DRAIOCHT... DEI-A-CHARA...

Soul, soul, an apple or two...

2007-11-03T11:19:00.000-07:00

As a boy growing up in Northumberland this season and time of the year held several significant and symbolic rituals, very different from the custom of the ‘trick or treat’ here in the United States. Perhaps the most basic was the veneration of the humble apple, whose crop surfaced toward the late fall, my favorite was the ‘Cox Orange Pippin’ a small but incredibly sweet and wild taste. On this dark night by a crackling coal-fire we played a simple game of ‘apple-dooky’ which involved attempting to take an apple out of a bowl of water only using our teeth. This of course is purely Celtic in origin; the water representing the passage-way to the otherworld, and the apple being the ‘isle of apples’ of whom Manannan Mac Lyr was the resident chief deity. The Gaelic heaven is perhaps better known in Arthurian legend as ‘Avalon.’ My mother would also bake huge 1lb apples stuffed with brown sugar, nuts and raisins, cinnamon and brandy. And there was also the candied apples covered in hard caramel which we licked until our tongues were sore. It is said that the apple was the customary payment to ensure the safety of a soul in ‘spiritual transition’ to the otherworld. Thus in ages past groups of children would go around the village, knocking on each neighbor’s door and sing a soul-plaint in return for an apple;

“Soul, soul, an apple or two
If you haven’t an apple a pear will do,
One for the Crow-Queen, two for the lost-soul,
And three for the Ferry-man
Who carries us all…”

The Great-Queen ‘Morrigan’ in the shape of a Crow is the one who consumes our strips our decaying body of its flesh, and the Ferry-man guides our spirit across the vast dark ocean of death. Then at school we would weave small crosses out of white milk-straws, originally these were constructed from the left-over sheaves of wheat after the harvest and called ‘parshells’ in the Irish tradition. Very similar to the St. Brigit’s cross created at Beltaine. Hung up over the lintel of the front door they were said to protect the home from the unwanted attentions of mischievous spirits.

Pumpkins were unknown in Britain, we used turnips which were hollowed out and used as lanterns with a candle inside, and left by the window to illuminate the cold bitter darkness outside. The leftover orange-flesh was boiled, mashed and served with some ham for the evening meal.

Discarding the incorrect assumption that Samhain was a old and dangerous God of the harvest we are left only with its ancient conception as the ‘new-year.’ A potent transitionary period from the light half of the year into the darkness of winter;

"Dhe, beanaich dhomh an la ur,

Nach do thuradh dhomh roimhe riamh:

Is ann gu beannachadh do ghnuis,

Thug thu'n uine seo dhomh, a Dhia..."

("God, bless me to this new day, never vouchsaved to me before: it is to bless thine own presence, thou hast given me this time, O God..." - Carmina Gadelica).

Like the wild Adder we shed our skin for the last time before being enveloped in the Crow’s wing of hibernation. This season invites renewal through introspection, reflection and repose, quiet solitude in a shrouded mist of dreams. The Black winds of the North invite us to harbor a small ember of hope through to Beltaine in the Spring. It is through the medium of darkness, the ‘dark night of the soul’ that we can realize our hidden potential; the brilliant sub-conscious light that lies beyond the boundaries of our physical existence, one warmed not by the sun but by a deeper sense of joy, life, love, creativity and wisdom. Like the oldest creation myths our seed is nursed under a primordial blanket in preparation for the fullest sense of blossoming.

Another key festival we celebrated at this time of year was ‘Guy-Fawkes Day’ on November the fifth. In the post-Elizabethan age this was the commemoration of the arrest and execution in 1605 of a group of individuals who attempted to destroy the British crown and Parliament:

Please to remember the Fifth of November,
Gunpowder Treason and Plot.
We know no reason why gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.
Holla boys! holla boys! huzza-a-a!
A stick and a stake, for King George’s sake,
A stick and a stump, for Guy Fawkes’s rump!
Holla boys! holla boys! huzza-a-a!

This ritual involved building a pyramid shaped structure out of collected pieces of old wood scraps, and on the night setting fire to it. But, before this a figure of a man would be constructed out of an old suit and stuffed with newspaper, with a face and hat. A week before the ‘burning’ we would take the old ‘Guy’ out with us on a small cart and ask for ‘pennies in his name’ and all of this was concluded on the fifth, when we threw his mortal frame into the burning fire. We set off fireworks, roast potatoes in the fire and sing and dance around the flames in a festival which seems strangely like the Hindi ‘Festival of lights.’

This is a highly charged event that has absolutely shocked many foreign observers, but its origins are clearly in the Celtic-Pagan past; both Caesar and Strabo recall the Celtic tribal tradition of creating a ‘wicker-man’ out of old branches, straw and wood, and then setting fire to it in a specific ritual as an offering to the Gods. The only deity I can identify within this context is ‘Cromm Cruach’ (or ‘Crooked-Head’) in the Irish tradition; a god of the harvest whose feast day is on July 28th. He is personified as the ‘sheaf of wheat’ the agricultural spirit of the land, and after the harvest of Lughnasadh he must be symbolically burned like stubble to return to the earth, as a source of nourishment and enrichment. As a patron of the harvest he is sometimes accompanied by a writhing snake and a sharp scythe like the mysterious ‘Grim Reaper.’

“It is I who nourish the shoot, the root,
Who feeds all that grows from the earth,
I suffer no decay,
I am the heavy ear of corn and the ripe branch,
I am the trembling of the earth,
Deeply lodged in the clay…”

At this time of year we are thoughtful of both life and death, our ancestors and ancient relations, in recollection of their sacrifices and the work they committed themselves too in order for our lives to blossom now in the present. We also join in the delight of our children swirling, dancing and singing around our lives, with a deep desire that they will grow and mature and soon become themselves the wardens of this beautiful earth... let the advice to the youth be an illuminating one; respect, honor, creativity, passion, and absolute faith. This is a perfect time to address our limitations, investigate shortcomings, explore self-imposed restrictions and dive deeper into our pool of existence to retrieve those skills we need to be even more than we could be before.

As we settle tonight in this season for sleep let us spend a moment of reflection in silence; with each breath allow the sacred Earth spirit infuse our souls with calm waves of harmony, dispelling the knots of anger, frustration or turbulence... and allow us to navigate the dream-world with gilded delight, to awake refreshed and ready for a new day and a new year of challenges. This is a beautiful time to make ourselves holy and sacred with a traditional Scottish ‘sain’ or rite of purification with smoldering sage or the more traditional juniper:

I purify my being with the three whispers;

Of

The birth of Originality
The Life of Inspiration,
The Sleep of Imagination…

Great Path

Creator Within and Without, All-Encompassing

Heart, Soul and Mind

At one

In the Shrine of my life

Preserved from the eye of Dawn till Twilight;
And through the darkest night of forgetting.

The Zen Process of Uncovering Self Deception...

2007-10-28T11:14:00.000-07:00

Meditation and illumination cannot teach a child, it can only make one. It is like a sword, a sharp and distinct bolt of lightening that cuts a person into two parts and of the space that remains; this is it! Without notions and only being, un-graspable and unknowing, not perceived by normal senses or existing... it has no name, form or function and yet wholly everything: the sum total of being. It is not attempting to navigate through a room filled with dense smoke, nor trying to focus upon a thing, but becoming the smoke and the room, experience and understanding. Finally, not sensing ourself as a container but containing all things... and then when all of this seems like a dream, of forgetting our self and being the child enveloped by zen.

How is 'what' not possible? 'What' is the distinction we create between our self and other things. It is a protection rather than an explanation. It is a terrible God that prevents our complete dissolution from an accumulated identity. We are therefore slaves to this perception of color, we struggle to maintain these confining bonds and create yet more chains to justify our existence through comparison. True compassion is not weighing the quality of something or improving it to our own standard, but truly an identification which is the same as a simple act of breathing with everything: a total absorption of all the energy, and in this process our 'what' disappears and dissolves as one tremendous wave like a blind, ecstatic cry of joy; un-contained and all-embracing.

Desire is only a form created within ourselves. It has little to do with that object we wish to embrace. In the action of desire our whole being succumbs to fragmentation like an exploding grenade or a shattered mirror that comes to reflect our self in a thousand myriad forms. In this way we are totally incapable of 'one-ness.' With a thousand heads we are completely drowned in a crazy, uncoordinated mass of individual voices screaming. We are forcing our-self to make constant decisions, to define, qualitate, select and categorize. To charge one with more importance over another and the many. Every moment of our time is thus filled with confusion and abstract emptiness. Perception becomes separated senses devolved into base survival; a struggle to manipulate the universe to our own demands, the strongest and the weakest, light and dark, hot and cold, birth and death... for ever.

Thus desire is the corpse that we make love to in our minds, a blind act of necrophilia which only satisfies the itching rash of a fever. In a genuine act of passion there is a complete symbiosis that incorporates all of existence; where two beating hearts are transformed into one complete breath. In one naked perception there are no distinctions or distractions. We embody all differentiations and transcend both positive and negative, assuming all forms and become an energy without a name that is pure and sparkling. This is not seeking a solution to a predefined dilemma but realizing the 'I am You.' This is the burning in one flame that illuminates the darkness surrounding us, and questions fall away in direct experience.

Book Review: Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe by H. Ellis and Davidson

2007-10-03T15:59:00.000-07:00

This book is mainly concerned with the format and content of pre-Christian Scandinavian religion, using Celtic and Germanic equivalents as a means of reference, support and comparison. I first became aware of Scandinavian culture during my schooldays in North-East British Northumberland, and the lessons were mainly concerned with depicting the savagery of the Viking raiders, the terrible ‘dragon-headed’ long-ships, and their rape, pillage and plunder of civilized Anglo-Saxon Christian settlements. This image of barbaric ice-warriors filled my imagination until the mid-eighties when excavations and archeological discoveries at Coppergate in York revealed many interesting and highly cultured facets of Viking life in the early medieval period. Much of these discoveries and subsequent research was installed as a permanent museum now called ‘Jorvik Viking Centre.’ A decade later I was fortunate enough to visit Bergen in Norway and experience Scandinavian culture and history first hand, the Bryggens Museum is a showcase of finds from the earliest settlements and includes ceramics, rune inscriptions, artifacts and the remnants of a principally shipping and commercial society up to the Middle Ages. ‘Myths and Symbols in Pagan Europe’ provided me with a carefully researched and detailed account of the spirituality of the Scandinavian peoples, and which brought to maturity all my previous thoughts and experiences, to an understanding which gives considerable credit to those communities for their important cultural legacy in Western Europe.

Davidson has used the medieval literature, myths and legends of Iceland and Ireland as the primary reference source for this book, in combination with archeological research papers and sources, and iconography of pre-Christian Western European culture. Her main inspiration appears to come from many scholars of Celtic history including Nora Chadwick, Kenneth Jackson and Anne O’Sullivan, although the principle thesis of the this research is prompted by Georges Dumezil (1898-1986) the religious historian who specialized in the analysis of Indo European civilization, who asks; “Is it possible to fit these Norse and Irish legends into a general pattern of Indo-European religious beliefs, extending back far into prehistory?” This question it seems, is the answer that Davison was seeking to explore within her work, and she does so with imagination, clear perception and a satisfying conclusion. With a broad yet defining sweep she manages to assess and investigate seven principle areas of interest; sacred places and sanctuaries, feasting and sacrifices, warriors, codes and rites and battle, land spirits, deities and ancestors, prophetic knowledge, divination and the priestly caste, cosmology and the other worlds, and finally the ruling gods, goddesses and divine pantheons.

Davidson begins with the earliest sources of a broad Indo-European culture, the archeological sources of Halstatt and La Tene circa 800 BCE to 200 CE, and follows through her study to approximately 1000 CE when the Scandinavian Vikings began to convert to Christianity. She employs free use and comparison of geographical sites, archeology, linguistics, cultural, social, artistic and spiritual characteristics, and the dynamics of the anarchical tribal-feudalism of early European society to successfully accomplish the study.

I grew up within a traditional working class British community. There, the cultural inheritance was composed of remnants of ancient and medieval thought whose pattern and dynamic has evolved little beyond the concept of ‘indentured servitude.’ Tribalism still exists albeit in the form of soccer, and beyond the boundaries of the town there still exists a fear, a dreaded chaos, of foreigners and disorganization. Even when I was a lad in the seventies there was a strong sense of home, a hearth and odd yet valid seasonal customs whose origins may be traced back a thousand years. From a curious perspective, even a psychological one, this volume (and others like it) helped me to understand my background, language, beliefs and culture from a traditional point, and subsequently how those traits still influence my perception and actions today. It is not a book that changed my life, but illuminated facets of it and helped me in understanding myself more.

The Gentle Bee Shaman: Keeper of the Pollen Path

2007-09-30T16:16:00.000-07:00

Last night, as I was sleeping,
I dreamt a marvelous error;
That I had a beehive here inside my heart.
And the golden bees were making white combs
And sweet honey from my past mistakes.

-Antonio Machado

The Shamanic spiritual path of the anthropologist Simon Buxton developed slowly over a 13 year apprenticeship with a European Bee-Keeper. During that time he established the British branch of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies, and The Sacred Trust; an organization which guides those seeking native spiritual traditions. His sharp and enlightening path is detailed in his book; ‘Shamanic Way of the Bee: Ancient Wisdom and Healing Practices of the Bee Masters.’

I find this a strange, beautiful but not altogether surprising occupation. The ‘Pollen Path’ is certainly mystical, yet based on practical elements and possesses a sound purpose. The honey bee and all its relatives have been exchanging information with humans since the beginning of our time, they themselves are prehistoric, having been here for at least 55 million years since the Cenozoic era. Within the concept of healing and nutrition we are indebted to this marvelous creature, their beneficence is without doubt. Buxton’s initiation into this secret world came when as a nine your old boy he succumbed to a fatal infection of encephalitis, yet was miraculously saved by an Austrian bee-keeper Shaman. We need only consider the various healing agents of the hive to understand; honey, pollen, propolis, wax and royal jelly to understand the immense potential. I myself recently created a successful skin healing salve with bee’s wax and lemon balm for a particularly bad irritation. This is animal-spirit medicine at its most potent; traditional practitioners even used the bee stings as a form of acupuncture!

In medieval Ireland there was a saying; that one of the three most difficult things to understand was the work of bee’s (obair na mbeach) and as such were closely connected to the mysterious and magical priestly functions of the Druids. Legal restrictions were imposed as to who kept bee hives and who was entitled to the seemingly divine produce of honey, but especially mead; reserved for warriors and nobles. Throughout Europe, especially amongst monastic orders the bee was not only symbolic of the soul, death and rebirth but also of the Virgin Mary herself; the queen bee of heaven. Amongst the Native Navajo the pollen path is sacred, representing the very source of life and incorporates a ritual as a way of envisioning the center of existence. They sing;

“O beauty before me, beauty behind me, beauty to my right, beauty to my left, beauty above me, beauty below me, I am on the Pollen Path.”

