Day: June 2, 2011

Arianrhod

by Karen Davis

Arianrhod (“silver wheel”, thus, the moon), is one of the descendants of Don. She had two brothers, Gilfaethwy and Gwydion the sister of Math ap Mathonwy, whose quality was that he required a virgin’s lap to place his feet in, unless he was at war. When this virgin was raped, Math asked for a replacement, and Arianrhod volunteered. But when she stepped over his rod, she immediately gave birth to two children: a young boy and a blob. (This is likely because the word morwynmay mean either ‘virgin’ or ‘free young woman’, but it also indicates her divine status.)

Arianrhod

The boychild was named Dylan; he was a sea-being who returned to the waves. The blob was snatched up by Arianrhod’s brother Gwydion, who hid it in a chest until it grew into a baby. Arainrhod imposed three geases upon this boy: he would have no name unless she named him, he would bear no arms unless she armed him, and he would have no human woman to wife. Thus, Arianrhod denied him the three essential passages to manhood. Nevertheless, Gwydion raised the nameless boy, and one day Arianrhod spied a young boy killing a wren with a single flung stone. She called out that he was a bright lion with a sure hand, and thus he took that name: Llew Llaw Gyffes. Later, Gwydion faked an alarm, and tricked her into arming the boy.

Branwen

by Karen Davis

Branwen (“white raven”) a daughter of Llyr and Penarddun, and sister of Bran, and Manawydan, and half-sister of Nisien and Efnisien. Matholwch of Ireland sued for her hand, and gave horses to Bran. Efnisien mutilated the horses, nearly precipitating warfare, but Matholwch was appeased by the gift of a cauldron that could resurrect the dead. Branwen wed him, and went to Ireland, where she bore him a son, Gwern. But the Irish began to complain about their foreign queen, and she was banished to the kitchen, where she was a slave and boxed on the ears by the butcher daily. This lasted three years, during which Branwen trained a starling to speak and sent it to Wales, where it told Bran of her plight, and he sailed to rescue her.

Matholwch was terrified at the sight of a forest approaching Ireland across the sea: no one could make it out, until he called for Branwen, who explained it as Bran’s navy, and Bran himself wading through the water. He sued for peace, they built a house big enough for Bran, and Matholwch agreed to settle the kingdom on Gwern. Some Irish lords objected, and hid themselves in flour bags to attack the Welsh. But Efnisien, scenting Irish treachery, cast them into the fire, and then cast Gwern himself in (avoiding the geas against shedding kinsmen’s blood thereby). A war broke out, and the Irish replenished themselves through the cauldron. Efnisien, repenting, sacrificed himself by feigning death and being thrown into the cauldron, which he then broke, dying in the process. Only seven Welshmen survived, and Bran was fatally wounded. His head, which remained alive and talking, was returned to Wales and buried, and soon afterwards Branwen sailed to Aber Alaw and died. She is one of the three “matriarchs of Britain”, along with (probably) Rhiannon and Arianrhod.

Have a Fantastic Thursday, My Dearies!

Happy, happy Thursday to everyone! There seriously ought to be a law against someone feeling so good. I got out yesterday afternoon and worked my butt off. Since I got rid of hubby, I plan on fixing the porch the way I always wanted it. Yes my loves,  there is not much this old witch can’t do. I am going to have to quit referring myself as old, I am not old. Anyway back to the subject at hand, I cleaned off one end of the deck. Then I went to a local nursery in pursuit of landscaping bricks. I did not believe the number of landscaping companies I would have to go to before I found my mysterious bricks. I finally found them, loaded them up and off I went to the house. You might be wondering or not, what I wanted with bricks. I am fixing my herb garden finally and I wanted to put them around it to keep the lawn service from mowing them down. I got out back where I wanted to put the herb garden and I have never seen like the crap buried in the ground. I found everything and if I still had the contractor’s number, I would have to call him. But after I got that cleaned out, it was late and me and my pup were hungry. So I came in and cooked us some supper. After supper, I came into the bedroom and started working on the carpet. I am in the process of super cleaning it. But I had energy to spare yesterday and also today. I plan on finishing my garden this afternoon. I know to some of you, really all of you, I am putting out my garden late. But our seasons are messed up. I will have herbs up to late October. Then I go harvest and live happily ever after.

Ok, the Elder Witches amongst us doesn’t have to read this part. This is just for the newcomers and in case they haven’t figured it out yet or made the connection. I don’t mean to insult anyone, this is just a great way to learn and it stays with you. Let’s start, do you wonder why I told you all the stuff I did yesterday? Did you wonder how I had so much energy and it was natural energy? It was because of the moon. Yes, you hear right. There is a new moon lurking about. If you notice every time the Moon becomes Full or New (I haven’t never found this true for the other changes, in fact I end up drained during them.), you have a sudden surge of energy. You can’t sit still, you have got to be doing something. That is the Moon’s rays having an effect on us. If there is something you have been putting off and absolutely dread doing it, wait to the Moon become Full or New. You will have more energy than you know what to do with. The mundane world has almost found out our little secret. They are starting to notice how much crazy stuff happens. The crazy stuff happens because the average person doesn’t know how to handle the extra energy. We, the witches, do.

Light Herbal Moisturizer

This will tighten, nurture, and moisturize sensitive or oily skin.

  • 1 cup milk
  • 3 tablespoons lavender or violet flowers

Heat but do not boil, the milk and lavender or violet flowers. Cover, remove from heat, and steep 30 minutes before straining. Apply lightly to sensitive skin.

Herbal Toner

Here’s  a recipe for a simple toner to be used within 3 days.

For sensitive and mature skin:

  • 1/2 cup rose, lavender or Calendula water infusion*
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable glycerine
  • 1/2 cup witch hazel

For oily skin:

  • 1/2 cup sage leaves, or
  • 1/2 cup lemon balm, lemon grass, and lemon verbena, or
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable glycerine
  • 1/2 cup witch hazel
  •  1/2 cup rosemary

*For an infusion, steep 2 tablespoons fresh herb (or a combination of herbs to equal 2 tablespoons) in half a cup of boiled water  in a covered glass or porcelain container for 10 minutes. Strain before using.

For sensitive and mature skin, combine rose water, lavender water, or Calendula water as an infusion with vegetable glycerin and witch hazel. Apply with a cotton ball. For oil skin, infuse any of the herbs in half a cup of boiled water for 10 minutes and strain. Add glycerine and witch hazel. Refrigerate after using. After the toner dries and sets, apply a moisturizing cream or lotion.