St. Patrick's Shamrock
Saint Patrick’s day is a holiday that has transitioned greatly over the centuries. It was first celebrated to remember a man whose mission was to spread the love of Christ, and he did so in such a way that people loved him for it, often using the Shamrock to help demonstrate the power of the holy trinity. Over the centuries the Christian religion changed and Saint Patricks day became more of a holiday for fun and laughter in the 1600s. During this time more of the pagan symbols starting emerging connected to the holiday. Today it is a day where we wear green, drink, look for leprechauns, and hope to find some gold. So what does all this mean in the spiritual since of the larger picture? To answer that we need to start with Saint Patrick himself and the Christ energy.
Saint Patrick was born in 385 AD, this is prior to big arrival of the Roman version of Christianity. The religion was very different during that time. It was more in alignment with stories and theologies related to modern day agnostic christians than with any other version of the religion. Saint Patrick was not born a Christian, he was actually born into a wealthy family to whom were attacked by Irish pirates, where he was captured and then sold into slavery in Ireland. Many stories report that Saint Patrick was bought by a dark Druid who used his magic predominantly to control and hurt others.
Saint Patricks duty on the Druid’s farm was to look after the live stock. This allowed him to spend long periods of time away from the Druid and the other slaves. It is during this time that the legends say God visited him and taught him of Christ. God also told Saint Patrick how to escape the Druid to return back home. Patrick put his full trust and faith in God and did as he was told, and he successfully escaped the Dark Druid. When he has returned to England he wanted to dedicate his life to spreading the word of Christ back in Ireland and casting out evil like that of the Dark Druid.
Saint Patrick is technically not a Saint at all. As Saints are ordained through the Catholic Church. And they never ordained Saint Patrick. Some claim it is because he was born to early before the arrival of the Catholic Church, while others believe it is because he was an agnostic, believing in a Christian path that was not acceptable for the Catholic Church. Either way, the people saw him as holy enough to give him the Sainthood in which is how we all view him today.
Now that we know who Saint Patrick was, how did he effect the magic that we all associate with his holiday? Some pagans are very offended by the holiday, and do not want to celebrate it. As they see the story as a form of spiritual genocide on their beliefs. However there is a less violent perspective to take on how it effected the pagan religion.
While Saint Patrick died in 461 AD, Saint Brigid was born just 10 years prior to his death. There is loads of evidence to suggest that Saint Brigid is the physical incarnation of the pagan Goddess Brigid (which is further explored on my blog about Saint Brigid). Meaning that the Magic of Saint Patrick was that of a true cleaning, one that empowered those whose magic was in alignment of that of the Christ consciousness and its need to spread across the world. Saint Brigid’s church still stands today, right where the old temple of the Goddess of Brigid once was. They still celebrate her flame, and have a fire pit right outside the church, where they warn all men not to enter. As it is a sacred place for women and men who enter will be permanently injured.
We also see a blending of sacred symbols, rather than an attempt to totally destroy causing spiritual genocide. This is probably why the Irish people loved him so much. It is why they took in the Christian religion from a place of love and acceptance rather than that of violence and force. One of the most recognizable symbols of the Saint Patrick Holiday is that of the Shamrock.
During Patrick’s time of spreading Christianity across Ireland he often used the shamrock as a symbol to help bridge the two faiths. The shamrock already was a symbol for good luck, and was added into potions by ancient Druids to help promote the prosperity of the person who used the potion. Patrick then used the three leaf clover, to help explain the meaning of the Christian Trinity. Another concept not foreign to the Irish as their own pagan beliefs centered around the goddess Brigid also were based in a trinity.
The holiday of Saint Patrick is also heavily tied to the idea of chasing rainbows and finding pots of gold. This is more of an agnostic concept that is also tied to many pre-Christian religions. This concept of chasing a rainbow in a spiritual sense refers to the auras and inner Rainbow of spirituality. In these ancient texts they discuss how reaching the higher planes of magic allow you to create gold. Hence the relationship of the chasing the rainbow and finding the pot of gold at the other end.
In the end you may take what you want from the Saint Patrick holiday, you may see this as a holiday celebrating the genocide of the old ways to make room for Christian empowerment. Or you may look at it as a celebration that enhanced and gave rebirth to the best parts of the Ancient magic of the past. After all, it does seem that the Holiday leaves us feeling a bit magical, and wanting to connect and express our own rainbows and huntings for shamrocks for that luck. Leaving us with higher vibrations and more positive outlook on the future to come.