The Last of the Flowers

The Gaelic Roundtable for September: Faith

This is my sixth post participating in The Gaelic Roundtable blogging project, and September's topic is Faith. The Roundtable asked:

"What gives you faith? What makes you believe in the Gaelic Deities, and why? How do you respond to those times when your faith is wavering? What do you do when your faith becomes too unstable, or “too hard to handle”? do you think that doubt is healthy when it comes to having faith? Why or why not?"

I think that in some ways faith/belief/trust comes naturally to me, to the point that the motto of one of my ancestral clans is Confido. So perhaps it's even in my DNA. ;)

While this is probably not really an influencing factor, I was brought up with the idea that faith is important. Even as a curious, at times skeptical child I still held on to this notion and that hasn't changed much since becoming an adult.

Don't get me wrong, I have a healthy skeptical streak in me and I almost always question things, but I think that belief in something, anything is important. It doesn't have to be religious or spiritual, it could be political, philosophical, or even just in oneself and those you love. Either way I think that faith is a must if one is going to keep hope.

Faith and hope bring comfort, and I am a huge fan of comfort. 

I believe in the Gods of the Gaels as well as other deities, although I choose to be devoted to the former. I can't say that I know that they exist or who they are exactly, but I have my ideas. I could be wrong, may be right, or perhaps a little bit of both. 

How I see them {as well as all deities and spirits} is not how they would be classically viewed in the Abrahamic sense. I don't believe in an all-seeing, all-knowing, all-powerful deity. I think that their powers are finite, although they definitely have a lot more than I do. Which I think is kind of the point why us mortals benefit from forming amicable relationships with them.

Obviously I have my own personal reasons for believing in deities and spirits instead of being an atheist or at least an agnostic. That said, I am not going to trot out a laundry list of experiences, but will just say that I am either touched in the head or they exist at least on some level. 

Even though faith for me is important, so is doubt/skepticism. Blindly believing in something with no reasoning or benefit to oneself I think is more bane than blessing. This is especially true when dealing with leadership, risks and such. People who blindly believe are the perfect candidates to be duped or abused. 

Skepticism and questioning things are obviously important to the pursuit of knowledge, and to me knowledge is just as important as faith. 

I think that both faith and knowledge are important facets of our species. Faith and hope bring us comfort in life's hardships and the pursuit of knowledge is what helps our species strive through those hardships.  

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Sláinte!

Laurel

Reminders From Moss & Trees

I like to go to the woods to be reminded 

that there are things much bigger than us humans,

and that we are not permanent. 

In the overall picture we are just a blink of time,

and I am good with that. 

While Cares Will Drop Off Like Autumn Leaves....

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves." ~John Muir

Tending the Flame of Hope

Some of you have probably already heard of the lovely Tending the Flame of Hope project, which started this past January and is slotted to run until January 2021. It was started as a response to all the unrest and misery going on in the world right now. As a simple act of devotion of lighting a candle every day to spark hope in those who participate, and perhaps to bring some light and hope to others as well.

Upon hearing about the project I was inspired to participate, but realistically it is not something that I can do every day. Instead, I have slotted three hours every nine days to light my own flame, to pray, just sit and try and find my own hope. It is a time of reflection, of healing and thinking of ways how I can bring more hope into the world.

Brighid, bringer of peace,

Keeper of the communal fire-- 

May your flame bring us healing and hope,

May its light shine through the darkest despair. 

You can find out more about the Tending the Flame of Hope over at the projects Facebook page.

Blessings to you all,

Laurel

A Year on and I am still pining for the North...

Yesterday I saw a flock of Canada geese making their way down from the North, and I was reminded that it has been just over a year since I left there myself to move 500 KM away to where I live now.

This time of year I am missing the foggy mornings on the shores of Lake Nipissing, that eventually gives way to a blaze of colour of the changing leaves once the sun has melted away the mist. Right now as the sun rises, I am sure there is the smell of wood smoke, rotting leaves and chill in the air. Things are probably getting quieter as most of the birds start migrating to warmer places and other critters start to shack up for the winter. 

I miss those long, cold winters, cold enough for sundogs and light pillars. I even miss the obnoxious snowmobilers taking over the sidewalks, zipping down to the frozen lake to do their ice fishing.

After those obscenely long winters, I miss the promise of spring and no longer having to be jealous of loved ones in warmer places whose snow had melted months prior. Once the short, intense summers came and were spent trying to grow and harvest as much as possible, I miss being truly grateful for whatever bounty that was given.



I miss the pairs of ravens who would tail me from the high places before flying off to continue their endless feuds with the swarms of crows. I miss the friendly chipmunks and chickadees that would visit my garden, and miss nodding a "hello" to the deer who could be seen sauntering down the road in town during the early hours. I miss the tinge of anxiety while out on the trail that I might bump into a bear who would perhaps be face deep in the wild blueberries or shaking off the sleepiness of a long winter of hibernation, depending on the time of year.

I miss the scent of the air which I can only describe as having a hint of evergreen and damp moss. It smells clean, natural, the way things should smell. That is probably because so much of the landscape is still in tact with all the lovely birches, rowans, and conifers; the big rocky outcroppings of granite peppered with lichen, the cold and deep lakes that are still safe to fish and swim in.

I miss that a totally naked face with a reddened cheek from the wind is enough makeup to look lovely. I miss the candid friendliness and warmth of folk up there, and the fact that many people like flannel plaid, beards and the woods without being hipsters. That stuff has always been in style up there.

Most of all I miss the loved ones who are still up there--both the living and dearly departed-- and I miss the place itself, who I made such a connection with. I miss both in equal measure. Even being someone who is of European heritage, I can say that my family roots run deep up there; my ancestors were some of the first settlers to live and work the land in that area. They are a part of that place.

After a decade of living up there myself, building relationships with the spirits, acting as a steward to the land, I am a part of that place as well. After all of the healing and transformation that was done in those Northern woods, shores and on ancestral graves, a piece of me is still up there. A piece of me always will be.

But yet, I feel like I am starting to connect to where I live now. While the gentle allure of this place will never hold a candle to the wild beauty of the North, slowly this place is becoming home.

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Sláinte!

Laurel

Prosperity Oil

Besides making a candle for prosperity, I also like to make a prosperity oil every year in time for Lughnasadh. I thought that I would share how I make it in case other folks might be interested in having a go at their own. 

While the first harvest feast has past, I think really any time during Autumn would be a perfectly acceptable time to make it. I like to make mine on the Thursday of a full or waxing moon.

Generally I use an olive oil base and the plant materials are ones that are traditionally or personally associated with prosperity:

Grain chaff {this year I used oats}

Lavender

Blackberry leaves

Meadowsweet

Cinquefoil

Hollyhock leaves

Elder berries

Comfrey

Borage

Hawthorn berries

Bladderwrack

This oil can be used throughout the year to anoint candles, charms and in spell work, and is not meant to be ingested or used on the body.

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Hopefully in the coming weeks I will get around to sharing some more recipes of things that I have been making lately. Until then, happy creating!

Sláinte!

Laurel