Epona

dewognatos:

thebeginnerwitch:

So, one of the Celtic gods and goddesses that was specifically asked about was Epona. I kind of hesitate to talk about Epona and put her in a specific pantheon location because it’s really unknown where she originates and how she spread across Europe so completely. 

So, “Epona” is a Gallic name or Gaulish. That means, etymologically speaking, it appears to be a Celtic-origin Goddess. Ep for a horse -on- to represent a divine being and -a to distinguish a feminine. So, You have a Divine Mare that appears to be Gaulish in origin.

I say “appears” because a lot of the physical evidence found on Epona appears to be from after the Romans swept across Europe. That being said, in the lands of the Gael the Gall, there is a LOT of information missing, because so many of the stories and myths were purely Bardic tales and Legends. With so vast a verbal history, historians and Archaeologist have a hard time placing the origin of a lot of different things. While, the vast majority of the figures featuring Epona are, indeed found in Gaulish lands, the fact that the Roman Empire is involved in the dating process just makes things harder, because the Romans were not shy about adapting other nations gods and goddesses to their own worship. They then spread them far across Europe, so it becomes difficult. 

A lot of the really good information on Epona is in French, which I do not speak fluently enough to be of any real help finding and translating, only that a lot of the references given on other sites list French (and occasionally German) sources, which is understandable, considering, you know, Gaul is one of the reputed places of origin.

Epona is of course, associated with horses and was largely worshiped by peoples whose lives and livelihoods were dependent upon horses. Horses are usually associated with strength, fertility, and speed. The most common associations that I can find via pagan sites with questionable sources is that offerings of carrots and apples are typically given. This seems like it could be a valid offering based on the fact that horses typically get carrots and apples as treats. 

I have also founds some other places that seem to link her to dreaming and sleep, but they tell vastly different stories of what she will bring you. One stating that she promotes positive dreams and the other nightmares, so I guess it depends on what you think. I, personally, don’t have very many GOOD associations with horses. I don’t really care for them, and they return the favor, so I’m inclined to lean towards bringing nightmares, but there are some people who would say that horses are sweet, loving animals who would never do that… so, I guess it’s if you and horses get along or not?

I have seen a few of depictions of her with white/light grey horses  (I don’t have sources for these images, as the sites they are from don’t list them, if you find them, let me know and I will list them.) There is some suggestions that this is supposed to represent the Camargue Horse. Which, are a particular breed of wild horse found in the Camargue wetlands in France. They are dark-colored as foals and grow out of the dark hair, though the skin underneath is still dark, making them appear a grey-white color. They are smaller and hardy, with an even temper and a good nature that makes them good for riding. I would say that this says that Epona herself would carry these same characteristics if, in fact, I can every locate evidence other than Epona and Camargue are kind of sortof from the same area, to connect them. Though, I tend to be of the mindset that I don’t believe anything until I can find better sources, and there is surprisingly little definitive information about Epona to pull from, so that could be why I’m so skeptical about what to associate with her, and how she will respond.

That being said, I think saying that Epona carries a lot of the same personality traits as horses would be a very smart way to approach understanding/communicating/respecting/worshiping this particular Goddess, wherever she may be from. I hope this helps….

And because I can’t resist. Have an Epona 

More info:

http://www.epona.net/index.html
http://spheresoflight.com.au/index.php?page=keepers_epona 
http://www.thaliatook.com/OGOD/epona.html
http://zelda.wikia.com/wiki/Epona  (This is not an actual source… it’s just a modern adaptation of Epona)

My favorite interpretations of Epona place her as a psychopomp and a mother figure, which to me ties her rather closely with the Departed Ancestors. I believe my main source for the psychopomp attributes is Miranda Green, but I don’t actually remember. That is my UPG, however, and should be taken with a grain of salt.

I can’t imagine that she would come from anywhere but Gaul, given the etymology of her name, the distribution of her attested worship, and the importance of the horse in Gallic imagery on coins and in the culture in general. Nevertheless, she was an immensely popular goddess, probably due to being wholeheartedly taken up by the Roman Empire.

Maryland Faerie Festival

Basically I just spent my whole day hanging out in the glorious sunshine with a bunch of pagans and faeries (and baby goats!) out in rural Maryland. It went even better than expected. Somehow I didn’t get misgendered even once, despite being way more androgynous/feminine than usual. Even got a couple compliments on my nail polish and the-small-shoulder-bag-that-is-TOTALLY-a-purse without getting misgendered. How about that. I’m a bit disappointed that I chose not to attend the evening fire/dancing/drumming event. I would have if I had thought to bring a change of footwear. I wore my huge stompy steel-toed buckled platform boots, and by the end of the day I was too tired of walking around with five-pound weights attached to my feet to even consider dancing. (Plus I hadn’t had anything to eat in like four or five hours and my blood sugar was crashing and the on-site food vendors had just closed down and I know I could have gone off-site to grab some food but I kind of just wanted to get home and cook something instead of spending even more money than I already had today.)

