It seems so dark here in the Northern Hemisphere in mid-December, it is easy for us-even in these days of bright lights that automatically can click on when we enter a room-to feel the gloom and darkness. Some perhaps even begin to feel as if the light will ever be bright and the days long again. It is no wonder that the Ancient Ones marked the solstice - this shortest day, longest night - and celebrated what they called “the return of the sun”.
Read MoreTo paraphrase Eckhart: the only prayer we need ever say is thank you. He might not have been Celtic, but he sure was right on. Scientific studies now confirm the power of gratitude.
Read MoreHearing voices? Some think this is normal, some call it paranormal and others dismiss the idea as fantasy, others label hearing voices as abnormal.
Read MoreWinifred was venerated through stories of her ability to heal. Legend has it she was a 7th century princess who refused a powerful prince who then beheaded her. Her uncle restored her to life, and she became a virgin martyr and a 12th century saint.
Royalty and peasants alike visited through the centuries, for healing and thanksgiving. Fertility was also promised by the cleansing waters of its spring.
Read MoreThe Oracle draw for today involves two cards since the guide we are using has a different format.
The booklet is named “Using the Celtic Wisdom Oracle” and its “Ancestral Wisdom and Guidance Cards” are illustrated by Wil Kinghan and authored by Caitlin Matthews.
The Divine Ancestors Cards, the Wisdom of our Elders, as represented by the Lords and Ladies of Life, Love and Light
The Clan Cards, the Ancestors of our Blood Line, as represented by an array of folks from the Spinner and Weaver to the King and Queen to Seer and Druid
The descriptions and the narrative are most informative and a great overview of Celtic culture.
Read MoreOnce a month, I draw a card from a Celtic tarot or oracle deck that can bring in new images and words of potential meaning and new energy. Today’s card is from The Sacred Circle Tarot: A Celtic Pagan Journey by Anna Franklin, illustrated by Paul Mason.
Read MoreOn a trip to Ireland a few years ago, I heard an American woman in a bathroom at Dublin airport asking, “what language do these people speak anyway?” Her friend’s reply was “English, I think.”
The language question in Celtic lands is a complicated mix of culture, history, politics, and linguistics.
Read MoreHaving just celebrated Independence Day here in the U.S., I have been thinking about the number of Celtic peoples who helped form our early republic.
Read MoreTo me, tarot decks are like flash cards, teaching me aspects of mythology and folklore that I had not been exposed to in my education or family background. I love pulling cards just to learn a tidbit about another place or another figure. I feel the power of story strongly in a well-presented deck of cards. I invite you to try one of the many decks that are available not just stories from Celtic mythology but from other lands as well.
Read MoreI like to stay mindful of the Celtic calendar because it heightens my awareness of the turnings of seasons and the activities of the sun and moon as they change throughout the year. Sometimes, in the busy-ness of our modern world with its artificial lighting and 24/7 scheduling, I forget.
Read MoreIn December I began what I intend to be a monthly ritual on this blog: drawing a Celtic Oracle or Tarot card to shed light on considerations for the month. As I mentioned then, I draw these cards to focus a meditation or invite contemplation and reflection. It is uncanny how helpful they often are.
Read MoreFebruary 1 (sometimes February 2} is Imbolc, the Celtic festival between winter solstice and spring equinox. As with all the Celtic holidays, it celebrates the coming of the light and is set around a fire burning throughout the night, with the emphasis on preparing for the season ahead…
Read More
