January Meaning and Symbolism

January Meaning and Symbolism
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January
can be a tough time for some of us who are profoundly affected by the
seasons of our planet. It has to do with ancient themes of both hibernation as well as emergence from deep withdrawal.
I
love pulling on the threads of myth and old legend for symbolic answers
about our environment, including the flavors and personality traits of
the seasons and the months of the year. One such thread to pull in our
exploration of January meaning and symbolism is from Roman mythology.
Janus, specifically. He's the Roman god of doors, doorways, arches,
openings, closings and the like. Many of you may remember Janus as the
'two-faced' god (or two heads, depending on your source of reference). I
like this imagery very much because January is replete with paradoxes, and the prime paradox I've mentioned - namely, the interplay between reclusiveness and emergence.
The
month of January was named after Janus for his ability to turn one face
to reflect upon the past and a yet another face freshly pointed upon
the future. This is so appropriate. January marks the new year for
most of us humans. A new beginning. Every beginning prompts us to
thoughtfully consider past events that have accumulated to this present
moment. Each of our moments stack up, one upon the other only to
meet our present day, and then these moments unfold into our future.
Janus, with all his hindsight and foresight opens doors of both
reflection of our past and contemplation of our future.
In
essence, the god Janus is kind of a bellhop or doorman for the mansions
within our soul. Before us and behind us are endless doorways of
potential and possibilities. Janus is privy to all of these potentials,
and January proposes a perfect alignment of energies that allow the
opening of all these doors so we may view the contents (insights,
possibilities, reflections) inside.
I'll take this a step
further and encourage you to initiate your own meditative practice in
which Janus might assist you with clarity about your potentials. Here's
an example of one such meditation I ask my meditation students to try
for clarification on their own personal January meaning and symbolism:
Janus Meditation for Reflecting on Doorways into the Old and the New

• Move
  into your deeper, innermost concentric circles of awareness by
  breathing, calming and settling yourself into an alpha state.


• Once
  you're in your space of deep, meditative suspension, visualize a
  revolving door - like the kind you might see at the Peabody, the
  Fairmont, or some other uber-posh hotel.


• This is a door exclusive to you, and its propulsion is prompted by Janus, your guide in this meditation.


• Pay
  close attention to this revolving door. Note the reflective glass, and
  the shimmery brass-work of the doorframe. Take stock of all the
  intricate details in your vision.


• In this free-fall of meditative bliss, reach out your hand and give your revolving door a spin.


• Round
  and round the door turns, the glass spinning off shards of luminous
  light with each revolution, the metal framework glimmers - become
  hypnotized by each revolution of this January door of potential.


• Hold
  a clear intention in your consciousness to either see clarity into your
  future, or gain perspective from your past. Keep this intention clear
  as you continue to become mesmerized by the rotations of your door.


• Now
  your revolving door begins to slow in its spinning, and you will begin
  to see one glass pane stand still in the center of your vision.


• At
  this point, (ideally) you should see reflections from your cosmic
  knowing within the doorway that stopped at the center of your view.


• Lightly
  contemplate the imagery dancing within the glass of the door. Or,
  perhaps your revolving door is wooden - see if you can discern images
  within the wood grain of your door. Look on with wonder at each detail
  within and around the door that has stopped at the center of your view.


• If you're stuck, ask Janus, the god of doorways to clue you in on what you're seeing and what it means.


• Always
  take notes about your visions once you surfaced out of your meditation.
  Consult your notes throughout the days ahead. Odds are the pieces
  come together and your meditative visions become more clear with a
  little concentrated contemplation each day. In time, the answers begin
  to formulate.

