Still here....

   I promise! My family and I have had alot of personal things going on and plus my work hours are a bit all over the place but I'm still here! Look for posts to start back up this week!

Divine Friday

Cu Chulainn

(Irish)

     Pronounced Koo-hoo-lin, Cu Chulainn is a semi-divine figure born to the god Lugh and mortal mother Deichtine. He is the husband to Emer though he was said to have a number of wives.

     Also known as the Hound of Ulster, he is arguably the greatest warrior of all Celtic lore. Born as Setanta, which means the knower of ways, his mother fosters him to the king of  Ulster. Some traditions suggest that the boy had seven foster fathers who provided for him in a variety of ways, not only in material comfort but by giving him training in poetry eloquence and other skills. When he was 7 years old he arrived late to a feast being held by the smith Culann and found the smith's hound standing guard. When the dog attacked him he promptly killed it. Although unharmed, Culann was distressed since his guard dog was now dead. The young Setanta gallantly offered to raise another hound and train it, but until then would serve as Culann's "hound'. This is how he got his adult name Cu Chulainn meaning "hound of Culann" and may also be the source of his most important geis, or sacred injunction, never to eat the flesh of a dog.

     He is also known for his battle frenzy. While striving to win Emer's hand, he fought and killed three hostile warriors known as the Sons of Nechtan. During this battle, he experienced the terrifying shift in both his consciousness and physical appearance called the riastradh - the battle frenzy. The description of it is quite amazing: his body twisted about within his skin, his lips peeled back from his mouth revealing the bone around the teeth, one eye sank deep within his skull while the other fell out of its socket, his heart boomed as loud as a kettledrum and a spout of blood gushed geyserlike from a hole in the crown of his head. Once in this state, he could kill 40 people with a single blow. It was apparently so dangerous that once he entered it no one, not even friends or comrades, were safe. One story tells of him approaching Emain Macha in this state and the alarmed king sent the women of Ulster out to greet him - naked. This is what it took to startle and distract him enough that the Ulstermen could grab him. However still his rage continued and they had to dump him in three vats of cold water, the first of which exploded and the second boiled over, before he finally snapped out of it.

     So what spiritual lesson can be learned from Cu Chulainn? It may be related to Theodore Roosevelt's advice: "Speak softly and carry a big stick". A warrior achieves nothing by being only somewhat frightening. It is often difficult to integrate the spirit of a warrior with the path of inner wisdom, but in truth we cannot be just peacemakers without also bieng capable of defending our boundaries and fighting for what is right.

     Cu Chulainn reminds us of all that is great and noble about the warrior's ideal, but also stands as a warning of the consequences of that ideal taken to an extreme out-of-balance. We definitely honor him when we take a stand or fight for what's right but we also honor him when we lay down our weapons or when we choose to make love, not war. He reminds us that the line that seperates "pushing the limits" from "going over the edge" is very thin. When you choose to work with his energy, always be mindful of that line.

     The best time of year for honoring this great and tragic hero would be either Lughnasadh, a day sacred to his father, or Samhain.

Holiday Blog Tours and Parties

   So, Halloween/Samhain is over as well as all the blog tours and parties that went along with it. I am still new to blogging, as I've only had this one for a few months now, but immensely enjoyed participating in all the parties and tours that took place during the month of October. I would like to say Thank You to all the blog hostesses (Is that even spelled right?) and a huge Welcome! to all my new readers and friends that have joined since then. May you find enjoyment and maybe a little bit of something you didn't know before as I continue on my journey as well!

"One Hundred Thousand Welcomes" in Irish

   However, this doesn't mean the fun has stopped! With the Holiday Season upon us, MORE parties and tours are popping up around the web again with even more opportunities to share and make e-friends. Interested? I knew you would be! Once again, check the links in my left side bar under "Holiday Blog Tours and Parties" to find a list of hosting blogs and where to go to sign up and participate. I will be adding to this list of course as more things are created so be on the lookout and join in the fun!

Get Off Your Broom Fitness Challenge - Weeks 5 & 6

             Fail.

                     Lots of epic fail these past two weeks.

   The only good thing I can think of is I drank more water than normal but other than that, my eating is horrible and I stopped exercising. There was just WAY too much stress going on with my family to really deal with anything else on top of it all. I didn't even have time to blog like normal. Hopefully week 7 will be an improvement and I can figure things out. Wish me luck!

