The Ecstasy of the Word

The Ecstasy of the Word

"Hwyl.... is a curious Welsh word that expresses the sing-song cadence, the rhythmic auto-hypnotic transport evoked
by musical syllables, in which both poets and orators... have
the power of being themselves."
   ___ John Cowper Powys, "Obstinate Cymric"



Hwyl (HOIL) is the untranslatable Welsh term for the ecstasy which grips the priest, orator, poet, or actor and which which in ancient times, would have been the clear sign that the Goddess Awen (Inspiration) attended the speaker.

  In our day we tend to be suspicious of charismatic speakers who have the power to sway the crowd. Oratory, like all other arts, must have integrity or it can lead to such horrors as the Nuremberg Rally. Hwyl comes when the speaker accesses the way between the worlds, when he clearly envisagesw his subject in a true, living sense. When the voice is flooded with superhuman power like a singer's, when the words appear in strength like a host of soliders, when the listeners lose all sense of time and place and their emotions are loosened - that is when the inspirational power of hwyl is present.

  The ecatasy of the wo9rd still has power to change and encourage listeners. We hear its tones in the voices of Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, and other great speakers of this century - men and women who gave their voices, hopes, and hearts to their people as a free gift and to whom is tranted the gift of prophetic and inspired speech.

"Make it your practice today to honor the ecatasy of the word by speaking from your heart rather than making small talk. Listen with attention to what is said and meant."
[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]

The Heavens Within Us

The Heavens Within Us

"Draw into thy Centre-deep.... thy Heavens within... Take present care of the Heavens in your Mind....Dive into your own Celestiality, and see with what manner of spirits you are endued; for in them the Powers do entirely lie for Transformation."
    ___ Jane Leads, "A Fountain of Gardens"


How do we find our center-deep? We have hid from it all our days, though it beams upon us like a lighthouse and continually shows us the path to the center. This path of light can be discovered in times of quietness and solitude, when we withdraw from the bustle of life and contemplate who and where we are in the great web of existence, when we still our minds from the spinde of anxiety and redefine our being as a partaker in the vast macrocosm.

  In the stilling of our body, mind, and soul, we discover the specialo spirits who are our guides and helpers on the spiritual path. These spirits are not fantasies or psychological archetypes, they are real, living beings.

  Finding out which spiritua helpers we are gifted with is the primary task for those who would seek out their center-deep. All of us have our own spiritual friends - those beings who do have a human or earthly existence but who nevertheless exist and accompany us. We do not choose them; they and we are drawn to each other according to the gifts we share. They cooperate with us in the work of transformation; for, by our encounters with the spirits of our center-deep, we grow and change as we are accompanied and taught.

"Sitting in silence, become aware of your own center-deep. What kind of landscape does it have? Who is there with you? What has drawn you both there?"
[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]

Appreciation

Appreciation

"The three supporters of inspiration: success, acquaintence, praise."

   __ Welsh triad trans. (CM)

This triad is written with prestigious bardic poets in mind, the Celtic glitterail, equivalent to our pop stars and film idols. It speaks to their insecurity, to reputations based on noble patronage and local adulation.

  Building on our own success is a way to foster inspiration and confidence in our lives. There is little impetus to further effort without some sense of achievement, whether our successes are large or small. To become dependent upon success alone, however, is the road to egomania, disillusionment, or even suicide.

  Our special connections in our chosen field of work are very important to our confidence and success. It is not just the contacts who can pull the strings for us, putting us in touch with the right person at the right time, but the colleagues who work with us, ourfamily, and well-disposed friends. We cannot depend on our connections alone, however; we must alos prove ourselves worthy.

  The cordial of praise is more intoxicating than any other. Although we may seldom drink of its draught, when we receive compliments or praise, our confidence soars. While it is good to receive praise, it is even better to bestow it. Praise offered from the heart is the greatest inspiration of all.

  It is by steadily building on our successes; valuing our connection with friends, fmaily and those we serve; and notingwhat people are truly appreciating that we set our inspirational work in its true context.

"How often do you encourage your friends and family? Make a point of sincerely appreciating someone's achievement today."

[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]

Shape-Shifting

Shape-shifting

"I will go in the name of God,
in the likeness of deer, in the likeness of horse,
in the likeness of serpent, in likeness of king.
More victorious am I than all others."
   ___ Scots Gaelic, invocation for justice.


The Gaelic practice of fith-fath (FEE'faw), dating back to ancient days, is a kind of shape-shifting spell; it is uttered when people feel themselves  to be endangered or vulnerable, needing a measure of invisibility or better confidence in difficult situations.

  Sometimes the fith-fath is said, as in the example above, for the purposes of endowing oneself with helpful qualities in difficult circumstances: when seeking justice in a court of law, for example, or when entering a strange place. The magic of the fith-fath does not lie in the words that are recited, but rather in the intentions with which the words are said. The words often spontaneously chosen, are generally apposite to the circumstances and the moments's need. The intentions of the speaker are everything, drawing upon real alliances between the self and spiritual helpers whose friendship is already strongly established.

