© flickr.com, Joonas Tikkanen
Gay, straight, bisexual? How to determine your sexuality
14 people talk about their sexual preferences, history and beliefs. And they rate themselves on the Kinsey Sexual Orientation Scale.
Some of us can very easily determine that we are gay, straight or bisexual. But there are people who consider such static categories to be untrue. A YouGov survey recently found that almost half of 18- to 24-year-olds in Britain do not consider themselves exclusively gay or straight. Instead, they prefer more “unbiased” definitions.
The Kinsey scale is an attempt to challenge the existence of three dominant categories. It measures people's sexual orientation from zero to six. Zero is exclusive heterosexuality, three is heterosexuality and homosexuality in equally, and six are exclusive homosexuality.
We asked people to talk about their sexual preferences, history, and beliefs, and then rate themselves on the Kinsey scale.
This is what they told us.
Lisbon: "I'm an open-minded person, but I know I'm 100% heterosexual."
I have a lot of homosexual friends, I have had flirting and same-sex attraction. But when it comes to sexual desires, I have no doubt about my preferences.
I started thinking about sex when I was nine years old. I think it's a matter of understanding own nature a method of reflection and trial, after which you just need to boldly admit who you are. Exceptions? Of course they do. There's no telling what can happen when you meet exceptional people. I am a woman and I love men. And in the words of the Vicomte de Valmont from Dangerous Liaisons, I can say: “It is beyond my control.”
Freedom of choice is the most important component of a healthy society. Imposition certain rules behavior is harmful and does nothing to help people be who they are, especially if they do not fit into prescribed categories.
Kinsey scale score: 0
Beth: “It’s entirely possible that someday I might meet and fall in love with a woman.”
What I like about my husband has nothing to do with his membership. male, but rather refers to his personality. But the same traits can easily be found in a woman. I have only been with men, but I think it is quite possible that someday I could meet and fall in love with a woman.
Sexuality cannot be put into a box. Attraction and love for a person is more important than their gender, isn't it? A lot can change in life, and people attract us according to the most various reasons, and we don’t even know about some of them. Therefore, these sensations cannot be measured within a standard framework.
I am a Christian, and I have always been taught that homosexuality is a sin. But the more I thought about it, the more I became convinced that much could be questioned. Now I think there is nothing wrong with homosexuality, but I believe that God loves commitment, love and kindness in relationships. It seems terrible to me that Christians, including myself, make people feel that God does not love them and does not accept them because of their attractions. But speaking of this, I realize how ridiculous it sounds.
Kinsey scale score: 1
Jack: “I’m not interested in a relationship with a man, but the thought of kissing or even oral sex with a man often gives me pleasure.”
I'm straight, but lesbian pornography has always turned me on more than other pornographic genres. However, I always felt that I was heterosexual.
IN adolescence I had my doubts sometimes, but mostly because I was lonely and rather strange at school. And when a person says hello, this is often regarded as a symptom of homosexuality. I use the word "symptom" because at my school homosexuality was considered a disease. But deep down I knew that I was heterosexual.
They say that sexuality is a continuum, not some discrete value - 0 for heterosexuality and 6 for homosexuality. I also believe that sexuality is a fluid medium. Everyone has their own preferences, their own fetishes, and there is no reason why people's fantasies should only apply to one gender.
I am not interested in a relationship with a man, but the thought of kissing or even oral sex with a man often gives me pleasure.
Kinsey scale score: 1
Matthew: “If I were single, I would explore my sexuality in ways I never did when I was younger.”
I'm straight, and all my relationships are only with women. As I grew older, I began to realize that I had avoided gay sex in my youth out of a manufactured aversion, believing that thinking about homosexuality was simply wrong.
I'm mostly attracted to women, but if I were single, I would explore my sexuality in ways I never did when I was younger. So on the Kinsey scale I would score a two. Of course, my fantasies are not always heterosexual.
Open-mindedness in sexual matters greatly depends on social conditions and education, from religion and political views, and in the absence of these factors it would be interesting to see what instinct dictates. It seems to me that the views Western world on sexuality change for the better.
Kinsey scale score: 1
Thomas: “It wasn’t until I was in a committed relationship with my current girlfriend that I took the time to reflect on my thoughts about men.”
I consider myself bisexual, but I'm... to a greater extent attracts the opposite sex. Having said this, I do not rule out the possibility that this will change over time as I gain new experience.
I'm currently in love with a girl who I could end up partnering with for life. But a lot can change, nothing is permanent in life, and in this case I would not avoid homosexual relationships.
A year ago, I didn't consider myself bisexual. I've always had sexual fantasies about certain types of men, but they were extremely rare compared to sexual attraction to women. It wasn't until I was in a solid relationship with my current girlfriend that I took the time to reflect on my thoughts about men.
Sexual satisfaction without constantly searching for a new sex partner gives you time to think about your own sexual orientation.
