The Assyrian Akitu year is a reflection of the image of the universe on Earth
The great cultures that founded civilizations scatter their seeds, their fruits roll over time, and are immortalized in the present in the brightest and most elegant images.
Introduction to the topic :-
The value of the authentic identity of Bayt al-Nahrain Iraq is enhanced by its possession of the greatest universal heritage, the ceremonial details of which are practiced annually, as the Akito Festival is the oldest New Year celebration in the world. The Iraqi person in general and the Assyrian person in particular, who is emotionally and emotionally connected to cultural origins, is able to invest the points of light of distinguished cultural creativity to build a productive personality for the future. By reviewing the religious, cultural and historical heritage of the various Iraqi segments and components, we discover in general that they all inherited the ancient Iraqi civilizations from Sumer, Akkad, Babylon and Assyria in one way or another.
As Assyrians, we still suffer from alienation and fatigue when seeking to truly understand the meanings of the true origins of our heritage occasions, but there is also a major problem in that Neo-Assyrian history - like the history of the ancient Near East in general - is still widely viewed through Western lenses and wrapped in... Western terminology.
. Most studies depend on traditional, classical sources, which also need to be reviewed and analyzed independently in study and research, and in search engines on the Internet and artificial intelligence, to cover all efforts and in various languages.
The Akitu festival of the Assyrians and Babylonians was held in the spring, marking the rebirth of nature, confirming royal legitimacy with the support of divine authority, and securing the lives and fate of the people for the coming year with the annual agricultural rhythm synchronized with preparation, plowing of the soil, and cultivation. The festival begins on the first day of the month of April (Nisano), which coincides with the month of April, and lasts for 12 days depending on the number of solar months of the year, and the number of sky constellations (lucky signs), and it traditionally represents the beginning of the year because it follows the vernal equinox.
Akitu Gate: The gateway to the green new year. The struggle of Pisces and Aries
Akito ( joy at the arrival of a new year) begins on March 21 and continues until April 1, when offerings and vows are made, and festive processions take place. The people begin to celebrate the arrival of spring with popular, inherited songs. It was a holiday for the Sumerians and Babylonians, all the way to the Assyrians, and even for the peoples of the entire world at that time. On the ninth and tenth days, the ancestors (and some contemporaries as well) would hang bouquets of roses and green wheat ears of grass on the doors so that the gods and their benevolent powers would recognize them. It roams around the cities and villages to reward them in the new year, and to punish those who are reluctant to celebrate and those who do not believe in it, who did not celebrate and hung the bouquet (dakna dennisen) on the doors!
In a metaphor identical to the mythical account of the conflict, or rather its role in determining destinies and destinies, the lunar eclipse, which lasted for about three hours, was likened to the whale’s attempts to swallow the moon and block its light, in order to destroy the saviour and saviour of humanity, who took many names such as (the Lamb, Tammuz, Marduk, Assyria, Ninurta, and the names Many other gods and kings who dedicated themselves to freedom and the good of peoples.
During the period of danger surrounding the saviour coinciding with the eclipse, the people, alarmed and worried about the fate of the saviour ruling king, go out and bang on tools and metal household utensils to issue loud annoying noises to frighten the whale, according to their beliefs, which forms a crescent in the form of an open mouth, chanting in the meaning of, “His whale, O carved one... guide our vessel.” High!), and the trend of anxiety and alarm increases exponentially, when the moon enters the horizon (the shadow of the Earth), carrying with it the wounds of the rescuer, and its colour turns to yellowish red (the colour of blood). Let the whale move away terrified (at the end of the eclipse), and stop trying to swallow and devour the king who emerges from the underworld and is saved from the hands of Tiamat, the gods of hell, with the help of Ishtar (the morning star, Venus), who approaches the crescent to rid Tammuz (or Jonah in the biblical narrative) of Whale spout! May joy, celebration, and prosperity return, and may goodness and prosperity prevail.
