The Element of Earth

Every autumn, I find myself driving through the countryside to change the flowers on my parents grave. Inevitably, I begin humming or then singing “For the Beauty of the Earth.” I believe it is the first hymn I ever learned by heart. It certainly was the first hymn that connected my Christian teaching to Nature in such a direct way. While the song is not Celtic, the spirituality of God and Nature as One certainly is.

Earth is a word used to label the tiniest bit of dirt and also used as a synonym for the entire planet: micro to macro perspectives. Earth includes the oil, coal, wood, and minerals we extract from it for fuel; the crystals we mine for scientific application, for jewelry and for healing; the plants and trees that make life possible, etc..

Walking the land, grounding ourselves, and allowing the energy of the earth to enter our bodies balances and heals us.

The fourth and only symbol remaining from the Four Sacred Treasures of the Tuatha De Danaan is the Stone of Destiny. It resides on the Hill of Tara in County Meath, Ireland, a place known as the seat of the High Kings. Legend has it that a would-be king had to touch the stone as a test of his worthiness. If the stone roared, he could be named High King of all Ireland. This tradition is a testimony to the Celts connection to the land. This stone placed on the inauguration mound would judge the readiness of their leader.

Scotland also has a Stone of Destiny. Some legends say it was brought over to Scotland from Ireland. (It is in keeping with Celtic thinking that no one makes an issue of it being in both places and taking different forms in each.) The above picture is of the Irish Stone. The Scottish Stone is said to have been made into the seat of the coronation chair of the King of Scotland, later to be stolen by the English and placed in a London museum.

The movie Stone of Destiny about present day Scottish students on a caper to steal the Stone back for “team” Scotland is a fun way to see the legend retold.

The Celtic Riddle by Lyn Hamilton, known for weaving archeology and folklore into her mysteries, is a great little book that will test your ability to solve a riddle within a murder mystery using your knowledge of the Four Sacred Treasures of the Tuatha De Danaan and other Celtic mysteries. It is a favorite of mine.