Nothing has changed in our relationship, she knows everything, and she is quite happy with the way I am. For me, it's less about satisfying desires and more about recognizing that they are part of my sexuality and my self-identity. It disgusts me to think that I would have to hide a part of myself, although this has nothing to do with my current situation.
I agree that sexuality exists as a continuum because the rigid zero to six classification rejects the nuance and fluidity of sexuality. I believe that certain environments can influence a person's sexual orientation. It seems to me than more people acknowledges the flexibility and fluidity of his sexuality, the more likely he is to think about sex outside of this binary classification.
I believe that in order to overcome homophobia, such discussion must be constantly developed and encouraged.
Kinsey score: 3
Steve: “Sometimes I’m more attracted to men than usual, and sometimes I’m not.”
I have fantasies about men, I have kissed men, and sometimes I want to have sexual intercourse with a man. But at the same time, I will not be able to create a long-term relationship with a man.
But at the same time, in matters of gender and sexuality in my future romantic interests, I proceed from the principle of “come what may.” I consider myself bisexual. I started doing this in my early twenties, right after graduating from university. Since I was a teenager, I had a faint suspicion that I liked boys, but since I was brought up in military family, it never occurred to me to try this.
At university, where I was surrounded by open-minded and open-minded young people, I had the opportunity to think about my sexuality and discuss it with others. People who say “I'm straight” or “I'm gay” are absolutely allowed to do whatever they want. But at the same time, if someone develops feelings for another person who does not share their sexual preferences, this creates great difficulties.
I don't think the Kinsey scale is something immutable. Sometimes I'm more attracted to men than usual, and sometimes I'm not. The Kinsey scale should exist only as clear example continuity of gradations of sexuality, and not as some kind of peg on which you can hang your sexual orientation hat.
I admit my sexuality infrequently and to very few people. For example, I did not tell my family members about her. I don’t see the point in this yet unless I have a relationship with a man I want to introduce my family to. Who I am in a relationship with, who I sleep with, should not in any way affect how people treat me.
Kinsey score: 2
Lauren: “I’m a married man now, but I continue to be attracted to both sexes, more or less equally.”
My impression is that we are subject to historical and social constraints that dictate that we must be 100 percent one way or the other. But if you look at more or less ancient history or on the behavior of our immediate family from the animal kingdom, for example, on bonobo pygmy chimpanzees, then we will see that sexuality is a more flexible thing than we have been taught for the last 200 years.
I hope that in the future, undefined sexuality will become more acceptable in society, and that we will stop being interested in the sexuality of others altogether. It's boring and uninteresting, like arguing about brunettes and blondes, or about freckles and tanning.
Kinsey score: 3
Megan: “I don’t believe in cliches when it comes to sexuality.”
I don't think I have any permanent, guaranteed preference when it comes to sexual attraction. I believe that preferences change over time and circumstances.
Personally, I don't believe in cliches when it comes to sexuality. Every person has the right to experiment with their own sexual and romantic preferences without being labeled as homosexual or heterosexual, which I think is a very negative thing.
Kinsey score: 3
Beth: “My thoughts and feelings about my own sexual orientation have been constantly changing since I became aware of my sexuality.”
I only had relationships with women and romantic fantasies only about women. And I have sexual fantasies about men and women, but I would not be surprised or confused if I met a man with whom I wanted to enter into a romantic relationship.
I realized that I was attracted to women at the age of 13, and at the age of 19 - that men were too. But it seems to me that my thoughts and feelings about my own sexual orientation have been constantly changing since I became aware of my sexuality. Because there are people in the middle.
I also don't believe that gender is a binary thing and that gender expression is always associated with gender. I'm not talking about transgender people, but people who identify with one gender while their gender expression matches society's expectations of the "opposite" gender. This means that people can be attracted to all genders, even if they prefer men or women.
Kinsey score: 4
Olivia: “My relationships are mostly lesbian, but I still find the opposite sex attractive.”
I am bisexual, and I have more homosexual inclinations than heterosexual ones. I often say about myself that I am 60 percent homosexual and 40 percent heterosexual. For the last five years, I have been continuously in a relationship with one woman. I have mostly lesbian relationships, but I still find the opposite sex attractive.
I determined my sexual orientation at the age of 18 after agonizing over why I didn't fall on one side of the fence or the other. I thought it was impossible to be truly bisexual.
I believe that our sexuality is constantly evolving as we move through life. This does not mean that we choose our orientation. I think we are all born with the potential to fall in love with someone of any gender or sexual orientation. After discovering that I was interested in women at age 15 or 16, my Kinsey scale scores have changed over the past 10 years. At the age of 10, I preferred boys.
Kinsey score: 4
Jack: “I have a certain curiosity about women, and I don’t mind having sex with a woman.”
Sexually, I am attracted to men. Only a man can truly excite me. However, women arouse a certain curiosity in me, and I am not against having sex with a woman. When I find myself in an intimate setting with a woman, it excites me in a certain way.