It is a journey to understanding the deepest aspects of the self, to the hive of the heart, to listen to the constant drone of the song of creation, and extract the honey-like essence of our mind and bodies. Pollen is the substance of the earth, the spirit, the cosmos; truly the finest blessing.

As a totem animal the bee possesses the powers of a higher consciousness, prophetic dreams, industriousness, diligence, productivity, creativity, immense sexual attraction and can act as a divine messenger. Like the Queen Bee in the Grimm fairy tale, this creature has the capacity to restore order, life and love; a balm blessing on the lips of the ‘forever young.’

One of my favorite stories is that of Saint Modomnoc; as a young lad of the O’Neil clan in Ireland he longed for a spiritual life, life his relative St. Columba. So one day he set off across the sea to serve and study as a monk in the monastery with St. David in Wales. Modomnoc was given charge of the bee hives, and diligently he cared for them like they were his own children; even planting the sort of flowers they liked best in the garden. The bees likewise became enamored of the monk, constantly following him around, buzzing about his head singing fair melodies in an enchanting manner.

Soon it came to the end of his time their, and after his ordination he packed up and prepared to return to Ireland; bidding farewell to his bees. Every time he boarded the ship the bees would fly after him, not even twice but thrice times in a row. He tried all means to persuade the creatures to remain in the Welsh monastery, but all without success until eventually St. David himself told Modonmoc to take them with him. He eventually settled in Bremore near Dublin and built there a spiritual dwelling which soon became known as ‘The Church of the Beekeeper.’

Garden of the Bears...

2007-09-29T12:40:00.000-07:00

“I am the black bear, around me see the light clouds extending. I am the black bear, around me see the light dew falling………” – Pima Indian medicine song.

As we slowly drift into fall it is worth reflecting on this season from the perspective of the majestic and noble bear; those of us lucky enough to live close too or near mountains or forests will experience this creature at first hand this time of year. The gradual approach of winter alerts the creature to the necessity of building up its weight for a long hibernation, and it is frequently found scavenging and roaming amidst human settlements for tasty morsels. The relationship between bear and human is a long epic, full of myths, fantasy, amazing adventure and struggle. And so, before our tired eyes begin to falter before the slowly fading Harvest moon I will recount some of the great legends of our gentle forest cousin.

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago (believe it or not) the mighty and majestic bear once roamed all across Europe, dwelling in the dark forests of oak and ash… free and plentiful. It was the inspiration for many legends and tales amongst the Celts and Scandinavians, its strength and stamina was imitated through heroic deeds of valor. In ancient pagan Norway there were specialized bands of warriors called ‘Beserkers’ or ‘bear-shirts’ because they donned the hides and furs of the bear, adorned themselves with their teeth, claws and bones, and were always the first furious combatants in battle… invoking the strength and ferocity of their totem beast. Such fearless warriors were in high demand as body-guards for the nobility and persons of the highest rank. The Norwegian term bjorn was one of the titles of Thor, the mighty god of thunder.

Fionna MaCleod recounts an ancient Irish Celtic legend of the Pole Star; the youthful Finn mac Cumhail went bear hunting beyond the western mountains. Together with his two faithful hounds Luath and Dorch they discovered an immense bear and chased him all the way to the icy North-lands to an everlasting rainbow, across which the bear climbed. It was met in the middle by the two hounds and all seemed to have brought to a conclusion when it crashed to the ground, mortally wounded it seemed… but not! It started running again. The ‘All-Father’ the Great Creator watching this spectacle from the heavens decided this escapade was more than enough and so he hoisted the bear by means of a rope noose into the pitch dark sky where it raced around Arcturus the ‘North Star’ or ‘Northmen’s Torch.’ Finn didn’t give up, with the hero’s leap he mounted the rainbow, then again onto the hill of heaven and gave eternal chase to the divine beast. Here the magnificent northern lights we see are said to be the spears of Finn, forever being hurled at the Great Bear… forever in pursuit.

In ancient Ireland there were two names given to the bear; art which is cognate with the Greek arktos and the name of the star Arcturus, and math or mathus which is the origin of the name mac-mathghamhna or the ‘bear-club clan’ of the Mac Mahon’s. In Pagan Irish tradition the bear possessed a unique divinity and was often regarded as a god of the heavens, forming a triplicity in the night sky with Arcturus as the ‘Bear-Guard’ or ‘Fort of the Bears’ and the two smaller bears sleeping around it, called Ursa major and Ursa minor. There is another myth that these sleeping bear gods will arise from their hibernation and come to the aid of their people when called, and this obligation is borne by the bear-tribe of the Mahon’s.

Bears still existed all across Western Europe as late as the fifteenth century, although they had become extinct in Britain by the 10th century. They were frequently caught, imported and used in games and entertainment, for public spectacle. In 16th century Elizabethan England fighting bears were common; famous bears such as ‘Harry Hunks’ and the ‘Great Sackerson’ became national idols, fighting at the Paris gardens in Southwark London every Sunday. By the beginning of the Spanish civil war in 1936 bears had almost completely disappeared in Western Europe, only in the eastern parts of Romania, Hungary, Poland and the Transylvanian mountain ranges do they still live in considerable numbers. In the Apenusi mountains is the ‘Pestera Ursilor’ or Bears-Cave where the 15,000 year old skeletal remains of an ancient family of 140 bears has been discovered. Even when the bear is no longer with us in a physical way, we can always sense its powerful spiritual presence, like the invocation-song of Vainamoinen in the Kalevala:

Autumn weather is slippery, winter days are dark.
My bear, my darling, honey-paws, my beauty,
You still have ground to cover, heath to clamber upon.
Start, splendid one, to go, glory of the forest, to step along.

We cannot fail to recognize the primitive importance of the bear to our sense of being, when our lives as children begin with old tales like ‘Goldilocks.’ In the original oral tradition the young fair girl was a silvered widow, and before that a crafty fox called Scrapefoot… when we dig deep we become wild creatures living in the dark deep forest just like the bears, then we stole their food and now they repay us likewise. Beware; before you scream in fear remember he is just a prince with a fur-coat!

I send my blessings to you all this fall Equinox, and pray your harvest and hibernation during the dark months be a peaceful one, deep, relaxing and refreshing.

Personal Political Soul - Power Struggle

2007-09-27T15:50:00.000-07:00

“The Matrix is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work... when you go to church... when you pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth” – Morpheus.

I may have appeared in the past as a classical anti-communist emerging from the swampy depths of the McCarthy era; continuing the struggle against political and religious extremism. Not so! I care little about the personal beliefs of any individual, providing of course that their adopted system does not seek to affect the lives of others in a detrimental fashion. The core truth about all modern political and governmental systems is that by their very nature they seek to manipulate the ‘people’ and this is as true of Communism as it is of Capitalism; political leaders of all persuasions maintain their lifestyles, authority, characteristics and dynamic by feeding on the energies of the populace.

I am not a political scientist. My views and opinions are all based on personal experience, and from an early age I disliked the political mainstream. I always viewed the politician as a blood-sucker, a manipulator, a base creature that needed recognition and popular assent to pursue his/her vain-glorious career to boost his/her petty and frivolous ego. Politicians maintain their dysfunctional, Babylonian empires through perfectly repackaged lies and deceptions… until everything begins to fray and fall apart from the burden of the nightmare that is bureaucracy and ever increasingly insane forms of indentured servitude. And so I automatically gravitated toward writers and political philosophers such as Henry David Thoreau;

“That government is best which governs not at all” and “Until the State comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power, from which all its own power and authority are derived, and treats him accordingly.”

My political allegiances hover (idealistically) between anarchism and a sort of tribal-feudalism. To me, democracy is only the illusion of power, where an individual is inspired to imagine that through the act of submitting a name on a piece of paper they have exercised something profoundly sacred. The government is a government; like a ship on a particular course… it cannot change itself, perhaps the captain can be replaced or exchanged for another, but it is still exactly the same vessel pursuing the originally designated destination. In these sorts of arguments I always seem to end up comparing the supervisory management of the modern world to the ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’ (I prefer the Hopkins/Gibson version) and in which, using the analogy of the ship as a micro-cosmic version of the state chaos ensues, the revolution deposes the dictator, as Captain Bligh says;

“The Royal Navy is not a humorous institution, sir, and insubordination is no laughing matter…Now the crew is deeply demoralized and I must accept, as every captain must, the inevitable and theoretical responsibility for that. The actual and immediate responsibility, however, I place on you, my fellow officers who met this crisis with lethargy, impudence and flagrant defiance, publicly uttered. And perhaps for that I am also to blame. I counted on strength of character which you do not possess. However, the cure for our predicament is discipline and I shall apply it with an even hand of course, but most where it is most required.”

Yet even as one power structure is disposed of, another is put in its place… perhaps in this case with one which makes its people destitute exiles on the lost island of their desire. The natural way is not always concerned with order, it need also not concern itself with governance that we as human beings have constructed it. It may perhaps be more construed as a form of anarchy, since much of it is beyond our will and appears to all concerned to be wholly without directorship. I step lightly here, for I am walking through the thickets of religious thought! Omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscience are all terms applied to dictatorial fascism, the ‘1984’ of George Orwell. Of course you are free to express yourself in any way you desire… but, remember that the ‘state’ has wired and tapped your telephones and is now sorting through your personal email account, it is x-raying your letter-box, your name is in a file… just in case you are a terrorist!

I have no answers. I am a no-body. I am deaf and blind. I present no clear or distinct danger to the order. And by the order I mean the notional limitations of doctrines, dogma and laws that we construct in an attempt to explain the universe and our role within it. Such a stance is and of itself very fine… but yet it disallows the very real motion of constant universal change and metamorphosis. The most common and basic experience that one observes in nature is the lack of rigidity, no straight lines, infinite variation, abnormality and a perpetual flux of form and invention. I see subtle connections between these myriad spheres of energy… we are all part of a massive and beautiful web of life, more than anything we must come to the realization that we all have choices regardless of pressure from authority, and a choice is the bed we lie in… even if it is spiraling totally out of control, as Renton in ‘Trainspotting points out;

Choose life. Choose a job. Choose a career. Choose a family. Choose a f……g big television, Choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players, and electrical tin openers. Choose good health, low cholesterol and dental insurance. Choose fixed- interest mortgage repayments. Choose a starter home. Choose your friends. Choose leisure wear and matching luggage. Choose a three piece suite on hire purchase in a range of f……g fabrics. Choose DIY and wondering who you are on a Sunday morning. Choose sitting on that couch watching mind-numbing sprit- crushing game shows, stuffing f……g junk food into your mouth. Choose rotting away at the end of it all, pishing you last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, f……d-up brats you have spawned to replace yourself. Choose your future. Choose life... But why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life: I chose something else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who need reasons when you've got heroin?

So, I choose myself… the complete package wherein lies all imperfections, obscurity, eccentricities, beauty, ecstasy and ugliness… the right to curse every now and again. I don’t need the proverbial ‘nanny’ state to dictate the rules of life to me or/and attempt to shape me into a mold of absolute perfect obedience. But sadly it seems that these days this is the way things are working in the modern world; basic freedoms are fast disappearing like soluble aspirin in a cup of murky water!

Book Review: A History of Pagan Europe by Prudence Jones and Nigel Pennick.

2007-09-15T09:13:00.000-07:00

I had been previously accustomed to reading Pagan history from the viewpoint of Christian literature and writers, who unfortunately portray this faith as cruelly despotic, ignorant, irrational, filled with hatred and prone to bouts of fiery persecution. In choosing this book I was seeking a balanced, informative and historically accurate account of Pagan culture from an objective perspective. I began to read with some trepidation as to whether the book could fulfill my criteria, knowing that Prudence Jones is a respected Pagan academic. However, she clearly remained within the stringent ethics of scientific research and enquiry, carefully laying out her extensive 20 year period of dedicated study into this subject.

The first amazing revelation for me was the authors etymological elucidation of the term ‘Pagan’ and its origins, misuse, and applications throughout history. She forwards a correct working definition in combination with the principal characteristics of its use within an animistic religion. As a modern spiritual movement Paganism is a holistic, earth-centered, Goddess orientated, polytheistic, theophanic religion, having as its foundation the values, ethics, culture, reasoning and rituals of ancient, pre-monotheistic societies. My understanding is that the core principals of Paganism are its capacity for inclusivity and pluralism: essentially possessing the capacity to hold or incorporate almost any philosophy, notion or spiritual concept.

Jones manages to assess the entirety of European Paganism, from the pre-classical civilization in Crete (circa 2800 BCE), through to the Greeks, Etruscans, and the Romans up to the fall of the empire; the incorporation of foreign cults from the east such as the worship of the Egyptian Isis, Mithraism and Christianity. She also considers Islam, the Irish and Celtic world, the Germanic peoples, the Baltic, Russia, and the Balkans to Byzantium. From the high Medieval period (950-1350) her story takes the reader through to the renaissance and the reformation, the great witch hunts (1480-1650), the age of reason and science to the principle romantic revival movements of the 19th century; the Druidic revival at Primrose Hill in London in 1792, the romantic notions of Edward Carpenter (1844-1929) and Neo-Paganism in the 20th century typified by the Order of the Golden Dawn, Theosophy, Wicca and Celtic Druidism.

Several observations and accounts of the author improved and enlightened me. The appraisal of the ancient and classical Greek and Roman pagan faiths were contrary to my previously held understandings and gave a more realistic and accurate picture. My perceptions of ancient Greece and Rome were colored by ideas of empirical, domineering and arrogant cultures. I was surprised to learn of their day to day faith, hearth cultures, belief in spirits, numerous deities and complex organization. I found myself truly inspired by Jones account of the actual mechanics of ancient pagan spiritual practice, this not being a subject I had encountered before. I was also struck by the manner in which political allegiances affected the status of paganism as official religion in many countries, that there was an ‘ebb and flow’ of belief and practice (Christianity did not simply replace the old order); groups or individuals reverting back to their prior religious path or even holding a dual faith. Just as amazing for me was to discover that there were Pagan intellectuals, polemicists, and apologists working to defend their faith against Christian incursions.

As I read on to through the historical accounts I realized that as a religion Paganism has never really died out, being practiced in some form, in some way somewhere in the world. As the Catholic Church spread across western Europe it incorporated many Pagan rituals, the reformation preserved the ancient languages and dialects of people through the translation of the Bible. Jones's conclusion is that Paganism is constantly being reaffirmed, repackaged, in constant revision within the context of establishing itself as a movement concerned with balance, harmony and social equality, a spirituality that is complimentary to rather than at odds with mainstream forms of belief. Modern Neo-Pagans are not concerned with hierarchy or dominance, and it is comforting to know that the voice of a relative minority is leading the path with spirituality married to ecology and humanist concern on a global platform.

