Keeping myself accountable…
I carved off bark on 3 sets of all the staves - so…75? 
Need to dig out my correspondence chart for the symbols and the tree/shrub I have available here locally. Then tomorrow I’ll start working on wood burning the symbols.
Those are beautiful @john1 
This will be a little tricky for me, though the 10 card Celtic cross tarot spread looks quite interesting to me. I do have a Brigid Cross.
Let me start with a bit of trivia collected from the PBS series Nova. Scottish tartans were discovered in a burial mound in China! Maps used during the show seemed to reveal a path from Phoenicia through a desert to the burial mound and then up through France and England to spread out and become the Celts we all know and love. It is said that the Phoenicians as a people vanished without a trace like the Aztecs, Incans, and Mayans. I think the burial mound reveals that the blood line still exists.
Challenge Entry- trigger warning: death, abuse
I’d like to focus on my Gaelic side for this challenge, though I’m also Scottish, English, and Welsh. My French history is not one of pride, but shame and embarrassment taken to the extreme. I am a descendent of the Cagot line. According to Wikipedia, ( Cagot - Wikipedia ) my ancestors were early engineers blamed for the collapse of a cathedral they were building, possibly killing a Biblical descendent during the Grand Opening. Ever after, the Cagots were banned from churches and towns all across Europe, until they were officially forgiven a thousand years after the disaster.
Since Cagots were banned from religious places, they worked any job they could get, just to survive. Some jobs forced upon my ancestors included executioners and those who tortured others during the Inquisition.
Forgive us?
One possible bit of hope is that as the rejected people, my ancestors held onto the pre-Christian beliefs, just because there was nothing else left to them.
CHALLENGE ENTRY
Since I’m studying the Fae, I have decided to intrude the fairies that are in Celtic lore and how they help us.
Pixies
Small fairies, small enough to sit on flower blossoms. These fairies are useful to green witches. They like to help with plant magick and herbal healing.
Elves
Known for the skills as healers and artisans. They can assist in healing magick. They have also been to known aide in crafting building alters, crafting wands, or making gemstone talismans and amulets.
Leprechauns
Very mischievous and notorious tricksters. They can help with prosperity magick. You want to make sure you cover all your bases and are exact in what you are asking for or you may not get what you want. Don’t ask for aide in dubious activities or get rich quick schemes. Be sure to share your bounty with them.
Brownies
Household fairies. They come into homes during the night to tidy up while you are asleep. They can provide endurance and focus in work related projects. Don’t treat them like slaves or hired hands as you can offend them and they can break things, spill milk or chase off livestock.
Gorgoches
Part fairy and part human. They can help perform household chores or weeding gardens. All they ask for in return is a little fresh cream.
Merrows
Water spirits. Said to possess great wealth. If you win their favor they can bring gold, jewels and other riches.
These are just a few of the Fae in Celtic Lore. They are the ones that are most helpful to us.
I have an oak tree in my yard that has been struck by lightning (at least once) and was later damaged by a house fire. This occurred in the 1980’s, and that tree is still holding on. Thursday night we had a bad storm and it blew off a big chunk of my oak tree. Yesterday morning when I got off work I went to see how bad my tree was damaged, and I decided that when the sun starts to rise on Saturday morning, I will sit under the tree and do a tree meditation to let her know how much I love her.
I had no idea what I was going to do for this entry. I found a book on Kindle Unlimited and it has a whole chapter on the magic of trees in Celtic Magic. Celtic Magic: Unlocking Druidry, Earth Magick, Irish Shamanism, Tree Magic, and Scottish Paganism (Celtic Spirituality) by Mari Silva
Weekly Challenge Entry
The environment is very important to the Celtic culture. Mountains, rivers, animals and plants have a unique place in Celtic culture, but the most important of all of these is the trees. For the Celtic people, trees provided shelter, building materials, food, and protection, but the most important thing about trees, is they provided a connection between the worlds. It also talks about plant spirit allies, and when a plant actually speaks to you. I have had a connection to this tree since we first met 31 years ago. The book also talks about tree meditation to align the plant energy so the plant and person are focused and expand as one.