There is no need to label yourself. There is no need to climb into the confines of one category and stay there. Life evolves, nature evolves, so why can't our sexual orientation evolve? It must be painful when you like a boy or a girl and want to try to get closer, but you're not sure if they have the sexual orientation you want. But you can still try. The worst thing that can happen is a statement like “Sorry, I'm not interested.”
Kinsey score: 5
Laura: “Sometimes I am exclusively homosexual for several days, months or even years, but suddenly a moment comes when I start to like some man.”
I used to consider myself bisexual, but I am increasingly attracted to women, although I am married to a man. My attraction is less of a sexual nature and more of a physical, emotional and sensual one.
My first experience of homosexual sex was as a child. When I turned 20, I admitted my homosexuality, then I dated men because it seemed easier to me, and until about the age of 30 I hid my attraction to women. After 30, despite being married, I told friends and colleagues that I was more of a lesbian.
Discretion only divides us, making sexual orientation something identification feature, which requires us to declare ourselves as homosexual or heterosexual people so that others can put us into classification categories.
Sometimes I am exclusively homosexual for several days, months and even years, but suddenly a moment comes when I begin to like some man. And at the same time, I have a completely healthy sexual relationship with my husband. Sexuality, like other feelings, changes dynamically over time.
Kinsey score: 5
Phil: "I'm a little annoyed that I'm on the edge rather than happily floating in the middle."
I can recognize this or that woman as attractive, but I have never been attracted to them sexually, only men. Therefore, I seem to have to classify myself as exclusively homosexual people.
I didn't make any decisions, I just accepted the fact that I wasn't attracted to girls. I knew that I was gay from about the age of 11 or 12. But I struggled with it, thinking that I had some kind of age stage, and I'll outgrow it. But I haven’t outgrown it.
Playing straight couldn't change that fact. Because I'm on one end of the spectrum, it's hard for me to imagine a continuum of sexuality. But I'm a little annoyed that I'm on the edge instead of floating happily in the middle. What I've learned from talking to people is that sexual orientation is a much more fluid thing for women unless men talk about it or act accordingly.
At 40 years old, I can say with a great deal of confidence that my sexual orientation is set in stone. I cannot agree with those who say that they fall in love with a person, and not with their gender. For me, love involves sexual attraction, and I am only sexually attracted to men.
I believe that quite a few people engage in homosexual relationships as they grow up, but most then become either exclusively homosexual or exclusively heterosexual people.
Kinsey score: 6
Peter: “I am not at all attracted to the opposite sex, either sexually or romantically.”
I have always been attracted to people of the same sex. Sexual relations and romantic relationship I only had them. The opposite sex does not attract me at all, either sexually or romantically. It simply doesn't exist for me.
I have not decided for myself the question of my sexuality. As a teenager, thanks to the bigotry of those around me, I learned that my attraction to boys was wrong and that I was a perverted homosexual.
In the early 90s, when the shadow of the AIDS epidemic loomed over us, when we were raised in the spirit of restrictions, when there was no Internet, how could I muster the courage to stand up for my beliefs? I had, and still have, the impression that I was the only gay in the village. In fact, I only met an openly gay man after moving to London, where I decided to go to university.
The question of sexual orientation was never before me, there was only a question of whether I intended to be honest with myself and with others. In an atmosphere of open hypocrisy, such a decision was not easy to make, and one had to pay for it.
I am glad that the generation that came after me can make their own choices more freely, and that now there is no such climate of hostility that existed in my youth.
Nobody wants to be classified. I never wanted this. I just wanted to live my life and love whoever I wanted. I never understood why I needed to put a classification label on myself to do this. But unfortunately, our society has not yet matured to this point - let’s not deceive ourselves on this score.
Kinsey score: 6
The ability to experience platonic or romantic feelings, physical attraction to people not only of the opposite sex, but also of the same sex, is called bisexuality. However, a bisexual person does not necessarily have feelings for both sexes at the same time. Having this type sexual orientation, a person may different periods in your life to be drawn to representatives of one gender or another.
Today, bisexuality of people is not a deviation. Moreover, if earlier men and women carefully hid their “unusual” needs, today they are exposed openly and are even considered fashionable.
Bisexuality: reasons
There are three main reasons why bisexuality has a place in the life of any person.
Sexual-psychological reason. With this option, a person experiences an equal amount of “attraction” to people of both sexes. But such bisexuality of women, like men, as a rule, is not real bisexuality. Most often, equal attraction to women and men indicates sexual immaturity. In the future, most of these “bisexuals” will choose their own or the opposite sex as the only acceptable/
Psychological reason. In this case, bisexuality in men and women is associated with rejection of one's gender and the desire not to belong to any particular gender.
Biological reason. It occurs in hermaphrodites, who have physiological characteristics of both sexes.