Luibh and Seoid

Tiger’s Eye

          Originating from Austria, Australia and Southwest Africa, Tiger’s Eye is a lustrous yellow to brown gem. As a talisman it brings inner calm and stability to the wearer and protects from the “evil eye”, sorcery, nightmares and malignant manipulations. It also offers protection during travel, strengthens convictions and confidence.

          Due to its warm, earthy color it has the ability to “warm” and help against depression. It has also been helpful in cases of schizophrenia, various mental disorders and impulsive obsession. It alleviates headaches and migraines caused by stress and converts anxiety, fear and obsessiveness into practicality and logic. A rough piece placed at the entrance of a house keeps out negativity.

          Tiger’s Eye promotes wealth and money. One of these stones stone’s especially programmed for money magic and kept in your wallet will make sure that you always have enough change on you. A simple money spell includes empowering several Tiger’s Eye’s with your need for money. Use them to surround a green candle. Light the candle and then visualize.

Thyme

          Called “thymos” by the Greeks, which meant “fumigate” or “smoke”, they associated it with valor in battle and restoration of physical power. The Sumerians used it as an antiseptic and Egyptians used it in the mummification process. In some cultures it’s associated with the land of the fae – supposedly they like to hide in the plant’s leafy branches.

          Thyme can be used in healing rituals or to bring about restful sleep, believed to guard against nightmares and can be used in pillows for this purpose. Taking a warm bath in thyme can help relieve insomnia and slow hair loss when used as a hair rinse after shampooing. Add to a bath for purifying and mental clarity. Put a handful in cheesecloth and hang it form the faucet while the water is running.

          Thyme is also known as a stimulant. It stimulates the circulatory system and can help raise low blood pressure. It has also been found helpful for those who are fatigued, lethargic or depressed.

          When carried it is thought to inspire courage, attract good health and protect from negativity.

          Create a magical broom using thyme to banish  negativity or burn to boost your confidence and courage before confrontations.

Divine Friday

Skadi

(Norse)

   According to the ancient skalds, the storytellers among the Vikings, the world was shared by many different races. There were men and women, but there were also dwarves that dwelled in the secret places of the earth, and the Alfar (similar to the Fair Folk of the Tuatha De Danann). Among the stronger races there were the Aesir and the Vanir, the two races of gods, and then there were the giants. There were fire giants who lived in the Earth and who caused fire to erupt, and there were frost giants who were the bringers of winter and darkness. It was the frost giants that the Aesir most fought with in the heathen myths, and as the story of Skadi shows just because a battle was over didn't mean that a war was won.

  
   A giantess, called the 'snow-shoe goddess', she is the wife of the god Njord. When her father Thiazi was slain by the gods, Skadi wanted to take revenge. Thiazi had stolen the golden apples of youth in an attempt to rob the Aesir of their immortality, and the Aesir had reacted in a predictably violent manner with Thor dealing a death blow with the great treasure the war hammer Mjollnir. The gods thought it wiser to reconciliate and offered her a marriage with one of them. She was free to marry any god, but while she made her choice she was only allowed to see the feet of the potential candidates. She noticed a very elegant pair and, convinced that their owner was the fair god Balder, she chose them. Unfortunately for her, those feet belonged to the older god Njord.

   Their marriage was not a happy one.  She wanted to live where her father had lived, in Thrymheim in the mountains, and Njord wanted to live in Noatun, his palace by the sea. So they agreed to spend the first nine days in the mountains and the following nine days by the sea. This arrangement did not work out very well, and they separated.

   Her name means Shadow or Harm and she is associated with mountains, winter, hunting, revenge and dark magic. She is also associated with Death. She is the goddess who after the capture of Loki, fastened the snake above his head in revenge for Loki's part in killing her father.

  

Blog Giveaway Winner!

   Hello dear readers! I hope your Halloween/Samhain eve was wonderful and for those of you with kids that they got a lot of loot! My daughter just turned a year old in September so we didn't take her around this year, but next year it's on! I can't wait to make her a Halloween outfit and take her trick or treating!

   Yesterday was also the big day for my very first blog giveaway! Thank you to everyone who stopped by and participated - I really appreciate it. :)  All the names were written down on cards and tossed in my husband's hat and with the help of my daughter, Rayne, we drew the name....

Lori D.

Congratulations!

 I will send an e-mail out to make sure the winner is notified. Once again, thank you to everyone who participated and be on the lookout for more giveaways in the future!