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 center."
    ___ "The Settling of the Manor of Tara," from Caitlin and John Matthew, "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, not in the folded rocks; it is not only in the soil, nor in the trees and plants. Yet somehow in and 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 gives 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 Matthew]