Gwyn, the Winter King

Whilst our explanation for any story is based on our developed concept of values, because our values can be changed by time and influence, our cultural perception of something can develop other meanings.

In the Mabinogion tale of Kulhwich and Olwen, relayed in Lady Charlotte Guest’s translations of medieval/native British texts, Gwyn abducts Creiddylad from Gwythyr who in response sends an army after Gwyn that is defeated, one combatant after the other. As the passions of love and war grow beyond reason, Arthur makes peace with the terms being:

'the maiden should remain in her father's house, unmolested by either side, and there should be battle between Gwyn and Gwythyr each May-calends for ever and ever, from that day till doomsday; and the one of them that should be victor on doomsday, let him have the maiden.'

The story of Gwyn, Gwythyr and Creiddylad is from ancient British oral tradition and is not dissimilar to the Greek myth of Hades, Demeter and Persephone or the ancient Egyptian story of Osiris, Isis and Seth. Rivals are competing for the love of another and the prime concern is how their differences may affect the seasons. This would suggest that the abduction story, as mirrored in Chrétien de Troyes and Malory's version of Guinevere's capture, is an amorous dramatisation of the Northern European seasonal cycle. Because the ancients saw the marriage of gods and goddesses as a proclamation of seasonal change, the end of a bleak winter and the onset of a lusty spring was the general desire. As Creiddylad translates as 'Heart's Lust' and twin gods fight for her favour, the goddess appears to have represented the spring, which falls between winter and summer. However, neither summer or winter could have her entirely to themselves as she needed each of them to ensure the earth’s fecundity.

In this frame of mind the ancient’s concept of death and winter was not of finality. Life went to sleep in the darkest season and death was the interval before rebirth. As sleep is likened to death and animals hibernate in winter, the Master of Winter and God of Death was an assistant in the cycle of Life. He began his rule from the first sighting of his star formation, appearing at the end of October (Samhain) to disappear at the start of May (Beltane). Envisioned in his star constellation as the Hunter, Gwyn would escort the deceased loved ones to the Underworld (their Afterlife), a role which would to be later commemorated in the Ride of the Wild Hunt. The remains of the dead brought to Ynys Witrin (Glastonbury) would have been laid out for Gwyn's respectful collection. Whether our ancestors used cremation, excarnation or burial (using foetal positioning etc), they believed their dead were destined for an afterlife and the image of Gwyn gathering them into his care would have been welcomed.

Therefore as Gwyn's escort was a desired and necessary feat to complete the passage of life, the star vision of Gwyn ap Nudd at Samhain was a sign for his arrival. Until the sighting of summer arrived in the shape of the Scorpio (Gwythyr), life in the care of the Winter King would remain preserved and dormant.

The tale of the Winter King has been told from generation to generation so that it in reaching us we might consider its meaning. If we forget the words of the past we not only break with a tradition, but leave nothing to our children to connect them to their ancient family. When we tell the stories and re-enact the dramas we are figuratively holding our ancestors hand. We keep in touch with how they thought and gain some sense of what life once meant. Whilst we can choose to be negative about winter and associate it with darkness, coldness and infertility, we might draw from it other images and improve our perspective of what must be lived through every half of a year. Instead of coldness we could envision warm fires, instead of grimness we could be enchanted by falling snow, instead of barrenness we could be enriched in the spiritual arms of Father Christmas. If our pursuit of life’s achievements is to be entirely effective, we might acknowledge what we have and be more careful of its conservation. The reward for our self development may enable us to appreciate our life in a personal valuation of all it consists.

As you proceed with this part of the Gwynvyd Method you will work with Gwyn, the Winter King, to revaluate your life’s effort. To begin, you will:

1. complete a task with no assistance.

2. answer a series of questions honestly.

As the work you do is personal to your development it must be undertaken personally. The questions that are asked of you must therefore be asked of yourself.

The Task:

Your task is in two parts:

Please read the following poem:

Remember

You trusted me in the spring-green child places ... finding enchantment,

Found me merry in summer attendance when you wed,

Feared not to meet me in the autumn forest hunt.

Shrink not from me now in the winter snow.

Have you not seen the return of life to the earth,

Safe, from my keeping?

Will I do less for you?

I am the great Lord of Death who waits for you.

Have faith in life and trust in me!

(Anon - offered in celebrations of Life & Death)

In respect of the above poem, please now ask yourself the following questions:

What did the poem mean to me?

What does winter allow me to have?

What changes do I allow for each winter?

What do I most fear about winter?

What does the onset of winter signify to me?

What does the end of winter mean?

If you ski or run a snow lodge the winter season may be especially favourable for you, but if your associations are less positive an altered perspective may reduce your anxieties and improve your opinion.

When you are ready to, ask yourself one of the following five questions and allow yourself time to become conscious of your answer:

The Questions:

1. Am I self preservative?

Do you keep yourself warm when the temperature drops? Do you eat the same in winter as you do in the summer?

If we put on an extra jumper before turning the heating up we are responding to a need by first conserving what we have. In this manner we are preserving our bodies without reliance on external factors. Could you use the winter season as an opportunity for self nurture? Could you adapt to a changing environment by changing what you do?

If we look after ourselves first we are stronger to look after others.

2. Am I affected by winter?

Do you feel low in the winter? Do your patterns of behaviour change?

The association of winter darkness with grimness is a possible reflection of how we may feel if we haven't had enough summer sunlight. A loss of energy and affected sleep patterns can indicate a lack of Vitamin D which our bodies store naturally in the summer but it may also be a poor opinion of winter that is affecting our nature. Could you enjoy being outside more in both summer and the winter? Could you avoid the 'Winter Blues' by watching or reading subjects of comedy and doing more exercise?

As change is as good as a rest, a rest is just pause before change

3. Am I less active in the winter?

Do you want to go out less than you do in the summer? Do you feel more tired during the winter than any other time of the year?

If other life forms slow up in the winter months then our feeling tired is possibly because our bodies need to rest more. To decide what we may do less of and what we may do differently might help distribute our energies and conserve what we have. Could you spread main activities to different times of the day? Could you enrich your diet with vitamins and make homemade soups and broths?

If we give it all away there may be nothing left to give.

4. Am I positive about winter?

Do you like colder days? Do you enjoy longer nights?

If we associate winter with what we do not like about summer we might reduce the significance of what we have found negative. Couldn't you enjoy a lack of biting/stinging insects? Couldn't you look forward to wearing your favourite boots and jumpers?

As a snowflake is unique so is every snowfall.

5. Am I happier when winter is over?

Do you prefer days getting lighter? Do you feel relieved when colder days are over?

We may have an endless list of reasons as to why we feel relieved when winter has passed, but if we spend each winter feeling it is a problem it may be an opportunity to try to overcome it. Could you undertake a new interest/exercise that incorporates snow or ice? Could you experience the mountains in winter?

A frozen waterfall is like something unsaid.

Well done! You may continue to phrase your own questions or if you wish, return to this area again later. Alternatively, you can enter another area of the Gwynvyd Method.

Gwyn ap Nudd

Ancient British God & Hero