Ancestors Envisioned in a Power Meditation...

2007-09-13T15:16:00.000-07:00

Idho (Yew)

Old ones twisted and entwined;
Embracing in the cragged wind
Of a rumbling Eirrean vale, two yews
Whose knotted embrace, reflecting...
An ancient binding.

And in their wedded cincture;
A dark hollow, echoing lyrical...
Walking within a candle wakens
Shadows slip away...
Revealing inner etched thoughts.

Slumbering in the belly of the chamber
A silent, solitary adder
Bedecked in a robe of glistening jewels
And as she speaks…
The walls pulsate and breathe.

An ochre cave of life, inscribed;
Hand-painted; of elk and wolves and
Hunters, and the origins
Ship voyage on the waves of memory, in moonlight
On the edge of distant oceans.

Fire thunders down, drenching;
From the axle star far above, and
The body becomes lacertine in a storm...
Of electrifying mist…
And almost transparent.

Walking on the Plains of honey;
Of poppies and welcomed by the two…
Fragrant bronzed limbs
Tongues drenched in the blood
And juice of ripe berries.

In orchard shadows;
Snow blossoms showering,
Drifting upon an breathing mound
Along the contours of an open palm,
The egg-stone of beginning

9/11: Is The Universe Friendly?

2007-09-11T19:46:00.000-07:00

Thoughts on the Ocean of Life, in constant revision according to experience:

I believe in synchronicity... that formulation by the psychologist Carl Jung in which differing facets of a greater reality come together (perhaps in what seems like a conspiracy) and present us with a rare insight or revelation.

Yesterday a friend in Australia passed me a message that his wife had suffered a miscarriage: an immense misfortune that greatly affects our view of life. This happened to me and my wife 15 years ago... we had a son who we called Samuel. We were fortunate in being able to go through a process of grieving, assessing life and death and to bury the small and delicate spark... to rest. The brief life of a departed child is one of the most difficult for any parent to experience, but important to realize that nothing is manifested in the circle of life without reason… however short the span of time a person spends with us is significant and ultimately gives us a greater and more sacred appreciation for existence.

And then today I realized that it was the anniversary of 9/11 and the horrific events that occurred in New York at the Twin Towers. This is another aspect of life in the universe that demands our attention and certain contemplation... maybe a representation of chaos. Events such as these can completely alter our view of the world, other cultures and the humanity in ourselves. My thoughts today are with General Petraeus in Iraq (the outcome of 9/11) who is commissioned with the seemingly immense and difficult task of finding a solution to all this madness!

When our lives are surrounded by traumatic despair, the horrors of war, personal loss, and fractured systems of morality how can we believe in divine justice… if a God or divine power actually exists beyond our sphere of life how can it allow such events to take place let alone permit their continuance… making way for the wanton destruction of life and peace? In my investigations and experience I saw something greater than a notion of God… a powerful and vibrant presence throughout the Cosmic order.

In contemplating the 'friendliness' of the universe, and this ‘Cosmic Order I discovered that I had to go beyond phenomenal, definable characteristics. I saw an ocean of vast powers and energies of which we ourselves are a reflection... indeed an embodiment, flowing, singing, birthing and dieing... an ocean with great waves in ebb and flow constantly. And I think that it is important to consider that we are all connected to this 'Great Song' that is the universe. We cause our own futile pain and anguish by distancing and distinguishing ourselves; the creation of barriers and ultimately a dualistic pattern of thought.

In conclusion, for me it is not a matter of whether the Universe is friendly or peaceful, orderly or chaotic, angry or complacent; it is more about accepting the beauty within ourselves in relation to everything else that exists... all of one, existence as a whole monumental thought. I have been working today on a prayer, based on some thoughts of R. Tagore, but humbly molding them to reflect my perspective:

"Let us not pray to be sheltered from the storms of life...
But to possess courage in navigating through them without fear,

Let us not pursue a relief from painful events and personal
anguish...
But the heart to face and conquer them with sacred purpose,

Let us not seek blind guidance without foundations in troubled
times...
But the strength of character and a strong stride to resolve our
difficulties,

Let us not crave in anxious fear for a resolution of dreams...
But hope for patience to win an infinite peace."

This moment I believe in the sacred energy within the core of my being... this moment I believe that this energy can flow from my body in endless rhythms of harmony and healing... this moment in complete breath with all the spirits of life.

Many Blessings to All

Book Review: Drawing Down the Moon (Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and other Pagans in America Today) by Margot Adler. Beacon Press 1986.

2007-09-10T21:18:00.000-07:00

I picked this book up in a local thrift store for $1.99, intrigued by the beautiful red and black cover design with a mysterious witch standing against the backdrop of an ocean expanse, within a circle of flames. The title of the book was equally enigmatic to me, not knowing the relevance or meaning of it within Pagan history or practice. Flicking through the pages I noticed that there was some discourse on the RDNA (Reformed Druids of North America), the ADF and Isaac Bonewitz, and I guess that this was the crucial factor in deciding to part with the best portion of two dollars in return for some practical knowledge.

Before I read this book I saw modern Pagans as crack-pots, foundationless cults, weirdo’s and overgrown hippies. I was at a stage where I could accept the slightly eccentric but practical spirituality of ‘OBOD’ and the AODA but found even the notion of polytheism beyond my understanding. My mind was absolutely closed to this book in the beginning, the 1 ½ inch’s of solid paper suggested a good door-stop and I lay it down in a corner of the room where it gathered dust for several months. Visions of naked feminist witches haunted my dreams, strangely effeminate men on LSD staring into glass globes on a wayward camping trip whispered profanities behind my back. I secretly made private jokes about people with names like ‘Ferret-Raven Wolf Prancer’ and ‘Moon-Swirler.’ !!!!

This book actually scared the hell out of me, literally. I clearly saw the book for what it was; a genuine account of modern American Paganism and this frightened me, maybe because I didn’t want to come to the realization that such a thing actually exists. I was too wrapped up in the comfort of a semi-gnostic, spiritual haven of abstract and unspecific wandering. I began reading with a heavy sigh, expecting complete penta-grammatic nonsense. After reading the three chapters of the first section; Paganism and prejudice, a religion without converts and the Pagan world-view I began to feel a sense of shame for my previously held beliefs.

This is a first hand experiential account of modern Paganism. The author didnt sit in a silent room of academia pondering the subjective and objective implications of alternative theology... she went out and got totally involved, met totally intriguing and often eccentric people, participated in rituals and 'walked the walk.' I am glad I forced myself into this, otherwise I would be a complete and utter ignoramus!

Book Review: The Druids by Stuart Piggot

2007-09-08T12:10:00.000-07:00

I read the ‘Druids’ with slightly amused rapture as I imagined the croaky voice of a pre-war colonial authority on primitive tribes. This book had been recommended to me so many times that I eventually caved in and procured it as a bargain on E-Bay. I was perhaps slightly wary of the semi-divine official status of Professor Stuart Piggot, an accepted archeological authority at Oxford University, and whilst he follows the standard principals of academic research and remains objective throughout, his style of writing provokes a ‘Monty-Python’esque’ humor for its occasional eccentricity.

What I found immensely helpful was Prof. Piggot’s approach to analysis, categorization and organization of evidence and information. This would include the use of archeological, iconographic, epigraphic, classical and vernacular sources. Whilst I groaned every time I came across the word ‘savage’ or ‘barbarian,’ I was also grateful for the authors introduction to the terms ‘hard and soft primitivism’ to explain the differences between the classical Greek and Latin accounts of the Gallic tribes and the Druids.

Piggot is absolutely thorough in his approach and account of the Druids. He is prepared to examine every facet, each crumb of evidence and article of information available to him, regardless of academic opinion. I can imagine how revolutionary in format this book might have been when first published, since even today few academics are willing to explore a subject beyond their own particular specialism. For this I admire Piggot, who evidently pushed out the boat, broadened his field of enquiry and tackled the subject as a whole rather than remain in a subjective arena. And so, I found myself looking at the importance of maps, place-names, technology, science, agriculture, economy, social order, language and literacy, archeology, shrines, temples, earth-works, burial sites, votive sites, etymology, rituals, education and literacy, cosmology and religious beliefs, magic, gnomic wisdom, philosophy, and politics. In this respect, ‘The Druids’ is definitely comprehensive, provocative and inspiring; it provided me with a wealth of topics for deeper consideration and contemplation.

The bulk of the text is conveniently divided up into four main chapters. In the latter part Piggot deals with the romantic ideal and the Druid revival. Whereas many scholars would begin perhaps in the 17th century with Tolland and Stukely, Piggot draws back to the last phase of the European Renaissance to discover the roots of paganism as we know it today. I found it interesting to learn that many early speculations on the nature of the Druids and Celts were colored by the discovery of native American Indian tribal cultures and systems. Piggot takes the reader up to the romantic revival, the ‘dignified nonsense’ of the Welsh Gorsedd and Iolo Morganwg, the shady mysticism of dreamers and the ‘cosy world of lunatic linguistics’ of individuals like Rowland Jones. Piggot’s view of this latter modern development in ‘native spirituality’ is one without historical or cultural foundation, a colorless and fanciful imagining, and I for one must surely agree.

In his epilogue Piggot succinctly draws his conclusions and theories together. He defines the practices of the earliest Druids as being developments of customs and rituals in Paleolithic prehistory, and proposes the possibility of syncretism with other Indo European cultures. Piggot even considers the possibility of a strain of shamanism within Druidic practice, a question which regularly appears within online discussion groups today and inspires fierce arguments.

Having absorbed the radical content of this volume I can now see how vastly it influenced the beginnings of a traditionalist Celtic Pagan movement in the latter half of the twentieth century. Piggot has created a stable foundation on which reliable research can be conducted for the implementation of traditional practices and rituals within a modern context. Perhaps his final comment reveals the most about the inherent characteristics of the Druid, that the truest modern evocation of their spirit is within the realms of scientific exploration and computer engineering than mythic reconstructionism and ‘role playing.’

The message I got from this book was that I should be prepared to question everything, to analyze and carefully weigh the evidence of any spiritual matter but particularly those subjects dealing with ancient concepts. Piggot provided me with the academic tools to disseminate, examine, and probe beyond careless ambiguity and imagination… and seek the core dynamic of a topic rather than peruse its exterior decoration.

Book Review: The Celtic Realms by Myles Dillon and Nora Chadwick

2007-09-07T15:03:00.000-07:00

This book is a scholarly account of the history and culture of the Celts, from the earliest archeological evidence in the Iron-age Hallstatt culture circa 800 BCE, To the Norman invasion of Britain under William the Conqueror in 1066. The authors discuss the mysterious origins of the Celts using place-names as a guiding demographic to trace their principle routes of migration and their established settlements. The book then goes on further to discuss the formation, structure and the bodies of independent Celtic kingdoms, of Gaul, Britain, Wales, Brittany, Ireland, Scotland, Cornwall and the Isle of Man. Of particular interest is the changing and reforming political and social change which occurred in Britain following the withdrawal of Roman governance C. 4-500 CE. The fifth chapter on Irish secular institutions gives an interesting account of a Gaelic society, its inherited laws, the class based structure, customs and dress, festivals, and the organization of time. All of this is done in comparison with the Welsh system, but interestingly draws many parallels with Indo-European culture, particularly the Vedic and Hindu codes of law.

The 6th chapter outlines the structure and organization of the early modern Celtic kingdoms, providing information on the Pictish tribes and the Dal Riata, Irish incursions and influence in Scotland, the development of the Celtic Welsh and their relations with the Saxons, and overall the influence of the Viking and Nordic raids and settlements throughout the Western Gaelic communities. This period history spans from the 5-6th CE to the late 9th, leading up to the invasion of the Normans at Hastings in 1066. The remaining chapters examine Celtic culture from the perspective of literature, myths, language, religion and art.

I chose this book because I wanted a broad but academic and scholarly account of Celtic history, its formation, structure, people and culture. This volume fulfills all of those criteria, but it was certainly not a ‘casual’ read, indeed it took me several weeks to digest and may properly be used as a reference and source of information rather than leisurely perusal. Both authors are renowned and respected academics, Myles Dillon having been the senior professor at the Dublin Institute, and professor of Celtic studies at Wisconsin, Chicago, and Edinburgh universities. Nora Chadwick is a veteran lecturer at Cambridge University and Newham and Girton Colleges. Celtic Realms is written with an absolutely serious attention to detail, woven together and cross-referenced in the true tradition of Celtic knot-work, and is perhaps the result of several years dedicated study and research. It belongs in the library of any reader with more than a passing interest in Celtic history, and itself provides a student with valuable resources.

What I enjoyed most about this book were the accounts of literature and arts, where the authors bring the voice and actions of the Celtic people to life. The study of any history can be susceptible to a dry and flaky recount, yet Dillon and Chadwick have cleverly avoided such a downslide by depicting the passion, ingenuity, creativity, artistic beauty and linguistic enchantments of individuals who lived so many years ago.

The Wild-Woman's Dream...

2007-09-04T15:13:00.000-07:00

A beautiful, dark-haired Wild Irish Woman once dreamed that a certain Druid visited her in the night and made passionate love to her. When she woke up, she called her maids, described the Druid to them and asked them to demand recompense from him for his midnight sojourn. They seized the Druid as he was walking along a path into town, told him of the affair, and asked for 50 silver coins. The honorable scholar was flabberghasted. But the surly maids grabbed him and would not let go. A passerby saw the bitter argument and told the king of Tara, and so he summoned both the Wild Woman and the Druid to his court.

The Wild Woman said, "I am accustomed to being compensated for intimate alliances. This man visited me in a dream last night and enjoyed himself… He must pay me for this illicit pleasure."

The king said, "That seems fair enough, but wait a moment." Then he ordered a pole to be planted in the street, then he hung a bag of silver from the pole, and placed a mirror under it.
"Now," he said to the Wild Woman, "Put your hand into the mirror and take your money. It's all yours."

The Woman was baffled and said, "How can I put my hand into the mirror and take my money? Give me the real money in the bag."

"Oh no, no, no," said the king, "the money is not yours. The Druid visited you only in your dream. The proper payment is only the money that you can see in the mirror."

And so, the Wild Woman marched off in a huff whilst the Druid retired with a smile… dreaming!

Sijo poetry form: Dancing with Sounds...

2007-08-31T10:01:00.000-07:00

Hand swinging beat, striking a skin drum: repeating fragments of sound...

Pounding, kneading, forming the air into perfectly round bubbles...