My meditation students and I have had
remarkable success at intuiting future events for the current year and
determining personal January meanings with this Janus meditation.
Other highlights for January meaning and symbolism:
Garnet:
The garnet is the a semi-precious stone whose energies govern the month of January. The term garnet comes from the Latin granatus which means "seed-like". I dig that, especially in conjunction with the theme of January. January is all about sowing seeds (ideas, goals, new year's resolutions, etc) and nurturing them
throughout the year. The garnet comes in many colors, but it's most
commonly admired in bright sanguine, crimsons and cheerful reds. This
too is a correlation. The month of January sparks of a procession of
increasing light (at least for the northern hemisphere). With each
passing day after the winter solstice (in December)
we begin to see the light of the sun linger longer in our views. Don
garnets as a reminder of the return of the Light into your spiritual
life, as well as a poignant reminder of the brilliant seeds you shall
sow and see to fruition this year. I've written some thoughts about seed symbolism here if you're interested.Garnet image credit: Genista on Flickr
 Wolf Moon:
Many Native American tribes attribute natural wisdom and phenomenon to
the personality of each month. This was done in a number of ways, but
primarily, these nature-savvy people observed heightened activity, or
key occurrences within their environment to give them a grasp on the
flavor of the season or month. The Native moon for each month marked significance and predispositions for each phase of the year.
Northeastern tribes such as the Iroquois and Algonquin dubbed the month
of January as the Wolf moon month (or the Cold moon month). This is
because Wolves experience a high point in their behavior this time of
year. In their region (northeast America and adjacent Canada), Wolves
endure some of the most brutally chilling conditions of the year in
January. For many wild creatures, the frigid conditions can be
merciless, and maintaining their wellbeing is a daily struggle. Wolves,
however, are an opportunistic clan, and other creatures who fall victim
to winter's clutches are easy pickin' for a wolfy lunch. Wolves bellow
their mightiest howls in January - it's a call to the clarity of the
moon, a call echoing out through the crystal icelands of winter, a call
heralding their dominance this time of year. If the gray, cold days of
January get you down, invoke the Wolf as a totem of superiority, and
victory over the brittle chill. Let out a grand howl yourself, and let
your rebel yell serve as notice that you are here, you are noble, and you are fully capable of conquering whatever perceived avalanche may be in your way this January. Read more about January symbolism and meaning of the Wolf Moon here (on my blog).
 Carnation:
This flower has a long symbolic history of representing remembrance,
innocence, faith and tenderness. In Christian myth and legend, the
carnation is sometimes referred to as "the rejoicing flower" because
ancient rumor holds the carnation was first seen on earth at the time of
Christ's birth. I like this connection even more when I consider the
word carnation comes from the Latin root carnis which means
"flesh" (as in the flesh-color of the flower). This ties in with the
body of Christ made manifest on this planet, and births a whole realm of
symbolic meanings like: Blooming consciousness, unfolding the petals of
potential in this physical form, breathing new life into the world,
germinating a heightened sense of love and compassion. The carnation has
been around for more than 2000 years, and has been utilized to lift
one's spirits for almost as long in homeopathic/medicinal circles.
Teas, tinctures, and foods have been crafted with carnations as a spice -
all to enhance the mood and reduce melancholy. Give it a try yourself.
If the January chill gives you the blues, snatch up a bouquet of
carnations from your local florist. They are relatively inexpensive,
and they are guaranteed to lift your spirits on the most gloomy winter
day. Read about Carnation Zodiac symbolism here.
I
hope you have enjoyed these highlights regarding January meaning and
symbolism. To be sure, it's not the easiest of months to endure (at
least, it's a challenge for me), but with these soulful reminders, I
trust you can keep your bearings through the snow storms of life this
month, and remember the Light always shines brightest when we keep it
focused in our sight.
More info on the god Janus (on Wikipedia)

Gemstone Symbolism of the Zodiac

Gemstone Meanings and the Tarot (on my Tarot site)

January Meaning of the Wolf Moon (on my blog)

Native American Monthly Moon Names

Native American Moon Signs

Flower Zodiac Signs

Symbolism of the Seasons (on my TokenRock blog)
January 21 - February 18, 2011 -- Sun in Aquarius
Happy Birthday to the Aquarius Readers!
Sun in Aquarius Wikipedia
JANUARY 2011
Commemorative Events in January
January 20-30 - Sundance Film Festival
January 26 - Australia Day