  Fith-fath shape-shifting is undertaken in moments of great need. The spell itself - the first phase - is uttered privately, even secretly, certainly not in a crowd; in the second phase, the shape-shifter, now prepared, goes into the situation or place and does whatever is necessary; finally, in private again, the fith-fath is dropped and the original shape resumed.

  Whether we go into challenging ninterviews, venture into dangerous ploaces, or attempt to pass through a crowd unnoticed and unscathed, the old custom of shape-shifting can serve us well if we use it with respect.

"Make your own fith-fath invocation, to recite at times when you need a little more confidence or when you would like to be less noticeable."
[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]

Guarding the Tongue

Guarding the Tongue

"Curses, like chickens, come hame ta roost."
   __  Scots proverb



  One of the great curses of Celtic tradition is that of the faery woman Macha (MAK'ha), who comes from the hollow hills to live with an earthly husband. The coditions of their partnership include that he shall never speak about her to others. One day, hearing the king boast about the speed of his horses, Macha's husband remarks that his wife would easily beat then in a race, so fast does she run. The king then demands that Macha be brought forthwith and prove her wretched husband's claim. The heavily pregnant Macha is brought before the king and pleads exemption, as her time is near. Nevertheless, she is forced to run the race against the king's horses. She wins outright, but at the finishing post gives birth to twin children before dying of exhaustion. Her last breath is a curse upon the men of Ulster, that they shall suffer the weakness of a woman in her confinement at their time of greatest need. This curse descends to the ninth generation, striking always in the time of Ulster's need. Some say the force of that curse still runs.

  Curses wound deeply, whether they be thoughtless words spoken in a moment of anger or intentioned ill-wishing. They also have a habit of rebounding upon the curser in ways that are unexpected. The words that we weave can become a web in which we also are bound. Once uttered, these words cannot be called back ; they fly out on the winds untiul they find their target. In a tradition that recognizes the power of words, we also maintain a watch upon our tongue, lest it speak words that we will regret.

"Call to mind an occasion when you have wished someone or something ill through anger or exasperation. Recall your words and offer a blessing that will rescind your curse."
[From "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]

Visting the Countryside

Visting the Countryside

"It is always wise to avoid show-places and choose for your excursions into the country the simplest and most natural scenery you can find."
  __ John Cowper Powys, "The Meaning of Culture"

The countryside takes on the burdens of our needs for refreshment especially at the end of summer when  we take to the roads on the last few days of holiday to seek recreation.

  Ironically, the very places that are solitary and full of sacred power are now becoming the most exhausted places of all. Even sites of natural beauty that offer wide-open spaces of forest, water, and hill are choked with holiday-makers seeking the wilderness and the refreshment of nature. Instead of wildlife, vista and peace, they find only each other - and in increasingly large bands.

  The burden of expectation upon the countryside is something that we can help redress, with a little consideration. This redress may involve finding other, less popular countryside places to visit, or finding places within or near the city. But chiefly we should consider what we can give when we make our countryside visits. To leave the countryside as we found it, without traces of our passing, is a duty we can teach to our families, so that the beauty may be preserved for future generations.

  Our pilgrimage to the country, whether it be for spiritual refreshment or physica recreation, can be a purposeful and beautiful excursion that restores us in soul and body. Our thank-you gift to the country and the being who live within it is our respect and the gratitude of our heart.

"Meditate upon your favorite place in the country and visit it in soul-flight. Consult the spirit of the place and ask its advice and permission about your next visit. Ask what gift (a song or blessing, perhaps - something that will not harm the land) would be acceptable. Do this whenever a visit is planned."

From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews

Spiral Tower

Spiral Tower

"I have been born three times in the prison of Arianrhod."

__ Taliesin, Primary Chief Bard

Caer Sidi (Kire SID'y), the Glass Castle or Spiral Tower of the British goddess Arianrhod (Ar-ee-ANN'hrode), is traditionally the place wherein poets serve their apprenticeship. The terms of apprenticeship are strict, which is why the great poet Taliesin speaks of Arianrhod's tower as a place of imprisonment. Of his own poetic initiation, we know that he was chased by the Goddess of Inspiration, Ceridwen, and assimilated by her as her own child. Taliesin was one of those who descended into the Underworld of Annwfn (AN'oon) to help the battle leader, Arthur, steal the cauldron of heroes. Like all poets, he is constant in his service of his poetic mistress, who is both muse and inspiratrix.

