Celtic Ireland and the Supernatural

Ireland is famous for Leprechauns, "the little people." Kelpie, a supernatural water horse was thought to haunt rivers and lochs in Ireland and Scotland. These are just two examples of many supernatural beings that are part of Celtic Ireland's storied past.

In the historical fantasy novel, "Evansing - Heart of the Irish Kingdom" there is a supernatural event that was directly linked to Edwin having killed the Druid priest, Alwyn. As a result of his courage and willingness to risk his life for others he became a target of the Tissus. He could sense from the excited barking of the tracking dogs that they had picked up his scent. Then unexpectedly he was delivered from imminent danger and introduced to a brand new life.

Life is like that sometimes. Perhaps you have done something requiring great courage and potential risk to yourself or perhaps it was an error in judgment that created a pressure situation. At first it looks like it could turn really bad for you. Then seemingly out of nowhere what looked maybe even impossible becomes resolved as though it never happened, or turns into a promising new opportunity.

"Evansing - Heart of the Irish Kingdom is available at createspace and Amazon.com.

St. Patrick and the Supernatural

The druids and magicians put forth all their strength and employed all their incantations to maintain their sway over the Irish race, but the prayer and faith of Patrick achieved a glorious triumph. The druids by their incantations overspread the hill and surrounding plain with a cloud of worse than Egyptian darkness. Patrick defied them to remove that cloud, and when all their efforts were made in vain, at his prayer the sun sent forth its rays and the brightest sunshine lit up the scene. Again by demoniac power the Arch-Druid Lochru, like Simon Magus of old, was lifted up high in the air, but when Patrick knelt in prayer the druid from his flight was dashed to pieces upon a rock. The foregoing is per the Catholic Encyclopedia.

The book, "Evansing - Heart of the Irish Kingdom" has a number of supernatural events. St. Patrick himself appears in the book. Just as there are dark forces that move supernaturally so there is supernatural power that flows from the Creator who lives in unapproachable light. St. Patrick and his companions are recorded as having transformed into deer in order to escape a pagan king: St. Patrick was reciting his Breastplate prayer (the "Deer's Cry") on the way from Slane to Tara on Easter Sunday. King Laoghaire had stationed soldiers along the road, expecting to intercept St. Patrick before Tara. The Tripartite Life says, "St. Patrick went with eight young clerics and St. Benen with them, and St. Patrick gave them his blessing before they set out. A cloak of darkness went over them so that not a man of them appeared. Howbeit, the enemy who were waiting to ambush them, saw eight deer going past them, and behind them a fawn with a bundle on its back. That was St. Patrick with his eight, and St. Benen behind them with his tablets on his back." (The Tripartite Life was an eighth century book in three parts to be read in the three day celebration of St. Patrick's Day.) This excerpt is from The Real St. Patrick, Bishop of Ireland.

The supernatural events from divine sources in the book indicate the limitlessness of capacity for good things that are available to each of us. "Evansing - Heart of the Irish Kingdom" is available at createspace and Amazon.com.

Insight

As Edwin considered his options as to how to make a difference with the Tissus raiders, he received a wisdom insight. He had discerned that the raiders were feeling very confident due to them having Alwyn the Druid priest. With this insight he determined a strategy that had a high potential to win with the resources he had available to him. He knew he was an excellent archer and he had his bow and a quiver of arrows. All it would take was one arrow in Alwyn's heart. His insight proved to be correct as the death of Alwyn decimated the hopes of the Tissus for a successful invasion. Yes, they still did some attacks, but the main objective of a more extensive series of raids was eliminated. All due to one man considering how he could make a difference against a much greater force.

Insight springs up from awareness. When we realize we can make a difference in what appears to be an impossible situation we start to see with new eyes. We see resources and opportunities we never saw before. Insight can make a new level of resourcefulness possible in our lives.

"Evansing -  Heart of the Irish Kingdom" is available at createspace and amazon.com.