Religious festivals between religion and politics
Since there was no clear concept of separation between religion and politics in the Assyrian state, festivals served political and societal purposes in uniting the king's subjects when honouring a deity, and in the case of the Akitu festival, legitimizing the king's rule through public appearances in which all participated for the approval of the patron deity. Of his wisdom. Festivals are celebrated throughout the year for several reasons, including the New Year, the birthdays of the gods, and events that determine their fate and the fate of the king and commoners.
Accordingly, Marduk received special superior credit during the Akito Festival. The birth of the new year itself was seen as ritually linked to the original creation of the universe and the restoration of the stars to their original positions by Marduk, who gave the symbolic tablet of destinies to the king, who established him anew as the supreme authority in Babylon where the gods determined the fate of the entire world and humanity. One day of the festival was marked by a ceremonial reading of Enuma Elish. It is also possible to re-enact this epic symbolically in a ritual performance. At a certain stage of the festival, the king enters the temple of Marduk, known as Esakila (Ish Gal - the Transcendent One), which is the Tower of Babel built by the gods, as its peak reaches the clouds according to what was believed in ancient times. Therefore, talk about the rebirth of nature in April, Immediately after the harvest, it is a responsible and deep matter in the collective conscience of the people, and an important established ideological practice, as processions symbolize the community’s participation in the victory that occurs in nature, and Marduk’s destruction of chaos and the control of darkness and evil is renewed. To determine the fate of the kingdom, the king and the people. For example, George Rowe, describing it in more precise terms, asks, Does God's death, resurrection, and struggle in such a dramatic way parallel his struggle against and victory over cosmic chaotic forces? The answer is definitely yes.
The Babylonian epic of creation, known as Enuma Elish, played an important role during the Akitu Festival. It describes how Marduk set the universe in motion and determined the rhythm of the calendar. One day was devoted to reading the Enuma Elish. This epic may also have been symbolically re-enacted in ritual performance... from a festival to a solemn reset of the annual calendar in accordance with the solar cycle. Enuma Elish The Babylonian epic of creation, Enuma Elish, describes how Marduk set the entire universe in motion and set the rhythm of the calendar. The doctrine of the universe and cosmogony is also remembered through the recitation of Enuma Elish, which tells the story of primordial events. That is, they see that Akito is a fertility festival related to worship and collective mourning (the rituals of the god Tammuz represent it) and his descent into the underworld, the world of death, and the resulting crying, wailing, slapping of heads and cheeks, scattering ashes, and tearing of clothes, to the point of collective orgy, and other customs that are intended Begging and praying to save the Savior God from hell, because with his return and his blood spilled around in the form of red flowers (anemones), humanity will be revived and agricultural production will improve.
The ceremonial practices took place in the temples built on a belief that believed in the control and control of the divine trinity, which expresses the basic elements (air, earth, and water), which are Anu, Enlil, and Enki, respectively, and the rejection of the fourth element, fire (Tiamat - ܬܝܡܐ - death), in addition to her sister Ishtar - Inanna, and these celebrations It is among the oldest rituals that showed the character of the dying and resurrecting god (Tammuz), which scholars today know as ceremonial mourning rituals in which the god dies and returns to life, ensuring fertility and prosperity. Since the Babylonians established their state, a tendency toward monotheism began to appear, and the Trinity was viewed with reverence. There is another trinity: Sin, the moon god, Shamash, the sun god, and Ishtar, the goddess of the planet Venus, who is the great mother and source of life.
An attempt to modernize the understanding of Akito... Assyrian concepts, lessons and lessons learned.
To establish the main lines in comparing the present with the practices of the past, we find:
1- Practicing democracy and the humility of the ruler: In the most elegant manifestations that are consistent with democracy according to the contemporary concept, we find that when (the king) arrives to attend the festival, the high priest leaves and removes from him the crown of kingship, the sceptre, the ring, and the staff, which are signs of legitimacy. Then he collects them and places them on a pedestal in front of the god Bel and the constellation Jupiter.
He slaps the king's cheek. He drags him behind him by the ear and brings him before Bill. He is forced to kneel on the ground.
