Janus, God of New Beginnings

Ostara is coming. 

Witches all around the world will join with other earth-based spiritual traditions to celebrate the coming of the Spring Equinox. The celebration which marks the coming of spring and the start of the "New Year". All around the world, members of the Pagan community would usually gather and wait for the first ray of sunlight on this day. The celebration is also marked with the blooming of plants and the greens. This celebration is also dedicated to the Gods and Goddesses of the Earth and Agriculture. 

 In my belief system (polytheism), the Gods and Goddesses are separate entities and are designated specific titles and roles. Janus as a God of openings and closings is also the God of Agriculture whose honored as life starts inside the seeds. In the many epitaph of Ianus, there is the title Consivius, the sower of seeds. 

In my present belief, the God part of my paradigm is the least focused on. The God Janus though I have been devoting myself into is not given as much focus as I did with Hekate. I have been thinking about the influences of the God to my life and the epitaph of the God that needs focusing on. 

There are a lot of Epitaphs that are assigned to Janus, most of them if not all talks about His influences in all aspect of time, change, beginnings and endings. In the Roman Pantheon, Janus is worshiped and is given importance as the God Jupiter. Janus is given honor at the start of any feasts before even the invocation of any other Gods. 

In my rites, I am always asking Janus to bless the ritual. Janus being the God of New Beginnings, is always honored even prior to the Invocation and Honor of Lady Hekate. There are a lot of title that are given to Janus bu here are some of the known epitaphs:

Janus Pater- Janus is known or given title as the father. In some of the old manuscripts, He was given the title Matutine Pater or Morning Father.

Janus Geminus-maybe connected to the fact that Janus is always depicted as having two faces. It also has something to do about Him affecting both time and space and the connection between them.

Janus Patulcius and Janus Clusivius- Janus as the Gatekeeper, these epitaphs are connected to the status of the Gates and Doors- both standing open and remaining closed. 

Janus Quirinus- as a God of both beginnings and endings, Wars and Peace are often attributed to Janus. He is also called Ianus Belliger, the bringer of Wars and Ianus Pacificus , the stopper of wars.

Janus Iunonius- as the patron of all Kalends, Janus is given honor as he not just holds the entry to January but to all months as well.

Janus Consivius- as the sower of seeds, Janus holds the tutelary function during the first instant of human life and life in general. 

My relationship with the Gods are not really that close. Unlike some of the Pagans that I know who speaks to the Divine all the time, I am unable to hear Their voices. There are events in my life however, that I am able to hear the whispers and words of either encouragement or strength from my Deities. The Gods that I worship are Old. They are distant and most of the time silent. This however, do not stop me from giving Them honor and devotion. As the New cycle begins, I will be communicating more with Janus as know my God better. 

Khaire, Khaire...

Ianus Bifrons