Bisexuality: types
Explicit male or female bisexuality is the recognition of one’s sexual orientation and life by one’s own rules and in accordance with one’s desires. Such people are not afraid to openly admit that they are bisexual and feel attracted to both men and women.
Hidden bisexuality manifests itself in a person’s desire to hide his orientation. In this case, a person tries to live according to the norms established in society and avoids situations in which others might find out about his “unusual” needs and judge him.
Should bisexuality be treated?
This question torments many people who have learned about their bisexuality. loved one. Today, bisexuality is not considered a mental disorder or abnormality. In addition, in most cases, a person does not remain bisexual for long - eventually he switches to either homosexuality or heterosexuality. In addition, bisexual people do not force anyone to have sexual contact with them, but choose those who are also bisexual.
Historical sources date the first mention of a seven-day week to the period Ancient Babylon(about 2 thousand years BC), from there this tradition passed on to the Jews, Greeks, Romans and, of course, to the Arabs. The Jewish historian Josephus Flavius already in the 1st century. n. e writes: “There is not a single city, Greek or barbarian, and not a single people to which our custom of abstaining from work on the seventh day would not apply.” It is believed that India also adopted the 7-day rule from Babylon.
For Jews and Christians, the answers to these questions are given by Old Testament, from which it becomes clear that the seven-day structure of time is established by God. Let me remind you: on the first day of creation light was created, on the second - water and firmament, on the third - land, seas and vegetable world, in the fourth - luminaries and stars, in the fifth - animal world, on the sixth - man was created and commanded to multiply, but the seventh day was sacred for rest.
The seven-day week turned out to be very viable, even the transition from Julian calendar the sequence of days did not change into Gregorian, the rhythm was not disrupted. There are also astronomical explanation 7 days. 7 days is approximately a quarter lunar month, observation of the phases of the Moon was for the ancients the most accessible and convenient way of measuring time. A more subtle explanation can be found in accordance with seven visible planets days of the week, and it is this logical move that sheds light on the origin of modern calendar names for the days of the week.
Word Analysis
Let's analyze the names of the days in various languages and language groups.
1) Languages of the Latin group, including those with ancient Germanic roots.
| Latin | England | Spain | France | Italy |
| Dies Lunae | Monday | Lunes | Lundi | Lunedi |
| Dies Martis | Tuesday | Martes | Mardi | Martedi |
| Dies Mercuri | Wednesday | Miercoles | Mercredi | Mercoledi |
| Dies Jovis | Thursday | Jueves | Jeudi | Giovedi |
| Dies Veneris | Friday | Viernes | Vendredi | Venerdi |
| Dies Saturni | Saturday | Sabado | Samedi | Sabato |
| Dies Solis | Sunday | Domingo | Dimanche | Domenica |
| Denmark | Finland | Holland. | Sweden | Dr. Germany | Germany |
| Mandag | Maanantai | Maandag | Måndag | Manadagr | Montag |
| Tirsdag | Tiistai | Dinsdag | Tisdag | Tý(r)sdagr | Dienstag |
| Onsdag | Keskeviikko | Woensdag | Onstag | Öðinsdagr | Mittwoch |
| Torsdag | Torstai | Donderdag | Torstag | þorsdagr | Donnerstag |
| Fredag | Perjantai | Vrijdag | Fredag | Frjá-(Freyju)dagr | Freitag |
| Loverdag | Lauantai | Zaterdag | Lordag | Laugardagr | Samstag |
| Sondag | Sunnuntai | Zondag | Sondag | Sunnudagr | Sonntag |
2) Slavic languages.
| Russia | Ukraine | Poland | Czech | Bulgaria |
| Monday | Monday | Poniedzialek | Pondeiek | Monday |
| Tuesday | Secondary | Wtorek | Uterek | Tuesday |
| Wednesday | Sereda | Sroda | Streda | in a row |
| Thursday | Thursday | Czwartek | Ctvrtek | Thursday |
| Friday | Friday | Piatek | Patek | Petak |
| Saturday | Saturday | Sobota | Sobota | Sabota |
| Sunday | Nedilya | Niedziela | Weekly | A week |
| Day of the week | Vedic | Hindi |
| Monday | Soma-bara [Moon] | Somvar (moon day) |
| Tuesday | Mangala-bara [Mars] | Mangalvar (day of Mars) |
| Wednesday | Budha-bara [Mercury] | Budhavar (Mercury day) |
| Thursday | Brhaspati-bara [Jupiter] | Virvar (day of Jupiter) |
| Friday | Sukra-bara [Venus] | Shukravar (Venus day) |
| Saturday | Sanaiscara-bara [Saturn] | Shanivar (day of Saturn) |
| Sunday | Aditya-bara [Sun] | Ravivar (day of the Sun) |
Monday- Monday (English) directly echoes the Moon - Moon, even more clearly Dies Lunae (Latin), Lundi (French), el Lunes (Spanish), Lunedi (Italian). The names of Monday from the northern languages, for example, Måndag (Swedish), Maanantai (Finnish), Mandag (Danish) are related to the ancient Germanic Mánadagr - day of the Moon. IN Slavic languages Monday has the meaning of the first day or, according to one version, the day "after the week", since "Week" is the old Russian word for modern Sunday. In Hindi, Monday is Moon Day.