The king replies: I have not sinned, Lord of all lands! I have not neglected your divinity! I did not destroy Babylon! I did not order it to be solved! And I respected the Temple of Elishakel! I have not forgotten her rituals! And I did not hit anyone under my protection on the cheek! . . I did not underestimate them! And you protected the walls of Babylon! I did not demolish its external fortifications.
After this ritual, if the repentant king's tears are shed, the gods are satisfied with him. If the tears don't flow, Bill is angry. Therefore, the state is under the threat of enemy attacks and the prediction of the fall of the king. In the end, royal legitimacy is confirmed and blessed by the priests and before the eyes of the people. After the High Priest delivers his speech, the king preserves his dignity. To regain the scepter and crown and return to the throne.
He participates in harvest campaigns with the general public. The celebrations ended with the completion and consecration of the system in the palace and the main temples such as the Ishtar Gate, the Akitu, the Ishgala, and the Izida.
There is another matter, which is still the focus of studies and research by scholars of comparative religions and religious historians, who tend to compare the rituals of the Feast of Akitu and other legendary texts related to Tammuz, Marduk, and Ibn al-Wahid (Assyria), where you descend into the underworld and are subjected to bad treatment by the evil forces there. Before he comes back to life again and turns from an angry victim carrying sins to a saviour who appears to fight chaos and the forces of destruction. Researcher Luigi Cagni has collected accounts of all the theories offered by scholars regarding the interpretation of this very interesting document, which he called “The Death” and “The Supposed Resurrection of Tammuz and Marduk.” Is this a description of a ritual that can be compared to the death and resurrection of Christ, even remotely? Or was it by the will of the Creator to show the first signs that paved the way for the human mind to believe and acknowledge the coming of Christ the Savior!?
2- The regular relationship between religion and politics: It is possible to accurately observe the cohesion, organic connection and even fusion between the religious institution and the ruling authority and what we can consider the state institution. We must benefit from this fact and remove the stagnation and imaginary barriers between our churches and priests regarding what is nationally and organizationally interactive, and move towards what is useful and fruitful by organizing the relationship between them, and not monopolizing national work and isolating it completely from the religious institution that has succeeded to a great extent in managing our societies in At home and in the diaspora, and therefore advocates of national and patriotic political action must reject everything that offends the priests and believers, including excessive and sometimes meaningless abuse, i.e. just throwing stones and venting one’s narcissistic and sadistic self. It is better not to fall victim to the influence of hatred, love, and preconceived attitudes, and to rely on understanding and perception to obtain complete information to make the right decision and action.
This is based on two facts that cannot be ignored according to the recent past:
The first is that many of those who practiced national work were active members in church youth committees before they turned to practicing national social, institutional or party work. The second is that most of the church priests are believers in our national identity and our stolen rights, and they are also interested in preserving our religious beliefs, language, and existence. They have their own style of expression and communication, and it is not supposed to match completely with national politicians, and it is unfair for us to interfere in their affairs. We define for them the nature of their work and the details. As long as it does not cross the red lines that harm national and social interests. Differences should not lead to disagreement through permanent communication and coordination.
Finally, for your information, the faith heritage of our Eastern Church does not contradict at all the cultural heritage of the Mesopotamian civilization of Iraq, from Sumer, through Akkad and Babylon, to Assyria. Meaning that our national identity is compatible and cross-fertilized with religious identity, as God created signs, tidings, and evidence before the ancient mind and conscience as a prelude, preparation, and readiness for the religious calls, beliefs, and practices of faith to come, and a common language must be found to regulate the relationship, not cancellation and distancing. How great it is for the national body to interact and harmonize with the spirit of faith positively and in an eloquent common language, inspired by the biographies of post-Christian greats such as Bardaisan, Tattianus, Melpana Ephrem and others, and the biography of our Eastern Church and the stories of the martyrs and the struggle for survival and existence. Is it possible to address this task?
Third - Towards the process of self-understanding of our universal heritage in general and Akitu in particular.
