Janus

Culture: Ancient Roman   Domain: Doorways, beginnings, transitions, duality

Janus is a distinctly Roman god with no direct Greek equivalent: shown with two faces looking in opposite directions, he presides over doorways, gates and all transitions, including the new year, which bears his name (January). The doors of his temple in Rome were kept open in times of war and closed in times of peace.

Associations

Doorways and thresholds, beginnings and endings, transitions, looking both backward and forward.

Ways people honor him (modern)

• Mark the new year, or any personal new beginning, with deliberate reflection on both past and future
• Pause consciously at literal or figurative doorways
• Keep a key or two-sided token on the altar
• Read about the symbolism of his temple doors, open in war and shut in peace

Approach any deity with respect and do your own research. Practices vary widely between traditions, and modern devotional practice often goes beyond what survives in ancient sources.