However many lifetimes our soul may have inhabited, we are compelled to seek the spiraling tower in which our soul is refined. Arianrhod is the Mistress who hones the soul, by helping it recognize the configurations and resonances of our soul-track through the stars. This search is not confined to one lifetime or to waking hours; within the long spiraling of the soul and within the cavern of dreaming, we come to a deeper understanding of our true living metaphor. By whatever image, metaphor, story, sign or symbol we steer, we will find the clues as we pass through the otherworldly , mystical and subtextual life of our spiritual quest; within the mystery of Caer Arianrhod's labyrinthine turnings, we may discover the very reason for our existence.

"Visualize the spiraling tower of Caer Sidi, the place of initiation and clarity. Ask to be shown the important patterns of your soul-track in your dreams and your reflective moments - those times when you are most truly yourself."

From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews

Sharing Our Dreams

Sharing Our Dreams

"But I, being poor, have only my dreams:

I have spread my dreams under your feet;

Tread softly because you tread on my dreams."

__ W. B. Yeats, "Had I the Heaven's Embroidered Cloths"

In what circumstances is it safe to share our hopes and dreams? Something so personal cannot always have meaning or relevance to another. Like someone

else's holiday photos, our dreams may bore or alienate. With a soul-friend, however - a friend with whom we can reveal our soul - we can share not only our night-dreams but also our daydreams, the deep desires we wish to fulfill. Our soul-friend can be trusted not to laugh, mock, or abuse and can act as a witness of the heart's desires.

We can also share our dreams through the work that we do, through the creative endeavors of our hands and hearts, with other creative dreamers. Though we live in a society that has forgotten how dreams can be shared in order to heal the community, there are still many who yearn to meet and dream together and whose collective dreaming can bring wonder and joy to the world.

Those night-dreams that arrive in often overwhelming or frightening power often need incubation in a journal, where their complex metaphors can be scanned for significance. The dreams that will give hope or insight can be selectively shared with those whom we meed: the confused, the doubtful, the fearful, the undecided. Not all dreams are ours to own. Sometimes their message is intended for greater sharing, so that the dream may be manifest in our world.

"Share one of your dreams, your deepest desires, with a soul-friend."

[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]

Communion of Hearts

Communion of Hearts

"We swear by peace and love to stand

Heart to heart and hand in hand.

Mark, O Spirit, and hear us now,

Confirming this our Sacred Vow."

___ Druidic prayer of unity

The "Sacred Vow" of unity in this prayer is sworn 'by peace and love,' -- the two requisites without which any spiritual communion is invalidated. In every assembly of human beings, there is a wide variety of different opinions, beliefs, and perspectives; each unique viewpoint is essential to prevent abnormal homogenization, wherein people suppress their personal views and maintain a phony unity. A communion of hearts is localized by an act of intention that includes each unique opinion but goes beyond personal boundaries, entering the circle of Spirit.

The mantle of unity is conferred - can only be conferred - by Spirit, which manifests in many different forms to those who are gathered together. Even to those with a formal religious upbringing, Spirit will be present to each person in the most immediate metaphors and appearances. Like a mountain, Spirit may be approached by many routes, and each route will influence the ways we see the mountain. Spirit offers us each a vision of unity if we will accept what we are uniquely shown: that the circle of life in which we stand encircles and includes everything and everyone we have ever known.

"Stand in meditation, visualizing those with whom you share the circle of life most intimately. Be aware of the rippling out of your circle in all directions. Be also aware of the many forms in which Spirit manifests to each of those in your circle. Make your own prayer of commitment to this circle, or use the one above."

[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]

Satisfaction

Satisfaction

"Abstinence sows sand all over

The ruddy limbs and flaming hair,

But desire gratified

Plants fruits of life and beauty there."

__ William Blake, "Abstinence"

Abstaining or fasting from the things that we enjoy is not in itself a bad thing; indeed, it can restimulate our appreciation and give us a better balance in the way we use life's resources. When desires become bullies that have to be pacified, when our freedom is in thrall to those desires, we may well need to employ abstinence to bring ourselves back to normal.

Yet desires submerged or imprisoned can bring us to equally unbalanced regions. If we never allow the fulfillment of our desires, we doom ourselves to perpetual dissatisfaction, to lives that are neither enhanced nor enchanted with delight. It may be that we learned such abstinence in times of hardship, difficulty or illness and are still living under the sway of impossibility. It may be that we were injured by rejection or lack of love -- an experience that often consigns all forms of fulfillment to a foreign territory. Let us also recognize, however, that the subtle forms of abstinence that we all practice may spring from laziness or from fear of loss of control as much as from any other cause.

Enjoyment, pleasure and the satisfaction of our desires are legitimate human duties, as long as they harm no other being. The pursuit of our desires can lead us deeper into life and toward the fulfillment of our life's purpose.

"Today, really enjoy doing something you love but have not done for a long time."

[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]

Trouble

Trouble

"The cheek cannot conceal the trouble of the heart."

