New Worlds of Body, Mind & Spirit Since 1901
| Epona is a Celtic goddess whose name comes from Gaul; she is also known as Macha in Ireland, and Rhiannon in Wales. She is the protector of horses, who were a central part of life in the British Isles. The White Horse at Uffington (near Banbury) is the most famous chalk hill figure in England, and dates from the Neolithic era. The nursery rhyme "Rise a cock horse to Banbury Cross, to see a fine lady upon a white horse" may be a reference to pilgrims who journeyed to honor Epona there. English poet G.K. Chesterton also wrote about the horse in his 1911 poem "The Ballad of the White Horse":
"Before the gods that made the gods had seen their sunrise pass, The White Horse of the White Horse Vale was cut out of the grass." To honor Epona and the majestic animals she protects, place a basket of apples (a horse's favorite food and one native to England) on your altar. |
