PEACE: A COMPLICATED IDEA (CHAOS REBORN)
Peace. Harmony. Concord among peoples. We talk about it all the time, seeing images of little children running across green fields or splashing in the waves of an ocean beach, unmolested, unconcerned, alive and happy for it. We yearn for that sense of balance, of complete ease. We want to stop wars and bombs and bloody carcasses on the battlefield. We just want everyone to get along.
At least, that is the lie that we tell ourselves. Humanity has been fighting since the first man picked up a stick and bashed his cave neighbor in the head. There has never been an extended period in humanity’s lifetime on our planet where no war has raged. It is time to admit that not everyone wants peace. Not everyone wants to play nice and get along. In fact, if we all look deeply into ourselves, far down into our inner cores and craters, I suspect we will come to the truth of peace. For the difficult reality that prevents humanity from ever attaining genuine serenity is that we are chaotic individuals living on a chaotic planet, interacting with other chaotic individuals in a constant froth of ideas, temperaments, and words.
Individuality is our savior and our curse. It gives us the ability (and some would argue the Goddess-given right) to decide what is right and wrong for us as individuals at any given moment in time. Circumstances change, experience alters, and we find that we indulge a bit in the chaos that lives within. We swear at the driver who cuts us off on the freeway. We yell at the dog who pees in the hallway. We are curt to the girl at the register after an especially long wait in line. We’ve all done it at one time in our lives. Perhaps now, after contemplation and meditation, we are less likely to express the chaos. Perhaps we are more likely.
The chaos lives within, and it is our choice to feed it and allow it to grow or to starve it and watch it hibernate. That chaos never really goes away. It is a part of the human experience, as we live it now. There is some evidence that small hunter-gatherer societies have less violence than our own “enlightened” Western society and all the Third World countries that emulate the rich and powerful West. So be it. But somehow, it seems contrary to human nature to go backward voluntarily, to give up electricity and indoor plumbing and cancer treatments and cars in order to give up violence. Our other option is to give up all traces of individuality, to live under the pressure and power of a superior political (and undoubtedly military) force to enforce peace. With our options limited, taken away, and dictated to us by another, our individuality fades to an inconsequential grayish haze on our horizon. We do what we do for the good of all, regardless of our own thoughts and ideas. At this point, I wonder, would we even have any ideas of our own?
Neither of these options is truly viable for humanity on a large scale. For either of these to work, every human on the planet would need to voluntarily succumb to the uncomfortable changes and adaptations of transformation. And then the old truth of individuality rears its head yet again. If even one person does not agree, the foundation crumbles. The chaos of one awakens the slumbering chaos of others and reminds us all of our true nature. So, should we all simply indulge in the chaos, creating and accepting random violence as a necessary by-product of being individual and human?
That is a question only you can answer in your bed, late at night, as you explore the darkest corners of your inner psyche. But consider this: chaos is not innately bad. It is uncontrollable, uncertain, and tempestuous, but it is not linked to evil, just to change. Chaos brings war and death but also love and birth. It is the chaotic element within each human that allows us to fall in love, to laugh with friends, to create art, to orgasm, to cry for peace. Chaos teeters within each human individual, balancing precariously, ready to bring love or war, peace or violence. The power of individuality is that we can control our own chaos. We have the power and the ability to make the choice. Peace springs from chaos just as war does. The root is the same, anchored deep within the nature of humanity. Each human is charged with making a choice, every single moment of every single day of our life. How will your chaos manifest on our planet? Will you bond, connect, and unify or will you rip, tear, and destroy? You are a chaotic individual, living on a chaotic planet, interacting with other chaotic individuals. You have the power. Make your choice.
ENERGY RETURN
It is hard to conceptualize negative consequences in striving for and actively seeking peace. But it is important to consider that peace has a stagnating quality. It holds everything still and calm, removing any shake-ups or turbulence. It stabilizes. And while stability is not bad in itself, magic to enhance and produce peace can create a block to necessary and important change. You may find relationships in your life withering or lacking verve. You might, over time, lose interest in your job or hobbies. Your interest in women’s reproductive rights around the globe or archery or old chess matches could diminish significantly. You may find yourself completely content to sit on the couch or sleep in bed. You might find that struggles arise in your romantic relationship with your significant other. Your desire and striving for peace holds you in check, crystallizing your life into one set pattern, resistant to rock the boat. Your significant other, on the other hand, is continuing to grow and move with the currents of life. Therefore, if you ask for peace in your life, you may want to clarify your desire so that you are still living a full and hearty life. Peace without vital energy and activity is simply sluggishness.