A ) - The tasks and roles of the astrological signs in belief and predictions:-
The ancient philosophers and astrologers divided everything on earth into four parts, which they called the elements or essences, and called them fire, earth, air, and water. They also divided the celestial bodies into those elements or essences, especially the constellations, the planets, the sun, and the moon. The signs of the zodiac were called triangles or trigrams. The fire signs are Aries, Leo, and Sagittarius. The earth signs are Taurus, Virgo, and Capricorn. The air signs are Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius, and the water signs are Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces.
Thus, the four elements and signs alternate, and their influence occurs throughout the year, three times periodically during the twelve months. This led the priests to believe in the importance of praying to the powers inherent in these elements residing in the towers of the sky, and the months of the year to bless and guard important cities such as Nineveh, Assyria, Kalkhu, and Arbailu. The image of the towers of the sky is simulated on Earth through the Akito Festival with its twelve days, and the emphasis on purification by sprinkling Water, the use of fire using incense burners and torches, jumping over the fire in order to cleanse the soul of sins, and the practice of sacrificing bulls and sheep representing the element or the earthen tower, and the blood of shed sacrifices indicates life and is considered a fifth element.
B ) - Akito and basic elements :-
According to the Babylonian-Assyrian calendar, the Akitu festival (Rish Shitu) represents the celebration of the participation of the elements (water, fire, earth, and air) of the three months and their signs (Pisces, Aries, Taurus, and Gemini), which control the destinies of people in the months:
* March: It is the last month of the past year and represents the water sign of Pisces, which tries to prevent the arrival of the new year so that chaos, drought, and darkness continue.! According to legend.
* Nisan: It is the first month of the new year and is represented by the fiery sign of Aries, the coming of the divine and human saviour, Tamuzh, and Marduk, and heavenly Assyria, and is represented on earth by the Son of God, who is the king.
Through the practices of Akitu and the prayers of the priests and the masses of the people, the saving lamb is rescued from the belly of last year's whale. So that the universe and human destinies will be arranged in the new year.
* Mays: It is the second month of the Assyrian New Year, and it represents the Earth Ox, meaning the Earth, on which Tammuz rests and calms down after being saved from the danger and chaos of last year’s Pisces so that things stabilize and the new life begins.
* June: It is the air month of Gemini when under its influence the spirits (Nashma) return and the collective harvest takes place.
C ):- The star and the crescent:-
From archaeological tablets written in cuneiform, inscriptions were found representing images of the crescent and the star. From there, this inscription was transferred to the eastern Christian emirate of Edessa, south of present-day Turkey (the Assyrians and Huns, who are the Tatars or Turks). Edessa (Urhai) was founded in 132 AD or before, and their first king (Abgar Ario) adopted an emblem derived from the Assyrian Harran, which is the crescent and star, and minted it on coins. This slogan has now become a decree on the flag of Turkey and many Islamic countries such as Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania, Pakistan and other Islamic countries, with the crescent placed on top of the minarets of mosques. This drawing represents the moon, a large part of which has been lost due to the water sign (Pisces) with the star Venus (Ishtar).
D):- The origin of the idea of the Prophet Jonah from the zodiac signs:
The inspiring experience of the priests while observing and recording the movement of the sun, moon, and planets made them reflect and represent the movement of the universe on Earth, and as a result, belief in the influence of the activity of the zodiac signs and horoscopes on human destiny and predicting the future, given that the shape of the zodiac signs, their locations, and their movements came about by the will and desires of the gods to decide the fate of man, where the priests highlight the tablets of fate. Holy and it contains laws sent from heaven! Kings relied on the advice of astrologers regarding political plans, war times, agricultural projects (and medicinal herbs), irrigation, city building, and other matters.