Tuesday— in the name of Tuesday Dies Martis (Latin), Mardi (French), el Martes (Spanish), Martedi (Italian) we can easily recognize the planet Mars. In Tiistai (Finnish), Tuesday (English), Dienstag (German) and other languages of this group, the name of the warlike ancient Germanic god Tiu (Tiu, Ziu), an analogue of Mars, is hidden. In Slavic languages, this day is clearly read as an ordinal number, i.e. it is the “second” day of the week. In Hindi, Tuesday is Mars Day.
Wednesday— Mercury is easily guessed in Dies Mercuri (Latin), le Mercredi (French), Mercoledi (Italian), el Miercoles (Spanish).
Wednesday (English) comes from Wodensday, meaning the day of Woden (Wotan). The same character is hidden in Onstag (Swedish), Woenstag (Gol.), Onsdag (Danish). Woden is an unusual god; he is depicted as a tall, thin old man in a black cloak. This character became famous for the invention of the runic alphabet, which draws a direct parallel with the patron god of writing and oral speech- Mercury. According to legend, Woden sacrificed one eye for the sake of knowledge. In the Slavic “Wednesday”, “Sereda”, etc., as well as in Mittwoch (German), Keskeviikko (Finnish), the idea of the middle of the week is embedded. Rarely found Old Russian name"tertiary" environment. Note that astrologically Mercury is considered an average, asexual planet - neither male nor female. In Hindi, Wednesday is Mercury Day.
Thursday- Latin Dies Jovis, Day of Jupiter, gave rise to Jeudi (French), Jueves (Spanish), Giovedi (Italian), but Thursday (English), Torstai (Finnish), Torsdag (Swedish), Donnerstag ( German), Torsdag (Danish) and other similar ones have a direct connection with the ancient thunder god Thor, an analogue of Jupiter. In Slavic languages, Thursday, like Tuesday, is strictly numeric value the fourth day. In Hindi, Thursday is Jupiter Day.
Friday- Venus is clearly visible in Vendredi (French), Venerdi (Italian), a little more subdued in Viernes (Spanish), while the English Friday, Fredag (Swedish), Freitag (German) has a parallel with the Scandinavian goddess of fertility and love Freya (Frigge), analogous to the Greek Aphrodite and Roman Venus. In Slavic languages this day means “fifth”. In Hindi, Friday is Venus Day.
Saturday— Saturn’s face is clearly visible in Saturday (English) and Saturni (Latin). Russian name"Saturday", el Sabado (Spanish), Sabato (Italian) and Samedi (French) go back to the Hebrew "Sabbath", meaning "rest, rest". In this sense, one of the following successfully resonates with Shabbat. astrological meanings Saturn - stillness, concentration. It is interesting that the Slavic languages, for no apparent reason, are unanimous with the Latin ones; their Saturday also comes from “Sabbath”. Lauantai (Finnish), Lördag (Swedish), Loverdag (Danish) are similar to the ancient German Laugardagr and mean “day of ablution”, from which we learn that the ancients had to wash themselves once a week. In Hindi, Saturday is Saturn Day.
Sunday- Day of the Sun in Latin, English and German, in many languages this day is designated by various variations of the word "Sun/Son" (Sun). Domingo (Spanish), Dimanche (French), Domenica (Italian) in translation mean “Day of the Lord” and are probably a layer brought to Europe along with Christianity. Russian "Sunday" appeared in the same way, replacing the old name of this day "Week", successfully preserved in other Slavic languages - Nedelya (bol.), Nedilya (Ukrainian), Nedele (Czech) and others. In Hindi, Sunday is Sun Day.
(Note: the word viikko (week) in Finnish derived from Gothic vikó.)
Astrology at the service of the calendar. Star of the Mages
For the convenience of calculations and time planning, ancient astronomers and astrologers, and before they were the same people, invented the Star of Magi, a kind of seven-pointed “calculator”. In this counting star, the planets are arranged in a circle, starting from the slowest, Saturn, to the fastest, the Moon. The sequence of days of the week is calculated from the rays of the star in a clockwise direction. In addition to the days of the week, this scheme allows the Star of Magi to calculate the correspondence of the planets to 36-year periods, years, hours and some other periods of time. A clock, for example, counts like this: the 1st hour of Sunday belongs to the Sun, the 2nd to Venus, and so on along the perimeter of the star. Let me note that the 1st hour of any day in this system is considered to be the hour after sunrise, and the duration of the hour is equal to 1/12 of the duration of daylight, i.e., the time from sunrise to sunset. Night hours, by analogy, are equal to 1/12 of the duration of the dark time of day. Continuing to further calculate the hours according to the star diagram, you will notice that the 1st hour of Monday will be under the Moon, the 1st hour of Tuesday under Mars, the 1st hour of Wednesday under Mercury, the 1st hour of Thursday under Jupiter, the 1st hour of Friday under Venus, 1st hour of Saturday under Saturn. The system turns out to be closed and logical.