Asking for peace around the world harbors the same possible stagnant ramifications, diminishing any opportunity for growth and expansion. Change is often violent and unpredictable, but necessary. Removing the element of aggression, although commendable, may limit the development of the human race and our interaction with the world. (For example, the bloody American Civil War was necessary to end slavery, and the heart-wrenching World Wars brought about great advances in medical technology.) The change will then need to re-route itself into alternative methods and pathways, possibly extending the period of violence that you are trying to end. It may, however, end the violence abruptly, funneling the energy into more positive endeavors. Who can say? You may decide that the possibility of more violence is a perfectly acceptable consequence, since the prospect of an end to war lingers before you. The choice is entirely up to you. You should, however, carefully consider all possibilities before undertaking your desire to manifest peace.
MANTRA
Peace with light, Peace for good, Peace anew
Pax ad lux, Pax et bonum, Pax de novo
There is probably no better known goddess for peace than the Roman goddess Pax, meaning “peace.” We learned about the Pax Romana in high school history class, considered the word’s usage when applied to Pax Britannica, and wondered at the implications of Pax Americana. Pax is as synonymous with the concept of peace now, in the modern world, as it was in the ancient world of the Roman Empire. During the height of Roman power and occupation and strength, Pax was a necessary and sought-after goal. After all, the Roman emperors wanted peace to prevail in their lands. Revolution and anarchy were the enemies of Roman domination, therefore the Romans worked to uphold the peace and prosperity of a unified empire.
Enter the goddess Pax, who is the personification of peace. Pax is not a widely recognized or mentioned goddess during the time of the Roman Republic. It is only after the ascension of Emperor Augustus, successor of Julius Caesar, that Pax becomes a well-known and well-regarded goddess. In the later period of the Roman Republic, Rome became embroiled in one civil war after another. The African states were attacking and killing traders; the Italian states sought more voting power. Beginning around 140 bce and continuing until 31 bce, Rome was constantly at war with itself. Generals fought to assert their authority and claim the role of supreme military leader, wielding martial power to the Senate’s political power. However, by the end of this period (which included the well-known in-fighting between Julius Caesar and Pompey, Julius Caesar and Marcus Anthony, and Marcus Anthony and Augustus [or Octavius]), one man emerged as possessing the intelligence and guile necessary to unify Rome—Gaius Octavius, nephew of Julius Caesar.
Learning from his uncle’s mistakes, Octavius (who renamed himself Augustus, meaning “the good”), allowed the Senate to remain intact. Instead of calling himself a dictator, Augustus took the title of “first citizen” and got himself elected a tribune of the Senate. In this role, Augustus was able to maneuver within the existing political structure, manipulating the politicians to get his desired end result. As the “first citizen,” he held enormous power and used it to influence and make deals with the senators and other tribunes. Augustus was not only adept in politics but also in propaganda. He pulled the goddess Pax out of relative obscurity and set her up as the symbol of peace and prosperity in the Roman Empire under his rule.
In 13 bce, after Augustus’ military victories in Gaul and Spain, the Senate (with the auspices of Augustus) ordered the creation of the Ara Pacis Augustae or the Altar of Peace in Rome. Four years later, in 9 bce, the altar was consecrated and erected just west of the Via Flaminia. The Ara Pacis represents the shift in Roman politics from that of a Republic to an Empire. The monument is also a symbol of Augustus’ ability (and thus the ability of Rome) to bring peace and prosperity to all. The Ara Pacis is covered in ornately carved scenes, including one on the eastern side that depicts a goddess.[1]
True to form, the goddess represented is not Pax, who was just in her infancy as a deity during the reign of Augustus. The goddess is most commonly cited as Tellus, a goddess of the Earth who shares many characteristics with the better-known grain goddess Ceres. Despite the fact that the goddess on the Ara Pacis is not Pax, it is important to look at the symbols and items found on the altar, as they evolved into the Roman concept of peace as represented by Pax.
Throughout the monument, the carvings indicate the fertility and abundance of Rome. Flora and fauna abound on all sides of the altar. On the eastern side, the goddess is depicted in a see-through gown with a crown of corn and poppies, obvious connections to growth and fertility, both in regards to sexuality and vegetation. The symbolism continues with two infant boys sitting in her lap, playing with fruit. Below her feet, vegetation and domestic animals spring forth, indicating health and bounty.[2] In later years, as Pax becomes more and more established as an icon in the Roman Empire, she adopts the concepts of abundance and fertility as a part of peace through the use of her own emblems—the cornucopia, the caduceus, the olive branch, the scepter, and the hasta pura, a spear without a sharp point.