It is not unlikely that the spread of the Assyrian Empire westward towards the White Sea came after the advice of the astrologer priests (the Magi and the Chaldeans) and it was considered as lands promised by heaven, in implementation of the movement of the stars and their borrowing from the sky towards the earth (in the New Year of Akitu, which was mentioned previously, March of Pisces and April of Aries, the saviour. Mays Gemini). Therefore, when viewing the map of the Assyrian expansion around the seventh and eighth centuries BC, it appears that it included what is known today as the Fertile Crescent and ended with three geographical locations surrounding the Mediterranean Sea from the north, east and south in Egypt, in a way similar to the open mouth of a whale on the island of Cyprus, which was probably considered a shrine. Jonah (Aries!). Therefore, it became the source of the name Yunnan, whose letters match (astronomically and astrologically) the name Ninawa, even if the reading is done in reverse. (ܝܘܢܢ-ܢܢܘܝ).
The trap of names, the deception of meanings, and the ropes of misunderstanding, where we often fall victim to terminology and words that are foreign to our culture, our common language, for example:--
1 - From general to specific.
Because of invasions, wars, changes in the course of rivers, and land droughts, legends were transmitted across vast areas and many peoples. Some names and words were generalized and departed from their original framework established at the beginning. An example of this is the name Babylon. According to solid research, its origin is (Bab El), meaning that every temple in which the god Deer is worshiped is called Bab El (Babylon). As well as the Temple of Eshagil (the One Transcendent), and we often notice and hear centers of worship called (houses of God). In light of this, scientific archaeological research has reached the truth about the appearance of the Prophet Abraham in (Ur Kashdim) of Nasiriyah, in Harran in the north, in Urhai (Edessa) in southern Turkey, then in Syria, Palestine, and Egypt. On the other hand, recent research has shown that the Tower of Babel was in Assyria and that the last Chaldean king, Nabonidus, smoothly and comfortably called himself the King of Assyria.
We conclude that myths and sacred concepts have crossed and transcended borders (if there were borders), and no longer belong to a specific people.
2- Akito means year.
Although the word Akitu has been mentioned since the Sumerian era, historical scholars have not reached the true meaning of the name, which puts us in the position of researching what is common in the Assyrian heritage and the Syrian language and following the comparative approach between words since Sumer and Akkad, passing through Babylon and Assyria, all the way to Aramaic (Syrian).
Akito or Akito is a word that expresses the beginning of a year, and by that, we mean the word Sheeta or Shito, which is the closest to Akito. The changes in names between the letters (K-K-SH) and their equivalents in English are not surprising, and when noticing the change in the name Michael. To Mikhael and to Michel in French and something similar.
And (Esh + ATA feminine) means the year, and it also means the first month or the beginning, and in Syrian (ܐ̄ܫܢܬܐ)). This understanding of the word Akito remains correct until proven otherwise.
2- Marduk: It may mean the giver of life (Mara D-Khii). From the Book of Esther in the Torah, we find the pairing of Mordecai, Esther’s cousin, who raised her since childhood, in clear harmony between Ishtar (Venus) and the god Marduk, the planet Mars.
The Akitu Festival's reflection on people's heritage
It is clear that all peoples celebrated the vernal equinox and the planting and harvest seasons in one way or another, but the Bi-Nahrain civilization of Sumer, Babylon, and Assyria was unique in that it chronicled and depicted the sanctity of these practices on stone tablets, and conveyed accurate images of these festivals.
Persians and Kurds
The goal of celebrating Nowruz was the same as the goal of celebrating Akitu. The peoples of Mesopotamia adopted the celebration of Nowruz as a national character by referring to the beginning of spring, and the holiday became a sacred national one for them, the Kurdish and Persian people. The legend speaks of Mead as one of the ancestors of the Kurds who were subject to the rule of the Assyrian state. Which turned into the most powerful empire at that time, and one of the Medes Kurdish leaders tried to achieve the goal of liberation by uniting the ranks of the Medes first and searching for alliances to confront the powerful Assyrian army. Al-Dahhak (the tyrant king), according to the Shahnameh, is an example of the enmity between the Iranians, the Assyrians, and then the Chaldeans, and this agrees with what is mentioned in the Arabic books that Al-Dahhak was one of the Chaldean-Nabataean kings. What is mentioned in Nizhat al-Numum is that Babylon was the home of the kings of Nimrod and al-Dahhak, and Nimrod was governor by al-Dahhak (this has not been proven by archaeological research). After the blacksmith killed him, the fire was lit on the mountains as a sign of victory.
