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When I was living on the Isle of Skye I was blessed with some quite mysterious experiences. Much of Skye is still unspoiled wilderness — mountains, beaches, dark skies in winter and long muted twilight in summer. There are ruins too, some relatively recent, some stretching back into prehistory.
There is one such castle ruin in the far south of the island which is called ‘Dunscaith Castle’ or ‘Dun Sgathaich’ (Skya). It is said to have been built on the ruins of a fortress built by the legendary warrior queen Sgathaich. Her name means ‘Shadowy’ in Scots Gaelic. Sgathaich appears in one of the medieval Irish heroic legends. Cuchulainn- one of the heroes of these tales — went to Sgathaich for for training. Imagine Boudicea but with a Highland accent!
Dun Sgathaich is one of those extraordinary places in Britain which is often missed by tourists. Even visiting in summer I was often the only person there. On just such an occasion I was very relaxed, sitting in the sunshine near the castle and found my mind wandering into that in-between place, where logic falls away, stories unfold and flashes of insight light up in the mind’s eye. It was as if Sgathaich herself were standing there in front of me — holding her sword, glinting in the sunlight — a sword which carried everything I needed to know about who I am, deep in my heart.
The Celtic warrior was understood to be the ‘bringer of the new age’ — the person who had the courage to enter into unknown territory. In Mythic terms of course this isn’t geographical territory. Rather it is new territory in life — new experiences, new people, new skills, new understandings. Did I imagine Sgathaich to be actually standing there? Possibly. Perhaps in my relaxed state I accessed a form of internal guidance — an ‘Inner Advisor’ as it is sometimes known to psychologists.
Is Dun Sgathaich infused with a special kind of energy, a genius loci? Well in my opinion, yes! The point is, although the experience itself was wonderful, it doesn’t really matter how I explain what happened. I came away that day with an insight which has been incredibly helpful to me and others with whom I have worked over time.
This, to me, is the profound message of the Strength card — the availability of the strength which comes from deep within. It is an image which encourages self-knowledge — to know one’s own strength and allow that strength to flow through int one’s decisions and actions.
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