___ Llywarch Hen, "Gorwynion

Whether trouble creeps up on us or takes us suddenly by surprise, our perspective on the world alerts completely from that moment on. Whatever hopes or expectations we had, we know that trouble will halt or divert us from their achievement. The way that we deal with trouble makes a big difference. Finding resourceful help, rather than simply complaining to everyone and doing nothing, is a fruitful strategy in time of trial. But if the habit of self-sufficiency is deeply ingrained in us, we may find ourselves unable to ask for help. And even when we can ask, sometimes there is no easy or immediate solution.

We often complain that trouble is not of our own making. It is hard to tell, though, because the strands of cause and effect are generally woven too far into the unconscious for us to track points of intersection with any certainty. Sometimes we have indeed interfered in something that was not our business and been pulled into the vortex, but most times there seems to be no specific cause relating to our actions.

Trouble is the lot of human existence. Its challenges shake our sometimes complacent attitudes and force us to respond. Its tremors in our life, like the messages of pain in our body, and indications of something out of balance, something that must be put right.

"Look at the flash-points of potential trouble in your life now. Is there action you could take to avert trouble and bring balance? What coping strategies did you use when trouble last visited you?
[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]

Respect and Reciprocation

Respect and Reciprocation

"Comb me smooth and stroke my head,

And every hair a sheaf shall be,

And every sheaf a golden tree."

__ George Peele, "The Old Wives' Tale"

Many folk tales tell of spirit who, if they are granted respect, give generously, but who, if they are abused, give gifts that are less desirable. In Peele's play, "The Old Wives' Tale", a girl who comes to draw water from the well meets the spirit of the well - a floating head that has the power to grant wishes in return for respect. It has ears of corn growing on its head rather than hair, yet when the girls combs the head, the ears of corn turn to gold and she combs it into her lap.

The wisdom of folk tales still has much to teach us. Heroes have respect toward the beings they encounter on their adventures. They never rush on by without greeting or take what belongs to someone else without permission. However strange or frightening the appearance of those whom they meet, the protagonists of folk tales have a duty to be polite.

This advice still holds good when we approach sacred beings, spirits of the land, or our own spiritual helpers and friends. While these beings are sources of benefit to us, they also deserve and require our interaction and respect. To always go knocking on the otherworldly doors to ask for spiritual gifts without recompense or friendly conversation is hardly good manners: such behaviors in our own world would eventually cause even our friends and neighbors to grant us short shrift.

With those who are spiritually dear to us, we have a special duty of reciprocation. And even toward those spirits whom we do not know, we can extend a cautious respect, one that bridges the worlds between us but does not steal anything or incur any offence.

"Meditate upon and go meet one of your spiritual helpers. Ask what services you can perform for that helper."

{From: "The Celtic Spirit" By Caitlin Matthews}

Divine Origins

Divine Origins

"The time has come for us to fully acknowledge that our Origins, our source,

and our basis, are Divine."

___ Phillip Carr-Gomm, "The Druid Tradition"

Though the origins of human life are now tracked by paleontologists through the fossil records of the earth's millennial aeons in ever more surprising and enlightening ways, we seldom regard the origins of life itself as emanating from a divine source. Though we may have set aside the old biblical narratives as naive or mythological, we still have to consider our part within the sacred formation of matter.

The Celtic tradition has no creation narrative; rather, it tells stories of seas, rivers, and wells bursting their banks, and of cauldrons in which all the ingredients of life are mixed together and remade in many eras of time. The Divine does not have one central image or characterization. There is no story that explains the mystery of our origins, no scripture that regularizes our thoughts about the Divine.

Though human nature has many detractors, and though we fail our own best intentions sometimes, the treasury of the soul reflects its divine origins time and again in our life's track. True divinity of soul shines out in the most unexpected moments: when we are hard pressed, when care and support must stretch just a little further than we think we can give, when the moment of danger comes unexpectedly, when a deeper and more farsighted action is required of us. The invisible mantle of the Divine is about our shoulders and can lend us help and strength in daily life. The divine ingredients within our making do not make us into gods, but they do sparkle through our human lives in ways that illumine the universe.

"Just for today, regard intention in everything you do as a divine work that respects the sacred nature of you and everyone, everything and every place around you."

[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]

The Solar Question for today is: "Do you practice hospitality of spirit?"

Sovereignty

Sovereignty

"And Sovereignty said to Niall, 'And as you saw me ugly at first but at last beautiful, even so is royal rule. The Land cannot be won without battles, but in the end everyone finds sovereignty is both beautiful and glorious."

__ Echtra Mac Echach Muigmedoin, early Irish text (trans, CM)

There are many Irish stories concerning the qualifications necessary for rulership - stories that reveal the true nature of sovereignty. In these similar tales, the candidates for kingship are sent out on a dangerous place to fend for themselves. In the dark of the night, they each seek for water; at the only ford or well, each encounters a fearsome hag who refuses access to water unless the seeker kisses her. When the successful man embraces her, she turns into a beautiful woman who declares that she is the Sovereign Goddess of the Land. Only the spirit of the Land can acclaim and accept the ruler who is humble enough to submit to her.

