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On Wings of Change: The
Dragon in Celtic Magic
by Kristoffer Hughes
Classical Latin writers specified that a "Draco" (which forms the origin of
the modern word Dragon) referred to an unspecified or uncategorized
serpent. The British Celtic name for Dragon, Dreig, continues to be used to this
day in the modern Welsh language and is indicative of a mythical
creature that is heraldic or emblematic of a Celtic Cultural Continuum.
It is probable that the serpentine nature of the dragon and their
expression in Celtic myth as worms and snakes seem to imply a possible
land-based nature to these creatures; it may be suggested that the
dragon started its life as a snake and developed through the popular
imagination to become the mighty beast with which we are familiar. The
dragon can be found in several cultures around the world, and is not
exclusive to the Celtic nations; many have an earthy feel to them and
seem symbolic of the relationship between a people and their land.
In Celtic magic, the true significance of the dragon is subtle, and
they are not simply the enormous fire breathing beasts that we have
been led to believe; they are so much more than their fictionalized
expression. Not only do they represent the serpentine qualities of the
land, of a creature in touch with the earth and moving into
relationship with the people, they are also indicative of the spirit of
a people, in this case the Celts of the islands of Britain. The dragon
may have started its life as a lowly snake, but it rose to become the
spirit of a place, genius loci, and then something remarkable happened:
it became a part of our mythology, it sprouted wings and it moved with
the people across the surface of the earth, over oceans and to new
lands. Whereas the ordinary spirits of place are a part of the story of
location, the dragon became something else; it became transferable and
could migrate with the people. In order to gain an understanding of the
significance and importance of the dragon in Celtic magic, we must
descend into the past and find them in the misty corridors of
mythology.
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by
Llewellyn
1. Your new book is titled, The Book of Celtic Magic,
and has been described as a "complete" book of Celtic magic. What
inspired you to write it?
My identity as a Celt is important to me;
it expresses my connection to the land, to my ancestors, it is
indicative of my love affair with a place, a life-long love affair. My
entire spiritual practice is inspired by the mythology and wisdom of
Celtica and of the Celtic Cultural Continuum. To this end, I am often
asked to speak about that connection and about my expression and
practice of Celtic Magic. I figured it was about time that I
streamlined those thoughts into a cohesive narrative that, I hope, will
not only inspire others, but to offer tools that may colour their own
practices. Essentially this is my journey, and whilst I explore many
aspects of Celtic magic, it is more or less a biographic account of how
I have come to practice Celtic magic. This is my story.
2. Your previous books
(including From the Cauldron Born)
have focused on Celtic/Welsh traditions; you are also the Chief of the
Anglesey Druid Order, a Mount Haemus scholar, and a member of the Order
of Bards, Ovates and Druids. How do you feel your Welsh ancestry and
practices influence your Pagan spirituality?
I live
on a small island with a big past, separated by a narrow stretch of
turbulent sea from mainland Wales. I live a couple of miles south of
the ancient Welsh city of Aberffraw, one of North Wales' ancestral
capitals, and also the legendary home of the family of Llyr, the God of
the sea. His offspring Bran, Branwen, Manawyddan and their half
brothers Nisien and Efnysien are said to have lived here. Branwen
herself died of a broken heart on the banks of the river Alaw, a place
not far from my current home. When I look south from my bedroom window,
over the estuary and the forest (which incidentally is home to the
largest Raven colony in Europe), I can clearly view the entire
Snowdonia mountain range. At its feet, swimming in the tidal shallows
is Caer Aranrhod, a fort and island of the Goddess, also known as
Arianrhod. To its east is the ancient seat of Caer Dathyl, the home of
the legendary God/King Math. Further still, my work takes me to London,
and there atop the White Hill, I sense also the same demigods and gods
that I connect to at home. They are written into this landscape. I live
in a sacred landscape. Many cultures have called this place home, the
Normans and the Saxons, to name but two. My mother tongue, my first
language, is Welsh. The Welsh continue to safeguard the old tales and
myths of the ancient Briton; we are the Celts of today and within us we
contain the memories of the ancient Celts. The Celts themselves never
went anywhere; we are still here, thriving and alive.
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The Evolving Soul and Your Life Purpose:
Connecting the Dots of Past Lives
by Dr. Linda Backman
Each and every one of us chooses to incarnate with an
intended soul purpose—but how do we discover what that purpose is? And
how can we learn to heal in our present lives when issues are caused by
hurts in a past lifetime? Dr. Linda Backman, author of Bringing Your Soul to Light and the new Evolving Soul, explains.
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10 Creepy, Haunted Objects with a Hidden Past
by Stacey Graham
Is that clown doll looking at you funny? It may very
well be. Haunted objects are more common than you think—and it might be
wise to think twice before picking up objects from antique sales or
flea markets. Here, Haunted Stuff author Stacey Graham details ten
such haunted—and utterly creepy—objects with hidden pasts.
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Tarot: Group Dynamics Spread
by Barbara Moore
As readers, we are often asked for clarification about a
situation. This technique and spread can help provide that
clarification, if there is more than one person involved. Tarot expert
Barbara Moore presents the Group Dynamics Spread, intended to to aid in
understanding the other person (or people) involved so that the querent
can develop the best plan to improve the situation or help progress a
goal.
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