The Celtic New Year
I am a Celtic Warrior Queen, at heart. That means, this day in the Celtic calendar is most special to me. I suppose it always has been. I always loved dressing up on Halloween and going Trick-or-Treating. I just thought it meant that I was finally able to indulge my overactive imagination.
Forgetting all the hype and nonsense, vandalism and bad vibes attached to the day, I still look forward to October 31.
But these days, I look very differently on the day. I view it as a day to honor my beloved, departed, grandparents. Which, doesn't seem much different than what I do, day in, day out, being very proud of my family; my grandparents seem very much still with me, even if they departed this life, when I was a very small girl.
Several years ago, I began delving heavily into Celtic history, legend and mythology, and that in turn deepened my regard for this day. It has, since, become a day of dedication, a day when all my Celtic Guardians seem to converge upon me, taking my hand, nudging me through all the niggling little webs and walls of life. Trying to remind me what it all means, and that I must keep that sense of humor, even through the carnage, wreckage and insanity around me.
Being a Celtic Warrior Queen, at heart, is no easy feat. Apparently it means, you have to be ready, eager to fight for your truth, justice and peaceful way of life--and in some ways your sanity as well.
It is definitely not for the faint of heart.
I also don't believe one is necessarily born to it thanks to blood kin to the Celtic People--although I have been surprised to learn, perhaps I have even a slightest bit of Celticness in me, after all. What I mean is, if you can withstand, if you have the tenacity to withstand, the Trials of Scathach, (so to speak) you may be Celtic at Heart, and not even know it.
For me, the past year, from last October to this, has been a rollercoaster, and particularly maddening, for reasons I won't go into here, but here we once again approach that most holy day, and I look on the trials and battles of the Celtic heroes, gods and Sidhe, and wonder, and resolve to triumph through it all, just as they; and hope I can continue to keep it together in the face of enemy armies.
So you need not ask how I view this particular Celtic day; all the articles in the world can tell you the wheretos and whyfores of Samhain, from all angles; but for me, it is, and I suppose, shall be for some time to come, a day to sharpen up the ole sword, re-gather my strength, call upon my General, and upon the Army at our side, and get ready for another day's battle.
May all your battles find you victorious! Blessed Samhain to one and all.
~Lady Collbran, Raven Queen, Warrior Queen, Otherworld-Druid/Bard-in-training.
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