Sovereignty is not something that can be claimed with pride or with thought of self-aggrandizement or glory. Sovereignty exists only with the agreement of the land itself. Until or unless, this is sought with understanding, territorial disputes will continue.

In our own sphere of life, we each seek the sovereignty of our profession or of our soul's depths. If it is sought for self-gain, or in order to disable another, sovereignty is never truly ours. If, however, we seek out the heart of our craft, of our soul - wherever we live our lives - the spirit of sovereignty will indeed come to us and we will have a true contract of understanding based on mutual respect and exchange.

:What are the boundaries and duties of your soul's sovereignty? Consider how you serve, defend and maintain personal sovereignty in your life?"

From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews

Today's Solar Question is: "What is transforming within you?"

Dispositions of Character

Dispositions of Character

"Some are born to sweet delight;

Some are born to endless night."

-- William Blake, 'Auguries of Innocence'

We are blessed by the nature we were born with, and - optimist or pessimist - we must somehow find our way through life. Whichever way we are disposed, we must take our character into account when we make decisions or form opinions; our nature plays a big part when we form alliances, friendships, and associations; the way people interact with and react to us has much to do with their reading of our character.

Sunny temperaments have the ability to make friends easily. Those who make heavy weather of life, on the other hand, hunch their shoulders against the inevitable disaster and trudge along without an encouraging word to anyone. Each person is born with certain characteristics, which are then modified by upbringing and circumstance. It is quite possible to meet sweet-tempered people who have had difficult lives, however, as well as ill-tempered people who have had every natural advantage.

To steer by 'sweet delight' may be a joy in the right circumstances, but it probably is not a great help in times of crisis; to be bound in 'endless night' may keep away unbidden guests, but it certainly attracts no friends. Natures, like plants, can be trained to reveal other traits and strengths. Such training is hard work and requires constant vigilance, but with humor and humility, even hardened natures can change.

"What kind of temperament do you possess? What strategies can and do you use when tempted to give in to your standard reaction, your natural inclination?"

[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]

Today's Solar Question on this day is: "What is your spiritual goal?"

Can your natural temperament affect what this spiritual goal would be?

Mapping the Secret Territory

Mapping the Secret Territory

"For some years my heart was proud, for as the beauty sank into

memory it seemed to become a personal possession, and I said, "I

imagined this" when I should humbly have said, 'The curtain was

a little lifted that I might see."

__ A. E. (George Russell), "The Candle of Vision"

Those who are trying to map the thresholds of vision, to pass beyond them into the mysterious hinterland of the unexplored spiritual terrain, know that they have to heed the messages and visions that come. The recording of such information can be very valuable as a reminder and an encouragement in those times when the spiritual borders are stubbornly out of reach. But such records should never become territorial claims, proofs of purchase or evidence of our spiritual prowess. Exclusivism has no part in the work of mapping the terrain of vision.

The human failing of hubris, that spiritual pride which claims more than it has a right to, follows us from birth to death. To life the curtain is not to claim what lies beyond it. Perhaps this is one of the reasons that our spiritual explorations have never been commensurate with our geographical discoveries. At heart, we realize that there is no monetary profit to be gained from spiritual discovery and that those who indulge in spiritual materialism are merely poseurs, not the spirituality enlightened. The fruit of our vision is not for hoarding but for sharing: only when shared can it become a fruit that satisfies eternally.

"Where are the borders between you and the spiritual realms most clearly discovered? What

have you learned from your own visions and experiences during your lifelong discover?"

[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]

The Solar Question for this Day of the Lughnasadh (Gwyl Awst) quarter is: "Where do you need to invest your trust at this time?"

Tough question in these fluctuating economic times....

Imaging the Future

Imaging the Future

"To imagine your future constantly and vividly is to create your future."

-- John Cowper Powys - "Obstinate Cymric"

One of the best preparations for the future is to pay attention to the present moment. Not by being provident, cautious, and miserly with life's experiential wealth, but by attending to the unfolding of today's events and one's own path within them.

For those who have place to go and tasks to accomplish, the active use of the imagination to shape their destiny should never be despised. There is no such thing as a 'destined future' -

one that is fixed and immovable - since every step we take toward the future, every action and intention, changes the dance of our life to some degree. By imagining our future in an active way, we become more sensitive to the influences and interests around us. The active imagining also helps break down our romantic and false expectations and sets up pathways of practice toward our life's purpose, as we grow ever more sensitive to the unfolding patterns. Furthermore, it helps sustain us when achievement seems far off or unending delayed.

The work of shaping the future consists not in the ruthless excision of everything and everyone standing in our way, but in the gentle retuning or ourselves and our abilities to the pitch of our innate life's purpose. This is a daily, intentional shaping whereby we become attuned to the song that is always singing us.

