*"Most of the Gaelic poets, down to quite recent times, have had a Leanhaun Shee, for she gives inspiration to her slaves and is indeed the Gaelic muse--this malignant fairy. Her lovers, the Gaelic poets, died young. She grew restless and carried them away to other worlds, for death does not destroy her power."

lean�an sidhe

The name translates to "fairy, love of my soul." A vampiric spirit and a dark muse, the love of the Leanan Sidhe is both a gift and a curse. These eerily beautiful and handsome Irish spirits drain the sanity and lifeforce of the men and women they inspire to artistic greatness. Their kiss infuses a man or woman with depth of vision and feeling, otherworldly passion, and a sudden and ineffable understanding of the unending sadness that plagues mankind. It is most common, though, for the Leanan Sidhe to appear as women to artistic men.

Some of us at Riversleigh Manor, myself included, have complained about missing Muses. We have called them fickle, heartless and sometimes mean-spirited or playful in their refusal to attend us. How dare they inspire us to create wonderful pieces, only to leave us, seemingly cruely, at the height of our creativity, and at a time when we're in the mood to create! How dare they use us to bring forth their visions then zip off on vacations or move on to others! They who are minor deities or magical spirits, while we, we are mere humans.

Oh the arrogance and impatience we do possess!

In researching the Leanan Sidhe a lil bit one site proved quite insightful in its brevity. Though a dark muse who's both a blessing and a curse, and who's supposed to be vampiric only in that she (or he) feeds off the passionate and often frenzied lifeforce of her (or his) mortal lover, the Leanan Sidhe is not necessarily evil. In fact, their dark nature is most often misunderstood, thanks to the great inspired poets and artists' self-destructive tendencies and obsessions that led to their tragic and early deaths.

The misunderstanding lies in the perception of them and their gift. We mortals woefully forget so many times in our quest for success and renown there are beings and forces superior to us, and that if we play with fire we could get burned if we aren't properly respectful and mindful of the laws pertaining to them. And so it is with the Leanan Sidhe; the artist or poet who loses himself (or herself) to his (or her) faery lover, who allows himself (or herself) to be seduced by this dark muse then loses the connection between them becomes ruined body and soul. He (or she) will spiral down into the depths of dispair, either committing suicide or giving up his (or her) work altogether. However, darkness isn't always evil and it can be a great allay. When the gift of a Leanan Sidhe is honored and nutured she (or he) shines like a beacon in the night. For those who understand her (or his) true nature, who do not idolize or fear her (or him), she (or he) is that unwavering light from a lighthouse that guides ships around dangerous rocks in stormy seas.

Finishing my research, as brief as it was, I realized something. The nine Greek Muses, though not dark and certainly not "vampiric," are really the same as the Leanan Sidhe. They need to be understood, not feared or idolized or neglected. Their gifts are talents that need or should be honored and nurtured and respected. We humans need to forego our arrogant expectations and respect and appreciate and strive to understand our individual muses whether they be Greek or Gaelic.

There's a Valentine's Day Banquet coming up, perhaps we should ask our Muses to be our Valentines?

*Inspiration found at the Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab.

moon phase