And I even managed to be super sociable! Like, actually initiating and carrying on long, non-awkward conversations! I might become a member at this PA-based pagan interfaith community that has tons of events and campsites and a farm and a meadery!

It’s almost like I’m a human being or something, jeez.

Anyone been to the Maryland Faerie Festival?

I’ve heard of it in previous years, seen some neat-o pictures, and this year by some miracle of fate I have two out of the three festival days off work. (It’s Friday 5/11 through Sunday 5/13 and I just work that Saturday.)

1. Is it worth it to go in the first place?
2. I know it’s specifically all-ages and kid-friendly. Is it too kiddie-fied, or will a lone childless costumed adult still have tons of fun? I like kids, I just don’t have any myself and I don’t wanna come across as some skeezy creep.
3. Should I get just a one-day pass, or is it awesome enough to warrant a two-day pass? (Possibly relevant: they changed the location this year, and the website says it’s much nicer and in a more wooded area.)
4. Evening activities: sound good or should I stick with the usual daytime festival stuff? (Evening events cost extra on top of the day passes.)
5. Does anyone wanna come with?? (Seriously tho!)

Twilight and Fire: Madness, Loki and the Lessons Therein.

witchyways:

rokkatru:

People who openly worship Loki are often accused of being sociopathic, or at the very least, “having issues.” While this assessment is often based on a general dislike of Loki and anybody who gives Him honor, as with every ugly stereotype, there exists an unfortunate grain of truth in it. I am not saying that all of Loki’s people are mad, but that a good percentage of us seem to be, judging from the admissions of people I’ve met who also honor Him. This is, in my opinion, neither coincidental nor merely attributable to the likelihood of already messed-up individuals being attracted to a “rebel” like Flame-hair.

In my own case, I suffer from major depressive disorder (MDD), a condition that has, not to put too fine a point on things, fucked up my life in ways I deeply regret and cannot always repair. This was an ongoing problem which I was able to deny and suppress for years before Loki came into my life. Afterward, in typical fashion, He would not allow me to ignore that part of myself any longer. My choice was to change, or die. It frightens me now how close I really came to dying, which would have meant throwing my life (and the love of my god) away for stupid reasons.

Read More »

All of my feels <3

Look!

freyrsman:

A new post! http://beerbirchandpine.wordpress.com/2012/05/06/magic-and-magick/

It’s a bit ranty. I wrote it in a huff. I tried to edit it but once I finished writing the whole thing clouded over. So it’s out there. I’ll edit it if someone makes a comment.

vampirefruitfly:

wayward-may-queen:

witchesonbikes:

also while im being sort of a rudeass heres a Bad Witch Opinion

as much as i love wild places and working in wild places and as much as i feel that in  many ways magic is easier to tap into there, humans are in fact Of The Earth and everything they create is too and they are more destructive and fragile than many other natural ecosystems but there is in fact nothing less inherently Natural about urban environments B)

THIS YES

concrete is stones

One of the first posts by WitchyWays I read that impressed me said that cars and houses are natural, because humans can only build and use what is natural to them. If it were truly not in our nature, we would not be able to build them. So everything in our world is, in some way, natural and of nature itself.

(via witchyways)

sonneillonv:

witchyways:

deviousmouse:

shivian:

WitchTip: place a single item on a clear altar to create a spiritual focus: try it with tarot, runes, tools, photos, sigils, etc

This just seems like a common sense tip! I mean, if you’re altar is cluttered with stuff, how do you expect to pay attention to what you’re working on?

But you don’t understand! I must have all of the pretties, all of the pretties being sparkly and shiny and in a fancy arrangement.

not sarcasm. I think I’m a magpie.

I personally handle this by having a ton of different altar arrangements.  I sort and categorize my shinies (granted, my shinies are pretty low-key compared to what many practitioners call ‘shiny’) according to their significance, meaning, and function.  And when I sit down with a deity, or when I sit down with a spell in mind, I use the process of setting up my altar for the purpose (and playing ‘house’ with my shinies) as a way to focus my thoughts.  Best of both worlds!

I just have every possible flat surface covered in shinies and candles and rocks and bones and skulls and shells and fossils and

uh