"Use your own active imagination to create the pathway that leads toward a plan in the future."

[From: The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]

The Soul of the Land

The Soul of the Land

"How has Ireland been apportioned? -- Knowledge in the west, battle in the north, prosperity in the east, music in the south, kingship in the centre."

--- "The Settling of the Manor of Tara" from Caitlin and John Matthews - "The Encyclopedia of Celtic Wisdom."

Beneath the physical form of hills and valleys, beneath the rivers and mountains, there is another appearance. It is not only in the minerals,m nor in the folded rocks; it is not only in the soil, nor in the trees and plants. Yet somehow in under and through all these things, the land has another nature; its living soul. Many people believe that there are no such things as souls in people or anywhere else, and yet we know that this cannot be so. As the soul of a person looks out of her eyes and makes her who she is, so too does the soul of the land shine out of its features and give it special qualities.

However small or large our own country is, certain regions have their own distinct nature. They are centers of administration, trade, learning, art, spiritual wisdom and so on. All contribute to the land as a whole. Certain regions foster one quality more than another; they are like a garden in which certain skills flourish and grow strong.

In the Celtic lands of yesteryear, each region had its sacred center or assembly, as did each country - a center that was not necessarily central in mathematical terms. The sacred center of any land has a greater spiritual pull than any other part, so it is here that the major assemblies of national importance are debated or decided. As Tara is to Ireland, so too is our own country's sacred center to the land itself: a hallowed place where the soul of the land shows through in all its splendor.

"Become closer acquainted with the different regions of your own country through travel, study, and meditation."

[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]

Harvest

Harvest

"All among the barley,

Who would not be blithe,

While the ripe and bearded barley

Is smiling on the scythe?"

___ anon. "The Ripe and Bearded Barley"

Every year brings the miracle of the harvest. The grain has ripened beneath the great golden sun of summer, with the assistance of the sharp, lancing showers of spring, with the help of the germinating chill of winter's grasp upon the seed hidden within the earth. It is only in autumn that we can began to enjoy the fruits of the earth.

The seasonal round is not longer part of our daily life, accustomed as we are to helping ourselves to the good things of the earth, at any time of the year. Food preservation methods are now so sophisticated that we can enjoy cherries in December or hazelnuts in March.

The mysteries of the grain were hallowed by our ancestors, because grain created two stable items of diet: bread and ale. The complex processes of flour refining and fermentation were discovered millennia ago, bringing their own special gladness to everyone's hearth.

Though the celebration of harvest no longer brings us together in communities to rejoice that the cycle of life can continue into another year, we can still be blithe and thankful that there is sufficient food for all to share. Every time we eat bread, every time we drink beverages brewed from grain, we also partake in the mysteries of harvest.

"What is your life harvest this year? Consider the riches of the year's experiences and ponder how they will fuel the year to come?"

[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]

The Moon

The Moon

"I give you praise, moon of guidance,

That I have seen you again,

That I have seen the New Moon,

The lovely leader of the way."

___ Scots Gaelic prayer to the moon (trans. CM)

Few people today mark the moon's phases, unless they go out a lot at night or their work calls them to contemplate the mysteries of the moon. The tides and seasons of our own mood have their correspondence with the moon's phases, which we can use with benefit once we are aware of them. It is easy to live only a daytime life, obedient only to the sun's diurnal rhythm. The longer monthly pattern of the moon is less discernible to us, but much more profoundly connected with our unvoiced preoccupations, with subtextual feelings, memories, and instincts that inform us with their subtle messages.

To be aware, as the writer of this invocation was, of the moon as 'leader of the way' is a great gift. The inexorable daily rhythm of the sun can sometimes beat us upon the anvil of life as problems hassle us, and the sun's longer rhythm of the four seasons brings us through changes over the whole year. But the cycle of the moon sees our soul through the phases of birth, growth, achievement, and death in one month, giving us relief, change and encouragement. Whatever the problem, no matter how heavy the burden, we can look up and see that the moon has renewed itself yet again - as we also can.

"Go out and commune with the moon tonight, whether it is visible or not. Note your mood over a couple of months and see how its changes correspond to the moon's phases."

[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]

Wisdom Teachers

Wisdom Teachers

"The three teachers who impart wisdom: suffering, thought,

and a truthful heart."

-- Welsh Triad (trans. CM)

It is often said that on the path to spiritual wisdom we must suffer in order to learn. Certainly whatever breaks us out of the path of ingrained habit leads us into a wider and deeper existence. Those who have endured great sufferings are indeed sometimes forged by their terrible experiences into wiser people; adrift from what is normal and familiar to them, perhaps even forced into the regions of pain and terror, they have experienced the full enormity of suffering and come out whole. There are also many people who feel that suffering is an over-rated teacher, however.

