I read a blog the other day about the Morrigan and not proselytizing which I agree with, and there’s really no need to re-hash here. But I mention it because a line in that blog stuck out to me: “spirituality is not a one size fits all concept.”
Are the Irish Gods, Gods?
Every cultural type of paganism has its own unique little issues, things that go around within that particular community. Usually these are not things based in facts, but are a kind of urban legend, a statement made at a some point that was then repeated and taken as fact and slowly takes on a life of its own until it gains a kind of truth of its own, no matter how disconnected it may be from the actual root culture, historic fact, or myth. In Heathenry you see this with the idea people constantly repeat that only those who die in battle go to Valhalla* or that Valhalla is a universal goal, a kind of heaven, while Hel is a terrible place to be avoided. In Celtic paganism, or I should say Irish paganism specifically, what I see going around fairly often is the assertion that the Irish Gods were not, in fact, Gods at all.
Air n-Aithesc Imbolc/Bealtaine 2015
The Imbolc/Bealtaine 2015 issue of Air n-Aithesc is here!
In this issue there are two articles from Morgan Daimler, the first is about Bealtaine celebration in a family setting and the second is about the fairy folk. We have some awesome poetry by PSVL and an excellent article about Manannán by Finnchuill. Saigh Kym Lambert has an article in this issue on “Fénnidecht Rites of Passage“. I have two book reviews in this issue as well as my regular column “The Study” which deals with the 101 questions of the CR methodology and hopefully will later move on to more complex issues than that. Check out the Table of Contents below.
Excerpt from "Celebrating Imbolc with the Family" in Air n-Aithesc volume 1 issue 1
Of the four Irish fire festivals Imbolc is the most family oriented, although it does also have wider community aspects. Celebrating Imbolc as a modern Irish polytheist, or indeed any Celtic polytheist drawn to this holiday, is an opportunity to involve the entire family, especially children, in the traditions. While we don’t have any surviving information about the ancient ways that this day was celebrated we do have a plethora of native traditions to draw on, with the role of saint Brigit and the pagan Goddess Brighid often blurred and easily shifted fully into paganism. With some slight alteration all of these traditions can be celebrated by any pagan family to honor Imbolc and the holiday’s main deity, Brighid.
Air nAithesc Imbolc/Bealtaine 2015
In a previous post I shared with you the cover for the latest issue of Air n-Aithesc, well it is out now and here is the Table of Contents for this issue as well as the cover previously shared (in case you missed it).
Planting them seeds at Imbolc.
Blessings Darlings!
The interwebs are full of Imbolc rituals full of seed plantings. Regardless of local conditions, regardless of local climate zones. Regardless of the fact that, in most of Europe/North America, the only seeds you’d plant now are onions (and that’s not necessarily the occult correspondence most folks are after just now, ya know.) Regardless of what’s actually going on in their local land base. Yeah, the seeds represent changes in your life – but working outside of nature isn’t all that Pagan/Witchy.
Doesn’t work for me, but okay, if that floats their boat (that was said in my best Bawltimore accent, not a Boston accent, hon), let’s go into what has to be kept in mind when doing seed work.
Fern’s Failure – Drill Press Edition
Blessings Darlings!
Today in being frugal, I figured I’d make a sprinkling can out of a used one-gallon milk jug. Should be easy, right? Just drill a bunch of small holes in the screw-on top to the jug.
A Bit More Translation
“Fo-ceird Cú Chuluinn bedg ina charpat feissin íarum. Naicc ní i nneoch íarum in mnaí nach in carpat nach in n-ech nach in fer nach in mbuin ocus co n-faco-sium íarum ba hén-si dub forsin chroíb ina farrud.”
What I’ve been working on: Air n-Aithesc Volume II Issue I
I thought you guys would like to see what I’ve been working on the past month. This is the cover of the latest issue of Air n-Aithesc which should be out in a few days.
A Prayer to an Cailleach During Storms
[Out of respect to the author, no snippet will be provided. Please click through to the original post to view the uncut prayer.]