A relief depicting the celebration of Nowruz appeared in the ancient Iranian city of Persepolis. The inscription depicts dignitaries carrying gifts to Darius I (the Achaemenid Dynasty), perhaps on the occasion of Nowruz, in the fifth century BC. This is in the Apadana Hall, Persepolis, Iran. It is known that the inscriptions of the city of Persepolis were made by Assyrian sculptors. The most prominent thing he carved on the walls was the god Ashur, who became Ahormazda, as the Zoroastrians or Zoroastrians (Zaraa Dashtar), followers of Ahormazda (Ashur - the Wise), worshiped the four elements such as the fiery sun and its light, water (Tigris and Euphrates), earth (dust), and winds (air).
These elements rotate throughout the year since the beginning of the vernal equinox, achieving correspondence with the Assyrian-Babylonian festival of Akitu.
Sabians
The name of the Sabians (Saba) is associated with baptism, i.e. immersion and immersion in running water, using their Mandaean language (Southern Syrian Aramaic), which means being full in water (ܣܒܼܝܥܐ- seven, then seven, and seven). The Mandaic word also has its origins in knowledge (ܝܕܥܬܐ- knowledge) and ( ܝܕܘܥܬܐ).
The Sabians look at Ishtar, the flower, with love and appreciation. There is a paragraph in the book (His Treasure of His Lord) that describes a purgatory (Matarathah), in which those who go to the House of Tammuz.
One of the religious customs inherited among the Sabians is the Great Eid (Dahwa Riba), the Feast of the King of Lights, or the Feast of Nowruz Riba, which falls on the seventh day of August of every Mandaean year. Wreaths of myrtle or willow are hung on the entrances of their homes to bring fertility and safety to their people. In the Holy Bible (Treasure Riba), the gods Shamash, Nabu, Bel, the element of sacred living water (Yardna), the element of air (Neshmta), and the element of fire and living heat are repeatedly mentioned.
In the Assyrian-Babylonian period, just as the New Year's feast in April was linked to Akitu, as the Babylonian soothsayers did, the Sabian soothsayers continued to survey the fortunes of peoples and individuals. It is a period when Sabians abstain from leaving the house during New Year, in recognition of the memory of Tammuz being trapped underground (in the underworld), until he emerges and returns to existence.
Yazidi
Their holiday, called (Sah Rasali - New Year) falls on the first Wednesday of April in the Eastern calendar and is preceded by a day when they pick the red April roses (spring roses), and hang them, along with coloured boiled egg shells, and various types of grass on the top of the doors of the house. The Yazidi Banja celebration had a real connection to the Akitu holiday and took place at the beginning of April. It is worth noting that the Yazid Temple was one of the most important ancient temples and was important in practicing the Akito festivals. Just as the Christian Assyrians in Iraq eat remembrance food (dukhrana) for the relatives of the dead and the saints, the Spring Festival among the Yazidis in April is accompanied by eating ritual meals for the souls of the dead.
The Yazidis’ connection with the Assyrian heritage continued, starting with the Prophet Addai (Adi), who was likely the author of the Book of Al-Jalwa. In the book Abda Iblis by Nouri Bey, the governor of Mosul, the one who carried out the jilwa is a Nestorian monk who fled from the Alqosh Monastery. The new religion spread throughout Syria until the moment an ordinary sheikh appeared on the scene. The latter one day received a divine revelation that advised him to go to and occupy a Christian monastery. But he went far and took refuge in a cave.
In short, the holidays of the Sabians, the Yazidis, and the Persian and Kurdish Zoroastrian Nowruz are all linked to the Assyrian-Babylonian New Year (Akitu).