Courage

In "Evansing - Heart of the Irish Kingdom" available at createspace and Amazon.com there is the situation where Edwin is faced with a critical decision. He has warned villagers about the impending raid from Tissus, but they are not willing to attack so as to save other nearby villagers. They are indifferent to the plight of others and are hoping the Tissus won't come to their village. Edwin decides he must do something. This is a classic case of a person demonstrating courage even when the odds are overwhelmingly against him. Since its only himself against a marauding force he needs to use his wits to strike a meaningful blow. His courageous determination to make a difference gives him that added capacity to recognize an opportunity. From a hidden vantage point he identifies the reason why the Tissus seem so confident. It is Alwyn, a notable Druid priest known to practice powerful Druid magic. Edwin's courage empowers him to take the priest out and thus expose himself to the wrath of the Tissus.

Per Wikipedia there is a tradition moving back to Ancient Greek philosophy for counting courage or fortitude as one of the four cardinal virtues, along with prudence, justice, and temperance. ("Cardinal" in this sense means "pivotal"; it is one of the four cardinal virtues because to possess any virtue, a person must be able to sustain it in the face of difficulty).

The Unique Qualities of the Irish Celts

I recently came across my notes from my viewing a DVD series on the Celts. I noticed another more recent DVD series on the Celts. You may want to check them out. I know the first one was fascinating and chances are the second one is as well. The Irish Celts had a remarkable bent towards beauty. Even everyday domestic items were created to be brilliantly beautiful.

The Irish Celts had a philosophy of freedom and determination to be real people. This contrasted with the Romans who were very orderly. The Irish Celts understood and loved their land. They had a sense of freedom and adventure that says all the world is not all black and white. The world is full of possibility. Unique is how the Irish Celts thought. Opposing facts can be equally right and a conclusion can be arrived at by any number of directions. I remember seeing this typified even in signs to an Irish village. The signs pointed in opposite directions to the same village. When you change the way you look at things you change your life.

The Irish warriors had the attitudes of champions. They approached trials and their path of life with humor, style and panache. It determined their success. Edwin, the hero of "Evansing - Heart of the Irish Kingdom" demonstrated these qualities in the trials and battles that he encountered.

Establishment of Monastic Ireland

As per the book  "Ireland's Treasures: 5000 Years of Artistic Expression," the Pope Celestine in 431 sent a man named Palladius to serve as bishop to the Irish believing in Christ. It was probably the first time in history that the papacy had agreed to send a bishop to people outside the bounds of the Roman Empire. This act would suggest there must have been a sufficient number of Christians in Ireland to warrant the sending of a bishop to provide them with pastoral care, and that gradual Christianization must surely have been happening already in the fourth century.

One of the principal characters in the Evansing novel is a warrior turned monk by the name of Percival. He has been chiseled by life to become a humble man who plays a very important mentoring role in the life of Edwin, the central hero in the book. The two men are separated by many years in age but their hearts are joined in the common purpose of pursuing The Quest of bringing unity to the fractious feuding kingdoms of Ireland. Percival plays a protective fatherly role for Edwin and is a great source of wisdom and knowledge to the young man.

Evansing - Heart of the Irish Kingdom is available at createspace.com and Amazon.com.

The Yearning for a Father and a Healed Heart

This is the second posting of sharing the traits of the characters in the novel "Evansing - Heart of the Irish Kingdom." The book is available at createspace.com and Amazon.com.

At the time Edwin recognized he needed to try to find a new life, he also experienced his deep desire for a father. He thought of this as he considered going to a local monastery and recalled how the priests were called Father. He desperately wanted to be loved and even celebrated just for being alive. He hungered to have the little boy in him nurtured and nourished.

Fathers have great responsibility for the present and future well-being of their children. The effects of poor fathering can leave serious scars on a child's heart. It behooves every father to recognize the importance of their daily interaction with their children for better or for worse.

Persons hurt by bad fathering have responsibility to get past the pain and disappointment. It all starts with forgiveness, no matter how atrocious the behavior they've experienced. As long as there is pain and unhealed wounds it is important to seek healing. One very powerful way is to simply ask God to heal your heart. It is out of one's heart that all the issues of life flow. In other words every part of your life will be tainted by whatever lies and hurts dwell in your heart. As James Richards of Impact Ministries has shared, if for example you have a poverty heart you will never feel worthy to have prosperity. There will always be something that will get in the way. Likewise if you struggle in relationships or health or whatever there is a root heart issue that needs healing. Consider visiting impactministries.com to check out their resources for healing the heart.