Do you Know Who This Man Is?

I came upon this intriguing statue strolling through a park one day in May a few years ago. I had to ask a local who the man was that was represented sprawled across a rocky crag---in color no less.

Do YOU know who he is?

book recommendations, Celtic Wisdom, Celtic Spirit, travelJeanne CraneMay 24, 2021book, statue, author, travelComment

NOTRIPPHOPHIA

I am usually in Ireland the month of May. So you can bet that when I saw a t-shirt on Facebook with the banner NOTRIPPHOBIA (the fear of not having any trips booked), I took a long look. Then I thought about the power of words and how negative statements can attract or reinforce negative outcomes while positive statements lead to positive results.

travel, Energy, celtic blessingJeanne CraneMay 17, 2021travel, energy, visioning, meditation, Celtic Blessing

Devas of Form

Mother Nature is at work. This time of year, the signs of reawakening life are all around us. Given our recent Covid experience, being outdoors and with Nature brings even more joy and awe. I usually am in Ireland or one of the other Celtic Nations in May. This year I am home being reminded of how spring flowers, bees and green grass brighten spring wherever I am. And I am truly grateful.

The Cow is the Oracle Card for May

I love the calming stare of a cow chewing its cud quietly and steadily. I know how central the cow is to daily life. The quiet, constancy of this animal as it provides us with daily milk, butter and cream is rather astonishing when you think about it.

The Fires of Beltane

I had never seen a bonfire built so elaborately. The huge mound of were for wooden doors, one in each direction, each with a beautifully painted animal representing that direction. While the fire was awesome, as soon as the painted creatures caught flame, there was a gasp from the crowd and a tear came to my eye- a tear not of sadness but of appreciation, appreciation for the seasons of our lives.

Mating season

The cycle of life comes to life in the spring. The Celts celebrated Imbolc (lambing) followed by the spring equinox Eostre (eggs and bunnies) and then Beltane (livestock driven through fire to cleanse and increase fertility). They were not only celebrating Nature bursting forth in new life but trying to assure that it be bountiful.

Celtic Spirit, Celtic Wisdom, Stone Circle, thin places, holidayJeanne CraneApril 19, 2021Imbolc, eostre, nature, heiros gamos, Divine Feminine, Avebury, fertilityComment

Do You Choose Animal Spirits or Do They Choose You?

I have a small red fox who runs through the woods with me during shamanic journeys. He is playful, quick, and game for adventure. These are qualities I need when I begin a journey and so I really appreciate his arrival and support.

For many years, when visiting western states, I would look admiringly at the tiny stone fetishes in glass cases. They were all so precious, but none spoke to me directly. I liked the idea of a spirit or power animal. I just didn’t know how to identify one. I tried meditation, I drew animal tarot cards, and I stayed alert for a roadrunner or other creature to pop up in my path announcing itself; but to no avail.

The Forest Primeval

The image of a forest in Ireland, the words from an American poet, both conjuring up the magic of a walk in the forest. And what better time than spring. Longfellow said it all in the first stanza of Evangeline.

Oracle Card for April- The Well of Segais

Our card for the month of April is The Well of Segais from The Celtic Oracle Deck by John Matthews. It represents the element of water and reminds us of the power and critical importance of water. As April showers prevail this month and will grow May flowers, perhaps the card is asking us to take time to be grateful for water, to find ways to protect its purity and stop its waste. There are a number of Irish legends about the Well of Segais. All are meant to remind us that wisdom comes from understanding the interconnectedness of life and honoring the nurturing elements Nature has given us.

Celtic Wisdom, Elements, Tarot, celtic blessingJeanne CraneMarch 29, 2021element, water, universal gift, meditation

Another Legend in Green

I came to know more about the Green Man while visiting Glastonbury. It was at the end of a trip that had visited sacred sites of the Divine Feminine and I found myself delighted to feel the balance he provided.

Jeanne CraneMarch 22, 2021green man, glastonbury, travel, Divine Feminine, nature, Divine Masculine, divine energies

St. Patrick’s Day without a Parade

Cities throughout the world have come to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with great fanfare huge parades, and lots of green beer. And, although the St. Patrick’s Day parades in Dublin, Kilkenny and Killarney are now major tourist attractions, there was a time when parades in NYC, Boston and Chicago were much larger. St. Patrick’s Day for the Irishman who had left his beloved Ireland for America or Australia or some other part of the world became a day celebrating his Irishness and mourning his loss of home.

Why We Have Green Leprechauns

Here I am kissing a (not wee) leprechaun in the National Leprechaun Museum in Dublin, a great place of fun for young and young at heart as well. I took my Celtic Spirit Tour group there a few years ago and it was a great uplift after a visit to the Jeanie Johnston Famine Ship along the quay.