ash Wednesday occurs 46 days before Easter, and the day marks the beginning of Lent which is a 40-day period (excluding 6 Sundays) of prayer and fasting in anticipation of the Easter holiday. The practice of placing ashes on foreheads in the shape of a cross serves as a reminder of human mortality and a call to repentance during Lent. This practice of forehead ash is common in Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Methodist, and some Baptist denominations.

Significance

Ashes were used in ancient times to express mourning or a symbol of expressing sorrow for one’s sins and faults. Ash Wednesday is used as a ritual to remind Christians of how God created them, and how Christians depend upon the death of Jesus for reconciliation with God. The ashes are traditionally blessed by a priest or minister and mixed with holy water or olive oil to form a paste. The tradition of the ashes is not only a reminder of the value of reflection, penance, and prayer, but they also serve as a ritualistic connection with centuries of Christians who have participated in the practice.

In some cases, congregations gather and are given small cards with the option of writing the sins they have committed and sins committed against them on the card as a sign of their sorrow. The cards are then collected and burned on the alter as a symbol of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice, taking the punishment and burden of sins.

Rituals/Traditions

Attending church services
Fasting
Abstinence from meat (on Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and every Friday during Lent)
Confession/repentance of sins
Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) the day before Ash Wednesday

Additional Resources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ash_Wednesday

http://www.ashwednesday2013.com/

http://ashwednesdayprayer.com/ash-wednesday-kid-games-ash-wednesday-for-kids-catholic-icing-the-icing-on-your.html

http://www.ulc.org/training-education/guide-to-divinity/24-religious-holidays/207-ash-wednesday/

February 10th begins the celebration of the Lunar New Year.

Context

Lunar or Chinese New Year is celebrated in Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese cultures. It changes dates from year to year because of the difference between the lunar calendar and the Gregorian calendar used in the United States.

Significance

The most significant of the Chinese holidays, the Lunar New Year is also the beginning of a two week celebration called “Spring Festival.” Spring Festival originated as the product of an agrarian Chinese society, symbolizing the living cycle of the planting season. The Chinese New Year also marks a time to honor deities and ancestorsEach Chinese New Year is represented by 12 creatures of the Chinese Zodiac, 2013 being the Year of the Snake. Countries that celebrate this holiday include Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mauritius, Philippines, and also in Chinatowns all over the world.

Each day of the Spring Festival (15 days) includes specific celebrations and traditions that vary from celebrating deities, lucky family gatherings, hope for the future, the Jade Emperor, and love.

The last day of the Spring Festival is the Lantern Festival that occurs on the first full moon of the Lunar New Year (February 24, 2013 this year). This festival celebrates positive relationships between people, families, nature, and the higher beings, acknowledging that all of these things bring light to the year. Thousands of colored lanterns decorate homes, businesses, and streets. The lighted lanterns bring good fortune and families celebrate by eating glutinous rice balls and spending time together.

Rituals/Traditions

Red envelopes full of money bring luck (for children, this is the most exciting part of the holiday)
Gift exchanges among family and friends
Fireworks (this tradition began as early as the Wei Dynasty (220-265 BC)
Mandarin oranges – the most popular and abundant fruit during Chinese New Year – symbolizing luck or fortune
Food eaten during celebrations carry symbolism – noodles (long life), sweets (colored red or black), taro cakes, bakkwa (salty-sweet dried meat), turnip cakes, dumplings (prosperity), leek (calculating), fish, Buddha’s delight (prosperity), melon seed (brings fertility)
Open air markets and fairs sell flowers, toys, clothing for new years gifts and decorations
Shou Sui is the New Year’s Eve family dinner when people stay up until midnight to celebrate the tradition of scaring the mythical beast called “Year” which is afraid of red color, fire, and loud sound.

Red decorations symbolize the luck of the new year!

Additional Resources

http://chinesefood.about.com/od/foodandchineseculture/tp/Chinese-New-Year-Calendar-2013.htm

http://www.chinesenewyears.info/chinese-new-year-activities.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_New_Year#Festivities

This month, I have been hosting a book club in the Pride Center on Wednesdays from 12-1 to discuss the book Faitheist by Chris Stedman. 25-year old Stedman tells the story of his journey from a family that he names “irreligious” through coming out as queer in an Evangelical Christian environment, to finally settling into his identity as an atheist humanist that engages in the interfaith movement. As the current Assistant Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University, Stedman highlights the need for interfaith cooperation in order to establish significant change in our diverse world.

I was drawn to Faitheist for several reasons. First, I met Chris this last summer and he is a generous, energized, gracious person. He is an atheist that validates the importance of faith and invites relationships around him to be honest and safe. Second, the number of Americans who identify as religiously unaffiliated is rising to be as many as 20% of the entire adult population. How do we recognize this rising population in higher education? Specifically within student affairs, how do we care for students and help them through this process of atheist identity development?