Pax was a regular image on Roman coins for more than 350 years. One of the earliest examples of Pax appearing on coinage is in 28 bce, during the reign of Augustus. On one side of the coin known as the Cistophoric Tetradrachm of Ephesus, Augustus’ profile is wreathed in laurel. On the other is the goddess Pax, holding a caduceus, a symbol for free commerce in ancient Rome. Pax is standing on a sword, indicating an end of hostilities, and she is flanked by her name “PAX” and a cista mystica, a Middle Eastern symbol known as the magic box. (It was common for Roman coins to adopt meaningful symbols from their conquered lands in an effort to get the inhabitants to accept the Roman occupation and government.) They are all encompassed by a circular laurel-wreath, signifying Augustus’ victory over Asia Minor.[3] Other coins more commonly depict Pax with her olive branch, extending her peace and prosperity over the breadth of the Roman Empire. During the reign of Vespasian, coins from 70 ce and 75 ce showed Pax sitting and leaning back with her elbow supported by a throne. (Other leaning coins often depicted figures being supported by columns.)
The leaning pose is, perhaps, at the very heart of Pax’s relationship with the ideal of peace. Pax is not an independent goddess, searching for peace by any means necessary. She is an emissary of the government, an important component of the propaganda and goals of the state. The leaning pose on Roman coinage indicates the general concept of securitas, a feeling of freedom and relaxation brought about by good government and a trust in the political system and the men in power within it.[4] Pax’s job in the Roman Empire was to inspire the ideal of securitas. She circulated throughout the Roman States for hundreds of years on coins, lending her abundant fertility and peace to the emperors whose visages adorned the other side of her coin. With her cornucopia and her threatening (but not lethal) staff, Pax served to bring a sense of resigned acceptance to a conquered populace, emphasizing the benefits of Roman citizenry rather than the consequences.
Pax, as created and utilized by the Romans, is a state goddess who aids in spreading the benefits of a centralized government to the outer edges of a nation. She works to bring calm and peace to all people through increased abundance, fertility, and bounty. Working with Pax in the modern era would involve utilizing the societal and governmental structures already in place, rather than striving to re-work and create new ones. Pax is a goddess of security and leadership, of conservative action and legislative trust. She is not concerned with internal peace or inner issues of the shadow self. Pax wants everyone clothed, housed, and sleeping with full bellies. She wishes all to accept the current situation and flourish within it. Pax does not advocate rebellion or revolution. To her, these bring poverty, want, and need. Call on Pax to work within the current system to bring prosperity to all, fertilize your fields, and feed your children. Pax will help with these things. But do not call on her for your own personal ideals of peace and right, for this concept is alien to her. As a goddess of the State, she works on a universal, holistic level, for the good of all. She will bring about peace, but only through the already entrenched channels of society, culture, and government.
Pathway to Pax
There are two ways you can allow the peaceful nature of Pax to guide your life. The first pathway to Pax is through your local and national government. As a State goddess, Pax works very well within labyrinthine legislative corridors. In fact, she is a great advocate in any established hierarchal system. Feel overlooked at work? Call on Pax to shed light on your accomplishments. Want to be accepted into a members-only club? Ask for Pax to pave your way into the enclave. Want to spread abundance and prosperity to the world? Request Pax’s help in negotiating the inner depths of your government. Pax understands the needs of the individual while accessing the solutions through well-established systems. She doesn’t work fast, but with steadfast perseverance, Pax aids you in achieving your dreams and goals . . . just as long as they coincide with the preserved culture.
The second pathway to inviting Pax in your life is by asking for her help in self-understanding and self-acceptance. Many times, our personal angst comes from comparing our present situation to a conceptualized ideal that exists solely in our minds. The popular axiom “The grass is always greener on the other side” illustrates this mentality. Sometimes we are unhappy where we are because we believe someplace (or someone) else is better. Pax can assist us in gaining a sense of accomplishment and peace for ourselves, exactly where we are right now in our spiritual, emotional, and material development. We can be pleased with what we have accomplished, gladdened by our surroundings and the people we see every day.
In order to access this second aspect of Pax, make a list every day of ten things for which you are grateful. Perhaps you are grateful for the sun or the rain or the little blue pencil on your desk. Perhaps your daughter’s smile or your significant other’s kiss warms your heart. You may praise the clover in the field or the little bunny who eats the clover or, maybe, even that clover-loving, lettuce-eating bunny Peter Rabbit, who reminds you of your childhood. (I’m a fan of the Flopsy Bunnies, myself.) It doesn’t matter what ten things you write down, as long as you are truly thankful for them. Save all of your Ten Things lists in a three-ring binder. After ten days, go back and re-read your lists. After thirty days, read them again. Continue making lists and re-reading them until you feel a shift in your perception, until you truly begin to recognize the bounty that is your life. Pretty soon you’ll begin to realize that the grass is really quite green right where you are. Use this foundation in reality as a springboard to attain other goals and dreams, bringing them back to fertilize your already plush lawn.
