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I remember when I first realized that Arthur was not originally an English figure but a Welsh one. I was excited and intrigued at the thought of learning so much more about both Arthur and medieval Welsh literature and culture, but I was simultaneously disappointed that it had required me to be years-deep into learning about Wales and the Welsh language to discover it. From my perspective, it was yet another contribution to the mounting heap of trees that were the gems of Welsh culture that for some reason the wider world seemed to not even know existed. Learning about the Welsh origins of Arthur was more egregious than even the other Welsh works that lay largely latent in my part of the world – Arthur was famous, known across the world. Unlike other Welsh works, it wasn’t that no one knew about this legacy, it was that its origins had been misconstrued as English and French.

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O Mother of every sweetness,
O Queen who hast never transgressed,
O Well of Mercy and Hope to those who tread the path of goodness,
O Mare Mother, be with me in the time of my death,

Leading me after my death, and before my death.

Be before me when I die, do not let my soul fly past thee.

O Blossom of the Earth, 

Splendor of the Sovereigns, 

Hope of Rebirth and Renewal, 

Thou art our Shield from every evil and danger.

Thou art the Rose from which every virtue comes forth.

O Hope of the People, 

I pray thee humbly not to forsake us in the pitiable time of our death,

At the hour when our soul shall be parting from our body.

I put myself under thy protection, O Great Queen, on account of thy power and thy goodness, on my lying down in the night and on my rising up in the morning.

 

Adapted from of The Religious Songs of Connacht, p. 21

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The Fast of Blodeuwedd, Waxing Crescent 

in honor of victims of sexual assault, human trafficking, and objectification

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The Fast of Lleu, Waxing Half Moon  I give thanks for the waxing moon and all the growth and strength it represents, honoring the God Lleu, associated with eagles, lightning, the moon (lleuad), war, skill, precision, and patron of unwanted and neglected children.  As an adoptee, Lleu holds a special place for me.  Ritual is held to remember and bless children who are neglected, unloved, and/or abandoned, and I pray for their aid, and for them to be loved.  Donations are made to organizations that help single parents, foster care, state adoption, and charities whose focus is on aiding children or placing adoptions (not for-profit agencies) with strict open-adoption policies.  On this day of fasting, I eat no grains/bread/pasta, no seafood, no meat or poultry, no fried or snacky/junk foods, no added sugar/honey/syrup/ sweeteners, and no alcohol are to be consumed.  Only one meal is eaten.

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The Fast of Rhiannon, Full Moon

in honor of those mourning loss and suffering oppression

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The Fast of Branwen, Waning Half Moon

in honor of victims of abuse, also of suicide and their survivors

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The Fast of Amaethon, Waning Crescent

in honor of those who don't have their basic needs to survive -- adequate food, shelter, clothing, clean water, medicine

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The Fast of Gwydion, Dark Moon

I hold ritual to recognize and come to terms with the "dark side" of myself, not to wallow in it or to feel edgy, but so that I may correct it, for I cannot fix a problem I cannot see to begin with, and I am often quite good at fooling myself as to my own righteousness, importance, uniqueness, or "coolness".  Gwydion makes me see when I too-easily overlook my own faults and shortcomings, or when I play up my own self-condemnation to get sympathy and affirmation from others, when in fact what I need to do is simply correct the problem. It is Gwydion who holds up the mirror and forces me to recognize that I am not as good, or as knowledgeable, as I may often think I am, but also His teaching reminds me that I can learn from those tendencies and do better going forward if I am humbled and determined to do so.  He likewise teaches me the importance of preparedness, and reminds me that nature is not some romanticized rosey, happy, always-beautiful, comfortable place -- very real suffering, pain, and struggle for life and death itself is also the essence of nature, and those who are wise, prepared, persevering, powerful, and lucky survive. The rituals performed on this night are intensely personal, and so it is not common to share what darkness I am confronting within myself when I symbolically burn away what Gwydion has revealed to me (unless I want others to help by holding me accountable) for if I do not hold myself accountable, I have only myself to blame. 

