“The Boar is the beast of death,” (Graves, 210), and much of what we read about Boars and pigs is in general connected with death.  Death is a concern in most religions and contemplation of death takes on a special vividness and immediacy.  The Boar is, among other things, a devourer; it is a menace to crops and to people, it is voracious and it is omnivorous.

In his famous song, “The Mystery” Amergin sang, “I am a ruthless Boar.” The Boar is the last of Four Sacred Animals to be mentioned by him.   Stories about the Boar deal with the “hinge” of the year, the passage across the boundary between Light and Dark. The Boar is the creature that represents the never ending continuity of divine energy and is seen as chased from one realm of energy-manifestation to the other.  The Boar’s expression changes, becoming either a dark creature of destruction or a solar teacher.  This is similar to the Stag, who changes from the antlered apparition to the earth-bound power at the heart of the greenwood.  So here at the time of Samhain in the Northern Hemisphere, as we move into darkness, the Boar becomes the harbinger of death, riding on the active energy of growth into darkness.

But the Boar’s descent into the Underworld is not just a journey of destruction.  In spite of any other roles it may play, the Boar is a creature of fertility.  It plants the seeds of renewal. It is as if the many fragments of life retain that life within themselves and, buried like seeds in winter soil, they will be nurtured by the darkness of the dark until the next bright season.

In addition to representing fertility and wealth, Boars symbolize courage and strong warriors (MacCulloch, 356) for they are strong, dangerous, and very hard to kill. Their appearance in dreams and visions also indicates warriors. Isolt’s forewarning of the death of Tristan, a great warrior, came in a dream about the death of a great Boar (Spector, 85-86). Statues of Boars are occasionally found in the company of statues of armed warriors, (Powell, 176) further indicating an association between Boars and warriors.

Great importance is attached to the bristles of the Boar. Perhaps they are the distinguishing characteristic of the animal or symbolize its strength. For example, Fionn is killed by stepping on a Boar’s bristle after breaking a geasa against hunting Boars (MacCulloch, 150). Some of the extraordinary Boars that King Arthur fights in Culhwich and Olwen have bristles that are gold or silver. Conversely, when Menw tries to steal treasures from Twrch Trwyth, he is only able to take a bristle. The pig herders at the start of the Táin, Friuch and Rucht, are named after the bristle and the grunt of the Boar, respectively. It is the bristle of the Boar, Friuch that proves to have the most power; in the end, Friuch reborn as Donn Cuilnge destroys Rucht as Finnebach Ai. The bristles of the Boar are mentioned many other times implying that they are an important part of the animal.

In my researched on the Boar I discovered that the Boar is the animal that both Freyr and Freyja rode – specifically Freyja’s association.  Most of the information I obtained came from the Lay of Hyndla.  It seems that Freyja’s Boar, Hildsvini, was her lover, Ottar, who had been changed into a Boar and upon whose back Freyja rode. Certainly there are sexual overtones here; in fact Freyja was accused of being promiscuous by Hyndla for it!

So, having completed my research, I was ready.  I went into meditation and invited Freyja to join me.  I found myself in a dense forest sitting on a tree stump.  While I could not see Freyja, I spoke with her.  I told her what I was looking for and that I hoped it would be a Boar but asked her to guide me.

I explained to Freyja why I was looking. I got up and started walking into the forest feeling expectant.  After about five minutes I came around a corner and standing there was a Boar.  He was pretty darn big!  I really expected to be afraid and thought perhaps he would not be friendly but actually he was friendly toward me.  Perhaps he had been instructed by Freyja – I don’t know.  I walked over to him and ran my hands on his back and talked with him.

I explained what I needed, that I wanted him to help me ferret out information when I needed it and when it was being difficult to obtain.  I told him I admired his tenacity and that I hoped we could work together as a team.  He never answered me but when I hopped up on his back he made no protest.  I again ran my hands on him around his neck and sort of laid myself down over his neck and gave him a hug.  After that I got down and he wandered off.

It seems very right for this Boar to be entering my life.  Earlier this year after a dance of a year or so, the Stag came into my journeys and now the Boar.  The Stag represents the Light of the year and the Boar the Dark.  I don’t know yet if the Stag will stay with me in my journeys or be replaced by the Boar as a seasonal variation.  Only time will tell.  When I see the Boar again I will call him Elohx.  If he is both Stag and Boar, the name is fitting for both.  As related to the Rune Algiz – elk-sedge – he will be a strong guide and helper in stripping away “bark” to reveal the wisdom I seek.

In my next meditation, I was alone and decided to take a little journey.  It had been very quiet and frankly, I was so bored I needed to do something.  I was listening to a song on my computer that I had downloaded and was sitting back in my chair with my eyes closed.  The next thing I knew I was walking in the woods. So I decided to go looking for the Boar.  I sent out a call and asked him to come meet me.  I walked a little further and then suddenly, there he was.  I greeted him and asked him if I might call him Elohx.  He still did not speak to me but I sensed a slight nod of his head.  I reached out and ran my hands over his fur which was quite thick and I sensed that I needed to be careful not to go the wrong way as they seemed somewhat sharp.  Really beautiful – like very thick hair!  So I asked if we might go somewhere and I climbed up on his back.  I expected us to trot along much like riding on a horse, but no we left the ground and flew!  Right up over the trees.  His feet were tucked back and I held on and we went soaring over the trees – it felt rather odd but I would like to get used to it! About that time, I was brought abruptly back to this world by the ringing of my phone.