MANTRA
Blessed Lady of Fátima,
Immaculate Heart of Peace,
Hear my Prayers.
Figure. 1: Sacred Heart of Mary
In 1917, on the thirteenth day of May, three small shepherd children experienced a visitation of the Feminine Divine. Being raised by simple families in Fátima, in the Catholic country of Portugal, the children identified the vision as the Virgin Mary. Bringing with her a cry for peace, the threat of hell and eternal damnation, and a plan for achieving lasting spirituality in the world, Mary irrevocably changed the lives of those three children, forever altering our perception of the power and might of the Christian Mother Goddess.
Lucia Santos and her cousins Francisco and Jacinta Marto were first chosen by the Divine in the spring of 1916, when an angel came to them while they were watching their sheep in a place known as Cabeco. The angel identified himself as the Angel of Peace and instructed them to pray, even giving the children a small prayer. Unlike many of the traditional Catholic prayers (which are long and often complicated), the prayer from the Angel of Peace is short and repetitious. Known alternately as the Prayer of Pardon and The Angel’s Prayer of Reparation,[5] its simplicity must be attributed to the youth of the three children, ages nine (Lucia), eight (Francisco), and six (Jacinta). Reminiscent of a mantra in tone, length, theme, and style, the prayer is as follows: “My God, I believe, I adore, I hope, and I love you. I beg pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope, and do not love you.” The Angel of Peace visited the children two more times, once in the summer and again in the early fall, always exhorting them to pray.
Thus, when the Virgin Mary appeared in the spring of 1917 in the Cova da Iria fields outside the small village of Aljustrel, the children were prepared for her Divine message. Mary appeared standing on a small holm-oak tree,[6] dressed in a white gown with a gold border. She clasped her hands before her in prayer, holding a rosary. Mary identified herself as Our Lady of the Rosary and instructed the children to return to the Cova da Iria fields at midday on the thirteenth day of the month for the next six months. She asked if they wanted to accept any and all difficulties in order to convert non-Christians and bring peace to the world. The children, confronted by this visionary lady “brighter than the sun, shedding rays of light clearer and stronger than a crystal glass filled with the most sparkling water and pierced by the burning rays of the sun,”[7] agreed to be modern day prophets for the Virgin Mary.
Mary appeared as promised in June and July. She told Jacinta and Francisco that they would be joining her in heaven very soon but that Lucia would remain on Earth, doing God’s will and consoling herself with the Immaculate Heart of Mary.[8] Throughout the summer, the children prayed the rosary daily, refused to drink water during the hot summer days, and tied rough pieces of rope around their waists as penance. They subjected themselves to these physical difficulties in the hope of bridging the gap between the spiritual and the physical. The children did not fear for their own lives after death. They agreed to do this penance for others in the world, in order to bring all people salvation and lasting peace. Lucia, throughout the years, stated time and time again that they prayed for peace and that the rosary was the key to peace within the self and around the world.
In August, as the children’s story grew and circulated around Portugal, local politicians came to believe that the religious fervor surrounding the children would have politically disruptive consequences, causing rebellion and revolt against a secular state. On August 13, the children were not allowed to view the apparition at the Cova da Iria, and were instead detained in jail by the mayor of Ourem, Artur Santos (no relation). Artur Santos was so suspicious of the three shepherds that he threatened to boil them in oil if they did not reveal the secrets given to them by the Lady. The children held firm and did not share any information with him, despite his threats. After a day, Artur Santos allowed the children to go free and they received their visit from the Virgin Mary on August 19 in Valinhos. Once again, Mary’s presence descended into a tree, where her heavenly perfume lingered on its branches.