Like a tree, if we have the right resources, we can continue to grow and develop into strong individuals who are successful in the physical and metaphysical aspects in our personal and professional lives to lead a balanced life.
Oak trees were very important to the Celtic people, and the word Druid comes from the Celtic word Duir, meaning oak. The Celts associated the oak tree with the god Taranis, known as the god of thunder. Oak trees are the most common trees hit by lightning.
I just noticed the oak tree in the back looks like it’s leaning. I need to check that out in the daylight, because right next to it is the new barn my neighbor is building. 
challenge entry
So fully embrasing the celtic theme this week. I used two deck apps to do several spreads based around Celtic dieties as seen below
**I also had started to learn languages that were based around my deity / guardian clan. Both celtic and those close to norse language. Bjt for the sake of this challenge ill focus on the celtic. It was a way to honour my clan by learning languages as close to what they may of spoken and those spoken by ancestors from tjose places. Rhe celtic languages im learning are around
Irish🇮🇪
Gaelic scottish 
Welsh🏴
Im learning these on duolingo😁
Challenge Entry
I was doing a bit of work with Freya but since I have always been drawn to the Celts, I was excited to see this challenge this week.
When I did my DNA test, I am 98.8% from Scotland, Northern Ireland - mostly Scotland. That makes sense given what I know about my ancestry.
I decided to work with the Goddess Danu since that is the Goddess that was being sent as part of my monthly subscription. As a happy coincidence, it arrived Friday (it was supposed to arrive next week).
I am going to work on drawing her and hopefully will get a little statue of her. In some statues I see that she has triskeles drawn on top of the cauldron of water she is holding. Forgive my quickly and poorly drawn triskeles in the picture below.
I wrote down what I could find out about her. References are at the bottom.
Weekly Witchy Challenge for Amethyst:
For this week’s challenge, I chose to research and write a prayer to the Sun Goddess, Sulis.
Sulis is one of the more common Celtic Goddesses, and is associated with healing springs in general and the Ancient Hot Springs at Bath in England.
Even when the Romans took over the area, they still honored Sulis, albeit in the guise of Sulis Minerva. Sulis is also known as The Bright One, and The Provider of Healing Waters.
Not only is she a Goddess of the Sun, but of Healing Waters, Prophecy, and Blessings. Her symbols are antlers, symbols of the sun’s rays, and eyes. She is often shown with an owl, a symbol of wisdom. Call on Sulis for blessings, healing and wholeness.
I even wrote a little prayer for Sulis.
Oh great Sulis, whose hair frames Her face like the corona of the sun, pour your healing waters upon me!
Use your All-Seeing Fire to burn away all ills and impurities, and then use Your waters to quench the flames, so that I may be healed and reborn with the new day dawning.
Blessed Be!
You can find more information on Sulis at Feminism and Religion.com and Earth and Starry Heaven.com.
Hope you enjoyed my entry1
Challenge Entry - Celtic Magick
The Horse in Celtic Mythology
I have always been attracted to Celtic Knot images, especially on jewelry.
I decided to explore the symbolism behind the triple horse design on the middle pendant between the heart and dragon face pendants.
The design was created by George Bain (1881-1968). He was an artist and educator who began publishing Celtic art instruction manuals in 1945. His inspiration came from Pictish stones, medieval manuscripts and metalwork from Britain and Ireland.
The horse image came from a Pictish stone in Inverurie. This photo is from the Pictish Art Society.
Bain hoped that his efforts would promote Celtic art as a uniquely Scottish national art, and help stimulate the rural economy.
I found the following design in Bain’s book Celtic Art, the Methods of Construction.
The information card that came with the pendant said it was an amulet for protection and strength. “The horse is a very important creature in Celtic tradition. Sacred to Brigit, it is the symbol of strength, endurance and beauty. The triple interlace represents the Mind, Body and Spirit in balance. This symbolizes the triple nature of the Divine. The Knot was a favorite of warriors and was often worn as protection in battle.”
I checked several books and could find no mention of the horse connected to Brigit. Don’t believe everything you find in print!
