Bu/as - A condition of Magick

by Searles O'Dubhain

My use and association of the word bu/as to describe a condition of Magick that works with "brig" or "briga" comes from several sources and inspirations. It comes from the name Bu/a for the wife of Lugh, also known as the Cailleach in later times. This naturally associates the name and word "bu/a" with Cnogba via the Metrical Dindshechas. If the three great Brughs are anything, they are sites of power and Magick. The Brugh of Boann is a site of beginnings and sunrises, perhaps even new life a site of darkness and sunsets, even death. The mound of Bu/a, on the other hand is about both: sunrise and sunset, life and death, the flow between the two at a time of equal suns.

Other references to bu/as and/or bu/a usually refer to flows (The River Bush means Bu/as comes to mind). As such, I am struck by the idea that the powers of the earth are said to flow from wells in many of the tales: Boann and Segais, Sinann and the river Shannon, etc. It is clear that power, Magick, and knowledge are known to flow from such wells.

If I close one eye and stand upon one leg, with an arm on high, and peer into the "otherplace," I see flows of "briga" coming from the Stars and streaming into the Earth. This Magick is changed to "bu/as" for us by Anu and returned through the bi/le and the wells. I see red-earred white cattle being herded into a keep by a Giant Herdsman. I see a Great Queen with many cows and much wealth. I see white quartz storing bu/as as briga awaiting a time when the horned priests chant the words that release the flows once again. I see basins of spirit and drowning souls swimming into a light that separates one world from the next.

Where do I see references to bu/as being used with brig/a? I see them in my imbas. I see them as being two forms of the same creation. If I see one, then I also see the other. In this, they are much like the horns of blessing where requests are made and sacrifices are given.

So:

Bri/ga - inherent or potential energy
Bu/as - applied or directed energy

Briga - attribute
Buas - skill

A soul has the ability to create. This is something that is lacking in some forms of creation. A soul is able to modify its briga and to channel its bu/as. A good example of this would be the Shamanic practice of empowering objects (such as crystals) by placing enough briga within it to allow a soulless entity to pass from the Otherworld into this one and inhabit the object. Another good example would be a foundation sacrifice to empower the briga of a place (to give it soul and an ability to act/interact with the tribe). Most everything that has come into being (into this creation), has briga by its very existence. The manner in which creation arranged this briga and consequently characterized its ability to channel bu/as, determined the level of the entity in the scheme of things. Disembodied spirits have little briga unless they also have a soul (they do possess a lot of buas however). It is for this reason that many Otherworldly beings need the assistance of the Witch or Drui/ to enable them to manifest in this reality. Of course, the Sidhe probably think most of us "soulless" for our difficulties in reaching their reality. In some cases, special individuals have a dual existence in all three worlds.

Copyright © 1997 Searles O'Dubhain
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