A Druid's Calendar
Searles
searles@summerlands.com
Sun Jan  2 17:57:49 2000
A Druid's Calendar*p*The Druids determined time by the Sun, the Moon and the Stars.  This calendar represents the beginning of an attempt to reconcile these different methods of marking time so that we can synchronize our activities and Drai/ocht to the cycles of Nature.*p**br*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------*p*The Dark Years (An Math)*p*An Math An Intercalary Month*br* *br*Samna-1 Giblean-1 Sueltair-1 Gearran-2 Iuchar-2 Dublachd-3 *br*Dublachd-1 Bealtaine-1 Damhair-1 Mart-2 Lughnasadh-2 Faoilleach-3 *br*Faoilleach-1 Ogmios-1 Samna-2 Giblean-2 Sueltair-2 Gearran-3 *br*Gearran-1 Iuchar-1 Dublachd-2 Bealtaine-2 Damhair-2 Mart-3 *br*Mart-1 Lughnasadh-1 Faoilleach-2 Ogmios-2 Samna-3 Giblean-3 *p**br*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------*p*The Bright Years (An Earrach)*p*An Earrach An Intercalary Month*br* *br*Bealtaine-3 Damhair-3 Mart-4 Lughnasadh-4 Faoilleach-5 Ogmios-5 *br*Ogmios-3 Samna-4 Giblean-4 Sueltair-4 Gearran-5 Iuchar-5 *br*Iuchar-3 Dublachd-4 Bealtaine-4 Damhair-4 Mart-5 Lughnasadh-5 *br*Lughnasadh-3 Faoilleach-4 Ogmios-4 Samna-5 Giblean-5 Sueltair-5 *br*Sueltair-3 Gearran-4 Iuchar-4 Dublachd-5 Bealtaine-5 Damhair-5 *br* *p**br*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------*p*A Few Remarks*p*This calendar is modeled after the Coligny Calendar and is likewise divided into five years (as represented by the colors black, purple, red, white and gray; or by the numbers 1 - 5). It is further divided into a "Dark" half (two and a half years) and a "Light" half (two and a half years). The two extra intercalary months are "An Math" and "An Earrach". These represent when the radiant king (Math or Artos) slumbers like the Bear and when the sleeping hero (Lugh or Finn) is awakened to soar like the Eagle.*p*The Druids' Calendar is a lunar calendar with each month represented by a Moon. Each month of this calendar has either 29 or 30 days depending on whether it is a "math" (good, as in bright) month or "an math" (unfavorable, as in a dark) month. Each day in a month is also identified as being "good" or as being   "unfavorable."  Even the years are divided into realms of brightness and darkness. I've included some additional information about month names and how they were chosen for this Druids' Calendar in the following list.*p**br*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------*p*Crois Ésca*p*(The Girdle of the Moon)*p*By combining the meanings of the names of the months from the Irish and Scottish calendars and by using their associations with the Celtic totemic animals, I was able to develop my own Girdle of the Moons, Crois Ésca.*p*The Moons of the Year*p*An t-Samhna *p*The Moon of the Ancestors*br*The Sacrifice and the Sleep*p**br*An Dublachd *p*The Moon of the Dark Sun*br*The House of the Dead*p**br*Am Faoilleach *p*The Moon of the Wolf*br*The Hunger and the Ice*p**br*An Gearran *p*The Moon of the Hare ; The Gelding*br*Cutting and Quickening*p*Am Mart*p*The Moon of the Boar*br*Seed Time*p*The Plough of the Winds*p**br*An Giblean *p*The Moon of the Fox*br*The Change*p**br*An Céitean *p*The Moon of the Hawk*br*The Fires and the Flowers*p**br*An t-Ogmios *p*The Moon of the Youth*br*The Reign of the Greater Sun*p**br*An t-Iuchar *p*The Moon of the Hound*br*The Keys to the Door*p**br*An Lughnasadh *p*The Moon of the Horse*br*The Initiation of Lugh*p**br*An t-Sultair *p*The Moon of the Harvest*br*The Cauldron of Plenty*p**br*An Damhair*p*The Stag Moon*br*The Wild Hunt*p* *p*The Two Extra Moons*p*(for the "middle times")*p*Sometimes a thirteenth Moon occurs: *p*(These are the "Middle Times," every two and a half years, *br*that allow the 13 Moons to be adjusted to the 365 solar days.)*p**br*An Math *p*The Moon of the Bear *br*The Dream Time*p*(once every five years; during the Winter)*p**br*An Earrach *p*The Moon of the Eagle *br*The Time of Awakening*p*(once every five years; during the summer) *p*(These two serve as the intercalary months or Moons.*br*"Dark" for Bear. "Bright" for Eagle.)*p**br*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------*p*The Houses of the Moon*p*I will be developing and presenting information on the names aof the Moon's "houses" and how they relate to Celtic mythology/astrology in the near future. When this work is completed, we will be able to determine the days that are good and bad for any undertaking by viewing the Sun, the Moon and the Stars.*p*Thanks to Lorainne MacDonald of the Dalriada Celtic Heritage Society for Information on the Scottish Folk Calendar.*br* *br*




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A Druid's Calendar