January 1 is an arbitrary date… be gentle with yourself

However you feel the New Year, you’re not alone. Everyone I talk to these days is having a different experience with the transition into this new year. Some are energized and excited by the potential of a new beginning. But more seem to feel the pressure of “capitalizing” on the new beginning - shoulding on themselves about how they should feel or what they should do… 

I keep reminding myself to be gentle… to be gentle with myself, to remember that winter is supposed to be a quiet and slow season of integration and rest. And that technically January 1 is just a date on a calendar.* But, no matter how arbitrary, the new year can also provide an opportunity for connection, reflection and intention (if we want it).  

Part of the rub you may be feeling is that “New Year” doesn’t fit with the cycle of the earth or our bodies in the Northern Hemisphere…

If we were living more in connection with the cycles of the earth, and the rhythms our bodies experience as well, I believe a New Year would ideally start with the welcome of Spring, when after a winter’s rest, life really begins anew. That is the energetic time of beginnings, so why isn’t it the beginning of our year? Instead it is in the middle of winter when our bodies and the world are meant to be resting.

There ARE actually calendars that begin on the Spring Equinox, like the Baháʼí calendar. And for 3500 years, the new year in China is on the second new moon following the winter solstice (usually in late January or early February), which marks the start of Spring.

*Which begs the question… Why is January 1 the “New Year” - who chose that? 🤔

Turns out… there’s a bit of history to that:

Ancient Rome: 10 Months + long winter

The widely-used Gregorian Calendar officially went into effect in 1582, but its origins are in Ancient Rome. In 730 BC, the first king of Rome established a calendar of months based on the lunar cycles. The calendar year “started” in Martius (which became March) because it was when the new consul - the highest elected officials - took power. So, it was a political thing. Interestingly, that calendar only had 10 months and had an “unassigned” period between years in the winter… basically there was no calendar during the winter - talk about hygge! 

Add 2 months + January start to political terms

In the 600s BC, another King added 50 days to cover the winter period and divided the year evenly into 12 months (adding two months). One of the months added was Ianuarius (January) which was dedicated to the god of beginnings, and around 150 BC, the inauguration of new consuls had moved to that month. Again - political.    

Solar Correction Attempt #1: Leap months sometimes

Because the Roman calendar was lunar based, the calendar didn’t align with the rotation of the earth around the sun, and the seasons wouldn’t line up. So an additional month was sometimes added to stay on track. (Note: this is a similar practice to the hebrew calendar - it adds a leap month in 7 out of 19 years following a specific cycle).

Solar Correction Attempt #2: Leap years introduced

In 46 BC, Julius Caesar sought counsel from astronomers and mathematicians to create a solar calendar. What resulted was the Julian calendar - it introduced leap years with an extra day added every four years and set January 1 as the political New Year. Much of Christian-dominant Europe adapted this calendar although some considered Christmas Day the start of the “New Year” and others considered it to be on March 25th, the day it was believed Mary was visited by the Angel Gabriel and Jesus was conceived (as I mentioned in my video about Christmas - this may be one of the reasons Christmas is on December 25th). That day also lines up closely with Spring Equinox/start of Spring…

Solar Correction Attempt #3: Leap years adjusted & January 1 Official New Year

But there was still one small issue with the Julian calendar - it overestimated the length of a solar year by about 11 minutes. So, by the 1570s, the calendar was off the solar cycle by 10 days. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII “fixed” the calendar with the very specific formula that no centurial year (i.e. 1700) gets the extra leap day unless the year is divisible by 400 (i.e. 2000). And, the Gregorian calendar formalized Jan. 1 as the start of the new year. 

So, to sum it all up…

2600+ years ago, a Roman King added two extra months to a calendar, dedicated one of them to the god of beginnings and decided that’s when political terms should start. It continued to be the “political new year” and eventually calendars adopted that start date. That’s why the New Year is on January 1… 

I’d say that timing is pretty arbitrary, wouldn’t you? 

How different would it feel to you if the New Year happened at the beginning of Spring for example? Can you imagine feeling different about celebrating, honoring and being intentional around the “New Year”? If so, consider giving yourself a huge break right now. In fact, now matter how you feel about the timing of “New Year,” give yourself a huge break. Be gentle, let yourself ease into the year and wrap yourself up in tenderness, especially if you’re feeling any pressure about this time of year.

May your days be filled with ease, gentleness, connection and intention. Sending you love. 

Rev Dev
The Connected Way™
www.theconnectedway.com