Foxglove
(Witches' Gloves, Faery's Gloves, Dead Man's Bells, Faery Thimbles, Folks Gloves)

This is a sacred herb of the Druids. Lore says that where you find this plant you will find faes as they choose to live very close to this plant for its protective qualities. The well informed grow this Underworld herb near their homes for protection as well... all who grow this or work with it need be very aware of its capabilities, and so must be very careful.

Mistletoe

Another herb to mention on this site. It is revered by the Druids, who only sought it when they had visions directing them to seek it. If a long time went by and the person didnt have a visions it was considered bad luck, and if it fell to the ground it was considered an omen of great misfortune. The Mistletoe that grew in oak trees was the most sacred. It was harvested using a golden sickle and not allowed to touch the ground.

Epona
Gallo-Celtic: EPO for Horse and ONA as an ending that shows divinity.

She is the Celtic Horse Goddess, she is also known to be the Goddess of mules and oxen, cavalrymen, and to an extent the springs and rivers.

Her annual festival in Roman times was around the 18th day of December

The Holy Queen Epona is obviously most commonly associated with horses, being the protectress of horses, riders and stables her animal symbol is naturally the horse. Shes most oft shown riding a one, usually a beautiful white mare. In some scenes foals can be observed as well as dogs with birds following as well. She is either shown partially nude or wearing a long wide coat. She has also been associated with fertility and abundance along with dreams and nightmares. Being seen with the Cornucopia or simpler the Horn of Plenty explains that she was associated with fertility and thus being attributed to to fertility make her a Mothergoddess.

The great importance of horses for the Celts, and the symbol of the fertile mare giving birth to a foal and taking gentle care of it as a loving mother, are most likely what led the Celts to worship in her nature; and fertility in general.

There are plenty of times it has been shown and told that she was seen with many baskets which were filled with fruits, corn and especially apples. Sometimes she fed horses or foals out of the baskets, and it is nice to be able to associate what is said to be one of the horse's favorite treats with her, that being the apple that everyone always says will win the heart of all horses. Rose garlands were in the past, and still are put around her pictures and shrines, and this is where the rose garlands being draped over the winning thoroughbred in the big horse races comes from.

There is also a small association with her and the whip and harness, and she has been thought to hold one of the few keys to the doors of the Otherworld.

Epona seems to have almost no relations in regard to the Celts. There are no tales of her and a husband or even the mention of her having had any children, and I am to believe that she was a great nature mother goddess as well as being the beautiful horsegoddess. Without having a husband or children she lives in the tradition of a virgin self producing great mother.

Those who worshipped her have left her fruits, especially apples and mare's milk could often be found in the temples and on altars. When a sacrifice was called for it would be a pig which was left for the Goddess.

It would be considered shocking and sacreligious for persons to consume horse meat on a regular basis for normal meal taking.

Her authority extended even beyond death, accompanying the soul on its final journey. She was worshipped throughout entire Gaul, and as far as the Danube and Rome. She was eventually adopted by the Roman army and they spread her worship wherever they went. She was the only Celtic Goddess to be honored by the Romans with a temple in their capital city.

Epona was said to appear to her followers riding a white horse that did not seem to be of this earth. The horse was very important to the Celtic peoples. They were used for plowing, traveling and transporting heavy loads of goods.

There are many legends and myths of Epona. Among the many legends of Epona she was said to have saved her people from the Barbarians who rode to conquer the Celtic peoples.

She is often accompanied by three birds from the Otherworld. The Otherworld is where the Gods and Goddesses live. The song from the birds of the Otherworld were said to have magical powers, including the restoring the dead to life and healing sadness and pain.

She is also identified with the Celtic goddess Edain.

Epona can be traced back under that name to the Gallic peoples of what is now northern France. However as these people, along with the Celts, are descendants of tribal peoples who came from the east, spreading up along the Danube valley into central and western Europe, it is not surprising that kindred peoples have the horse as a primary totem deity as the horse would have been vital for a wandering people. These peoples, as Pagans today tend to do, associate the male energies of nature with horned animals, such as the stag. It seemed natural then that the mare became associated with the feminine aspects of nurturing and fertility. In particular white mares were venerated - most likely because white was always seen as a "pure" colour with deep spiritual connotations and also, unless specifically bred for, white horses are uncommon.

Epona existed in other guises throughout the Celtic world, becoming Rhiannon in Wales and Macha in Ireland. In all the legends attached to these two deities they are portrayed with heroic qualities, prepared to sacrifice themselves, a characteristic of the ancient worship of the horse goddess aptly demonstrated in the Irish kingship ritual and repaid in acts such as that of Versingetorix who at his last stand against the Roman army, rather than risk the slaughter of his horses, sent them behind the lines and faced his enemies on foot.

Horses were highly respected as valuable, noble animals by the ancient Gauls and Celts. Epona was the Goddess who protected horses, and she was never pictured without one. Shrines to her were often found in stables. She was very popular and her worship was widespread.

Despite the loss of the Gallic kings to the Roman invasion Epona's worship flourished as she was adopted by the cavalry legions and spread throughout the empire. There is evidence, from writings such as "The Golden Ass" of Apuleus, that she spread further from just being a goddess of the cavalry into being a goddess of anyone who worked or had dealings with horses.

When the Romans overtook the Celtic regions, they adopted Epona without changing her nature. Shs is the only Goddess that the Romans so easily accepted. She became a favoured Deity by the men in the cavalry.

Even after Christianity had spread it's way across Rome, remnants of Epona's worship could still be seen in the simple rituals of the country folk, namely the 'hobby horse' dances.

With the decline of the Roman empire and the spread of Christianity throughout Europe the worship of Epona both declined under the dead hand of the bishops and princes but was also absorbed and transformed within the imported religion. The symbol of the white horse was absorbed into Christian iconography as one of purity, many saints being depicted on white horses. However direct worship of the divine in animal form was strongly suppressed but clung on in the form of the "obby oss" dances in their various guises and the hill figures of old were deemed still worthy of maintaining and regular "ritual" scouring and cleaning of the horses, accompanied by games and revelry, continued to take place through the centuries.

It was with the rebirth of interest in the old religion around the turn of the century and with the reawakening of The Craft, the repeal of the Witchcraft laws and the movement towards reincorporating the female into the divine that Epona could truly begin to emerge from the shadows. Although changed somewhat through the years of exile (as have all the old Gods and Goddesses) she has once more taken her rightful place in our thoughts and workings.

Uffington White Horse
Carved into the downs of Berkshire, England. This chalk carving was carved in 1000 BC, predating Stonehenge itself. Celtic tribal settlements have been unearthed thereabouts, and the horse goddess Epona was most likely worshipped there.