This afternoon, after returning from an excellent yoga class taught by the inimitable Steven Espinosa (who will be next in the hotseat for the Shanti-Town podcast in just a couple short weeks from now. Oh yeeees.) I--because I have a million things to do and therefore have taken a long detour into the oddest kind of procrastination--decided to research the history of St. Patrick's Day. Because, I'm for sure not going to be the kind of yogi who knows all about Diwali (okay, I don't know all about it...but I KNOW about it, and that's already saying a lot) and not have any idea what St. Patrick's Day is about. I mean, seriously, I'm 30 years old, I have had my fair share of ridiculously celebratory St. Patrick's Days...I ought to know at least the BASICS, right?
So, okay, I'm going to be really honest...I was HORRIFIED by what St. Patrick's Day is about.
Here's what I pieced together in my small dalliance into St. Paddy's Day research. St. Patrick was a dude, not even an Irish dude...but a dude living in Roman-occupied Britain, who was kidnapped as a teenager and brought to Ireland, during which time he had a dream in which God told him to go to the coast and spread His word. Which he did. For a while. And then went back home to Britain, and didn't return to Ireland until later in his life in order to (ahem) "save" the Irish. The paganistic, polytheistic Celtic-story-telling Irish. He, and the rest of the Roman-Catholic Church, helped those poor Celts to become good Catholics.
Now, okay side-bar--if you're noticing my deeply sarcastic tone--the truth is that I don't know a lot about Ancient Celtic beliefs and practices (probably because they got DESTROYED)...no, wait...I don't know much about them, and I'm sure there was a lot of beauty and grace and loveliness brought to the Irish people via the Catholic Church. (Maybe.) But, I'm just confused as to why, first of all, WHY are we celebrating the life of a famous missionary by getting drunk on green beer?! St. Patrick's day, historically, has been the sort of "hall pass" day that Catholics get to "take off" from Lent. Lent. You know, Lent? The Catholic holiday where you have to give something up for 40 days? Yes, for years and years and years, the one day where all Lent-isms fly out the window and Catholics the world over are allowed to live it up...is St. Patrick's Day.
I know, I know, it's not any worse than Jesus' birthday being celebrated with Santa Suits and figgy pudding, but at least I KNOW what the intent behind the holiday is. Honestly, I feel a little swindled. I'm not a big fan of the missionary impulse--I think that the idea that there is a singular path to god, and that anyone who has found an alternate path is somehow in need of salvation--is, um...small-minded. I think it's an expression of a fixation on getting-it-right-ness that leads to so much suffering, as is witnessed all throughout history. And I am deeply involved in a practice (though not a religion itself) that has its religious underpinnings in a polytheistic belief system, so I am a bit biased. Because I know the kind of beauty and symbolism and mythology born from systems in which there is not ONE right and wrong way...but many.
If I were a Celt (um, a former Celt? Of Celtic descent? Are there even still practicing Celts? I don't know anything about the Celts! Except that they have cool cross artwork.) I would demand that St. Patrick's Day, if it's going to be a day off from Lent, for god's sake (pun intended)...if it's already turned into a giant pagan drink/eat/love fest anyhow, why not make it about the celebration of the Celtic traditions that have been lost, instead of a day of paying homage to their lead destroyer?
(My apologies to St. Patrick...I'm sure you were a lovely fellow. Maybe.)
Anyhow...this is one of those BIG opinion based on SMALL information moments for me, so any thoughts/corrections/how-dare-you-insult-my-favorite-holiday notes are welcome. In the meantime...
HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S WE'RE SORRY, CELTS, DAY!!
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