By September, the children’s fame had grown to large proportions. Priests and officials of the Catholic Church came to visit the shepherd children in order to ascertain all the details of their wondrous visitations with Mary. Devoted people came to see the children and gather bits of their clothing, even locks of their hair, to take home with them, in the tradition of religious relics. The children’s homes were inundated with sick and dying people who wished to be blessed by the shepherds who had been chosen by Mary.[9]
So, it was of little surprise that the October 13 visitation was attended by 70,000 people, including representatives from three major newspapers, officials from the Catholic Church, and the three shepherd children. From the very beginning, Mary had told the children that a great miracle would occur on the thirteenth of October and people, having observed the small miracles and religious conviction of the children, were eager to see the living spirit for their own eyes. It was a rainy, overcast day as people trudged out to the isolated fields of the Cova da Iria. Doffing their caps, despite the rain, the people looked to the sky for a miracle to occur. And they were not disappointed. The sun radiated colors other than yellow, moved forward and backward, and created zig-zag patterns in the sky. According to eyewitness reports, the unusual solar activity was visible from up to forty kilometers away. This phenomenon is now known as “The Miracle of the Sun.”[10]
Both Francisco and Jacinta died within three years of the appearance of the Virgin Mary in their lives, falling victim to the 1919 Spanish flu pandemic. However, Lucia lived, serving as a nun in the Catholic Church, until the age of ninety-seven, dying in a convent in Coimbra, Portugal, in 2005. Throughout her life, Lucia wrote and discussed the visitations, outlining several secrets given to her by Our Lady of the Rosary. The first secret was a vision of hell, complete with fire, smoke, screams, and writhing bodies. (Lucia writes that if she had not already been assured a place in heaven, she would have died of fright.) This extremely disturbing image is followed by an admonishment to consecrate Russia to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and to perform the First Saturdays, a practice executed on the first Saturday of five consecutive months in which devoted Catholics go to confession, attend mass, say the rosary, and then spend fifteen minutes after mass contemplating the fifteen mysteries of the rosary. Only this, the Virgin Mary assured Lucia, would bring peace to the world. The third secret is another disturbing vision. In this image, the Holy Father (the Pope) and various religious leaders walk through a war-torn city, praying for the souls of the dead. When they get to the top of a hill, with a rough-hewn cross on top of it, they too are shot and killed. Two angels gather the blood of the religious men and women and sprinkle the souls of the newly dead.[11]
The images described by Lucia are often at odds with traditional views of Mary as the virginal, pure woman. As Our Lady of the Rosary, Mary brings disturbing, bloody images to three children of a very impressionable age. We, in modern society, work very hard to shelter our children from such visions and here the Mother of All is purposely exposing them to painful images! This dichotomy in Mary highlights the close relationship between peace and war, chaos and stability. With just a thought or shove or idea, humans can move into the stance of a warrior or the pose of a friend. It just takes one moment, one thought, one action. Mary knows that we, as humans, are always balancing on the precipice of war and death. Sometimes, taking a few minutes to reflect on life will change the outcome of a situation. From death to life, from war to peace. Therefore, Our Lady of the Rosary builds into her charge for us the time necessary to avoid conflict. She asks us to pray the rosary, a fifteen- to twenty-minute meditation that can relax the mind and bring clarity. She requests us to spend extra time on the first Saturday of the month in an isolated and lonely church to connect with her and, as Sister Lucia writes, to “keep me [Mary] company.” Mary walks the battlefields as well as the pious church pews. She is with us every time we pray, taking time out of our busy day to access the peace within, in order to create peace without.
Pathway to Our Lady of Fátima
Having grown up in a pious Portuguese family, I was regaled with stories of Our Lady of Fátima at a very early age. She was a vision of Mary that seemed to be very accessible to my family and, thus, to me. It is this openness that differentiates Our Lady of Fátima from other visitations of Mary on the earthly realm. Our Lady of the Rosary appeared to three simple peasant children, rather than well-versed religious leaders. In order to achieve lasting peace, Mary exhorted them to pray, an action that requires neither money nor education but simply time and an open heart. Through her visions, she demonstrated her knowledge of the human race and her belief in our ability to achieve peace despite our violent natures. Our Lady of Fátima loves us, even with all our faults and foibles.
Following my grandmother Laura Barboza Santos’ example, I suggest putting a little Our Lady of Fátima statue in your car. My grandmother used to have to tape her car statue to her old Buick’s dashboard, but now the statues come with magnets attached and are available for less than five dollars. If you can’t afford a statue, print out a picture from the Internet or go to The Fátima Network web site[12] and request a free picture card of Our Lady of Fátima, then install that in your car. (Just be sure to keep your line of vision clutter-free!) Once you’ve got your representation of Our Lady of Fátima, memorize her mantra or make up one of your own and say it before and after you drive. In our modern world, we often spend more waking time in our cars than in our homes! Bring prayer and intention into the modern era by taking a minute or two out of your day to honor the Divine Mother in the guise of Our Lady of Fátima and her message of peace.
MANTRA
Heart of Branwen, Heart of Peace
(The mantra continues as long as you wish, substituting synonyms for peace,
such as tranquility, calm, comfort, harmony, serenity, reconciliation, quiet, concord, etc.)