In fact it was Epona on continental Europe that was the goddess of the horse, called Macha in Ireland, and Rhiannon in Wales.
The horse was the Celts’ most prized and revered possession. The Celts were considered the ultimate horsemen. Julius Caesar reported “Such is the manoeuvrability of their chariots, as a result of thorough daily training they are capable of controlling their teams at full gallop down a steep, even precipitous slope, and stopping or turning them on a coin. They are also in the habit of running along the pole, standing on the yoke, and regaining the safety of their chariot again at top speed.”
To the Celts the horse represented prestige and sovereignty, war and guardianship, prosperity and plenty.
Sources:
Brigid: meeting the Celtic goddess of poetry, forge and healing well by Morgan Daimler.
Celtic wisdom: seasonal festivals and rituals by Vivianne Crowley.
Celtic Goddesses by Miranda J. Aldhouse-Green.
I’ve really been wanting a set of ogham cards that had the correct feda with the correct name and symbol – I have the Celtic Tree Oracle, but some of the symbols are matched with the wrong letters!
Anyway, I played around in Canva and created my own deck of ogham cards using stock photos. Here are just a few of the images - I’m going to use this digital version in the Weekend Divination until I can get it printed and have a physical version!
Aaannndd now that I’ve uploaded some pictures, I realize that Beith doesn’t have the border so I’m off to fix that 
CHALLENGE ENTRY
As am still researching this topic, I have a more simple entry than I typically do.
Celtic magick books I’m currently reading:
Video I found for a good luck spell:
These are amazing!!! Love them so much, you did a great job. I’d love to see the rest when you are finished 
CHALLENGE ENTRY
This is a deep one for me. I’ve always felt Celtic Magic was somehow part of me but I’ve never really looked much into it. I used to have dreams that I wish I could recall
Tidbits
I know that I have Irish Blood on my father’s side. My bio mother had an old steamer trunk of his that she refused to give him. I don’t know much about it other than somebody in my father’s bloodline had brought it from Ireland and that it had some historical significance.
My Maternal grandmother did and had things that I now know to be “Witchy” and I think I remember there being a Brigid’s Cross hung in the house.
My stepmother is 100% Irish and says it as though it makes her royalty.
She is the classic stereotype of an Irish Catholic.
She is also a mix of all kinds of odd.
She has a classic Irish cross on the wall as well as a beautiful Celtic something that I can’t identify even with multiple web searches. I’ve found enough to know that it’s Celtic but that’s it.
When I had my first child, she had just returned from a trip to Ireland, if he hadn’t come later than expected she would have mixed it.
She came to the hospital with typical baby gifts including a handmade sweater from Ireland and she gave me a beautiful Celtic Cross necklace and with a mix of almost faked skepticism and embarrassment told me that it had supposed powers and told me that I would do well to wear it all the time.
I no longer have it but I can picture it and I have searched many times and can’t find anything that looks anything like it. Sort of a basic Celtic Cross shape made up of different Celtic knots with one very detailed one in the middle 
Research
I have been trying to limit the range of things I make my brain focus on but I did a little research and found something that I will be going back to
It’s time for a friendly reminder:
This challenge will soon close If you would like to participate and haven’t done so already, please post about your challenge experience by the deadline:
→ Tuesday, May 21 at 7:00 AM ET (Eastern US Time)
Thank you to all those who have shared their Celtic magick, wisdom, ties, and more with the coven so far! 
If you haven’t already shared an entry but would like to join in, this is your friendly reminder that you still have time left to do so.
Blessed Be! 
These are beautiful, can never seem to find nice charms online and I tried making my own but they never turn out as good, good idea to sell as these will look great on the spell jars etc
I think I’m gonna try and get artsy with it and do some digital drawing to make my own images. I’m not quite sure yet, though 
I’m not that talented when it comes to art and drawing.
Challenge Entry – 10 Card Celtic Cross
I used The Shaman’s Dream Deck by Alberto Villoldo & Colette Baron-Reid
Then I decided to try another reading only using The Light Seer’s Tarot by Chris Anne
Celtic Cross Tarot Positions
Card 1: This card represents influences and positive forces that accompany you.
