Scatha - Teacher of Warriors
Posted: Wed Apr 20, 2005 8:15 amI'm still looking trough the internet to find some possible connections to ancient lore and people that lun might have used to create the way....
Look at what I've dished out here... I'll underline some important things...
Warrior Archetypes III: Scatha - Teacher of Warriors
The Celtic goddess Scatha was the archetypal teacher of warriors, a goddess of martial arts. She was no palace tutor of rich younglings, however. She lives on an island off the coast of the Isle of Skye, and to get there you have to pass through a field of grass that will try to trap your feet, and a valley of monsters that will devour you. If you get that far, the only way onto her island is a bridge that humped high and narrow and could barely be crossed. Most fell to their deaths trying. In order to get across safely, the would-be student must make the heroic “salmon’s leap”, crossing the narrows and landing safely on the shore. *to me that seems like the plunge rhue had to make before getting to scatha back in the lower way*
The young hero Cuchulain comes to Scatha, and wins the love of her daughter. He threatens her with a terrible death if she does not agree to trian him; she laughs in delight at his audacity and agrees to turn him into the greatest warrior in the land.
(I dunno about this... it sounds weird but didn't scatha say that she knew rhue but that he's not like he was before... might have nothing to do with this)
Eventually he repays her training by protecting her borders from a rival warrior. It is true that Scatha tends to like the audacious, and has little time for the shy or retiring. A Scatha warrior is often drawn to those who are more openly courageous, as she is always judging the strength of others. It is one of her best talents.
Part of her gift is that she tests our strength. Sometimes we may not be sure that we are actually competent, or adult, or strong enough to handle what life intends to dish out. It’s the Scatha warrior who can show us our worth. (she's the one constantly judging rhue for being a little baby...)After we’ve been through her fires, we know exactly what we are capable of.....and it’s usually not what we originally thought. In a culture with few real rites of passage, this can be a valuable commodity.
Some people are frightened off by Scatha’s implacable intensity. That’s all right with her; her gifts are not for the weak or timid. Her stern, unrelenting approach can feel hellish to more sensitive types who need their criticism sugared with gentleness. There is nothing gentle about Scatha. That’s not her job. Her task is to turn out warriors, and those who break under her tutelage probably weren’t appropriate anyway. It takes a strong student to stand up to her, and a dedicated one. If they rebel or argue, she simply throws them out. Part of the necessary show of strength is a show of trust. If you came to Scatha to learn, it was because you felt that she was worthy to teach you. If you question the validity of that teaching, you breach trust with her, and she will not tolerate that. If you really have a strong will, then you’ll be able to take the hardship in silence, without giving in to verbalized mistrust. It’s a hard lesson, and one that most people don’t wish to learn. It’s where the salmon’s leap comes in - the leap of trust in her ability and certainty, and in your own willingness to learn.
Scatha pushes you relentlessly to be your best. She will not take excuses about how you are aching or tired or just tired of doing it. She takes you up to your limits, and then insists that you push them. She is not a kindly teacher, because she knows that she is preparing you to face death without flinching. (she did see that rhue was about to face death and helped him by flipping the switch letting him exit the lower way)
So... what do you ppl think bout this?
Look at what I've dished out here... I'll underline some important things...
Warrior Archetypes III: Scatha - Teacher of Warriors
The Celtic goddess Scatha was the archetypal teacher of warriors, a goddess of martial arts. She was no palace tutor of rich younglings, however. She lives on an island off the coast of the Isle of Skye, and to get there you have to pass through a field of grass that will try to trap your feet, and a valley of monsters that will devour you. If you get that far, the only way onto her island is a bridge that humped high and narrow and could barely be crossed. Most fell to their deaths trying. In order to get across safely, the would-be student must make the heroic “salmon’s leap”, crossing the narrows and landing safely on the shore. *to me that seems like the plunge rhue had to make before getting to scatha back in the lower way*
The young hero Cuchulain comes to Scatha, and wins the love of her daughter. He threatens her with a terrible death if she does not agree to trian him; she laughs in delight at his audacity and agrees to turn him into the greatest warrior in the land.
(I dunno about this... it sounds weird but didn't scatha say that she knew rhue but that he's not like he was before... might have nothing to do with this)
Eventually he repays her training by protecting her borders from a rival warrior. It is true that Scatha tends to like the audacious, and has little time for the shy or retiring. A Scatha warrior is often drawn to those who are more openly courageous, as she is always judging the strength of others. It is one of her best talents.
Part of her gift is that she tests our strength. Sometimes we may not be sure that we are actually competent, or adult, or strong enough to handle what life intends to dish out. It’s the Scatha warrior who can show us our worth. (she's the one constantly judging rhue for being a little baby...)After we’ve been through her fires, we know exactly what we are capable of.....and it’s usually not what we originally thought. In a culture with few real rites of passage, this can be a valuable commodity.
Some people are frightened off by Scatha’s implacable intensity. That’s all right with her; her gifts are not for the weak or timid. Her stern, unrelenting approach can feel hellish to more sensitive types who need their criticism sugared with gentleness. There is nothing gentle about Scatha. That’s not her job. Her task is to turn out warriors, and those who break under her tutelage probably weren’t appropriate anyway. It takes a strong student to stand up to her, and a dedicated one. If they rebel or argue, she simply throws them out. Part of the necessary show of strength is a show of trust. If you came to Scatha to learn, it was because you felt that she was worthy to teach you. If you question the validity of that teaching, you breach trust with her, and she will not tolerate that. If you really have a strong will, then you’ll be able to take the hardship in silence, without giving in to verbalized mistrust. It’s a hard lesson, and one that most people don’t wish to learn. It’s where the salmon’s leap comes in - the leap of trust in her ability and certainty, and in your own willingness to learn.
Scatha pushes you relentlessly to be your best. She will not take excuses about how you are aching or tired or just tired of doing it. She takes you up to your limits, and then insists that you push them. She is not a kindly teacher, because she knows that she is preparing you to face death without flinching. (she did see that rhue was about to face death and helped him by flipping the switch letting him exit the lower way)
So... what do you ppl think bout this?
it seems I'm finally catching up to Lun's resources... 
He trailed off at the end, and to me, that implies a certain tone... of... erm... " 
when i was 8 or something, i've played some kind of rpg with my brother, using blocks and tiny plastic characters... heh, it was really a game with full freedom of choice! Often "i" have killed all vilagers 'coz it was boring to "speak" with them. Landorin masacre? 