A very ancient astrological belief, possibly dating back to the Chaldeans, that certain years, especially multiples of 7, are important in a person's life (especially when it comes to the appearance of the body). Supposedly, a person is more likely to die during a climacteric year than during other times.
Readers, please enjoy this guest blog post by Sandra Kynes, author of several books, including The Herb Gardener's Essential Guide, Plant Magic, and the new Witches' Encyclopedia of Magical Plants, among many others.
Although a few old books...