Envy

Envy

"From the swift arrows of the slender banshee,
From the envious heart and the eye of evil,
May the herd be encircled!"
   ___ Scots Gaelic herding charm (trans.CM)

  In many lands, envy is known as 'the evil eye," whereby someone looks possessively or jealously at something of his neighbor's. The Celtic peoples had their charms against the evil eye - or 'overlooking,' as it was often know. The herding charm above is concerned not only with the envy of neighbors or strangers, but also with the retribution of the bean si (BAN SHE), or 'the fairy woman.'  Because the Celtic world did not see itself as separate from the otherworld, faery and spirit inhabitants might also be considered sources of envy. It is for this reason that many people, then and now, put out offerings for the faerykind, that they might share our resources, feel included,k and consider us to be good neighbors.
   When we envy today, our eyes and desires are led from our own sphere into that of others; we subtly penetrate the boundaries of other people and commit an intentional theft - not by physically stealing something away, of course, but by undermining another person's essential soul. Envy is not seen as dangerous in our society; indeed, advertising companies do business by inculcating envious yearnings everywhere, vaunting beautiful people with lovely possessions, well-appointed houses, and brilliant skills. Good-natured people of special skill and abilities are often devastated to learn how little their friends think of them, horrified to realize how envied they are. Let us appreciate and admire, by all means, but every time envy surges up within us, let us call back the impulse to possess.

"Make your own prayer against the kinds of envy most often directed against you. Meditate upon the brand of envy that arises within you and pay closer attention to what it indicates about you."
[From: "The Celtic Spirit" by Caitlin Matthews]