White Rose of Avalon

Celtic

  • Ancestral Mythology

    The concept of ancestral mythology is a very intriguing one.   This is the mythology that our physical ancestors would have believed in.   We each have a deeper connection to the myths and folktales of our own ancestors than to those of other cultures.   This makes for an innate feeling of interest (for…

  • Celtic Astrology

    Celtic astrology is always something I have been more intrigued by than the more widely used zodiac signs.    I feel that my Celtic astrology signs, both animal and tree, are more in line with my personality than Virgo is.    I am a Swan and a Vine in the Celtic astrological traditions.    It…

  • Lancelot’s Celtic Roots

    Lancelot was taken in by and raised by the Lady of the Lake.   He was therefore raised by a faerie woman.   Lancelot is often tied to the Isle of Avalon due to his fosterage by the Lady of the Lake.    He becomes an amazing knight, and a true warrior thanks to his…

  • Avalonian Goddesses

    The Avalonian Goddesses refers to the goddesses worshipped by modern Avalonian witchcraft.   They are the five goddesses whose stories appear in The Mabinogion.   Cerridwen, Blodeuwedd, Rhiannon, Branwen, and Arainrhod are all powerful goddesses in Welsh Celtic tales.   In the Avalonian tradition Cerridwen, Blodeuwedd, and Rhiannon each take a third of the year…

  • The Blodeuwedd and Guinevere Connection

    Blodeuwedd and Guinevere have many commonalities in their tales.   Both could be seen as sovereignty goddesses that had marriages that gave kingship to their husbands.   Both had marriages that began as happy, but devolved into unhappiness on the part of the wives.   Both found true love when they were already married, and…

  • Banshee

    Banshees were the wailing women of Celtic belief.   These faery women had cries that could pierce the ears of the listeners, and served to herald death.   The goddess the Morrigan is considered the first banshee.   Many television series have been inspired by the story of the banshee.    In Ireland many families…

  • Blodeuwedd and Flower Brides

    Blodeuwedd is a faerie bride, and Celtic goddess, who appeared in the fourth branch of the Welsh Mabinogion.   She was also known as “Flower Face” (the meaning of her name), “May Queen”, and “May Bride.”   Since I will soon be a May bride myself, I could not resist doing a post on this…

  • Excalibur

    Excalibur is the mystical sword of Arthur.    Gifted to him by the Lady of the Lake, the sword helped Arthur win many a battle.   The television show Once Upon a Time took a unique look at this sword.   In that series Excalibur was part of the blade of the dark one, the…

  • Gwragedd Annwn

    The Gwragedd Annwn (pronounced Gareth Anoon~w in Welsh is a vowel pronounced “oo”, and “dd” in Welsh is pronounced “th”) were Welsh lake maidens.   Their name literally meant “wives of the Underworld.”    They were said to inhabit a watery realm of Annwn, the Celtic Underworld, or Otherworld, not like our modern conception of…

  • Faerie Queens and Art

    Faerie Queens have long been inspiration for artists.    They factor heavily into Celtic lore and legends.   Celtic culture itself heavily influenced the Arthurian Legends!   Arthurian legends would inspire many generations of artists. Edmund Spenser wrote the epic poem The Faerie Queene during the reign of Elizabeth I.   The poem is an…