All-enclosing, enchanting energy, carried on one constant breath.

Little energy

2007-08-31T08:31:00.000-07:00

Tranquil Mountain
A wasp humming melodies
Sudden tsunami

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The Owl… Celtic Myth and Legend:

2007-08-30T20:15:00.000-07:00

"'S co-aoise mise do'n daraig,Bha nafhallain ann sa choinnicli, 'S ioma linn a chuir ini romham,'S gur mi comhachag bhochd na sroine."

(Ancient-ness upon me is that of the oak . . . whose mossy roots spread wide: many a race have I seen come and go: and still I am the lonely Owl of Srona.) – Donald Finlay, 1590.

The lonely owl that drifts through the night of our dreams in the Celtic tradition is the totem bird of the crone Goddess, and it bears her name; Cailleach oidhche (pron: Kayl-uck oheeche). As such it symbolizes the powers of darkness, hidden wisdom, detachment, metamorphosis. The owl is a hunter, dwelling in the shades of moon-light, perceptive, silent and swift. Throughout many cultures it is feared for its connection to death, its haunting voice is reminiscent of the lament of mourning. To encounter an owl at midnight might be a prophecy of loss or bereavement, but certainly she are a reminder of life, age and the eventual scythe of time… the harvester of souls.
Others connect the owl, particularly the snowy or Cailleach Bhan (pron Kayl-uck ban) or ‘the Auld white wife’ with storms, thunder, lightening, hero’s and love maidens. On the Island of Arran she was believed to be the herald of both the morning star or Reul na Maidne and the evening star or Reul na Fheagair; opening the gates of life and light, and later closing the curtains of the day with patience and serenity.

Whatever the belief, it is certainly a mystical experience to be walking out at night and feel the soft, silent flutter of an owl flying above our head… an almost imperceptible rush of power like muted lightening, and then gone… into the velvet mist of darkness, like a whispered prayer in the wind.

The Colorado Raptor Education Foundation was created in 1980 to promote environmental literacy, preserve injured or un-releasable raptors (hawks, eagles, falcons, owls), increase nature awareness and promote respect for wildlife. They actively train, educate and hold regular programs and seminars around their conservational efforts:
http://www.usaref.org/

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The Butterfly Effect...

2007-07-11T21:38:00.000-07:00

May the wings of the butterfly kiss the sun, And find your shoulder to light on,
To bring you luck, happiness and riches, Today, tomorrow and beyond.

~Irish Blessing

In the Irish folk tradition the butterfly or ‘an Féileacán’ is the spirit of a departed person who returns to visit their favorite place; in the 1814 Parochial survey of Ireland an old Granny was heard to say to a youngster chasing and attempting to catch a butterfly "How do you know it is not the soul of your grandfather” It is a common belief that the souls of the dead return as all manner of animals, and insects. Even up to the 1600’s it was against common law in Ireland to kill a white butterfly because they were believed to contain the souls of dead children. In the Irish myth ‘The Wooing of Etain’ (Tochmarc Étaín) the heroine is turned into a butterfly by a jealous rival:

“Conaire Mór was a descendant of Etain, the most beautiful woman in the world. Etain was a Danann and the second wife of Midir, son of Dagda. Midir's first wife Fuamnach, became jealous of Etain's beauty and grace, and using a hazel wand turned Etain into a butterfly, and drove her away from the magic palace with gusty wind. The wind blew the butterfly to many parts of Ireland, until she arrived in Ulster. Here, the butterfly fell in the cup of Etar's wife. Etar's wife drank her cup and unknowingly swallowed the butterfly, where she later became pregnant with Etain. When Etain was born, she became mortal, without any memory of her former life as a Danann…”

In Scottish Gaelic the butterfly is known as Dealan De or ‘The Fire of God’ and meaning the flame, light or gold of the divine, or the ‘brightness’ of the Gods. The Gold-fly was indeed considered a sacred sign from the heavens, and if seen fluttering near the corpse of a recently deceased person it was regarded as a good omen, that the individual was on their way to celestial bliss. Another reference to this is the ‘tiene-dhe' which describes a stick of fire (referring to both the butterfly and the flame) which is used to light all manner of sacred community ritual fires, the hearth, and as a guide to the recently departed… using the lighted stick to usher them out of the house through the window to the sky.

Other aspects of Gaelic belief in combination with observations of the butterfly as a human soul are its symbolism as the power of transformation, inspiration and creativity, and eventual rebirth. It is thus used in an iconic manner in rituals surrounding conception, labor, birth and nurturing children.

For the most part the butterfly is seen in a positive light within Celtic culture. Like many societies throughout the world it is revered for its capacity in metamorphosis; echoing beliefs in reincarnation and the transmigration of the soul. Perhaps the one singular exception to this is an old Scottish belief that red butterflies are the souls of witches seeking general mischief.

2007-06-21T16:33:00.000-07:00

Man is a Shepherd of Being...

Non in depravatis, sed in his quae bene secundum naturam se habent, considerandum est quid sit naturele (We should consider what is natural, not in things of a perverted nature, but in those that are rightly ordered according to nature.) Aristotle, Politics 2:2.

The body, mind and soul are all interconnected in the Gaelic tradition. Within this is the belief that the soul is wrapped around the body, like a garment of finely woven cloth. The body inhabitats the soul. The body is the rich composite inheritance of the ages of existence, a fragrant and cavernous monastery (mainistir) for contemplation, journeying, living (aistir) and more than anything the dream (aisling) of the soul. The soul emerges from an ever-bubbling spring (tobhair na beatha) or the well of life, and unfolds into this life like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon. The soul seeks discovery, intimacy, creativity, and imagination. As a pure force of life it is enriched by balance and harmony, by attending to fruitful relationships at the right time and in the correct context… it blossoms with the fragrance of wild honey in summer. The purity of the soul is intensified with contemplation and prayer, it grows by hospitality, it is gilded by charity and generosity, and it rises to the heavens on the winds of truth and honest labor. More than anything, the soul belongs to the body, the earth, the flesh… the most sacred ground, the greatest inheritance of the ancestors, the lyrical memory of distant ages, the firelit dance of creation, and the final descent into the womb of the Mother… awaiting for a new dawn of life.

Often we are nourished by the simple earthly fruits, of bread, meat and water… but whose symbolism extends our dream of life beyond the borders of imagination, and lead us to an eternal vision in which we can dwell.

A blessing of solitude.

John O’Donahue ‘Anam Cara’

May you recognize in your life the presence, power, and light of your soul.

May you realize that you are never alone, that your soul in its brightness and belonging connects you intimately with the rhythm of the universe.

May you have respect for your own individuality and difference.

May you realize that the shape of your soul is unique, that you have a special destiny here, that behind the façade of your life there is something beautiful, good and eternal happening.

May you learn to see yourself with the same delight, pride, and expectation with which God sees you in every moment.

The Tradition and History of the Irish Poet...

2007-06-16T12:44:00.000-07:00

Tréde neimthigedar filid: immas forosna, teinm laeda, dichetal di chennaib. Three things that constitute a poet: 'knowledge that illumines,' 'Illuminating song’ and Divination by touch.’

The most enduring manifestation of the Druid, particularly in Ireland is that of the Filidh or Poet. Poetry, verse, chanting, hymns, satire, and other forms of vocal expression were the principle means of oracular expression for the learned Druid. According to the ancient Gaelic Brehon laws the requirements of a Filidh were; ‘purity of hand, bright without wounding, purity of mouth, without poisonous satire, purity of learning, without reproach, purity of vows.’ According to the Crith Gabhlach (another legal treatise) the difference between a Bard and a Filidh, was that the Bard is one without lawful learning but his own intellect (bard dano: fer gin dligid foglama acht inntlicht fadesin). The Poet and his/her art was therefore officially recognized in law as a trained, professional and respectable occupation. One could not label oneself as a poet without passing several stages of intense education and exams, monitored by a professor. According to the Auricept na n’Eces (The Scholars Primer) and the Uraicecht Na Riar (The Poetic Grades in Early Irish Law) the specific stages of development were, (with Ollamh (professor) being the highest):

Taman, Drisuic and Oblaire.
Fochloc.
Macfuirmid.
Dos.
Cano.
Cli.
Anruith.
Ollamh.

The Irish term fili or filidh is derived from faith whose original meaning was a ‘seer’ or ‘prophet.’ They existed throughout history as a powerful and influential group of visionary artists, maintaining Pagan rites, practicing divination and prophecy, as well as being historians, genealogists, preservers of wisdom and culture, satirists and teachers. Many Filidh were accomplished in several arts, and frequently practiced a craft such as metal-working, also law (Brehon), medicine, as well as composing verse. The curriculum of the Filidh lasted 12 years, in which Ogham (alphabets of understanding), tales, composition, philosophy and other standard learning requirements were met. Using a template created by Eugene O’Curry in Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish, we can chart the progress of a student from the beginnings to the award of Ollamh:

Year One: The Oblaire (Elementary student). The study of 50 oghams, basic grammer, 1-20 tales.

Year Two: Fochloc-Macfuirmid (Word-maker to fermenting student). 50 oghams, six easy lessons in natural philosophy (six meters called Dians: air-sheang, midh-sheang, iar-sheang, air-throm, midh-throm, air-throm.) specific and introductory poems, 20 – 30 tales (dreachts). Grammer called Uraicept na n-eigsine, part of that book called reimeanna (courses?).

Year Three: Macfuirmid (continued). 50 oghams, six minor lessons in moral philosophy, certain specified poems, advanced grammer, 40 poems or tales.

Year Four: Macfuirmid – Dos. The Bretha Nemed or Law of Privileges, 20 eman or poems with couplets sharing form and meaning (or ‘births’), 50 tales.

Year Five. Dos – Cano. Grammer, 60 tales.

Year Six: Cano. The secret language of the poets, 40 poems of the species called nuath or ‘twins’ which may be elegies in the form of couplets, 70 – 80 tales.

Year Seven: Cano – Cli (journeyman). Brosnacha or miscellanies, the laws of Bardism.

Year Eight: Cli. Prosody, dindshenchus (glosses, the meaning and origin of obscure terms and words), Teinm Laegda (illumination of song), Imbas forosnai (illumination of knowledge), Dichetal do Chennaib (Extempore incantation).

Year Nine: Cli. Sennet or poems of ancient wisdom, lusca or chants of swinging and rhythmic oscillation, nena or truth-saying, eochraid or warding and shielding (keys), briocht or spells, sruith or veneration and calling of the ancestors (streams), duili feda or wisdom tales (mastery of the elements). To master 175 tales to this and the next two years.

Year Ten: Cli. A further number of the compositions from year nine (part of 175 tales).

Year Eleven: Cli – Anruth (master/warrior). 100 composition of Anamain or the use of breath in magical toning.

Year Twelve: Anruth - Ollamh. 120 cetals or religious chants/orations, the four arts of poetry, 175 anruth or glorious victories. During this year and the two previous, to memorize and master the 175 tales together with the 175 anruth. This completes the 350 tales learned by heart.

The Ollamh’s had their colleges at Clogher, Armagh, Lismore and Tamar, all situated on notable rivers, and later taken over by Christian clergy in the 5th century for seminaries. The process of education within this system appears to have observed ‘seven degrees of wisdom’ which may reflect several key examinations which were required before progressing to the next stage. In this respect it may have resembled the ancient Greek and Latin Trivium and Quadrivium, the lower division consisting of grammar, rhetoric and logic, with the upper concentrating on arithmetic, geometry, astronomy and harmony (music). The practice of chanting appears to have been a primary method of learning, an ecclesiastical observer in 1571 (Edmund Campion) tells us that Irish students sang out their lessons piecemeal using a technique called ‘cronan’ or crooning. Other notable refrains perhaps practiced may have been the caoine or death lament and the fonn or mantra of repetition.

The Prima – Scela or Primary tales outlined in the ‘Book of Leinster’ which the Filidh learned included: Aideda (death and violent tales), Aitheda (elopements), Baile (frenzies and visions), Cuthanna (battles), Comperta (conceptions and beginnings), Echtrai (otherworldly journeys and adventures), Fess (feasts), Fis (visions or dreams), Forbasa (sieges), Immrama (sea voyages), Longes (exiles), Oircne (murderings and ravagings, Serca (loves), Sluagada (hostings and military expeditions), Tana (cattle raids), Tochmarca (wooings and courtings), Tochomluda (setting forths and advancings), Togla (attacks and destructions), Tomadmann (bursting forth of lakes and rivers), Uatha (horrors and terrors).

However, these tales were memorized in two separate groups; being the primary myths and the secondary stories. The first group were the Irruptions, visions, loves, expeditions and invasions. The second group were the destructions, cattle-raids, courtships, battles, feasts, adventures, elopements, and slaughters. It appears that the first group of tales were widely available to all the filidh, whilst the latter was only kept for the cano, cli, anruth and ollamh.

By contrast the bard only studied for approximately seven years, or the first part of the curriculum and rarely advancing to the more esoteric techniques of the file. It was thus that a bard was considered inferior, such that whilst a File could expect the payment of three milking cows for his services, a Bard may only get one calf. Bards (or bairds) were divided into two classes; the Saor and the Daor or the Patrician and the Plebian. The Saor where known as the Sruth di aill or Stream down two cliffs, the Tighearna bhard or Lord-bard, the Admhall, Tuath-bhard or lay bard, the Bo-bhard or Cow-bard, and the Bard dine. The highest ranking of the Daor bards was the Cul-bhard or Back-bard, followed by the Sruth bhard or Stream-bard, in rank going down came the Drisiuc, Cromluatha, the Sirti-ui, Rindhaigh, Long-bhard and Bhard-loirrge.

Draoicht na Filidh: The Mystical Path.

