In the old Irish tale "The Settling of the Manor of Tara," the nobles of Ireland send for the oldest man in the country, Fintan, to give them an account of the island from the time it was first settled. In the course of telling the tale, he is asked how Ireland is divided. He answers: "Knowledge in the west, battle in the north, prosperity in the east, music in the south, and kingship in the center.

The story goes on to give more associations for each division:  In the west: learning, teaching, judgment, chronicles, counsels, stories, histories, science, and eloquence. In the north: battle, contentions, hardihood, rough places, strifes, haughtiness, unprofitableness, pride, captures, asssaults, hardness, wars, conflicts.

In the east: prosperity, supplies, bee-hives, householders, good custom, good manners, splendor, abundance, dignity, wealth, hospitality, and many treasures.

In the south: music, waterfalls, fairs, subtlety, melody, minstrelry, wisdom, and poetical art. In the center: kingship, dignity, primacy, stability, supports, warriorship, mead, bounty, renown, and prosperity.  How could this be useful to modern Pagans? For people who want to add an Irish flavor to their rites, the four directions fit easily into most ritual formats, and can produce a very different energetic feeling from the standard air-fire-water-earth setup.

To better connect with each direction, take some time to meditate on the essence or basic idea beneath the abstract principles above. For example, the keyword in the west is knowledge. Knowledge can mean many different things to different people, but the texts give us some clues about what is meant: not just having knowledge, but using it and passing it on, giving good advice and sharing wisdom with those who need it. Think about how it feels to know something well, and the wisdom you've gained in your life simply from living. If you want to connect it with the traditional ritual elements, knowledge matches very well with the intellectual air.

The north is battle -- not a happy thing to dwell on, but a necessary part of life. Think of all the things you've fought for in your life, and the inner strength it gives you. Think of the principle of fire -- consuming and giving you light and heat all at once.

The east is prosperity. There's more than just money here; it's about abundance, having everything that you need, and the generosity to pass the extra on to those who need it more. The key element here is earth, where all prosperity begins. The south is music and all the arts -- inspiration and creativity rising from within. The flowing, emotional aspect of that might remind you of water.

But in the story, there's one more part to think about: the center. In the story, the center is the king, holding togther all these very different parts of the whole. In a ritual, the center is the person connecting with each direction, keeping a careful balance so one doesn't outweigh the others. This corresponds, of course, to spirit -- in ritual, as in life, keeping us all centered. 

You can read the text of the story online at www.ancienttexts.org , or see Celtic Heritage by Alwyn and Brinley Rees for an excellent discussion of it.