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The Holy Instruments are: 1. The Holy Cup. Out of the Holy Cup (or pot or dish) come all good things that are consumed. Water to Quench thirst, Soup to Nourish, Potions to Heal, Drink to Make Merry and Soma itself to change mental states and open one up to deeper spiritual reality. 2. The Holy Pipes which make music and set us dancing aright. 3. The 8-spoked Wheel of Asha, symbol of good order of the cosmos. 4. The Sword of Sarosh is an instrument to fight for what is righteous against what is unrighteous. Calendar Dating Historically Zoroastrians have used a variety of different calendar dating schemes, but in modern times there has been a move to use a scheme related to the time of Zoroaster. Historians don't know exactly when Zoroaster lived but there is a tradition that says that he ushered in the astronomical age of Aries. The dating of astronomical ages is imprecise. Zoroastrian scholars of the 19th century AD fixed on a date of 1738BC, and this became the first year of the 'Zoroastrian Religious Era' now promoted by some modern Zoroastrian groups. Euromazdeans however don't use this scheme, but instead take the beginning of the age of Aries to be aligned to the Christian millenium at 2000BC. We call our scheme either the 'Zoroastrian Historical Era' or just the 'Historical Era'. Thus we say that this is being written in the year 4008 ZHE or 4008 HE or 2008 CE. Euromazdeans don't have any special scheme for the months or days of the year, but use the customary Western scheme. Possible scheme for measurements One Inch is twenty-four mils length One Foot is twelve inches One Yard is three feet One Hundred Length is one hundred yards One Mile is twenty hundred length One Acre is the area of a square which is seventy-two yards on each side One Fluid Ounce is twenty-four mils volume One Pint is twenty fluid ounces One Gallon is eight pints One Long Pint is twenty-four fluid ounces One Long Gallon is eight long pints One Ounce is twenty-four grams One Pound is twenty ounces One Stone is twelve pounds One Hundred Weight is one hundred pounds One Ton is twenty hundred weight Temperature is measured on the Fahrenheit scale for everyday purposes (eg air temperature and cooking) Updated February 4009 ZHE and 4012 |