Arawn
Intention: Honor fair exchange and keeping one's word
Offerings & Symbols
- A hunting horn image
- Gray and red tokens (his hounds are red-eared and white)
- A kept promise
Culture: Welsh (Celtic) Domain: The Welsh Otherworld (Annwn), hunting, fair dealing
Arawn is king of Annwn, the Welsh Otherworld, who strikes a remarkable bargain with the mortal Pwyll: they swap appearances and positions for a year, during which Pwyll rules Annwn and, notably, does not touch Arawn's wife despite sharing her bed, an act of honor that cements a lasting friendship between the two kings.
Associations
The Otherworld, hunting, honorable exchange, restraint and respect for another's trust.
Ways people honor him (modern)
- Keep a difficult promise exactly as made, even when it would be easy not to
- Reflect on trust extended to you by someone in a vulnerable position
- Read the First Branch of the Mabinogion for the full exchange tale
- Honor hunting traditions responsibly and with real respect for the animal
Approach any deity with respect and do your own research. Practices vary widely between traditions, and modern devotional practice often goes beyond what survives in ancient sources.
