The Ancient God Janis

Did you know that January is named after the Roman God “Janis”?

​In ancient Roman religion and myth Janis is the god of the beginning and the ending; gates and transitions; passages and endings.  He is usually depicted as having two faces, since he looks to the future and to the past.

Janis presided over the beginning and ending of conflict, and hence war and peace.  The doors of his temple were open in time of war, and closed to mark the peace.  As a god of transitions, he had functions pertaining to birth and to journeys and exchange.

January – The Transition Into The New Year

The 1st of January represents the ending of one year and the beginning of a new one.  It provides a pocket of time to:

• Be grateful
• Reflect and learn from the past,
• Reset our focus on the future.

This transition into the new year makes it a great time to set goals, which is where the culture of new year resolutions comes from.

Resolutions which are made with careful consideration can help reinforce permanent changes.  However, most New Years resolutions are made in a heightened or inebriated state, which often lacks a degree of commitment.  And, as a result then often never gets started or falls away within a short space of time.