About Saturday
This day, however, is the most extraordinary. Most languages have retained their continuity from the Hebrew "Shabbat" (rest, peace). In the Arabic al-Sabat, Persian Shabbat, Georgian Shabbat, not to mention the Slavic varieties of “Saturdays”, similar motifs are heard.. Curious, where did the Hebrew “Shabbat” itself come from? There is the following assumption, which you are free to accept or not. Perhaps this is just a play on words, but in my opinion it is necessary to take a closer look at the Sanskrit “shabda”. This word is very popular in Sanskrit and in Vedic culture in general, its root meaning is translated as “sacred sound”, “primordial sound”. Another translation of the word “shabda” is “The Absolute, embodied in sound, word.” Impressive and gives rise to analogies, isn’t it?
What is the first day of the week?
From the position of materialistic realism, raising the question of the first day of the week makes no sense. Indeed, it does not matter at all which day of the week is considered first and which is considered second. The main thing, in this case, is to maintain a clear periodicity between working days and weekends, so that week follows week without causing confusion in the calendars, computer programs etc. The question of recognizing a particular day as the first has primarily a cultural, historical and esoteric meaning. The question of the existence of biological meaning remains unanswered.
It has already been mentioned that for those who accept the Old Testament, the answer should be clear - Sunday. This day was the day of the beginning of Creation and, from this point of view, the Jews were absolutely right in celebrating Sunday as the first day and Saturday as the last. In Europe, or rather in Rome until the 2nd century. n. They also adhered to this custom until Emperor Hadrian forbade Christians from celebrating the Sabbath. It was then that the day of rest was moved to Sunday, and in 321 the Roman Emperor Constantine legalized this day as a weekly Public Holiday. Gradually, the consciousness of Christians came to terms with the obvious departure from the similarity to the biblical order of days in the week. Now the primacy of Sunday remains only in the intra-church Christian liturgical life, but the real weekly rhythm in most countries of the world begins on Monday.
From an astrological point of view, it is natural and logical to start counting working days from Sunday, because the day of the Sun looks more creative, it shows more vigor than Monday, the day of the fickle Moon. This is exactly the case when there is absolute agreement between astrology and religion.
Perhaps the disruption of the cosmic rhythm led to the appearance of the Russian proverb: “Monday is a hard day”?
Ancient week hypothesis
Anyone who takes up the topic of analyzing the week in the Russian language inevitably runs into an insoluble contradiction. Before we set off on this journey and approach the same locked gates, I suggest we back ourselves up a little with historical facts.
So, the concept of “Sunday” appeared in Rus' after the adoption of Christianity and, at first, only one day was called Sunday - the day the celebration of Easter began. Only in the 16th century. Sunday appeared as a separate day of the “week” - that’s what the week was called at that time. The origin of the word “week” is a little more difficult to judge. Was it originally Russian or did it come along with the alphabet of Cyril and Methodius? If this word, let’s say, was part of the pagan ancient Slavic calendar, then why was it so firmly established in the Christian church language? Current orthodox calendar consists entirely of weeks. If we take into account that sedmitsa is still called a week in Bulgaria and that the oldest Slavic letters in Cyrillic (IX-X centuries) were also discovered on Bulgarian territory, then a warm southern breeze begins to be felt blowing from Bulgaria. And when it becomes known that the Greek brothers Cyril and Methodius from childhood spoke, in addition to Greek, the ancient Bulgarian language, then the breeze turns into wind. So, the week is most likely from Bulgaria.
Let's go further. According to one of the popular versions, the old Russian “week” (as a day) was called that because on this day they “didn’t do anything”, they rested. And Monday means that it comes after the “week” (i.e. Sunday), Tuesday is the second day after the “week”... Wednesday, being in an undeniable sense the middle of the week, indicates that the beginning of the week falls on Sunday. Isn't this explanation logical? It is curious that the word “week” itself is a translation from the Greek apracos, i.e. non-doer, idle, idle.
In other words, most likely, the word “week” itself was brought into Russian culture from the same place as Sunday.
Is it possible to assume the existence of another, more ancient week among the Slavs? Let's apply the following logical move. It is clear that Tuesday, Thursday and Friday clearly contain the ordinal sense of the numeral in all Slavic languages. Even the environment, as is known from old sources, had an ordinal name - the third. Only perverted logic can consider the second day of the week, Tuesday, to be the third, and the fourth day, Thursday, to be the fifth day. If we agree that Monday is the first day, Tuesday is the second, and so on, then a problem arises with Wednesday, which is not in the middle of the week! Thursday becomes the middle of the week, which is illogical on all counts.