As an individual who identifies as religious, I recognize that there are certain privileges that I have in our society that “the nones” do not. In our government, it is the common practice for people to swear into office by placing their hands on a holy book. In movies and media, it is often a religious individual who sagely gives wise advice to a hero or provides a safe place for refuge. For many people who identify as atheist, going through the identity development process is incredibly painful and difficult within their social structures. Atheist student identity development has been paralleled to the marginalization that the LGB community experiences, feeling they are an invisible minority group that often has to hide their identity to protect themselves.

Fatheist prompts conversations of how the religious and the unaffiliated can engage in meaningful relationships through the collaborative action of community service, finding common ground in their desire to express their values through helping others. As I continue to develop as a student affairs professional, I want to know how to come alongside students who do not share my identities. I believe that the Faitheist book club is both a place of personal growth for me, as well as a caveat for beginning interfaith conversations on campus that recognize “interfaith” as an inclusive word for all spiritual, humanist, scientific, and religious identities.

Chris Stedman is coming to campus on February 20th to talk about his book and the interfaith youth movement. Join us in The Valley Library Rotunda on Wednesday, Feb 20th from 6-8pm. Click here to read a bit more about the event and to find out more about the Faitheist book club.

– Hannah Pynn

Graduate Assistant, Office of the Dean of Student Life

College Student Services Administration Masters Program

December 8, 2012 celebrates the Buddhist holiday of Bodhi Day.

Context

The Buddhist holiday Bodhi day celebrates the day that the historic Buddha, Siddartha Gautauma, achieved enlightenment through meditation. Bodhi is the word for enlightenment in Sanskrit.

Significance

Traditions vary in describing the events of how and when Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment, but it is general belief that he went through this process while sitting under a Bodhi tree and became the “Awakened One.” Buddha’s enlightenment has been the central article of the Buddhist faith for 2,500 years. Around the year 596 BCE, Siddhartha Gautama abandoned his privileged, royal life to search for Dharma (the truth). For six years, Siddartha Gautama realized that meditation was the way to achieve truth. After 49 days of unbroken meditation, he discovered the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path, which are the basic elements of all Buddhist practices.

The Bodhi Tree still grows near the banks of the Falgu River and has been surrounded by a temple for over 2,200 years. This site is the most sacred site of pilgrimage for Buddhists.

Rituals/Traditions

Day-long meditation, prayer and study
30 days, beginning with Bodhi day, Buddhists bring a ficus or sacred fit tree to their house
Decorating with ornaments that represent the Three Jewels: the Buddha, the Dharma (the way of truth), and the Sangha (the community of those seeking enlightenment)
Eating a morning meal of milk and rice, which the Buddha ate to end his fast after his Enlightenment
Light candles for 30 days to represent Buddha’s enlightenment
Decorate with fig leaves or origami fig leaves that represent a heart shape

Additional Resources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gautama#Awakening

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lewis-richmond/celebrating-bodhi-day-for-the-21st-century_b_2254289.html

http://davidvictorvector.blogspot.com/2012/12/bodhi-day-2012.html

Dean of Student Life

Author Archives: Hannah Pynn

Holidays and Holy Days – Khordad Sal (Zoroastrianism)

March 26th, 2013 is the Zoroastrianism holiday Khordad Sal.

Context

Significance

Rituals/Traditions

Additional Resources

Holidays and Holy Days – Passover/Pesach (Jewish)

March 26th, 2013 is the beginning of Passover/Pesach (beginning at sundown the night before).

Context

Significance

Rituals/Traditions

Additional Resources

Holidays and Holy Days – Palm Sunday (Christian/Catholic)

March 24th, 2013 is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week before Easter.

Context

Significance

Holidays and Holy Days – Nowrūz (Zoroastrian)

March 21st, 2013 is Nowrūz, the Iranian/Persian New Year and the most important Zoroastrian holiday.

Context

Significance

Holidays and Holy Days – Nineteen-Day Fast (Bahá’í)

March 2-20th, 2013 is the Nineteen-Day Fast of the Bahá’í faith.

Context

Holidays and Holy Days – Purim (Jewish)

February 23rd-24th, 2013 is Purim, a Jewish holiday beginning at sundown.

Context

Holidays and Holy Days – Ash Wednesday (Christian/Catholic)

February 13th is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent.

Context

Holidays and Holy Days – Chinese New Year

February 10th begins the celebration of the Lunar New Year.

Faitheist

Holidays and Holy Days – Bodhi Day (Buddhist)

December 8, 2012 celebrates the Buddhist holiday of Bodhi Day.

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