The study, pursuit and practice of magic, visionary work, and mysticism may also have been restricted to the upper echelons of the Irish Druid network. Druids at this level were considered by Brehon law to be classified as being nemed or within the sacred. Within this they may have performed a role as priest, spiritual councilor, advisor, and enacted rites of sacrifice, offerings to the gods, public and private rituals, and maintained the social and communal festivals. As spiritual guardians and representatives of the divine forces they practiced draoicht or ‘the way of wisdom’ and what we would call today ‘magic.’ What was that? Sean O’Tuathal and Searles O’Dubhain have constructed an Oghamic list of Druidic magical skills:

Briocht a fully verbal spell or charm used for general protection, but also employed in battles and conflicts. Leapaidh lanlaidhi ‘harborage of complete attentions.’ This is a type of sanctuary wherein a well-focused intention could be invoked in preparation for divination or briocht work. Faistine or ‘divination.’ A term derived from ‘faith’ meaning prophet or seer. It implies soothsaying or use of the second (inner) sight. Suilacht or ‘magical insight.’ A feeling of being magically influenced, possession of a ‘magic eye.’ Nealadoireacht or cloud divination. This may have included all forms of divination, prophecy and power work involved from astronomy, astrology, weather, the elements of air and wind… indicating key strengths above. Huideacht or traveling through life and/or death. Applied to vision journeys that go beyond earthly boundaries, across perceptions of time and space through trance. Dicheadal or incantation. Diechetal do Chennaib or incantation of the fingertips, the science of understanding hidden causes through physical touch, taking the pulse. Tamhneal or ‘trance.’ Anything connected with a loss of physical consciousness and dreamwork; stupor, fainting, blackouts, epilepsy… mind storms and moods, remembrance of effects within that state. Corriguineacht or ‘crane magic.’ A type of briocht, mallacht or directly deadly, pronounced on one foot, one eye closed with the left hand in one’s belt or pocket. Used by Lugh as a technique in the battle against the Fomoragh. Associated with edges, boundaries, liminal space – between energies. The poetical meter used in a killing invocation was 7(3)a, 7(2)b, 7(3)a, 7(3)b. The Crane magician may also have possessed a ‘bag’ of religio-magical tools. Cumhacht power, authority and influence. A term used to describe the power or influence exerted by a greater force in or around it. The power of words, sounds, names arranged in such a rhythm within a poem or incantation to affect the shape of reality. Millteoracht or ‘magical attack.’ A term used in place of destruction, ruining and perversion. A poetic technique placed within the structure of a poem to denigrate or destroy the power of the subject. Gabhlairdeall or ‘forked attention.’ A division of consciousness during somhoill (a suspension of briocht in stasis to adjust details). This may be related to the term samailt meaning double; the process of constructing or invoking a second energy… perhaps a spirit-helper charged with some task whilst the Druid continues his/her principle focus of attention. Ngesadoirecht or ‘sorcery.’ Divination. Activites involving or concerning geasa (prohibitions, taboos, interdictions). Associated with the time of birth, the winds, weather, astrological events. The process of identifying the central key dynamic in a persons life, their destiny and path. Sruth bhua the current, stream or flow of ‘bua’ or energy. The flow of this energy is a key principle in the work of Draoicht and Filidhecht, charging the individual with the power to perform their duties and activities. The capacity to direct this flow of energy toward matter, and thereby change it. It is both immediate and experiential, knowledge and experience locked together. Reamhfhuireach is the trigger which sets off a ‘briocht’ set in place as a hidden trap, or shield of energy. A spell that protects, directs focus of attention away, bounces off incoming, meant to delay, postpone, or restrain. The essential meaning is to be wary or alert. Aithroicht is shape-shifting, the physical changing and manifestation of another creature… to actually become another self, to assume an alternative image, a disguise. Ortha a charm, physical not verbal. Mainly to infuse with power in the making of a tool or concoction. Used by blacksmiths, herbal healers, craftsmen… Upthaireacht or folk-magic. From upa meaning a ‘folk-charm’ and perhaps the construction of charms used in healing; the charms used in sacred springs to cure eye-disorders (of common folk). Earaid a magical interference or hindrance. The affect of a ‘curse’ upon an individual, or a compulsion… the ways to release it. Idircho an area of overlapping liminality. An in-between place in time and space where the edges of reality are blurred… the connection between this world and the other is stronger and allows more powerful communication and magical work to be initiated. Easca or ‘moon.’ Also meaning fluid, nimble and swift. Associated with lunar periods, tides, movements of the earth in relation to the moon, expectancy, exaltation, cleansing, the mind and fertility. The menstrual cycle and women’s mysteries. Oibelteoireacht is religious contemplation, meditation, discipline of the self, mind body and soul. Iompochur a briocht to reverse in boomerang fashion. A term derived from impod menaing to turn, return, warding or annulment. A briocht to deflect rather than seek direct confrontation. Uinde seeing or beholding. Visions, revelations, spiritual communications, dreams, translating cryptic signs or messages in nature. Airbhe is a hedge of protection. Encircling those within a barrier or boundary of spiritual strength, through which nobody could pass without injury. Created by a ritual and chant like the caim.

As previously mentioned, the Bards tasks never ventured further than versification and composition. The Saor Bard was entitled to use a specific type of meter called Nath in which the word at the end of each line makes a vowel rhyme or alliterates with the beginning of the next. The syllabic count of the Nath is irregular. There were six kinds of Nath meters called Deachna, which were practiced by the High Bards together with another form called Seadna. Suffice to say here that each category of bard was only permitted to practice a limited set of meters, and it was forbidden to compose anything out of that range.

Three Forges of the poet: of the burning embers of memory, of the university of reclining, of the clinging tendrils of knowledge.

As the poetic tradition developed in history most of the separate and distinct ancient meter became fused collectively into what is now known as Dan direach or ‘straight verse.’ These changes began in the 12th century under Norman influence and extended toward the 18th century. All that we know about previous poetic forms in encapsulated within the structures outlined in Dan direach. We know that poetic composition was extremely complex and structured. The basic form was a quatrain called a rann, with a set number of syllables per line. Ornamentation called comhardadh involved the marriage and blending of consonants and vowels individually categorized into slender and broad, hard, soft, rough, light, and strong. Three other ornamentations were employed; amus or assonance, uaithne or consonance, and uaim or alliteration. Two other distinctive features of most poetry included the dunadh or a technique which involved repeating the first word of a composition as the ending, and cross/internal rhymes. An example of the structure of one form called Rannaicheacht Mhor:

BC x x b x ac
x x x a x x bc
x b x x x x ac
x x a x x x BC

The complexities of these grammatical rules become more understandable when considering that Irish native poetry evolved within a purely oral context. The grammer is reflective not of the way a poem should be written but recited in public. Form, structure, rhythm and rhyme, intonation, and expression all play an essential part of the credible performance of poets who were expected to amaze an audience with vocal virtuosity, knowledge, and spiritual depth. It is little wonder how the Filidh came to be viewed with a sense of awe, respect and complete fear. As satirists they had the capacity to evoke elemental forces of immense power to blight and destroy the reputation of even the highest in the land.

Within the core of Irish poetics satire called Aer was an art-form all of its own. Satire was the whip of the Filidh, often used to command respect, punish the stingy, exact revenge or employed as an extortionate means to gather wealth. The variety, complexity and color of satires was immense, ranging from petty blasphemy to ridicule and banishment. Some satires were reputed to bring disease and blemish to the accused, others humiliation. Quite often the satire was used only as a threat to obtain a price. The three main categories were; Aisnes or a declaration in prose, Ail or an insult, and Aircetal or an incantation, of which there were ten varieties ranging from the private to the most public; Mac Bronn or ‘Son of a bitch’ a private insult. Dalbach or blindness, an innuendo. Focal i frithshuidiu or a word in opposition, a quatrain of praise in which there is a derogatory remark embedded. Tar n’aire or an outrage of negative satire. Tar molta or an outrage of praise, ironic or ludicrous praise. Tamall aire or a touch of satire, less outrageous than the last. Tamall molta or a touch of praise, assailing the victim with faintly credible remarks. Lanair or full satire, the entire family and reputation of the victim is assaulted. Ainmedh or sarcasm. Glam dicind is a full religious and magical rite of denunciation, aimed at completely destroying the victim and his/her life.

The first serious blow to the power of the Filidh came in 574 CE, under King Aedh Mac Ainmire who desired to banish all the poets from Ireland because of their great numbers and insolence. His complaint that the Ollamh have a retinue of 30 attendants, and the Anruth possess at least 15 followers, with lowers grades all possessing a certain number of disciples gives the definite indication of their extent of influence, popularity and breadth of importance. On this particular occasion they were all saved from extinction by none other than Saint Columcille himself, pleading on their behalf. The final demise of the ancient institution of the filidh and Bards came after the battle of Kinsale in 1601, the defeat of Hugh O’Neill and the Elizabethan re-conquest of Ireland in 1603. As a system of professional education that relied upon the Irish nobility for patronage, the aristocratic loss was immense when replaced by the English. The final nail in the coffin of the hereditary Irish poet was a historical even called the ‘Iomarbhágh na bhFileadh’ or The Contention of The Bards, a polemic and venemous contest between various principal poets lasting between 1616 to 1624 in defense of their respective patrons. The precise nature of this contest between 30 poets was over the relative merits of the north and south houses of descent. Later developing into vehement criticism over style, content and meter, language and presentation. The argument descended into base sarcasm and bickering, and perhaps as a result the traditional styles of composition within the system of Dan direach became regarded as obsolete, and a new, looser, fresher style called Amhran or Aisling was adopted.

There has never in history been a country or people more attached to the poetic arts as Ireland. In the years following the ‘Contention’ poetry was still practiced and developed with dedication, creativity and in the pursuit of personal vision. Perhaps the last and greatest Irish bard in the traditional sense was Toirdhealbach O Cearbhallain or Turloigh O Carolan (1670 – 1738). Despite being blind, O Carolan was a composer, poet, a writer and accomplished musician. Other poets of this era include Daibhi O Bruadair (1625 – 1698), Aogan O Rathaille, followed by the great Irish satirist and social commentator Jonathon Swift (1667 – 1745). The beautiful style of the Aisling poem was captured by the poet Brian Merriman (1747 – 1805) in his Cuirt An Mhean Oiche or ‘The Midnight Court.’ The standard was thence carried from the 18th to 19th centuries by artists such as Oscar Wilde, and into the 20th with Ezra Pound, Samuel Beckett, Padric Colun, and Seamus Heaney.

Irish Poetic Forms. Maureen O’Brien:

http://suburbanbanshee.net/irishptr/drchpoem/index.html

The Ogmios Project, Labara 5, by Meredith Richard:

http://www.summerlands.com/crossroads/celticlanguage/labara5.html

Master Poets and their Kings in Late Celtic Society, by Bennett Blumenburg:

http://home.earthlink.net/~merlynne6/eBooks/OLLAV.pdf

Eugene O'Curry's Manners and Customs of the Ancient Irish Vol. II.:

http://www.summerlands.com/cgi-bin/mods/showhtml/showhtml.pl?id=publibrary

Crane Magic by Iain MacAnTsaoir:

http://www.clannada.org/culture_crane.php

The Power of Words in Gaelic Culture by Iain MacAnTsaoir:

http://www.clannada.org/culture_words.php

Poetic Brehon Lawyers, by Katherin Simms:

http://www.humnet.ucla.edu/humnet/celtic/22papers/simms.pdf

Brehon Law and the File, Michael Ragan:

http://www.danann.org/library/law/breh5.html

Foclóir Draíochta - Dictionary of Druidism, Sean O Tuathail:

http://www.summerlands.com/crossroads/focloirdruids/focloir.htm

Toirdhealbhach Ó Cearbhalláin - Turlough O'Carolan:

http://www.irishpage.com/songs/carolan/carolmid.htm

A Smaller Social History of Ancient Ireland by P. W. Joyce:

http://www.libraryireland.com/SocialHistoryAncientIreland/Contents.php

The Contention of the Bards (Iomarbhágh na bhFileadh):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contention_of_the_bards

Cuirt an Mheán Oíche—The Midnight Court by Brian Merriman:

http://www.showhouse.com/prologue.html
Irish Druids and old Irish Religions by James Bonwick:

http://www.libraryireland.com/articles/IrishBardsBonwickDruids/index.php

Five Spokes of the Wheel...

2007-06-06T19:00:00.000-07:00

"A Chief does not grant speech except to four: a Poet for satire and praise, a Chronicler of good memory for narration and storytelling, a Judge for giving fair evaluations, and a Historian for ancient lore."

Much has been discussed of the origins, practices and roles of the Druids in history. We understand them as figures in an ancient world, as practitioners of law, religion, art and poetry within Celtic society. How does this benefit us now, and how can we define the spiritual path of Druidry within a modern context? A modern Celtic scholar, Searles O’Dubhain has identified five key and integral aspects of a modern practitioner, and this profile gives a solid working foundation for the pursuit of Druidry as a religious faith. The Druid passes through three distinct phases in their personal evolution, firstly a state of wonder or questioning, secondly an arrival at understanding, a sense of peace and harmony, and lastly a sense of accomplishment and awe, a realization of the greater sacred.

1) The Scholar. Enquiry is the beginning of true knowledge. The foundation of the self is realized through an investigation and understanding of tradition, myths, systems of belief, culture, organization and methodologies of the ancestors. Thoughtful reflection becomes the essence of purposeful action and quantifiable realization.

2) The Poet. Creativity is the effect of inspiration, within any mode of operation. The illumination of the mind provokes a physical manifestation in which an understanding can be reached regarding a question possessed. Poetry is a process of discovery, valuable insight, charged with wisdom.

3) The Philosopher. The evaluation of qualities, quantities, states of being and purpose is active regard. The action of identifying the mechanics of nature, life and the cosmos provides the necessary information to understand ourselves and our role as human beings.

4) The Judge. Understanding balance and harmony, the key to justice is to be obligated to a truth greater than ourselves. The measurement of all things is by the will of truth.

5) The Doctor. When all levels of existence are perceived as one whole, and all the strands of life are revealed as being of one garment; then the perception is elevated to understand the sacred. There is seen to be no differentiation between subjects, only energy in varying degrees of intensity, and the energy flows like water. The infinite, ever eternal, without ending, supreme bliss. The subject enters the flow of life fully aware, and cognizant. Truly only a reflection of nature, of the great spirit.

Oran Mor: The Great Song, The Song of Birth.

Moladh daoine is dó is moladh an neach do-ní a gcruthoghadh (Praise of people, and you, is praise of the spirit that does the creating)

The beginning of the journey of wisdom is a step from the ocean of birth onto the shore of existence. The first consideration is of yourself, who you are, and then your relationship within the world. As the Poet has said; “Am gaeth far na bharraige… (I am the wind across the sea…). This is understanding the dynamics of your inner momentum, the ideals which constitute your core of being. There may be one, or several, but the weight of your core existence is the keystone of individual character, and the anchor of integrity will allow for the development of a true knowledge.

In transpersonal psychology and spirituality the core ideal/s of individuality represent the North Star, by which we navigate through life. It is nourishing, sustaining and guiding, a measurement by which we can ascertain our sense of place, time and appropriate conduct. To recognize a core ideal we should ask ourselves some key questions; what human qualities do I value most, such as peace, love, harmony, honesty? What is the summit of my ‘best self’ or the greatest exhibition of quality of consciousness? What aspect of my life am I most in direct contact with? What are the peak spiritual experiences of my life, the beautiful epiphanies of realization?