It takes an active curiosity in conjunction with the perseverance to research human motives and behavior, to reach new understandings about our experiential sufferings and how they can be altered or accepted. The exercise of thought can lead us, in turn, to the truthful heart within us - unless, of course, we remain bound in fetters of useless analysis and recrimination about our condition. A truthful heart has no room for blame or revenge. It maintains its own living watch on what life sends, transmuting the toxins of difficult experience into a regenerating draught, siphoning away whatever cannot be changed.

The way of freedom is to draw upon the compassion plumbed by our suffering, upon the clarity of our thought, and upon the essential truth of our whole human existence.

"Select one difficult experience from your own life and - with compassion, clarity, and truth -

consider what wisdom has been revealed to you."

[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews"]

The Courage to Try Again

"I will rise, I will go back to the white and silver shore.

I will have courage, as the sun does, rising and setting.

I will go as the sea in its turning.

I will rise, I will go back, I will rise!"

___ Caitlin Matthews, "Celtic Devotional"

The courage to return to places (emotional as well as physical) of trial or difficulty is often lacking in us. Sometimes the injury, offence, or experience we underwent in a place was so dreadful that we choose to avoid it altogether. Any mention of a person or place associated with that experience may cause disorientation or even nausea.

Sometimes we must summon up the courage to surmount our careful avoidance's, to step back onto ground where we have been hurt or injured or mocked. How do we find the courage then? Only by surrendering our fear, only by transforming it into the ability and power to move again. By avoiding our fear, we give it more substance. By facing our fear, we transform it.

The truly courageous go into danger realizing and accepting the terrors ahead. Most importantly, they do not plumb the depths of courage by an act of will alone. They draw upon spiritual helpers, upon the familiar strengths of their daily lives. upon the love and friendship of their kindred and their dear ones. With them, because of them, for them, the courage within grows and conquers fear, shame, and anger.

"Consider a painful situation or experience that is causing you to avoid certain places, or people. Pray to your strongest spiritual helpers for courage to return."

{From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]

Colonization

Colonization

"Until we have learned to stand Grand Canyon deep in the earth,

we shouldn't even think of setting foot on the moon or Mars."

__ John Moriarty, "Turtle Was Gone a Long Time"

The bequest of colonization is a miserable one, and it stems entirely from selfishness and greed; from lack of respect for land, beast, and culture; from a superior attitude that leads to untold violence and abuse. Even when nations have extricated themselves and peoples have gained their independence, the legacy lives on. Colonists may leave, but colonization burrows even deeper in the land and people, leaving crooked souls and wounded attitudes.

There are many who silently pray for a complete change in human behavior before the space program becomes much more advanced. It is one thing to live with animosity, selfishness and greed upon our own planet; it is another to take those traits beyond our atmosphere to other planets and spread the plague of violence and disrespect there. But how can we learn to 'stand Grand Canyon deep' in our own planet, in the good earth from which all life comes, before that moment arrives?

To love what we have is perhaps more important than to aspire to that which we do not possess. To respect and maintain the earth, to find resourceful ways of living. is actually a greater challenge than to find ways of propelling ourselves at ever-greater speeds to even further destinations. Let us hope that the immensity of space itself may teach humankind a better wisdom.

"Meditate upon one of the uplifting places of the earth that you have visited. Go there in soul-flight now and learn from the spirit of the place what it is to live upon the earth with respect."

[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]

Ancestral Wisdom

Ancestral Wisdom

"We who have no elders, come

To your strong knees for counsel."

___ Caitlin Matthews, "Avebury Easter"

Most of us are sufficiently distanced from our own ancestral wisdom to feel disoriented in a time when indigenous knowledge is being reevaluated. How do we rekindle the ancestral fires once again? Where is the wisdom that will help us through the night of ignorance and doubt? Instead of elders, we now have elected politicians who speak with corrupt and self-serving voices; instead of fragrant local wisdom, we have homogeneous civil law and institutionalized religion to guide us.

Ancestral wisdom does not cease because the elders are no longer important in our society. Indeed, the wisdom is retrievable and implementable now. Part of the solution lies with ourselves. By changing the way we think - extending our planning to include the next ten generations rather than our own lifetime and vigorously upholding the rights and privileges of elders in our community - we shift from a basis of neglect to a more respectful and empowered position.

If we genuinely want to look to our recent or ancient past for wisdom, then we must give time, effort and study to our own spiritual and indigenous traditions, or to the traditions of those lands whence our ancestors came. Whatever is useful, whatever is practical, whatever is wise will never be lost as long as one person is practicing it.

"Ask one of your own ancestors - someone known or unknown to you - to come to your circle of meditation. Ask this wise one for help about some aspect of your own life that is problematic. Then implement the advice you are given and see what results."

[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]

Retracing the Animal Presences

Retracing the Animal Presences

"In the infancy of culture ritual and art were one, and the hunters who drew the animals they desired and performed ritual dances in fissures deep in the rock must also have had poetry to evoke this physical and spiritual sympathy."