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There can be said to be nine virtues which are most important to uphold in my practical life.  These virtues are seen again and again throughout the culture as well as in mythologies and heroic epics:

Wisdom, Truth, Autonomy, Responsibility, Generosity, Compassion, Excellence, Valor, and Balance. 

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  1. Wisdom: Perhaps the most highly emphasized and sought-after Welsh, and indeed Celtic, virtue -- wisdom and knowledge are of precious value.  Knowledge and experience, and the power of discerning judgment and wisdom that comes from these, is always to be pursued and passed on for the benefit of future generations.  Without wisdom, a virtuous life is a difficult pursuit even for those with the best of intentions.  Elders and teachers are to be given utmost respect always (although even they must be resisted, defied, and brought to justice if they perform evil or dishonorable deeds).

  2. Truth: Integrity is a primary virtue without which any other virtue cannot be attained.  Honesty not only with others, but also with oneself, is paramount.  Not only one's personal dedication to honesty, but also the pursuit of facts and justice, are tied up in the virtue of truth.  

  3. Autonomy: An individual's as well as a family's, community's, and nation's autonomy and freedom are valued as highly precious and innate qualities, which are to be given utmost respect.  When such is threatened or oppressed, it is the duty of every honorable person to defend it and/or regain it.  Disrespect is not to be tolerated, and oppression is to be resisted and fought against intensely.

  4. Responsibility: Duty to support, provide for, and defend the life and health of one's land, one's community, one's family, one's gods, and one's self is of utmost priority to any virtuous person.  Loyalty and reliability are to be maintained where such are honorable, and any obligations one has which are not dishonorable must be met in due course to every extent possible.

  5. Generosity: Whether it be sharing wealth, food, knowledge, labor, favors, aid, kindness, or sharing one's living space in the tradition of hospitality, to be generous with whatever degree of riches one has been afforded is expected of those pursuing a life of honor.

  6. Compassion: Mercy, kindness, and empathy for others are very important foundations of compassion -- but these alone are not enough.  As a person of action, on this path, I must also do what is possible to rectify the plight, injustices, and suffering of others. 

  7. Excellence: No one is famed for their mediocrity, and Welsh culture insists on constantly making genuine effort to strive for excellence in whichever endeavors one chooses to pursue in life, both great and small, both long-term and simple.  Nothing is worth doing that is not worth doing well.

  8. Valor: To only bother to follow the tenets of a virtuous life when such is easy, is to not be very virtuous at all.  What is right and good may not align with what is popular, or what is accepted tradition, or even what is law.  Even when times are hard, even when facing seemingly insurmountable odds, or even when facing certain death -- the person of great honor has the courage to do what is right and, if necessary, to fight and die for it so that even in death, others may be inspired and emboldened by the sacrifice and lead on to a better future.

  9. Balance: Balance is the final virtue because all things, including the aforementioned virtues, ought to be done within the limits of moderation and what is reasonable.  This is not to be mistaken for merely following the path of least resistance.  Each person should strive to enjoy and experience the many things in life that make it worth living, rather than focusing solely on one aspect to the exclusion of all else.  At the same time, one ought not spread themselves too thin.  Balance is also not some vain attempt at perfect "neutrality".  Balance in and of itself is a good thing, and a life of balance and moderation is a life of goodness -- in other words, attempting a "balance" between good and evil in oneself is simply an excuse to commit evils and will be treated as such.  Extremism is, by definition, the antithesis of balance and therefore is also incompatible with a life of virtue.  Even if the focus is honorable pursuits, obsession becomes an unhealthy, all-consuming fire, or else it burdens one to the point of exhaustion and burn-out.  Worse, to harbor extreme zeal can lead to bigotry, literalism, and harsh judgmental attitudes towards others or even oneself (see virtues number 3 and 6).  On the other hand, laziness, self-centeredness, cynicism, and apathy, likewise, will never lead to a life of fulfillment or honor.  It is balance -- in work v. rest, in mundane v. spiritual, in physical v. mental, in responsibility v. autonomy, and truly in as many aspects of life as possible, that we should strive to keep as a constant current through our lives.

 

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