So I took the call and then sat back and closed my eyes once more.  I wasn’t on his back anymore and surprising – he didn’t seem to be too disturbed by my sudden departure – strange how things can be in the world of trance.  Anyway, I apologized and said I had better go.  I thanked him and said we would meet again. I hope to be able to journey with him when I have a question!

I have added Boar bristles to my drum and look forward to journeying with Elohx through the remaining darkness of the year.

Robert Graves, Robert, White Goddess.  The Noonday Press, 1969.
Kondratiev, Alexei, The Apple Branch: A Path to Celtic Ritual, Citadel Press, New York, NY, 2003.
MacCulloch, J. A. The Religion of the Ancient Celts. T. and T. Clark, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1911.
Powell, T.G.E. The Celts. New Ed., Thames and Hudson, New York, NY, USA, 1980.
Spector, Norman B., trans. The Romance of Tristan and Isolt. Northwestern University Press: Evanston, USA, 1973

The post The Sacred Boar and the Dark of the Year appeared first on .

In Greek mythology, the Hyperboreans were a mythical people who lived in the far northern part of the known world. Their name appears to derive from the Greek ὑπέρ Βορέᾱ, “beyond Boreas” (the God of the North Wind)

The northern portion of the earth was supposed to be inhabited by a happy race named the Hyperboreans, dwelling in everlasting bliss and spring beyond the lofty mountains whose caverns were supposed to send forth the piercing blasts of the north wind, which chilled the people of Hellas (Greece). Their country was inaccessible by land or sea. They lived exempt from disease or old age, from toils and warfare.

Moore has given us the “Song of a Hyperborean,” beginning …

“I come from a land in the sun-bright deep,
Where golden gardens glow,
Where the winds of the north, becalmed in sleep,
Their conch shells never blow.”

“The swan represents the divine intermediary between this world and the world of the Goddess, the Otherworld. It also represents the inner light of the spirit. As the swan wings its way homeward, so, too, does our spirit throughout its journeying seek to return home to the Source.”
– Lorraine MacDonald

The post Hyperboreans appeared first on .

The post Brighid appeared first on .

The post Cailleach appeared first on .

The post Skadi appeared first on .

The post Arianrhod appeared first on .

In Faerie Faith, the Summer Solstice falls within the Oak Moon, the Moon in which we “court the lightning bolt.”  What that means to us is that with our roots planted firmly in the ground, as does the Oak tree, now is the time to take all of our plans and put them into action.  “Go for it” is what we are saying to ourselves and to the world.

We call on Aine for aide in love, fertility and prosperity. We ask for Her help in claiming our own power and in experiencing true joy in life.

If we have been procrastinating – that has to stop. Indecision – putting off – all of that has to go away.  We need to understand that now is the time for decision making.  We must trust that the Universe will support our decisions.  This is our magic!  For once we make a decision – once we decide to act – doors open!  Once our intention is made known. We will be supported and what we need will fall into place.

Aine is asking us to take a leap of faith and jump wholeheartedly into putting the dream into play!

With our work done in the discovery process of what is already done, as well as what still needs to be done, we call upon Aine. We say to Her, to the Universe and to any there who listen, “I now take the Leap. With your help, Aine, I am ready! This is my Will. So Mote It Be!”

One other little part of Aine’s story is of particular interest to me.  My tradition, The Apple Branch has its roots in the Faerie Faith Tradition

Aine is known for teaching human children about love, both by taking human men as lovers and also by teaching humans how to share and express love in sacred ways. She gave birth to many children, some of them with mortal men and with those unions, created a magical Faerie-Human race.
Throughout time, we humans have inquired about our origins.  Where did we come from?  Are we star seeds?  A mix between gods and human animal forms? Did we breed with aliens?

We of the Faerie Faith, know that our origins began with the Fey. We love to think that we are those Faerie-Human Children of Aine, and hence our connection to the Gods of Old.  Perhaps you as well?

Anyway, returning to our original story… Are you ready to reach for the stars?  Are you ready to leave that place of indecision and with gusto, take a giant leap to claim what is yours? Take the power of the Sun from Summer Solstice and with the Full Moon coming up, call on Aine to guide and protect you in your own Giant Leap!  She may come to you as Lair Derg, a red mare that no one can outrun or She may be Beautiful Aine with long red hair, held by a headband of fallen stars. Either way, She walks among us, offering aide where She is needed.

May the Goddess of Light, Love and Fertility, bring us the sun’s power and life force and the moon’s mystery of intuition and regeneration. May She be with you and protect you as you move through these glorious days of Summer.

Deanne Quarrie. D. Min., Hps.

Image: Caroline Evans

The post Aine and the Giant Leap appeared first on .