"Your pain and sickness
Be in the earth's depths,
Be upon the grey stones,
For they are enduring...
Be upon the clouds of the sky,
For they are the rainest,
Be upon the river's current
Cascading to the sea."
___ Scots Gaelic prayer for healing (trans. CM)
A common treatment of illnesses in Cetic tradition involved invoking the help of the elements - the sky, the earth, the sea - to disperse illness harmessly. For mysterious or persisting conditions, the patient would seek out a sacred site - a saint, spirit or deity. This custom still endures throughout the Celtic countries, where it is believed that pilgrimage to a sacred site, in conjunction with prayer, is a sure form of assistance. On arrival at the site, the pilgrim makes a turas (or sunwise circuit) around the perimeter, with prayer or invocation. If the site is a well, then the pilgrim takes the waters and anoints the afflicted part, again very intentionally and prayerfully. Then, if a tree hangs over or near the well, it is customary to tie a piece of cloth to a branch and pray, "I leave a portion of my illness in this place." As the cloth fades and withers in the sunlight and wind, dispersing in the elements, so fades the illness.
Applying to the wider web of the universe, to the spiritual sources of help, is an eminently sensible course of action: the prayers of spiritual allies - from the great elements to our personal helpers - have a wider influence thant those of doctors. Their power to transform pain, disorder, and infection into health is miraculous.
"Ask your own spiritual allies to help heal your infirmities."
[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]
I was just reading about this last night, the tieing of the cloth in the tree. I can just imagine a tree of in the distance with strips of colored fabric swaying in the breeze. I am all for any kind of alternative medicine. Solace and peace of mind can do wonders for any ailment.
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