Focus
(Elje IJortlauò ffibseruer
Page 4
March 17, 1999
Recognizing "Che feminine O n S r
Mythology says that St. Patrick
drove the snakes out of Ireland,
enticing them into the sea where
they drowned. Modern-day arche­
'he m onth of M arch is a time
ologists and cultural anthropolo­
of observance of two signifi­
gists have discovered new mean­
cant things: St. Patrick’s Day and
ings of this old
Women’s History. I’ve come to ex­
m y th .
For
perience M arch 17,h as a day of
starters, there
sadness, for me and many others
w ere
no
who are awakening to the femi­
snakes in Ire­
nine aspect of God. T his is espe­
la n d - not
cially true this year after having
then, and not
visited Ireland last fall. Now St.
now. W hat St.
Patrick's Day seems to celebrate
Patrick drove
a holocaust of sorts, the subm erg­
out of Ireland
ing of an indigenous religion and
was the G od­
the stolen souls of its people.
d ess, th e D i­
According to Greg Dues, au­
v in e
F e m i­
thor of Catholic Customs & Tra
n in e .
The
ditions, St. Patrick was born in the
snake or ser­
B ritish Isles aro u n d 385 C.E.
pent is an an­
(Common Era). He was a Roman
cien t symbol
citizen, son of wealthy parents. A
o f th e g o d ­
teenaged Patrick was reportedly
dess.
k idnapped by p irates and sold
“T h e co il­
into slavery in Ireland. Patrick
ing path of the
soon escaped to France, where he
s e rp e n t, like
was eventually ordained a deacon.
the great riv­
Pope Celestine I ordained Patrick,
e rs o f th e
a bishop in 432 C.E. and allowed
earth winding
him to return to Ireland. Patrick’s
fro m m o u n ­
m inistry established C hristianity
tain to sea, traces the spiraling of
in Ireland. His “calling” initiated
the life energy as it travels from
th e d e stru c tio n of the an cien t
one dim ension to another. T he
Celtic religions, depriving the in­
serpent, with its quick and fluid
digenous people of their ancestral
shape and m ovem ent, cam e to
myths and legends. Patriarchy be­
symbolize the dynamic power of
gan to dom inate the Emerald Isle,
w a te rs b e y o n d , b e n e a th an d
and with it cam e the death of the
around the earth, and appears in
Goddess.
many different mythologies as the
B y R ev . K w i M c K ern V erigin
C ontributing W riter and N ondenomi -
national M inister
r
creative source or generator of the
universe,” explains authors Anne
Baring and Jules Cashford.
When we celebrate St. Patrick’s
act of driving the snakes out of
Ireland, we are in truth celebrat-
ing patriarchy’s dom ination of the
Divine Feminine. It represents the
suppression of women and girls
everyw here throughout m odern
history. Pre-Christian people un­
derstood that a blend of mascu­
line and feminine powers m iracu­
lously created life. T he feminine
was worshiped because the divine
m other was the vessel that deliv­
ered life. T hat is what the ancient
Irish people w orshipped - the
mystery of she who can give life;
a soft, rounded form that could
bleed and not die; a hum an whose
b o d ily
f u n c tio n s
are in har­
mony w ith
the m oon;
a
life /
d e a th / life
way of b e­
in g in ac­
c o rd a n c e
w ith
th e
seasons.
T h e
sh a m ro c k
is a n o th e r
p o p u la r
sym bol
p ro u d ly
d is p la y e d
on
St.
P a t r i c k ’s
Day. It is
sa id
St.
P a tric k
u se d th e
th r e e - le a f
clover to dem onstrate to the Irish
pagans the C hristian trinity of Fa
ther, Son, and Holy Ghost. Long
before St. Patrick, the Irish Celts
already had a religious meaning
for the shamrock. It was a symbol
of the Triple Goddess - M aiden,
M other and C rone. T he Sham
rock re p re s e n ts “T h e T h re e
Brigits" or “T hree M organs”, the
“mother - hearts” of Celtic tribes.
T he shamrock was often used in
fertility rites. T he leaves were
burned in a ritual and the ashes
sprinkled over fields as a prayer
for good crops.
Like the snake myth, I used to
get angry when I saw the sham ­
rock displayed so callously every
March. I wonder if that’s how de­
vout C hrisitians feel when they
see the Ichthyous “fish symbol”
on car bum pers with Darwinian
feet.
After my trip to Ireland, I see
the shamrock differently. I see an
image of the G oddess in every
three-leaf clover. This time of year
shamrocks decorate living rooms
and classrooms, businesses and
advertisem ents. It tells me that
the goddess is alive and magick is
afoot - as a n o th e r p o p u la r
bum per sticker declares. As more
and more spiritual truths emerge
from indigenous people all over
the world, the closer we will get
to unity and peace.
M aybe a h o lid a y lik e St.
Patrick’s Day can be celebrated
w ith dignity and love. W ith or
w ithout green beer, we can re­
m ember the ancient roots. Rather
than rem inding us of a sad time
in world history, perhaps March
17“1 can rem ind us of an earlier
tim e - a time when the feminine
was deem ed holy and sacred.
North Portland
Nurse
Practitioner
Community
Health Clinic
M ariah A. Taylor, R.N., C.P.N.P.
■ Create a story with pictures on the Internet
V Participate in fun indoor and outdoor
games and activities
V Find out about cool, high tech careers
If you are 11— 14 years old and live In Multnomah County,
you can attend one of our free week*long day camps.
Applications due April 15. Camps take place in July 1999.
For more information or to request an application packet, call
503.736.6012 or go to the library's web site.
www.multnomah.lib.or.us/lih/webcamp/
PROVOCO BY A GRANT FROM
4 « , F O U N D A T IO N
X Z ---------------------
MUITWOMAM COUWPr
AA
L IB R A R Y ^
North Portland Nurse Practioner Community Health
Clinic is currently seeking community residents who can
serve on the Board o f Directors for the clinic.
Participants would aid in securing a new location and
volunteer in other ways to serve the clinic's diverse
community needs. Interested citizens are urged to Call
Mariah Taylor at 284-5239 A.S.A.P.
Hours by Appointment and Walk-In
5311 N. Vancouver Ave.
Office: (503) 284-5239
Portland, OR 97217
Fax: (503) 284-9162