Is there a way out of this contradiction?
Eat. We have a task ahead of us. How to make Wednesday the middle, and Tuesday the second, Thursday the fourth, Friday the fifth day of the week? There is only one way to do this the only way. We must take note that ancient week among the Slavs, and in Rus' in particular, it was 5 days! In this case, Wednesday will be in the middle and the ordinal names of the days of the week will correspond to their order. The hypothesis (if this does not suddenly turn out to be a reinvented bicycle) is that the ancient week was 5-day, and the other two days, week-end, so to speak, Saturday (Shabbat) and week-Sunday, were attached to the Russian language later.
Epilogue
Was the ancient week 5 days long? If so, then something akin to the five-day rhythm is seen in the eastern elements - metal, water, wood, fire and earth. The 5-day week also has an astronomical explanation, perhaps even more logical than the 7-day week. Let's look at the sky. We see that the Moon and the Sun cannot be compared in size with the remaining 5 planets. From the point of view of an earthly observer, the Moon and the Sun have no competition; it is not for nothing that they are called luminaries. The significance of the luminaries is an order of magnitude greater than that of any of the other visible planets. The luminaries have more important role not only in the sky, but also in the symbolism of calendar periods.
In my reconstruction, the ancient week was 5 days long, the year consisted of 365 days, and every 20 years an additional five-day week was inserted to compensate for leap years. Each of the 5 days corresponded to a planet. The Sun and Moon ruled three-week periods of 15 days.
It has long been known that the calendar, in addition to its direct purpose, plays the role of an ideological tool. Strengthening own power Chinese, Japanese, Roman emperors, leaders introduced their calendars french revolution. I am convinced that the structure of the week should obey exclusively natural cosmic rhythms; the calendar should not be a tool for strengthening any ideology. A person must understand what cosmic rhythm he beats weekly. The science of the future will be faced with the task of determining the most optimal cosmic rhythm of life for human health. It may turn out that the 7-day plan will remain the best, maybe the time for the 3-day plan will come, or maybe it will be in a person’s interests to switch (return?) to the 5-day schedule?
An outwardly technologically advanced modern civilization is in fact thoroughly saturated with ancient superstitions and prejudices. Our civilization still lives according to the Babylonian week; individual peoples and states modify the week depending on their religious preferences. The Jews declared Saturday a non-working day; in most other countries the day off is Sunday; Muslims have a day off on Friday (the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed). These details emphasize the differences between people and separate them. While ideology shapes the calendar to a greater extent than common sense. Different ideologies give rise to misunderstanding between people; misunderstanding gives rise to wariness and even aggression. Lack of understanding can explain all wars.
Ruslan Susi, April 2005
Clean Monday Lent in 2019 falls on March 11th. This day is considered a day of cleansing from sins and light food, which is traditionally eaten on Maslenitsa.
Orthodox believers begin the longest and strictest fast of the year, which consists of Lent, established in memory of the forty-day fast of Jesus Christ, and Holy Week(weeks) - in memory of last days His earthly life, death and burial.
On the first day of Lent in Orthodox churches the service of the liturgy ceases. In the evenings, the reading of the canon of Andrei of Crete begins, which lasts the first four days. The Church also prescribes that believers must read the Gospels (all four) and the prayers of Ephraim the Syrian during Lent.
The beginning of Lent is a time when every person can cleanse his soul and body with his prayers and abstinence. The first week is particularly strict, as is the last.
What is prohibited on Clean Monday?
Meat and all meat products (liver, sausages, etc.), fish and seafood, eggs, milk and fermented milk products (kefir, curdled milk, yogurt, butter, cottage cheese, cheeses, etc.) are excluded from the diet.
Drinking alcoholic beverages is also prohibited. After all, fasting is, first of all, a cleansing of the soul, and alcoholic drinks– an excess, but not a necessity.
According to traditions, on Clean Monday you cannot eat food left over from Maslenitsa. It is given to birds and animals.
On Clean Monday of Lent, clergy are advised to completely abstain from eating food. For those who find it difficult to go the whole day without food, you can eat some bread with salt and drink water.
On the first day of fasting, it is better for the laity to adhere to a dry diet: eat only raw vegetables, nuts, fruits and dried fruits. You should talk with your confessor about the possibility of observing strict fasting.
It should be remembered that the meaning of fasting is not a restriction in diet. The point is repentance and spiritual renewal, and abstinence in food only contributes to this.
What should you do on Clean Monday?
IN ancient Russian sources The expression “Monday of the Clean Week” appears. The definition of “pure” applies to the entire first week of Lent.
With the beginning of Lent in the old days, people carefully cleaned all living quarters, washed the dishes, clearing them of grease after Maslenitsa week, and washed in the bathhouse.