Branwen is, perhaps, the goddess who best represents our modern interpretation of peace. Having experienced war and loss first hand, she has an immense dislike for the use of battle in negotiations and politics. Branwen does not choose sides in war-torn situations. Instead, she feels the grief and mourns the devastation brought about by war. Wide-open of heart and caring for all (humanity, animal life, and the very Earth itself), Branwen wishes to stress the connectedness of our earthly family and the needless, restricted viewpoint necessary to wage war. If Branwen were here before us today, she would implore, “Can’t we all just get along?”
As told in the Welsh mythological cycle, The Mabinogion, Branwen—daughter of Llyr and Penarddun, sister of Bendigeidfran (a.k.a. Bran) and Manawydan, half-sister of Nisien and Efnisien—is courted by the king of Ireland, Matholwch. Already Branwen’s role as a lover of peace reveals itself, as the marriage is intended to unite the island of Ireland with the Island of the Mighty (Wales/England), bringing an end to discord and war. The match is arranged and a large feast is laid out with much food and drink. After a night of festivities, Branwen and Matholwch sleep together and the marriage is consummated and considered binding. Throughout the marriage negotiations, we hear nothing from Branwen. Apparently, she is content to serve as a vessel of peace for her people.
The next day, Branwen’s half-brother Efnisien stumbles across the horses of Matholwch and questions the handler about them. When he hears that his sister was given to the king of Ireland without his knowledge or consent, Efnisien flies into a rage (a not uncommon state for this tempestuous man) and mutilates all of Matholwch’s horses by cutting off their eyelids, ears, tails, and lips. Matholwch, understandably, is incensed at this slight against his manhood and immediately calls off all nuptial relations with Branwen (after conveniently already having had sex with her). Still Branwen says nothing.
Bran scrambles to make amends with Matholwch, to preserve the peace treaty and restore his sister’s honor. (Branwen’s honor is not necessarily connected to her lack of virginity. Matholwch tarnished her reputation by turning away from her. After having been joined in good faith, Matholwch rejects Branwen, thus casting doubt and suspicion on her good name.) Bran offers Matholwch a gold plate the size of his head and a silver staff as tall as himself. However, it is the magical cauldron of rebirth, in which dead warriors return alive albeit without voices, that turns Matholwch’s heart. He agrees to reinstate his marriage with Branwen and sails back to Ireland with substantial booty, including Branwen.
Once in Ireland, Branwen is met with much rejoicing; she is treated well and births Matholwch’s son Gwern. However, by the second year, discord erupts and old enmities between the Irish and Celtic Cymry people are remembered. The Irish people become uneasy with their “foreign” queen, remembering the insult dealt to Matholwch by Efnisien. (It is interesting to note that they do not remember Branwen’s sacrifice in leaving her family and coming to live among strangers.) Branwen is banished to Matholwch’s kitchen, where she has her ears boxed by the butcher once a day.
Branwen withstands such mistreatment for three years, never knowing love in any form from a human being. (Her son is fostered out to a wealthy Irish family.) However, she begins to open her heart to the natural world around her. During this time, she nurtures a starling, teaching it words, telling it of her homeland and her brother, and training it to carry a message from her to Bran. With Branwen’s tutelage, the starling delivers the message and Bran immediately puts together a military force of huge proportions; only seven men are left behind to protect the Island of the Mighty.
The ships set sail with Bran wading alongside, as there was never a ship (nor a house) that could hold him. Matholwch, seeing what appears to be a forest upon the sea and a moving mountain, is confused by the apparition. He says to his messengers, “There is no one here will know anything of that, except Branwen knows. Do you ask her.”[13] Here is the first time that we observe the power of Branwen, Queen of the Land, Lady of Peace. Until this time, she has been mute, appearing to accept the control of her male relations.
The messengers question Branwen at length about the vision upon the water. She answers their questions promptly and succinctly, explaining that the forest on the sea is the navy of masted-ships that Bran has amassed and that the moving mountain is her brother, angry at the injustice done her. The messengers return to Matholwch with the knowledge that war is imminent. The reasoning for Branwen’s truthful answers is perplexing. Why wouldn’t she give her brother the element of surprise and lie about the strange images Matholwch has seen on the sea? After all, wouldn’t she want her brother to win? Of course, but Branwen is no longer simply Queen of the Britons. Her sense of self has shifted, becoming something greater than Britain or Ireland. She is all of the land, and as such, sees the beauty and sorrow of all living beings. The outcome of such a war is devastating to her either way, as living beings are sure to die. Also, having transcended her mortal prejudices and judgements, Branwen, as a goddess, cannot lie. Falsehoods are as foreign to her as to an infant. She has become pure, innocent, untainted love.