In the Druidic and Celtic spiritual path the core ideal/s may be selected from traditional values; piety, vision, intelligence, courage, integrity, perseverance, moderation, fertility, creativity… and many more. The morals, ethics and virtues outlined in a traditional text like the ‘Testament of Morann’ or the ‘Instructions of King Cormac’ provide inspiration enough to begin. However, this is serious work on the self, it is the deepest contemplation of your primal essence, consideration of your most refined spirit.

Coch Anam: The Soul Shrine.

“Man is not himself only… he is all that he sees; all that flows to him from a thousand sources… he is the land, the lift of the mountain lines, the reach of its valleys…” - Mary Austin.

In the Celtic tradition the soul shrine is the sum total of the body. From a cosmological standpoint the body is composed of all the elements of the earth; the blood is the waters, the bones are the mountains, the brain and mind are the sky, the breath is the wind and so forth. The body has three aspects; crabadh or soul trust, devout observance and will. This represents the spirit of a being. Creideamh or consent of the heart, the body of a loving nature which seeks connection, it is physical action in space. Iris or faith, a pledge or intention of the mind, thought and purpose. Thus in primal Celtic thought the human is mind, body and soul which if correctly coordinated and in complete accord provide a beautiful sense of harmony.

Because we are of the earth and reflect its principal mechanics we must be in harmony with it. Everyday the totality of the body yearns for Nature, to revel in its glory. The path to a secure connection to nature is through communication, and this occurs in two principle ways; active involvement which is participative and responsive, and passive contemplation through meditation, reflection and is nourishing.

Active communication occurs not as a recognizable language, but in observation and interaction through the development of senses. The first and most important sense is visual narrative, and I call this the ‘rainbow perception.’ We see through cones and rods of power in the eye, all colors, forms, distances, shades. This is the science of light and suffice to say here that it is enough to simply be aware of this faculty, to be aware of and use it. To be ‘sensual’ is to fully experience the world we live in and belong to it. I mean sensual as ‘sense-all’ and to explore and regenerate all of our faculties of perception. The eco-psychologist Dr. David Cohen has estimated that we possess over 50 differing senses with regard to nature, many of which have become dormant due to our advanced technological lifestyles. These particular senses lie within the realm of the intuitive, instinctual and primitive; the inheritance of our ancestors.

As a technique of communication within the context of Druidic spirituality, meditation is a passive exchange of energy. The most effective of this type of meditation is the ‘Two Powers’ (see link below) in which an individual draws energy from the sky, and the earth/waters, replenishes and restores inner balance, function and internal order to initiate a greater spiritual strength, and draw inspiration. The Two Powers energize what are seen within Celtic tradition as three internal ‘cauldrons’ which correspond to the anatomical cavities of the body; the cranial/spinal, the pleural/thoracic, and the abdominal/pelvic. This purification of the generative, vital, and spiritual energies is similar to the Daoist concept of the three Tan-Tien fields, but in the Gaelic tradition according to the Cauldron of Poesy the primary purpose is to engage within the stream of life, being poetic inspiration.

The totality of these attribute enables the manifestation of a dynamic creative inner force which greets each and every life experience as a building block for future growth. Standing close by a tree is a passionate revelation, a short walk opens a rain-storm of inspiring energy, and as William Blake says;

“To see infinity in a grain of sand, and eternity in an hour.”

Inspiration of Memory

Tri caindle forosnat cach n’dorcha: fir, aicned, ecna. (The three candles of illumination in darkness: truth, nature and knowledge.)

Perhaps the single most defining characteristic of Druidic practice throughout history is memory. The act of memorizing vast tracts of information might be said to be a reflective imitation of Nature herself, who has no books, scrolls, or stone tablets; only the memory of characteristics, forms and structures. She then repeats these codes into ever new and complex creations, again and again. This is like the traditional Gaelic saying; “Who is the birth that has never been born, and never will be?” This is the tuirgen (plur: tuirgente), the circuit of births or the circle of creation. In his glossary, Cormac defines this as; ‘the birth that passes from every nature into another… a transitory birth that has traversed all nature… through every wonderful time down to the end…” Memory can therefore be seen within the context of Celtic spirituality to be both subjective (in the mind) and objective (existing outside of our experience). For comparison I quote the concept of the collective sub-conscious of memory and myth offered by Carl Jung, where we all inherit the thoughts, rituals, and patterns of life of all our ancestors. The other is the statement by Krishna in the Baghavad Gita: “I have been born many times… and many times you have been born… but I remember my past lives, and you have forgotten yours… although I am unborn, everlasting, I am the Lord of all, I come to my realm of nature and through my wondrous power I am born…” - BG 4:5-6.

Combined, these fragments of information point toward the Druid belief in reincarnation, and the transmigration of the soul, where the spirit retains a memory of a previous form and travels into another, birth, life and death are merely physical manifestations of being. The point of liberation from this cycle of repetition is simply being aware of it, having knowledge and illumination of processes, and of recollection to the farthest limits.

The triad above (three candles) indicates that we begin in darkness. Our primary state of perception is blindness, not knowing, oblivious to anything around us. We are senseless, groping around until we begin our search… and it is like a seed beginning to sprout within our mind, and our first action is to light our darkness and to see with more clarity. This initial process involves three states which then expand; the experience of common knowledge or that which we know as being around us; the ordinary truth. Experiential knowledge or that which we learn by the process through our common senses, fire is hot and therefore burns… do not touch it. Investigative knowledge or that which we attain through comparison, conjecture, evaluation, discussion, theory…ect. These three primary means of experience are typified into the most common forms of Druidic practice called ‘Imbas forosnai’ or illuminating wisdom, ‘Dichetal do cheanaib’ or experience of fingertips, and ‘Teinm laegda’ or burning song. These practices are used to step into the lake of memories, of intuition, dreams, instinct… to travel within the microcosm then outward to the macrocosm, and understand all connections, meanings and perceptions.

Imbas Forosnai.

This means ‘the illumination of tradition’ or ‘inspiring wisdom.’ A method of receiving insight through spiritual perception. The ancient form followed a peculiar ritual of chewing on the raw flesh of an animal, formulating an incantation on the palms, then being enclosed in darkness to await the spark of an answer to a specific question. In modern Druidry this is achieved through meditation, reflection, concentration, or simply deepened thought. The cosmic mind may be seen as an ocean or lake, a well-spring, or other source of water, the fish within the water are thoughts swimming about. Concentration in darkness is the vehicle by which an individual arrives at the body of water and catches a fish which represents the wisdom of illumination he/she has been seeking. In Shamanic terms it is a form of journeying for a resolution or result. The hero Fionn Mac Cumhail achieved all of his wisdom by tasting the salmon caught by the Druid Fintain.

Dichetal do Cheanaib.

The dictionary definition is ‘extempore incantation’ and the earliest scholars suggest that this type of divination involved the use of the fingertips; dichetal is cognate with the term digital, from Latin digitus meaning finger (or toe). Typing without rhythm, cracking open the nuts of wisdom, or incantation on the knuckles are other descriptions. Ancient Druids used this method to divine the inner energy of something, to understand internal rhythms, messages, problems, or blockages. In this sense it might be seen to be akin to the methods of pulse diagnosis in some traditional forms of healing, such as Ayurveda in which the principle activities of internal disease are recognized simply by touch and sensation. Similarly the touch can locate energy in most objects, the energy translated into an image in the mind and then vocalized by the practitioner. Sometimes a Druid would employ the use of a stick, wand or staff as the point of contact and transmission of energy-information. When fully developed this form of divination can be of immense help in investigative, curative, and correctional modalities.

Teinm Laegda.

This is ‘illumination by song.’ Another term used is ‘chewing the pith’ and essentially is a means of decoding the internal essence of a thing through song, chant, mantra (fonn in Gaelic) or poem. It may be seen as a form of ‘echo-location’ of the type used by animals such as bats or undersea creatures like whales as a guide in darkness or low visibility. Modern science tells us that sounds behave much like water waves, and can move through matter such as air, and on a molecular level may be able to pass in some way through any object, thus sound of any kind is a form of energy capable of being harnessed for any intention or purpose. The essence of teinm laegda might be summarized as vocalized illustration of the heart.

Conclusion.

The Druid is urged to develop and cultivate all of their faculties, senses and perception to the greatest extent possible. With these attributes he/she can investigate any matter of concern or interest. The three illuminations suggest a triad of ways that an individual can assume a greater sense of inspiration; using the mind/thought through meditation, the body, hands and feet for manipulative research, and the voice, hearing, vibration through songs of understanding. The validation of their effectiveness can only come from personal practice and experience, such techniques can never be learned thoroughly from books or manuals alone.

Shamanism in Gaelic Culture by Iain MacAnTsaoir:

http://users.raketnet.nl/lyonesse/files/shaman-gaelic.pdf

Divination and the second sight, Gifts of the Gaels by Iain MacAnTsaoir:

http://nemedcuculatii.org/library/Divination%20and%20the%20Second%20Sight.pdf

Imbas Forosnai by Nora Chadwick:

http://www.fhaoil-choin.org/imbasforosnai.htm

The three illuminations, Searles O’Dubhain:

http://www.summerlands.com/crossroads/library/awenimba.htm

The Soundry:

http://library.thinkquest.org/19537/

Biodh se, David

Sources of Illuminating Inspiration:

The Song of Amergin:

http://www.amergin.net/songofamergin.html

The Ogham Tract (from the Auricept na n’Eces):

http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/ogham.html

The (ADF) Two Powers Meditation:

http://www.adf.org/rituals/meditations/two-powers.html

The Cauldron of Poesy, translated by Erynn Laurie:

http://www.thunderpaw.com/neocelt/poesy.htm

The Colloquy of the Two Sages (from the Book of Leinster):

http://perso.orange.fr/sejh/keltia/colloquy.html

The Instructions of King Cormac (translated by Kuno Meyer):

http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/cormac3.html

The Testament of Morann (translated by Fergus Kelly):

http://www.maryjones.us/ctexts/morann.html

Battle-Hymn for Daghda ‘Eochaid Ollathair’

2007-06-06T16:21:00.000-07:00

O Shining Sun-star, Guiding Harp Song, Mansion of the Cosmos, Fire robed and Marvelous Bearded One, Fertile, undulating, Deep sea…

Tar a Thighherna… Tar a Thi (Come, O Thou Lord, Come O Thou Being)

Fiery glow, Lightning of judgment, Roar of Waves, All-Father the Red Glory…

Tar a Thighherna… Tar a Thi

Holy storyteller, Sacred Scholar, Cauldron of Poesy, Spirit of strength…

Tar a Thighherna… Tar a Thi

Overflowing, Loving One of Silence, Generous and Thunderous, Bountiful…

Tar a Thighherna… Tar a Thi

Warrior of a hundred hosts, Shield of Hymns, Bear’ Roar…

Tar a Thighherna… Tar a Thi

The Delineation of a Modern Grove...

2007-06-02T12:45:00.000-07:00

Constitution and Charter

Of The

Druids of North America

In

The State of Colorado

(Instituted on the 1st of May 2005)

General Preamble

I, David John Drew of the City of Aurora in Adams County, in the State of Colorado, The United States of America, in the month of May the first, two thousand and five do hereby establish a Drunemeton or Grove of Druidry to further the exploration of the ancient path of Gaelic spirituality, history, literature, and community, with the aim of making more orderly our investigations and learning, and to encourage the growth of fruitful bonds between our companions in this faith in the pursuit of scholarship and friendship within a peaceful enclave.

This Grove will also seek to contact and establish links with other Druidic Groves across the nation of North America and throughout the world, for the enjoyment and profit of learning and comradeship. This Grove will offer the hand and heart of peace to all of various faiths, religions, and spiritual paths regardless of origin, in an attempt to further understanding and global cooperation for the development of all citizens of this earth, to promote equality, education, and interfaith dialog to demolish poverty and ignorance.

This Grove will not suffer or promote discrimination of any sort amongst its members, whether based on sexuality, race, religion, age, or any other possible permutation of individuality. The administration of this Grove will be established on the basis of communal and democratic principles and will not suffer any dictatorial authoritarianism. Membership will be open to any person of interest; any member may be expelled by common vote for failing to adhere to the principles, aims, and articles of this constitution and charter of the organization know as ‘Hesperus Aurora Grove.’

Invocation.

I call upon the strength of heaven
The brilliant light of sun
The reflected radiance of moon
The burning splendor of fire
The sharpness of lightening
The broad swiftness of wind
The hidden depths of ocean
The sound stability of earth
The firmness of mountain;

I call upon the ancient Gods, the Tuatha De Danann as witness;

Danu, Great Mother Spirit of Earth, of Gods and humans, the source,
Daghda, Eochaidh Ollathair, The All-Father, of Wisdom,
Boanne, Virgin-Goddess of the ever-coursing river,
Brighid, Burning-Arrow, Goddess of Fertility, inspiring and healing,
Morrigan, of Badh, Macha and Nemain, Phantom Queen of War, Death and harvester of the dead,
Manannan Mac Lyr, Lord of Elysium and of the deep oceans,
Aengus Mac Ogh, son of the young, patron of love-poets,
Lugh Samildanach, master of all arts, God of light,
Oghma Cermait, honey-tongued, and ‘grainainech’ sun-face,
Dian-Cecht, most noble physician and healer, God of restoration,
Mare, Goddess of sovereignty and nobility, of prophetic dreams.

O’ ancient Gods, Spirits, Noble ancestors, indwellers of the deepest Sidhe, arise from your slumber to witness this honorable charter of formation and a new birth. Join us this day to bless our virtuous venture, protect, nurture, and inspire our well-intentioned efforts. I humbly request that you prevent any impediment in our progress, guide and guard us, make smooth our journey along the sacred path of the earth and illuminate our spirits and sight on dark days.

I call upon the spirits, ancestors and guardians of this place, the Arapahoe, The Bison Path People, the Chiefs ‘Oh-Has-Tee’ and ‘Little Raven’ and ‘Left-Hand’ and White Antelope’ and ‘Neva’ and ‘Bosse’ and ‘Heaps-Of-Buffalo’ and ‘Notanee’ and ask you for permission to dwell in this place for a short time, to rejoice in its beauty and drink from the wisdom of this earth, I ask for your blessing and protection at this time, so that we may prosper.

In a sacred manner we live,
To the heavens we gaze,
In a sacred manner we live;
The Great Earth is our benefactor.

I call upon the ancestors of this ancient land, the Dine, honorable people to beckon and invoke the mighty Gods and Goddesses of this land to bless our venture and protect us. We ask for the assistance of Na’acdjei Esda (Spider-Woman), and Etsan Natlehi (She-Who Changes) and Yolkai Estaan (White Shell Woman) and Johano-Ai (Sun-God) and Niltshi (Wind-God) to watch over us, provide guidance and assistance along difficult paths to a golden land.

Here Begins the Articles of This Grove of Hesperus-Aurora.