Card 2: These are obstacles or complications in the situation we are analyzing. What obstacles are in your way?
Card 3: An ideal situation or a possible future which has not yet been realized.
Card 4: The subconscious origin of your concern or problem. It’s all about what got you into the position you are in now.
Card 5: In other words, your past; the events that have led up to your present situation.
Card 6: Where are you going and what awaits you? These possibilities and alternatives may come in the next few weeks or even months. But this is not a final outcome, just the next step.
Card 7: Yourself or your attitude towards the matter. How you feel at this time and gives perspective on the whole spread.
Card 8: Environment and external influences such as the people around you. Be they friends, family, or coworkers, how do they perceive you?
Card 9: Hopes and fears. It shows your hidden emotions, desires, anxieties, and thoughts about what you feel is coming.
Card 10: The outcome of the situation, the results of all the previous influences. If you don’t like the card you’re seeing, this may be a sign that you should question your desires. Depending on the case, it can be understood as a position of advice or what to expect in the long term.
This is what I take from the readings on one reading: I am healing every day and 0n the other reading I will receive forgiveness. All in all, I enjoyed my reading and I can accept the results of my readings,
Blessed Be
CHALLENGE ENTRY
I am Scottish so live in one of the 6 “Celtic Nations”. I decided to have a look at how the culture and traditions of the Celts influenced the country today.
A Little History
The Picts (meaning painted people) were a collection of different Celtic tribes that lived in eastern and northern Scotland from around the 1st century AD to the 10th century. They are well known for their painted or tattoed bodies, forts and stone carvings. The Romans invaded Britain but did not conquer the Picts land. Infact, they built Hadrian’s Wall to keep them out of their land! The Picts eventually merged with Gaelic-speaking Scots to form the beginnings of modern Scottish society.
Art and Metalwork
Scotland has many examples of Celtic art and metalwork, which include intricate designs with spirals and knotwork. Examples include the Pictish stone carvings and the Ardagh Chalice.
Many standing stone sites exist as a reminder of of Celtic connections.
Language
Scottish Gaelic is a Goidelic Celtic language and was once widely spoken throughout Scotland. Today, the number of speakers is much smaller with around 1% of the population of 5.5m million speaking it. However, it’s still an important part of Scotlands culture and identity. Roadsigns here are wirrtien both in English and Gaelic and labelling on police cars, ambulances etc are also shown in both languages. We also have Gaelic schools, where Gaelic is taught and implemented as well as the regular school curriculum.
Culture
Many Scottish traditions aspects can be traced back to the Celts. This includes things like the clàrsach (Scottish harp) and the Highland bagpipes in music, and elements of Highland dress like the kilt. Celtic society was tribal, and this influence can still be seen in the clan system that has played a major role in Scottish history. Clans still exist, each with their own chief and tartan, although the land ownership is no longer a thing.
This image (from Tartan Plaids) shows the tartan and crest of the clan MacNab, which is my family’s traditional clan. The motto means may all fear be absent. The image below is the entrance to the clan MacNab burial ground, where many ofnthe family ancestors from hundreds of years passed are buried.
Place Names
Many Scottish place names have Celtic origin:
Glasgow (our largest city) comes from Gaelic Glaschu which means green hollow.
Edinburgh (our capital city) which comes from Gaelic Dun Eideann, meaning fort of Eidyn.
Inverness (northernmost city) which comes from Gaelic Inbhir Nis meaning Mouth of the River Ness.
Dunfermline which comes from Dun Fhearlainn meaning fort on the scared hill.
Mythology
Scottish mythology shares themes and characters with other Celtic cultures, such as a belief in a spirit world and otherworldly creatures like fairies as well as other creatures such as the seklie and kelpie.There is very little evidence of the religious beleifs of the celtic tribes of scotland such as the Picts as they wrote nothing down but it is assumed that beliefs were similar to those in other Celtic regions, where many gods and goddesses were worshipped.
Its fascinating to discover just how much the people of the past shape and influence our lives in the present.
Blessed be
Alan