These days, it is advisable to limit social interaction, for example, it is not recommended to go to the cinema, theater, circus, attend noisy parties, concerts, watch entertainment programs on TV, etc.
During this period, you cannot sin, even in small things: quarrel with others, gossip, use foul language, etc.
People have a lot of traditions for Clean Monday. On this day, for example, it is customary to determine what spring will be like. If it’s warm outside, it means winter is already losing its rights.
Rule 5
Don't start on Monday
“We should take all Mondays and cancel them.” Who among us has not caught ourselves thinking this?
It’s strange, because it would seem that after two days off we should feel great. Be as fresh, energetic and effective as possible. But it turns out the other way around - Monday is not only often unpleasant and tiring in itself, but also poisons the whole week.
You need to understand that our body has inertia and requires a build-up after the weekend. The car accelerates gradually; the machine is not turned on immediately full power; in the gym they don’t go straight to the heaviest barbell.
This is how you need to plan your workload for Monday - as a warm-up for your engine, as a warm-up before the main exercises.
First, try to unload your Monday. If on other days you practice business meeting during lunch and dinner, then refrain from this on Monday. Read your favorite newspaper or book, just relax.
If you are stressed about off-site meetings, stuck in traffic jams, new offices and new faces - do not schedule off-site meetings on Monday, load it internal tasks. Conversely, if you are tired of sitting in the office, the same people around, schedule a couple of off-site meetings for the second half of Monday. So much so that after the last one you won’t return to the office.
Secondly, don’t “start a new life.” « New life from Monday” is a terrible blow to our personal effectiveness. In the Middle Ages there was a theory that each day was responsible for its own planet. Sunday is the day of the Sun; It was on this day that it was believed that it was best to start new things. Monday, the day of the Moon, was considered a good day for “cleaning up tails” and putting things in order. There is clearly a grain of wisdom in these observations.
Not sure about the Moon and Sun, but Monday is definitely not the best day for that first heroic trip to the gym, which will leave your muscles sore all week. And not to discuss a strategic project with a manager who is also suffering from “Monday syndrome” at this moment. Our volitional resource is limited, so there is no need to demand too much from it. Schedule these important starts for other days of the week, when you have already entered the working rhythm.
Thirdly, a good Monday is the result of a good weekend. If you're a proponent of active weekend getaways, don't forget to schedule some "rest after rest" time. After all, its active forms also take away energy, and after them it is very important to rest. Building " Napoleonic plans“On Saturday mornings on the weekend, be sure to free Sunday evening from active activities. Let you have two or three hours of peace and quiet, when all the impressions of the weekend settle in and settle down.
The main thing is to remember: a poorly spent Monday that exhausts you means a lost work week. And how you start it is how you carry it out.
Practice
Unloading Monday
Think about and put into the table the actions that you can take to relieve your Mondays and make an entry into working week smoother.
From the book The Velvet Revolution in Advertising author Zimen Sergio From the book Active Sales 3.1: The Beginning author Rysev Nikolay YurievichRule three. Apply the sandwich rule What sandwich? So, all attention to the text! Let's say you come to the store to buy a new TV. (Well, we had a fight, the panel was smashed, it doesn’t happen to anyone.) You look at the new TV and don’t believe your eyes - this is what you’re talking about
From the book Turbo Strategy. 21 ways to improve business efficiency by Tracy Brian From the book Theory of Constraints by Goldratt. Systems approach To continuous improvement by Detmer William From the book Marketing for Government and public organizations author Kotler Philip From the book Principle-Based Leadership by Covey Stephen R From the book Effective Commercial offer. Comprehensive Guide author Kaplunov Denis Alexandrovich From the book Project Management from A to Z by Richard Newton From the book How to Work Four Hours a Week by Ferris Timothy From the book Crowdfunding. Help Guide on attracting Money by Rich JasonStart small - it's easier to sell When I took my first steps in sales, I was taught: you need to start small. First of all, it's easier to sell. Secondly, it’s easier to gain experience this way. In order to sell million-dollar products, you need to learn how to sell a product
From the book Persuasion [Confident performance in any situation] by Tracy Brian From the book Matrix of Changes. How to increase the effectiveness of changes in a company author Zamyshlyaev Oleg From the author's book From the author's bookStart with the end in mind. Remember the target question. Imagine having the opportunity to survey your audience. “What thoughts did you take away from the speech you listened to and what will change in your actions in the future?” Think about what they would say?
From the author's bookStart with the ending in mind Define your presentation goals. Imagine that the presentation went well, and think about what the outcome would be? Think with pen and paper in hand. List top scores, to which the presentation could lead,
From the author's bookBegin your message about change with statements that the audience will agree with. When talking about change, the leader or member of the project team from the first seconds of the speech considers it logical to get straight to the point in order to focus the attention of employees on the problem. Not