Calendar

(Revision as of 01:02, 7 Oct 2004)

Table of contents

1 Days and Dates

1.1 Examples

2 Years

2.1 Notation
2.2 Examples
2.3 Symbolism

3 Other Considerations

3.1 Common Calendar Notation
3.2 Nomenclature
3.3 Notation after the First Docosazenzicade

Days and Dates

Dates and times are recorded using the typical notation of Astrology, indicating the positions of the Sun and Moon in the Tropical zodiac. The more precisely their positions are noted, the more precisely the time will be known. The day of the week is also recorded in Latin

The Moon takes about 2.3 days to move through a zodiacal sign. So, for example, indicating that the Sun is in Taurus and the Moon is in Pisces gives a range of time of slightly more than two standard days. Recording the day of the week eliminates the possibility of uncertainty about the day referred to. In addition, more precision can be had by indicating the degrees, minutes, and seconds of the position of the Sun and Moon.

Examples

The following are examples of accepted ways to record the same Thelemic date, beginning with the most precise.

Sol 22°13'5" Taurus, Luna 29°6'19" Pisces, dies Saturnii
Sol 22°13' Taurus, Luna 29°6' Pisces, dies Saturnii
Sol 22° Taurus, Luna 29° Pisces, dies Saturnii
Sol in Taurus, Luna in Pisces, dies Saturnii
Sol in Taurus, Luna in Pisces

Years

The Thelemic Calendar begins in 1904 e.v., the year in which Aleister Crowley received The Book of the Law and inaugurated the New Aeon. Each Thelemic year starts on the northern-hemisphere Vernal Equinox, coinciding with the Thelemic Holiday called The Feast for the Equinox of the Gods, often observed on March 20th of the common calendar.

Notation

Thelemic years are counted in a modular fashion, by twenty-two. A twenty-two year period has been called by some Thelemites a "docosade."

The rightmost number gives a count of the years since the start of the current docosade; the next number, the count of docosades since 1904. Each number counts from zero to twenty-two. Traditionally the non-zero numbers are written in Roman numerals with docosades written in capitals, and years written in lowercase. Other forms include separating the numbers with a colon, or writing one in Roman numerals and the other in Arabic numerals.

The number of the year is predeeded by the term "Anno," meaning year, and/or it may be followed by "e.n." This is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase, era novis, or "new era."

Examples

The following are examples of accepted ways to record the Thelemic year, given the common date shown.

1996 e.v. (after the Vernal Equinox) -- IViv e.n.
1992 e.v. (after the Vernal Equinox) -- Anno IV:0.
December, 2004 e.v. -- Anno IV:xii.
January, 2005 e.v. -- Anno IV:xii.
April, 2005 e.v. -- Anno IVxiii e.n.

Symbolism

By apparent design, the twenty-two modulus corresponds to the number of Trumps in the Tarot. Many Thelemites take note of this correspondence by explicitly associating the year, and the docosade, to a Tarot Trump. For example, Anno IV:xii could be referred to as "The docosade of the Emperor, and the year of the Hanged Man."

Other Considerations

Common Calendar Notation

When giving dates in the common calendar, Thelemites will often append "e.v." This is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase "era vulgaris," or "common era."

Nomenclature

While the term "docosade" has been recently in usage, it remains to be seen what term will be used for the period of twenty-two docosades, i.e., 484 years. One possible name for this period would be "docosazenzicade," the roots of which break down to "twenty-two squared."

Notation after the First Docosazenzicade

Presumably, after 484 years, year notation would follow typical modulus counting method by simply adding another number on the left side of the notation. e.g., Anno IV:III:ix for the year 3915 e.v.

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