The men spar. Matholwch sets a trap for Bran and his men by building a house that can hold Bran and hiding warriors inside. Efnisien senses the trap and expertly sniffs out the hiding places and kills all the warriors with his thumb and forefinger. Thwarted, Matholwch is forced to agree to a political truce that allows Gwern, son of Branwen and Matholwch, to rule Ireland, compelling Matholwch to step down as king. At the feast to seal and honor the truce, Efnisien asks Gwern to come and visit with him. For some reason, although probably out of jealousy and all-consuming love for Branwen (remember, his anger that Branwen was given to another man without his consent started this whole fiasco), Efnisien kills Gwern. As soon as Gwern comes close, Efnisien, his half-uncle, throws him into the fire, thus starting a destructive battle. (Branwen tries to grab her son out of the flames but is ushered out of the house by her brother Bran as the bloody battle commences. In her position of Goddess of the Land, she can empathize with humanity but has no control over it.) In the end, only seven of Bran’s men survive. Bran also lives but is gravely wounded by a poisoned spear to his foot. He requests that his men cut off his head and carry it to the Island of the Mighty. He assures them that “the head will be as pleasant company to you as ever it was at best when it was on me.”[14] Of the Irish, the only people left alive on the whole island are five pregnant women hidden in a cave in the wilderness.
Branwen, the seven men, and Bran’s head sail for the Island of the Mighty, landing at Aber Alaw in Talebolion in northern Wales. Upon landing, they rest and Branwen is confronted with the desolation of both islands and the enormity of her role in creating such a situation. She looks first to Ireland and then to the Island of the Mighty and says, “Woe is me that ever I was born: two good islands have been laid waste because of me.”[15] She then heaves a great sigh, which breaks her heart, and she dies. The men bury her on the bank of the Alaw in a four-sided grave.[16]
Branwen is an instrument of war as well as of peace. Bran and Matholwch circle around her like hungry dogs, fighting over a bone. They do not think of the repercussions of their actions but simply react with flying swords and bloody daggers and war and death. Branwen’s message of peace comes attached to the ideal of universal love, a concept both embraced and reviled by humans on this planet. She would prefer that we all sacrifice our blatant desires in order to see the reality of everyone’s situation, for every person has a position to maintain, a unique point of view. With Branwen’s help, we can see beyond our provincial views to the universality of human existence on Earth. We can understand the enormity of war as a destructive force that not only affects those in the war zone but everyone in our human family. Branwen wants us to see through the eyes of others and feel compassion for their lives, their viewpoints, their cultural stances. We are all human in Branwen’s eyes, and all beautiful and worthy of compassion and care. Through Branwen, we can let go of our differences and focus on the similarities of human existence. Perhaps then we can forego the battlefields for meaningful, productive discussion.
Pathway to Branwen
As Branwen is about accessing the peaceful center within and sacrificing personal needs for the good of all, she is intimately connected to clearing away old energies and thought patterns. After all, one cannot strive for peace among people while being mired in old, possibly negative ideas. We have all felt the resistance of leaving familiar patterns for new concepts and activities. We must be willing to catapult over the past in order to access the hopefully peaceful future. One of the best ways to remove past influences is by cleansing and purifying the present. After all, every action we take sends ripples forward, creating either peace or chaos in the world.
Many of us are familiar with cleansing and purifying ceremonies that occur directly before ritual. We smudge ourselves with sage, sprinkle the ground with holy water, and anoint our ritual objects with oil. But I want you to consider cleansing and purifying as a life path, as essential to the existence of life on our planet. Consider your daily actions carefully, reconstructing them with the object of purification in mind. Pay attention to the number of times you wash your hands every day. Notice the gentle swish-swish of the washing machine or the rumble of the dishwasher. Feel the water gurgle over your skin as you remove leftover bits of food from your dinner plate. Imagine the unproductive dirt and debris sluicing from your body as you take your regular shower. With a subtle change in mindset, such mundane activities become infused with cleansing power. Visit a rushing stream and watch the stream bed shift and flow. Here is the essence of peace among all peoples, the ability to look beyond our small lives to the fluid universe around us. Don’t be afraid! Go forward on your path, cleansed and reveling in the amazing gift of life!