ARTICLE I

The name of this organization shall be Hesperus-Aurora Grove, of the Druids of North America in the State of Colorado. The title of the Grove comes from the sacred mountain of the Dine People (the Navajo) known as Hesperus, which lies in the south-west of Colorado in the La Plata mountain range, and is known to the Dine People as Dibe Nitsaa or Big Mountain Sheep, or Baashshinii Dzil or The Jet-Black Mountain because of the profusion of obsidian there. Thus shall the obsidian stone be the elected totem-stone of Hesperus Grove. Hesperus was the name given in ancient times to the evening star, which is identified by our esteemed astronomers as the planet Venus, and thus shall Venus be elected as the totem-planet of Hesperus Grove. In the works and knowledge of the learned astrologers, Venus is the ruling planet of Taurus the Bull, and so shall the mighty horned bull be adopted as the totem-beast of Hesperus Grove and which also represents the great Irish epic myth the ‘Tain Bo Cualigne’ or ‘Cattle Raid of Cooley.’ Of the native flora and fauna in the State of Colorado I have most carefully selected and elected three distinct species of creature as companions in our path; The osprey (Pandion haliaetus carolensis) to represent the element of air and of sky, the raccoon (Procyon lotor) to represent the element of earth, and the Kokanee salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) to represent the element of water. As a botanical I have elected the chokecherry shrub, whose Latin name is Prunus virginiana. This is in honor of the first inhabitants of this area, the Arapahoe tribe led by Chief Little Raven who dwelt at the base of the shining mountains along ‘Cherry-Creek’ where it meets the South Platte river. The Arapahoe named the area after the wild chokecherry bushes growing along the creek. I also have adopted the native oak species Quercus gambelii as a ‘grandfather’ totem for our presence as a Grove here, a qualifying act recommended from the European tradition. The choice and acceptance of these native species in the immediate environment is representative of the Grove in the true tradition of Druidism; that which expresses a love and respect and reverence for the land, nature, the earth and that which populates and sustains it.

The Primary Aims of Hesperus Aurora Grove shall be:

1) The advancement of learning, education and training.
2) Worship, spiritual and religious activities.
3) Within the Celtic concept of ‘soul-friendship’ or anamchara the grove will exist for the nurturing of companionship, spiritual guidance, mutual support and friendship.
4) The Grove will recognize life events within the community, such as births, marriages and deaths. The administration may develop rituals and rites to mark these occasions, in order to enhance their significance and depth of meaning within a communal context. Such is the practice amongst most societies based on ancient native spiritual values.

ARTICLE II

Hesperus-Aurora Grove will be administered by three principal officers:
1) The Ollamh-Draoi or Arch-Druid, shortened to OD or simply Draoi. This shall be the official organizer of the grove. The Ollamh-Draoi will preside over all services, meetings, and convocations. The Arch-Druid will be the official representative of the grove in all matters. He/She may be a lay person with sufficient experience to effectively manage the organization and/or be trained and/or ordained by a spiritual authority. The traditional and historical role of a Druid is as an advisor, judge, teacher, authority in spiritual matters, natural philosopher, mediator, and diplomat, although these categories are not limited.

2) The Faidh or Ovate, in a very traditional sense is a diviner, seer, and/or prophet. The Faidh held the ability and skill to see and sense beyond physical space assumed time. In a modern sense the Ovate may be seen a the protector of the Grove and its members, marking the boundaries and carrying a symbolic shield. They may also hold the tools and skills of divination, to advise on past, present or future events. Many Ovate’s also possess a sound tree-lore (or ‘laws of nature’) and have healing skills, a knowledge of herbalism or other medicine-craft.

3) The Filidh or Poet/Bard. Traditionally the Bard kept the oral traditions of the tribe. There were several educational grades of Bard; Ollaire or Principal beginner, Tamhain or Poets Attendant, Drisac or Apprentice Satirist, Cli or Pillar, Anruth or Noble Stream, Eces or Man of Learning, and Ollamh or Doctor of Poetry. In a modern administrative sense the Bard is a secretary who maintains the written records of Grove meetings… ect. In a more spiritual sense the Bard is involved in the generation of creative works, forming character through expression and development, recording inspiration, a translator of the voice of nature, a herald of events, a vital link between the spiritual and the physical realms. He/she believes in the restorative power of nature and the flow of ideas is the Bardic stream of thought, channeling that energy in identifiable forms. A craftsperson, a maker or one skilled with hands, voice, and movement.

The grades of officers in Hesperus Aurora Grove are not intended to be hierarchal, but represent the specific skills, abilities, training, and knowledge of individuals. As a triad they personify the mind, body and spirit of the grove and should equally provide inspiration, education, and protection.

ARTICLE III

Elections for the posts of Ollamh-Draoi, Faidh and Filidh will be held annually on the last day of the Celtic New Year which is October the thirty first. All posts will be filled by voice vote, or via electronic communication which is by email, telephone or other. The Ollamh-Draoi reserves the right to appoint any member amongst members of the Grove to fill an unexpired term, and may appoint any member to serve in his/her place pro-tem. The annual General Meeting (AGM) of Hesperus Aurora Grove will be either at the same time as the election of officers or within two weeks of that date.

ARTICLE IV

Hesperus Aurora Grove shall convene for a minimum of twelve meetings per year, and of this number the eight official ‘high-days’ are incorporated. The Grove shall adhere to the Celtic eightfold path of seasonal observances. These consist of four agricultural or earth celebrations, and four solar or celestial festivals. Where members of the grove cannot convene as a whole on these sacred days, individuals shall follow a personal ritual.

The Earth Festivals are:

1) Beltaine on 1st of May.
2) Lughnasadh on 1st of August.
3) Samhain on 1st November.
4) Imbolc on 1st of February.

The Solar Festivals are:

1) Mean Geimreadh on 21st December.
2) Mean Earrach on 21st March.
3) Mean Samraidh on 21st June.
4) Mean Foghmar on 21st September.

Hesperus Aurora Grove will convene in a specific, pre-arranged location in the absence of a permanent venue. In addition, Hesperus Aurora Grove recognizes the observance of the division of the year into lunar months. The new moon is the beginning of each month, the calendrical year begins on the first days of the season of Samhain and ends on the last days of the season of Lughnasadh. These are the first new moons prior to these festivals. The lunar calendar has been accepted on the basis of archeological evidence extracted from the Coligny Calendar (a bronze tablet discovered in 1897 in France and which details a Celto-Gaelic solar/lunar calendrical system). A similar system is detailed in Ireland in an ancient stone fragment known as the Knowth Site Stone. Hesperus Aurora Grove understands that the beliefs, practice and acceptance of a lunar calendar vary greatly from community to culture, and therefore is not in a position to force one system upon anyone. For the purposes of guidance the modern Irish calendar is given here:

Deireadh Fomhair October to November.
Mi na Samhna November to December.
Mi na Nollagh December to January.
Mi Eanair January to February.
Mi Feabhra February to March.
Mi Marta March to April.
Abrean April to May.
Mi na Beltaine May to June.
Meitheamh June to July.
Mi Luil July to August.
Mi Lunasa August to September.
Mean Fomhair September to October.

ARTICLE V

All members and officers of Hesperus Aurora Grove shall endeavor to uphold and follow the three essential tenets and moral principles of Druidism, being; truth, justice and knowledge. This is together with fifteen key Celtic virtues, extrapolated from the Audacht Morainn or Testament of Morann Mac Moin, a Brehon Judge and Druid. The fifteen virtues are summarized as follows: Mericful, just, diplomatic, conscientious, reliable, generous, hospitable, curteous, honest, courageous, strong, eloquent, steady, composed and objective.

The most basic cosmological belief in Gaelic-Celtic and Druidic practice is An Thribhis Mor or The Great Triskele, which represents the three essential elements of earth, water and air, or land, sky and sea. This Grove adopts this view and its traditional basis on which all oaths are formulated, although it does not seek to persuade any member or individual pursuing membership to adopt this belief.

This Grove recognizes that throughout history Druids have fulfilled many roles in traditional Celtic society, that they were a professional class of men and women who were historians, analysts, judges, arbitrators, diplomats, ambassadors, keepers of myths and tales, masters of chanting and music, artists, poets, doctors and physicians, magicians, cup-bearers, diviners, bards, lawyers… amongst other professions. Any member of this grove may pursue to qualify themselves in any of these arts or others not mentioned or listed, and will be supported wholeheartedly by the Grove administration.

ARTICLE VI

Hesperus Aurora Grove recognizes thirteen points of modern Druidic Spirituality, which are based on a desire for and love of nature, the world, humanity, and all of its aspects in the search for a truly harmonic existence:

1) The Love of Peace.
2) The Love of Beauty.
3) The Love of Justice.
4) The Love of Myth.
5) The Love of History and Ancestors.
6) The Love of Trees, Herbs and Plants.
7) The Love of Mountains, Stones, and Minerals.
8) The Love of Truth and Wisdom.
9) The Love of Animals.
10) The Love of The Universe and Cosmology.
11) The Love of The Sacred Body.
12) The Love of Humanity and Community.
13) The Love of Life, Celebration and Commitment.

ARTICLE VII

No discriminatory behavior will be tolerated in Hesperus Aurora Grove. All members will be treated as equals without exception. No person desiring admittance to the Grove will be refused on the basis of race, religious belief, gender, or other, but will be accepted solely on the basis of a presentation of a petition which may be written, oral or otherwise, stating their belief in the basic tenets of this Druidic Grove, which are:

1) Druidism is an ancient spiritual path with many dimensions and aspects, although primarily it is ‘earth-centered’ and seeks wisdom and knowledge through direct contact and study of nature and the universe. It is the basic belief of this Grove that nature is complex and interrelated, that the human being is but one of the many elements in this creation and that an understanding if the relationships with nature is one key to spiritual happiness.
2) A belief in and desire to follow the eightfold path of cyclical observances oitline in Article IV.
3) A belief in and desire to follow the three essential tenets of Druidry, and the fifteen virtues outlined above.
4) An understanding of the basic Celto-Druid cosmology of land, sky and sea.
5) A belief in the role of Druids in Celtic society as a professional class, and by extension that this professionalism may be emulated in our own time for the benefit of this group, the general community in Colorado, and both nationally and internationally.
6) An understanding of, an willingness to follow the thirteen aspects of love outlines above in Article VI.

Membership shall not be limited by location. Any individual expressing their desire to join Hesperus Aurora Grove shall be admitted regardless of their origins. No member shall impose or seek to influence any other member/s in religious, theological or spiritual doctrine. Members may share experiences, impart objective knowledge, teach or lecture on topics of specialization, or generally, or offer insights into their spiritual values, but there should never at any time be an intention or resolution to convert or change the spiritual or religious beliefs of any other member/s. It is the sole and unchangeable view of Hesperus Aurora Grove that absolutely no spiritual path is inherently superior to any other.

ARTICLE VIII

Hesperus Aurora Grove cannot accept responsibility for any criminal damages caused by members whilst committing illegal activities. This Grove does not support any unlawful activity. Hesperus Aurora Grove cannot be held responsible for any mental illness contracted as a result of beliefs or doctrines contained within this constitution.

ARTICLE IX

Amendments to this constitution may be enacted after two consecutive meetings of members with majority votes on items for correction or addition.

MEMBERS

The constitution and organization of Hesperus Aurora Grove is put into motion with the following members, who join of their free will and may likewise choose to leave:

Jan Preston Dunn. Ed. Le-Rae. Sam Kuntz. Shawn. Simon Shupp. Ben Alexander. Ryan. Shirley. J. W. Rockies. Laura. Laura Allen. David J. Drew. Shannon.

Psalm for Brighid/Imbolc 2007

2007-05-23T15:05:00.000-07:00

Look! Across the fields and see an ocean of ice retreating,
To a pale silver blush of frost on the distant mountain peaks,
And then, the whistle of a plover, pied herald of a benevolent mother;
A warm fragrance, a taste of inspiration, cold palms eager for the forge...
O' your breath is a fresh sigh of new life, like mist across lands neglected by summers light.
So, the flame licks the shadows past, your hearth is kindled; Welcome...
Your pregnant joy bursts into blossoms of color, and lambs suckle on spring milk.

An bhuil me sa ghairdin? (Am I in the garden?)

2007-05-23T14:56:00.000-07:00

A Question of Illumination:

Go mbeid gra is sonas i ndan duit (May love and happiness be your destiny) .........

Many people ask me of the nature of enlightenment, what some call 'Buddha-Hood' and in my own humble way I present them with this short tale of one in ancient times past:
Enlightenment is like the very old man whose sole desire in life was to be like the Buddha, and to this end he spent his days and hours in the temple, praying, chanting, meditating with vigor and enthusiasm in the pursuit of transendence. As he was lighting some incense toward the end of one day there was a huge explosion of amazing light, and he himself was enveloped in a beautiful warm glow which filled him with an intense feeling of absolute bliss. He knew instantly that his moment had arrived, and he ran out of the temple onto the path homeward to tell his wife and son of his amazing experience and joy. He passed under a tall tree by the path, and in the uppermost branches was a small monkey with a large rock, and when it saw the man it threw the rock down... and the rock struck the man directly on the temple, killing him dead!

Such is the mysterious beauty of enlightenment.

Ta me sa ghairdin (I am in the garden).

The Lorica of Lugh Lamhfadha

2007-05-18T16:09:00.000-07:00

The lorica or ‘shielding’ has a long and venerable history in Irish Gaelic spirituality. It is known primarily as a morning prayer of protection, oft used by Christian saints such as Patrick to guard themselves against the evils of the world. However, this chanting and lyrical form of poetry predates monotheism in Ireland and can be traced to the incantations and oaths recited by warriors before battle. Adopted then by the ‘soldiers of Christ’ in their spiritual warfare. The Pagan intention was to assume an impenetrable sphere or shield of energy around themselves, much like armor, and this power was one bestowed upon an individual by the gods supreme, as can be seen in this exchange between Conchobar and the hero Cuchulainn in the Tain:

“I swear by my Gods whom I worship, they shall all come under me… just as I have put myself under the shielding and protection of the Gods.”

The other great lorica is ‘Rop tu mo Baile’ or ‘Be Thou my Vision’ attributed to the 8th century High-Poet of Ireland and Christian saint Dallan Forghail, (born 830 CE and martyred in 898). Dallan was famed for preserving and reforming the ancient Bardic Order of Druids, and writing the eloquent biography of St. Columcille ‘Amra Cholium Chille.’ Dallan’s lorica focuses specifically on adopting virtues as a shield, and it is in this context that I created my own chant, together with the use of his primary phrase ‘thou vision’ as a repeating mantra. A short gloss in Dallan’s Amra gives a further insight into his beautiful and poetic mind with relations to virtue:

“Fo is a name for good and for honor;
Fi is a name for evil and for disobedience;
An is true and it is no weak knowledge,
Iath is diadem and iath is land.

