Rhiannon is the Great Goddess as worshiped by the Welsh. She is an embodiment of life, death, and rebirth, for in her realm there is no death without regeneration. Her name derives from Rigantona, which means great queen. A shapeshifter, she can assume any form she wants; she often appears as a white horse. She is a muse goddess and is accompanied by three sweetly singing birds who can revive the dead or put the living to sleep. The source of the king's power derived from Rhiannon dressed as a stag, a regal figure symbolic of rejuvenation, beauty, strength, and instinctual masculine energy. In alter myth she appears as Nimue or as Vivien, the Lady of the Lake. Rhiannon is a beautiful queen of the night, a reminder of the close balance between death and rebirth. She demands that we honor our instinctual and animal selves as a source of creativity, abundance, and order.

Aphrodite is most often described as radiant and shining; when Aphrodite is present the whole world acquires a soft, golden glow. Foam-born, she is associate with the creative, life-giving sea and represents a sense of freshness, renewal, and hope. A descendant of the prehistoric water birdgoddesses of Old Europe, she is often accompanied by birds. The goddess of both spiritual and passionate love, Aphrodite joins us to one another. She is feminine being in all her fullness, and her realm is that os relationship and feeling. Aphrodite demands maturity if we are to be in true relationship; when we embrace mature love, Aphrodite is there to bless us.

For the Celts, the head was where a person's soul resided. Enemies' severed heads were set up on poles, and the dying command of Bran the Blessed was for his head to be buried, facing France, under the White Mount at the Tower of London, to protect Britain from invasion. For 80 years Bran's men carried hid head as a talisman before fulfilling his wish. Some believe that it is still buried under the Tower like the seed of sovereignty, still keeping Britain from harm. Enliven your head: This exercise is intended to enhance your intellect and imagination. 1) Sit in the dark and contemplate a lighted candle placed inside a pumpkin-head lantern, if you like. 2). Become aware of the light at the centre of your own head. Then of the space behind your eyes. Of the two "dragon's wings" which the sides of your brain make. Of the dragon's tail which runs from the back of your head down your spine. 3) Allow your breath to travel into these spaces. Imagine your mind-dragon breathing fire into your endeavours. This is from the book Celtic Inspirations: Essential Meditations & Texts by Lyn Webster Wilde

The golden hill where long forgotten kings keep lonely watch upon their feasting floor, is silent now, the Dagda's harp no more makes sun and moon move to its murmurous strings. And never in the leafy star led Springs will Caer and Aengus haunt the river shore, for deep beneath an ogham-carven door dust dulls the dew white wonder of their wings. Yet one may linger loving the lost dream the magic of the heart that cannot die. Although the Rood destroy the quicken rods; to him through earth and air and hollow stream, wild music winds, as two swans wheeling cry above the cromlech of the vanished Gods. Thomas Samuel Jones Jr. 1882-1932

Look well to this day for it is life- the very best of life. In its brief course lie all realities and truths of existence. The joy of growth, the splendour of action, the glory of power. For yesterday is but a memory and tomorrow is but a vision, but today, if well lived, makes every yesterday a memory of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well therefore to this day.