The Dances of Earth

The Earth Dance Calendar tracks four interwoven cycles or "dances" happening in and around us every day:

☀️ The Solar Dance

The dance of Earth and Sun, also known as the Solar cycle, or Seasonal Cycle, is marked by solstices and equinoxes.

The Solar Cycle affects almost everything in our lives: the weather patterns, the food we eat, the holidays we celebrate, the clothes we wear, our utility bills, our energy levels, and much, much more. 

Because it is so influential, this cycle creates the foundational structure of the Earth Dance calendar. Each page spans one season, or one quarter of the year, beginning and ending on a solstice and equinox. The Solstices are the extremes of the cycle, while the Equinoxes are the midway or energetic equilibrium points of the cycle.

In contrast to the start date of the Gregorian year, there is nothing arbitrary about when these days occur–they are mathematically determined by our position or tilt in space relative to the Sun.

🌙 The Lunar Dance

The cyclical rhythm between Earth, Moon, and Sun, also known as the Lunar Cycle or Moon Cycle, is tracked on this calendar through the moon phases shown on each calendar day. Because there are about 3 lunar cycles each season, you can see its rhythmic wax and wane pulsing through each calendar page. 

The Lunar Dance creates the tides of our oceans, and as many believe, the tides of our emotions. The extremes of this cycle include New Moons and Full Moons, while the 1st and 3rd quarter moons represent the midway points in the cycle.

Eclipses are also marked, which are climax events of the lunar cycle when Earth, Moon and Sun make a perfect (or almost perfect) alignment with each other. 

✨ The Celestial Dance

Add stars to the mix and you get 2 Celestial Dances, illustrated by Zodiac Seasons and Lunar Placements. 

These are really just expanded versions of the Solar and Lunar Dances. It’s as if Earth, Sun and Moon are still spinning at center-stage, but the lights around them have been turned on, and now we can see the other dancers in the room (aka Stars) and how they relate to the primary bodies in the middle of the room. 

Zodiac Seasons represent the position of Sun relative to the stars. They are noted on the right side of each page with dotted dividing lines for each season.

Lunar Placements show the position of the Moon relative to the stars, or Zodiac, and they are noted on the New Moons and Full Moons. 

It’s worth noting that the only stars that these Celestial Dances take into account are the stars on the Ecliptic, also known as the Zodiac constellations. In truth, it’s more accurate to say that it’s taking into account the portions of sky that these zodiac constellations fall into, not the stars themselves. Think of it this way: If the sky is a pizza and the constellations are the toppings, each Zodiac Season represents a slice of pizza, not the toppings themselves. The constellations (or "toppings") don’t always align perfectly with each slice, but the divisions remain constant and measurable.

The inclusion of these Celestial Dances offer a deeper layer of rhythm for those interested in astrology, astronomy, or just observing the wider cosmic context.

💃 The Human Dance

Finally, there’s the good ole’ Gregorian calendar, a human-made, somewhat confusing system that rules our current social structure. The annual Gregorian cycle (beginning on January 1) is de-emphasized and replaced by the natural solar cycle marked by the solstices and equinoxes.

Other elements of the Gregorian calendar are still present. Because Gregorian Dates and the 7-day weekly cycle is so embedded in our current culture, I found it important to incorporate and emphasize for the sake of functionality. Gregorian months are also marked throughout, though they aren’t given much emphasis.

A new way to relate to time

This calendar invites you to develop an awareness for where we are in these earthly cycles, to notice patterns in and around you, and to live more intentionally with the rhythms you discover.

You don’t have to celebrate the seasons or track the moon to benefit. Just hanging this calendar on your wall invites a subtle shift that can ripple through time — a deepening into the present moment, a reflection on your own rhythms and cycles, and a remembering of your place in the larger movement of things.