A few years ago they almost moved Easter. In the early 1900s, leaders from around the world convened to explore simplifying the calendar. Among other things they considered changing the dates of major religious holidays, particularly the date for Easter which moves every year. The discussions brought together politicians, church leaders, historians, and astronomers among other experts.
Astronomers?
On its face astronomy might not seem like the most obvious resource for setting a religious calendar, but dig a level deeper and it becomes obvious. Our sense of time is fundamentally based on the movement of the planets. Among other things we set our watches and calendars according to the rotation of the earth around its axis, our orbit around the sun, and the movement of the moon.
As entrepreneurs we tend to think of time in terms of the vanishing white space on our calendar and the precisely ordered milliseconds that tick by on our smartphones. In some ways they are illusions. They obscure the truth that our sense of time and place is governed in powerful and fundamental ways by our planet’s movement in space.
The New Year holiday isn’t an accident (at least for the northern hemisphere). It marks a time of rebirth as we emerge from the darkest day of the December solstice, embarking on another silent and stunningly speedy journey around our sun. The days will progressively lighten over the coming months, bringing renewal and unimagined potential.
Even in this time of sparse gray chill, the promise of the year ahead calls brilliantly to us when we listen for it. We know in our bones that this is a time of intention and aiming. That if we set our course mindfully, we can land somewhere beyond where circumstances might otherwise take us.
Astronomy reminds us that our calendars aren’t reality. If the date for Easter can change, so can anything. When we look for inspiration and connection, we’ll likely have better luck looking up to the heavens than down to our screens. As you chart the course for your next journey around the sun, consider:
- What worked last year?
- What didn’t work last year?
- What calls you in 2022? (A quick side note on callings: the most interesting ones are those that you least want to hear or are resisting the most.)
PS There’s still time to register for the Netcito Member Retreat. It’s a unique opportunity to build on the creativity and energy of fellow entrepreneurs to set course for an inspired year ahead.
PPS Here’s a link to Simplification of the Calendar House Hearings if you’re interested in learning more about how they almost moved Easter.