Islam
From observing the timing of the month of fasting in Ramadan, we conclude that its connection with the sighting of the crescent coincides with the approach of Venus and Mars, which is the planet of the saviour. Other Muslim writers legalized the practice, and hadiths (sayings or stories of the Prophet Muhammad) were recorded, claiming that Muhammad accepted the gift of Nowruz and blessed the day. The Prophet of Islam said: No servant should say: I am better than Yunus bin Matta, and attribute his lineage to his father. After our master Yunus despaired of answering his call and was fed up with them, he left them, angering them, despairing of their faith, and left Nineveh. After that, signs of torment and its signs began to appear on his people.
Another hadith attributed to the sixth imam of the Shi'i tradition, Ja'far al-Sadiq, describes Nowruz as the day on which God made the sunrise, the winds blow, and the earth flourish; The day God took a covenant with humanity that they would not worship anyone but God; The day Noah's ark reached the shore. The text also considers Nowruz to be the day on which God sent the angel Gabriel to the Prophet Muhammad, the day on which Muhammad destroyed the idols of Mecca and the day on which God resurrected the dead. As a result of this legitimacy in Islamic tradition, Nowruz was previously an important occasion among Shiite Muslims, including Twelver Shiites, Ismailis, and Alawites.
Medieval astrologers and philosophers used the concept of the microcosm to express this idea: that is, the whole universe, in microcosm, exists within man; In contrast, star patterns in the sky were seen as the Big Man or the Cosmic Man. An example of this type of connection can be seen in comparing a single atom to our solar system. The atom is a microcosm of the large solar system. This same concept was called the “principle of correspondence” by the English metaphysical poets. The important thing about this approach is that by studying the cycles and patterns in the larger whole (the planets), we can learn about the cycles and patterns within man himself.
The truth about astrology between science and sorcery
In the context of discussion and research about the Akito Festival and its coincidence with the vernal equinox and the movement of the planets, we find many things that inevitably lead us to enter the world of prediction, fortune-telling, and monitoring the reliability of the fortune-tellers’ tomato!
However, scientists consider astrology a pseudoscience or superstition, as it relies on assumptions that are not scientifically proven and not based on strong scientific evidence. Astrology is part of the cultural heritage and has influenced the formation of culture and early astronomy, but it is no longer used in the same way in The modern era.
In conclusion, we must separate astrology from astronomy, as the latter is the study of astronomical objects and cosmic phenomena in a scientific manner without relying on superstitious ideas. However, it acknowledges the fact that there are widespread energies surrounding the universe, including gravity, tides, electromagnetism, sunlight and heat, and even the forces of cosmic darkness that are mysterious today.
Zodiac Signs as Energy Patterns The four elements of astrology (Fire, Earth, Air, and Water) are the building blocks of all physical structures and organic wholes. Each element represents a basic type of energy and consciousness that operates within each of us. Just as modern physics has shown that energy is matter, these four elements intertwine and combine to form all matter. When the spark of life leaves a person's body at death, all four elements separate and return to their initial state.
It can also be said to represent the four basic needs of any advanced organism: air, water, earth (or food), and fire (warmth). But this alone does not begin to reveal the true meaning of the elements, as Manley P. Hall in his pamphlet (Jensen Forces), 'The four elements are the foundation, and so is the life which underlies the four physical elements—earth, fire, air, and water.'
References and illustrations:-
-The Babylonian Akitu Festival: Benjamin D.Sommer.
-The New Year Ceremonies In Ancient Babylon: J.A.Black.
- Elements Of Astrology: By L.D. Broughton. M.D.
- Enuma Elish: The Epic Of Creation Translated: By L.W.King.
- Ištar and the Motif of the Cosmological Warrior: C. L. Crouch
-The Religion Of The Yezidis By: Giuseppe Furlani.
- Bardaisan's Paradise on the Top of the Ziggurat: Amar Annus
- Astrology, Psychology, and The Four Elements: Stephen Arroyo
- أصول الصابئة المندائيين: عزيز سباهي.
- مدخل الى نصوص الشرق القديم: فراس السواح.
- الصابئة المندائيون: الليدي دراووّر.
- الزرادشتية واليزيدية تقابل أم تدابر؟ : محمد ظاهر