RITUAL FOR PEACE:
THE SACRED PRAYER OF PEACE
Suggested Ritual Days
January 24: World Peace Day, as declared by Lions Clubs International
June 21: World Peace and Prayer Day, as declared by the Wolakota Foundation
September 21: International Day of Peace, as declared by the United Nations
Items needed
one square of light-weight cotton material, any solid color
fabric paint
paintbrushes
free Fátima water (see page 25)
several yards of strong ribbon or rope
thread of the same color as the cotton material
sewing machine or needle
sharp scissors
common pins
birdseed
In Tibet, prayer flags are an important aspect of spiritual life. Flags are hoisted to bring prosperity, to heal the sick, and to bring harmony to a place. Wedding parties troop up to rooftops to raise flags and brides touch them to signify entering into her husband’s family and departing from her biological family. Scarves or small flags, called kata in Tibet and hadag in Mongolia, are given to honored guests or friends to show great respect. They are made of sky-blue silk and express the message, “I wish good fortune to you from the bottom of my heart.” Prayer flags connect you to the land while spreading your sentiments and wishes through the winds, which represent the primal psychic energy of life.[17] What better way to bring peace into the world than by creating and hoisting your own sacred peace prayer flag?
Once you have gathered all the items, cut and measure the material to the length and width you wish. If you want it to be exactly even on all four sides, be sure to add an extra 1.5 inches to one end—this end will form your casing, through which you will slide your ribbon or rope. Pin the material down to form the casing and sew along the bottom edge, making a tunnel at the top of your flag. If you want, you can sew miniscule rolled hems along the other three sides of the flag. (This creates a more uniform look and prevents fraying but is not necessary.)
Next, decorate your flag using the fabric paint and paintbrushes. Draw traditional symbols of peace, such as a dove or an olive branch; connect to Pax by creating a cornucopia or a scepter; or simply splash peaceful colors on your flag or words that represent peace to you. You can even try stenciling if you have some extra cash. No matter what icons and colors you put on your flag, always keep your initial intention of inner and outer peace in mind. Turn off the phones, listen to some peaceful music, find a quiet time when you’ll be alone, and construct a peaceful prayer flag.
The raising of your prayer flag can be loud and raucous and can occur directly after your flag is created (once the paint has dried) or on another day. Locate an area to string up your peace flag. This could be between two trees, over a doorway, or someplace else that is unique to your residence or land. Bless yourself, any other participants, and your flag with the Fátima water and state your request for peace in the world and within yourself. Have all the participants hold onto the flag and shake it, imitating wind and activating the energy around you, within you, and within the flag. Raise the flag while chanting one of the mantras in this chapter or one that you have created just for the occasion. You can include the other participants in the chant by having them repeat after you. You: Pax ad lux. Them: Pax ad lux. You: Pax et bonum. Them: Pax et bonum. You get the idea. Once the flag has been raised, offer more Fátima water to the flag by pouring it onto the ground nearby or (if indoors) into a small bowl. Leave an offering of birdseed to honor the spirits of your land and the animals and birds who dwell with you in that space. (If your flag is indoors, scatter the seeds outside.) Give one last joyous shout of HUZZAH FOR PEACE! Then eat, drink, and be merry!
Throughout the year, as you think of it, give more offerings to your peace prayer flag. These can be as simple as a handful of cornmeal or as elaborate as an intricate wood carving. On the anniversary of your Ritual for Peace, consider making another peace prayer flag and adding it to your original flag. You can even make a party out of it and have your friends over to craft their peace prayer flags. What better way to promote peace in the world than with a few laughs among family and friends?
[1]. Sulzberger, “Ara Pacis Augustae.”
[2]. Ibid.
[3]. Spade, “Roman History.”
[4]. Welch, “The Sign Language of Roman Coins: Leaning on the Handy Column.”
[5]. Catholic Youth Networking, “The Fátima Prayer.”
[6]. The holm-oak is also known as the Holly Oak tree and the Evergreen Oak tree and is native to the Mediterranean.
[7]. Lucia Santos, as quoted in John O’Connell, “Our Lady of Fátima.”
[8]. Ruffinelly, “The Little Shepherds of Fátima,” 7.
[9] . Ibid., 9–11.
[10]. De Marchi, The Immaculate Heart, 139–150.
[11]. Santos, “The Message of Fátima,” special insert.
[12]. The Fátima Network, https://secure.Fátima.org/forms/freegifts.asp. Along with the free picture card, the Fátima Network offers small vials of Fátima water free to the public.
[13]. Jones and Jones, The Mabinogion, 28.
[14]. Ibid., 31.
[15]. Ibid., 32.
[16]. Much of the story of Branwen first appeared in Goddess Alive!, 180–183. For more information and intimate workings with Branwen, Lady of Sovereignty, including a guided meditation and ritual, please see chapter 10 of Goddess Alive!
[17]. Wood, “Wind Power,” 28–31.