Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant

י"א באדר תשס"ז

Today is Saint David's Day - Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant. 'Dewi Ddyfrwr' (David the Water-Drinker) is a Welsh patron saint. While I'm not Christian, I do have some Welsh ancestry and absolutely love daffodils - my favorite flower.

From Wiki regarding traditions:

"Children take part in school concerts or eisteddfodau, with recitation and singing being the main activities. Formerly, a half-day holiday was afforded to school children. Officially this custom does not continue, although the practice can vary on a school-to-school basis.

Many Welsh people wear one or both of the national emblems of Wales on their lapel to celebrate Saint David: the daffodil (a generic Welsh symbol which is in season during March) or the leek (Saint David's personal symbol) on this day. The association between leeks and daffodils is strengthened by the fact that they have similar names in Welsh, Cenhinen (leek) and Cenhinen Bedr (daffodil, literally "Peter's leek")."

Interestingly, including my ancestry and proclivity for Welsh tarot cards, my kabbalistic name incense includes daffodil (cenhinen bedr). I had no idea at the time when I wrote the incense recipe that cenhinen bedr is an emblem of Wales or of a saint named David (Dewi). The two letters yod, one in my name Liorah לֵיאורהּ and the other in the Hebrew phonetic transliteration of my craft name Lleucu ללאכי correspond to the flower.

Daffodil is a feminine botanical linked to the planet Venus (or Mars, in some sources) [1] and to the element of water. It's magickal influences include love, fertility and good fortune. It has a cute folk name: daffy-down-dilly.

"The Chinese daffodil belongs to the amaryllis genus. Daffodil is a perennial herb. Because its bulb looks likes onion or garlic, it was called Elegant Garlic in the Six Dynasties and Heaven Shallot in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). Subsequently, it obtained several smart and beautiful names, such as golden calix, silver desk, couple orchid, elegant guest, and woman star."

In honor of Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant, I'm burning some shin kokonoe (daffodil) incense today. Hmm, smells good.

Footnote:

[1] Venus (Enclyclopedia Of Magical Herbs, Scott Cunningham) or Mars (Culpepper)

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