Past, Present and Future...
2011 MFC - Celebrating Diversity
We are each unique. Yet we are all one. The great truths of the universe are often not captured in simple one-sided statements. More often than not, it takes the complexity of dualistic pairs of opposites to truly encompass the whole. Think: night and day. Yin and yang. Unity and diversity. We cannot understand the whole without understanding its opposite sides. And so it is with faith. We only fully understand ourselves by learning to embrace others.
The 2011 Multifaith Calendar is dedicated to celebrating the amazing diversity of life. Within all faiths, there is a truth that belongs to no one and to everyone. It is the soul of goodness, the heart of kindness, the wisdom of the ancients. It is in our hearts, minds and souls, no matter where we live or what faith we practice. We honour this diversity and we celebrate it in each other. It is these many faces of the Divine that we feature and highlight in our 25th anniversary Calendar.
Additional information on the 2011 MFC cover art.
2012 MFC - Heart and Soul
What touches our hearts and moves our souls? Is it the face of a sleeping child? Is it the prayer that rises in our heart and sends us to our knees? Is it the smile of a close friend or the beauty of a still and silent forest?
Surely, to each and every heart, the movements of our soul are mysterious. It is like a dancing light we catch glimpses of, yet ever races ahead of us, waiting for us to follow. We can’t explain it. Words often fail. Yet, we all know when our hearts have been touched and our souls have been moved. It is as instinctual as breathing.
The 2012 Multifaith Calendar explores the many ways our hearts and souls are delighted, expanded, illuminated and shared.
... And The Great Circle of Life
The Ancient Mayas believed that life was cyclical instead of linear. Therefore if they knew the past, they could in essence predict the future. A lot has been said about the Maya’s prediction that the winter solstice December 21, 2012 is the end of a great cycle that was 1,872,000 days or over 5000 years in length. The turning of this great cycle held significance to the Maya. They foretold of catastrophes but also of a new beginning and a chance for a spiritual evolution for mankind.
2012 MFC cover art.
Here is how the Hopi Nation, who used the Maya calendar, talked about this special time...
“At this time in history, we are to take nothing personal. Least of all, ourselves. For the moment that we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt. The time of the lone wolf is over. Gather yourselves! Banish the word struggle from your attitude and vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.”
Oraibi, Arizona, Hopi Nation
About The Multifaith Calendar.....The Multifaith Calendar is published annually by the Multifaith Action Society. All content and textual information is presented to support better understandings of religious and cultural traditions. A note of thanks to the 80 + artists whose work we reviewed this year.
We are proudly entering our 26th year of the Calendar. MAS wish to acknowledge the hard work of the many people involved in our production, particularly our MFC Working Group and the invaluable volunteers who add to the quality and integrity of this product.