__ Jacquetta Hawkes, "A Land"

The cave and rock paintings of the ancient world depict the bison, mammoth, horse and deer, all of which have a powerful presence not found in domesticated animals. These wild creatures who prefigure a primal world of nature are figurative of more than meat and hid: they hold and mediate spiritual powers greater than the present consumerist mentality can evoke. The spirits of animals open gateways to deeper worlds of understanding, shared worlds in which people and animals learned from each other.

We do not know what rituals attended the painting of these creatures in ancient times, but looking at comparable cultures extant today, we can see that among the aboriginal Australians, for example, the rock and cave paintings are retraced by subsequent generations. This is a method of honoring and reconnecting with spiritual presences drawn by ancestors.

The power to re-evoke the spirits of animals with whom we once shared our world more equitably is still with us, if we will set aside the time and space. Returning to our own dark cave, lit only by the torch of our willing understanding, we come again to the ritual kindling of spiritual vision, wherein the ancient animal powers speak to us, creature to creature, in the dance of life.

"Meditate upon a species of animal now under threat of extinction. Listen to its wisdom with respect and thankfulness. Make a drawing of your experience."

[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]

The Undending Quest

The Unending Quest

"I watch the star to guide me home,

I found my soul and spirit's rest,

I travelled far across the foam.

There is no ending to my quest."

___ Caitlin Matthews, "The Celtic Book of the Dead"

Our spiritual quest leads us on many a long voyage, across unknown seas to distant and unguessed-at destinations. Like the heroic voyagers of Irish tradition who took ship to the furthest shores of the Blessed Isles, looking for the Land of Women and the Land of Heart's Desire, we too strike out into unknown seas.

To all spiritual quests there are two main features: the outward voyage, on which all is strange, new and frightening; and the homeward passage, on which there is time to consider all that we have experienced and to make sense of it. It is in that context that the epic of Troy makes sense when that other wily mariner, Odysseus, makes his own epic journey home. The manner in which we make our own spiritual homecoming is very important, since the return is a critical stage of our progress. Whatever beckons us from home will surely lead us, as we return with our spiritual luggage. Once home, we must unpack everything, retaining what is useful to us and freely giving away what does not serve.

The spiritual quest is unending. It may lead us to revisit old destination, but we will disembark as different people at each step as we progress on our meandering and fruitful voyage.

"Chart the major island landfalls of your own spiritual quest to date. Note any recurring patterns and check the usefulness of the spiritual baggage you have acquired on the way."

[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]

Lugh - The Many Gifted One

Lugh: The Many Gifted One

"There is a man at the door," said the doorkeeper. "His match

would be hard to find; every art answers his skill."

___ Gofraidh FionnO'Dalaigh, in Osborn Bergin, "Irish

Bardic Poetry" (trans. CM)

The nickname of the Irish god Lugh (LOO'kh) is Samidanach, or "The Many-Gifted One." He earns it when he comes to the court of King Nuada (NOO'a-ha) just as everyone is sitting down to feast. The doorkeeper challenges Lugh for his name and skill, for no one without a special art or skill may enter Tara. Lugh tells him that he is a smith, a builder, a champion, a harper, a hero, a poet, a magician, a healer, a cup-bearer, and a fire-keeper. His boast is tested by everyone there, and he is ultimately admitted.

Lugh is what we now call a 'Renaissance man', one whose many skill pass beyond narrow categories of accomplishment, spilling over into many fields of artistic skill. His boast at Nuadu's court causes as much skepticism as would that of a man attempting to enter Congress or Parliament who claimed to be a great politician, a military hero, a Nobel-winning scientist, a shaman, a pop musician, a film star and a poet of international acclaim all rolled into one

Lugh's many-gifted nature holds sway at this time of year, reflecting the rich variety of harvest, heralding the beginning of the many-colored autumn months. For ourselves, the month of August enables us to pass the narrow confines of our daily occupation and enjoy the full range of our own skills and abilities as we take our vacation.

"On this day of festival, review your own many-gifted nature with appreciation. How does it serve your community? Which of your gifts are you hiding away? Which ones will you be enjoying this autumn?"

[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]

On this day we pass into the Lughnasadh Quarter of the Wheel of Year. The autumn quarter of Lughnasadh brings the gift of maturity and is a time of physical harvest and spiritual garnering. It sees the greatest change in weather from broiling heat to dark and chilly nights.

It is the time for celebrating the harvest and sees the busy preparations for winter. In the human growth cycle, Lughnasadh corresponds to the period of mature adulthood when a certain steadiness and responsibility have been established. It is a good time to celebrate the lives of all who have helped stabilize and uphold the noble values of life, of all who have exercised good judgment and steered the doubtful into the harbor of certainty, of all holy ones whose guardianship has saved us from life-disabling mistakes.

[From "Celtic Devotional" by Caitlin Matthews]