Mur means multitude yonder in the law,
Coph is victory, it is a full right word,
Du is a place, du means thy right,
Cail is protection and cul is chariot.”

Other valuable references to Gaelic virtues are found in the ‘Audacht Morainn Mac Moin’ or The Testament Addressed to Feradach find Fechtnach Mac Craumthann Nia Nar, and ‘The Instructions of King Cormac to his son Cairbe.’ Specific legal obligations are to be found amongst the ancient Brehon laws in the ‘Senchus Mor.’ My Lorica is directed toward the magnificent warrior god Lugh, who I see as the Lord of protection, of borders and boundaries, the archetypal hero who appears in the ‘Cath Magh Tuireadh’ or 2nd Battle of Moytura in which he joins forces with the Tuatha de Danann against the malevolent Fomhoraigh. Such are the brilliant and shining strengths of Lugh that the Gaels could never relinquish their believe in him, even after conversion to Christianity, and thereafter adopted him in the guise of St. Michael the Archangel… another formidable combatant and knight of the good against the darkest cosmic forces. I also drew guidance from the nine pagan virtues elucidated in the dedicant program of ‘Ar n’Draiocht Fein’ and then added a grounding plaint wherein the bodily existence is compared to, and woven into the essential elements of existence (as perceived within Celtic lore) and these were taken from a manuscript in the British Museum in London; BM MS 478 Folio 7a. Combined as a whole, I feel that the lorica kindles a powerful and presiding strength of purpose from which no fear could be adopted in the course of one’s daily activities:

The Lorica (Shielding) of Thiarna Lugh Lamhfhada

Rop Tu Mo Baile (Be Thou My Vision, Pron: rop thu may valley)
Shining Valor-God
Balm my senses, with
Sun-blessed tincture
Of visions beyond boundaries

Rop Tu Mo Baile
Bless me with Wisdom
Truth’s deepest well
Shimmering Salmon of destiny
Against slander and deceit

Rop Tu Mo Baile
Bless me with sacred thought
All encompassing piety
Immersed in Natures flow
Against invasion and chaos.

Rop Tu Mo Baile
Bless my heart with courage
Stag leaping with sure power
Swift songs through a glade
Against shadows of weakness.

Rop Tu Mo Baile
Bless my throne of integrity
A seat of high-honor, nobility
From the eternal stone of oaths
Against lips of liars.

Rop Tu Mo Baile
Bless me with oak sturdiness
Rule of discipline and dedication
Perseverance in cross gales
Against lazy cots of sleep.

Rop Tu Mo Baile…
Bless me with a hospitable hand
Greetings generous, healing touch
Charity and purity unbound
Against gluttonous disease and famine.

Rop Tu Mo Baile
Bless with a calm lake of moderation
Weighed on scales of harmony
A hawk balanced in flight
Against slavery and desire.

Rop Tu Mo Baile…
Bless me with fertile eloquence
Poetry of creation seeds
Woven tapestry of fine words
Against blunt tools and barren land.

Rop Tu Mo Baile.

"May my face glow with the intensity of the Sun’s forge, my back blossom with the strength of the tree of life, my flesh be enriched as the deep earth, my blood flow and surge like the oceans wide, my thoughts translucent and graceful as the clouds, my breath fragrant as fresh spring winds, my bones firm and sturdy as mountain stones, my mind tranquil as the phases of the moon, my head in amazement of the blanketed stars at night… and may my spirit remain pure and truthful, within and without, as a living spark of energy in the center with all things of beauty and passion."

Biodh Se

David D.

A Litany for Danu

2007-05-17T15:18:00.000-07:00

Danu is the Great Archetypal Mother-Goddess of the Gaelic peoples, in the fragmentary creation myths that have come down to us through ages past she is but a mysterious whisper, of immense stature but elusive in character. Danu is connected with the origins of the cosmos and credited with being the first matron of existence. In these modern times She is percieved as a vital life force, a universal energy much like the TAO which flows like a mighty river of passion through all. In the Vedic tradition her name means 'Waters from Heaven' although in the Gaelic perception and language she is all at once the 'Birther, sustainer and giver' Connected to her name is the Irish term 'Dan' meaning destiny, and Bradan which is the name of the salmon.Danu is particularly associated with water, rain and rivers; the Danube is one example named after her. I composed this litany in her honor:

Sireadh Thall… Sireadh Thall… Sireadh Thall…
(Seek Beyond… Seek Beyond… Seek Beyond…)

O Great Danu… A Maithair De (O Thou Mother-God)
O Danu of the Heights and Depths… A Maithair De
O Ocean of Tides, Waters of Heaven… A Maithair De
O Mistress of Mists… A Maithair De
O Sovereign of Warriors… A Maithair De
O Goddess of Grace Overflowing… A Maithair De
O Swift Wind of Blessings… A Maithair De
O Fire of Eternal Glory… A Maithair De
O Cloud of Dreams… A Maithair De
O Mother of Harmony… A Maithair De
O Lady of Green Plains… A Maithair De
O Word of Honor… A Maithair De
O Sign of Tranquility… A Maithair De
O Gate of Heaven… A Maithair De
O Golden Vessel… A Maithair De
O Pillar of Destiny… A Maithair De
O Harbor of Truth… A Maithair De
O Spear of Victory… A Maithair De
O Shield of Tribes… A Maithair De
O Fountain of Hearts… A Maithair De
O Waters Purifying… A Maithair De
O Virgin Snow… A Maithair De
O Origin of the Gael… A Maithair De
O Passion of Love… A Maithair De
O Field of Songs… A Maithair De
O Star of the Sea… A Maithair De
O Maternal Blossom… A Maithair De
O Hand-Maid of the Dawn… A Maithair De
O Pinnacle of the Day… A Maithair De
O Grace of Dusk… A Maithair De
O Serene Cycles of the Moon… A Maithair De
O Resplendent Harvest… A Maithair De
O Fruit of Fertility… A Maithair De
O Seed of Life… A Maithair De
O Mead of Vision… A Maithair De
O Essence of Creation… A Maithair De
O Secret Garden… A Maithair De
O Glimmering Brook… A Maithair De
O Voice of Inspiration… A Maithair De
O Mountain of Shades… A Maithair De
O Cautious Thought… A Maithair De
O Subtle Action… A Maithair De
O Bountiful Reward… A Maithair De
O Temple of the Living Soul… A Maithair De
O Throne of the Eternal Youth… A Maithair De
O Grove of Sanctuary… A Maithair De
O Guardian of Genealogies… A Maithair De
O Nobility of the Oak… A Maithair De
O Return of the Yew… A Maithair De
O Birth of the Birch… A Maithair De
O Wisdom of the Hazel… A Maithair De
O Vitality of the Apple… A Maithair De
O Womb of the Salmon… A Maithair De
O Palm of Silver… A Maithair De
O Maze of Delight… A Maithair De
O Milk of the Sky… A Maithair De
O Whisper of Dance… A Maithair De
O Queen of the Hive… A Maithair De
O Tear of Mourning… A Maithair De
O Great Danu… A Maithair De

Mar a bha… Mar a tha… Mar a bhitheas… Go Brath…
(As it was… As it is… As it shall be… Evermore…)

Ri Traghadh… Sri Lionadh…
(With the ebb… With the flow…)

Biodh Se, David.

A History of Beltaine, the Spring-Celebration

2007-05-12T15:50:00.000-07:00

Seo e an samhradh a thiocfas go haerach
Thugar fein an samhradh linn
Samhradh bui o lui na griene
Thugamar fein an samhradh linn

(This is the Summer that will come gaily, we have brought the Summer in, Yellow summer from the bed of the sun, We have brought the Summer in). – Old Irish Beltaine song.

Beltaine (pron. Bel’ta-na) or ‘bright fire’ is the Celtic festival which marks the beginning of the summer. It is traditionally celebrated on the 1st of May, or in pre-reformation times on the first Monday or Tuesday of May. In astronomical terms it is the cross-quarter day at the junction of the vernal equinox and summer solstice. Beltaine was the opening of the fertile season toward the second division of the Celtic year known as ‘An ghrian mor’ or ‘the great sun,’ as opposed to ‘An ghrian beg’ or the lesser sun which ran from the festival and time of Samhain to Beltaine. Thus Beltaine opened the light half of a year, the other half being dark. On the Coligny calendar Beltaine is represented by ‘Samivisionis’ or the time of brightness and illumination occurring from May to June.

The Irish chronicler Cormac in the 9th century links Druidic ritual to Beltaine, in a description of the creation of two bonfires between which a herd of cattle were driven in symbolic ritual to ward off disease. These ritual bonfires had several purposes, being principally the acknowledgement of the power of the sun, as a source of heat, light, power and sustenance, a recognition of the powerful solar healing powers, and it is believed by some scholars as a form of worship of the sun as a deity. In essence the bonfire was a homage and intended to replicate the sun’s power on earth, as a fertilizer; spreading the remnants of ashes over the ground to aid the germination of seed crops, the fire may also have been seen as a purifier which burned out the old year like a hot fever.

Irish myths show a connection between Beltaine, fire and rituals. In the Lebor Gabala Erin (The Book of Invasions) a Druid named Mide who founded Meath, is recorded as being the first to light a Beltaine fire. The tale is somewhat continued in the Dinnschenchas (The History of Places), where the fire started by Mide spreads throughout Ireland much to the annoyance of other Irish Druids. Mide then proceeds to cut out their tongues and ritually burn them, thereby depriving the other Druids of their essential power of expression; speech, prophecy and satire. Tara is the sacred site in Ireland, in County Meath, which dates back to Neolithic times and mythology represented the royal seat of the kings of Ireland. It was later designated as the location for the Congregation of the National Assembly at Beltaine.

Beltaine was also known as ‘Cetsamhain’ or opposite Samhain in Ireland. It does seem possible that the festival was associated with the continental Celtic sun-god and healer Belenus. The name Bel also means mouth or an opening, tane means fire. Belenus probably represented the curative powers of solar energy, whilst also providing a pathway of visionary power between this world and the spiritual plane of existence.

Beltaine appears to have been a major fertility festival, celebrating the birth process behind the agricultural season, and accompanied by explicit and symbolic sexual rituals. The so called ‘Long Man of Cerne’ or the Cerne Abbas Giant, a naked male image carved into a chalk hillside in Dorset, in south-west Britian was the location for annual Beltaine festivals, all recorded in the early 1900’s. The image of the giant with a huge erect phallus definitely connects the festival to fertile celebrations. A description of a May-day festival by the Elizabethan puritan Philip Stubbes (1550 – 1593) in his ‘Anatomy of Abuses’ in 1583, gives an opinionated but enlightening depiction of the process of the celebration:

“Every parish, town, and village assemble themselves together, both men, women and children, old and young……… and either going all together or dividing themselves into companies, some go to the woods and groves, some to the hills and mountains……… where they spend all night in pleasant pastimes, and in the morning they return, bringing with them birch boughs, and branches of trees to deck their assemblies withal. And no marvel, for there is a great lord amongst them, as superintendent and lord over there pastimes and sports, namely Satan the Prince of Hell. But their chiefest jewel that they bring from thence is their Maypole, which they bring home with great veneration, as thus; they have twenty or forty of oxen, each ox having a sweet nosegay of flowers tied on the tip of his horns, and these oxen draw this Maypole (this stinking idol rather) which is covered all over with flowers and herbs, bound round with strings and sometimes painted with variable colors, with two or three hundred men, women and children following it with great devotion. And thus being reared up with hankerchiefs and flags streaming on top, they straw the ground about, bind green boughs about it, set up summer halls, bowers and arbors hard by; and then fall to banquet and feast, to leap and dance about it, as the Heathen people did at the dedication of their idols, whereof this is a perfect pattern.”

In Stubbes account there is a definite sense of ‘earth veneration’, fertility and celebration of life, with the involvement of live-stock/animals as oxen, and gay decorations. The origins of planting a representation of a phallus into the earth (womb) and venerating it as a symbol of fertility is primarily Indo-European or Aryan in nature. The Maypole is still the ‘Great Lingam’ (a penis or phallic pillar) found in the core of Hindu temples in India, firmly planted into the receptive ground. John Stow (1525 – 1603) the London chronicler gives an altogether more spiritual assessment of the May festival:

“On Monday in the mornings, every man would walk into sweet meadows and green woods, there to rejoice their spirits with the beauty and savor of sweet flowers, and with the harmony of birds, praising God in their kind…”

The month of May represents Maya or Maia, the virgin Goddess of spring. Worship of this particular Goddess and the rituals associated with her have strong connections and are identifiable with the Roman spring festival of Floralia. One key aspect of these celebrations is the presence of a ‘May Queen’ who is inevitably a virgin bride representing the earth mother or Maya herself. The ancient Irish ceremony for the inauguration of a king involved a similar symbolic earth deity, a feminine protectress to whom the king was married, and establishing a contract to guard and preserve the land. The British tradition however appears to lean toward a Latin Paganism, William Stuckley observed several intimations of this in a May celebration in 1724;

“There is a Maypole near Horn Castle, Lincolnshire, where probably a Hermes (a phallic pillar) in Roman times. The boys annually keep up the festival of the Floralia on Mayday, making a procession to this hill with May gads (as they call them) in their hands. This is a white willow wand, the bark peeled off, tied around with cowslips, a thyrsus of the Bacchanals. At night they have a bonfire, and other merriment, which is really a sacrifice, a religious festival.”

In Britain the May festival was celebrated with branches and flowers of the hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha), picked the night before and used to decorate windows and doors, which are symbolic of openings, birth, passageways of life through the earth; the feminine aspect of the festival. The hawthorn in this respect was perceived as a cleansing and protecting agent, with the heavy and pungent musky aroma of the flowers observed as an essentially feminine attribute. The ritualistic nature-blessing is preserved in this children’s rhythm from Mother Goose;

The fair maid who, the first of May
Goes to the fields at break of day
And washes in dew from the hawthorn tree,
Will ever after handsome be.

Hawthorn, or in Gaelic huath, is the 6th letter of the Ogham tree alphabet. As it flowers in May it was seen as a rising aspect of sexuality, a garland of the leaves were often placed around the tip of the phallic Maypole. Wood from the hawthorn was the principle ingredient for bonfires at this time, since it provides the hottest fire known. Presumably it was thus used by blacksmiths and metal workers and gained a mystical and magical reputation as a tree which provided traditional crafts with the fire of inspiration. Common names for the hawthorn are may, may-blossom and may-bush. The Hitchin Mayday song gives an important role for the hawthorn;

“Remember us poor Mayers all!
And thus we do begin
To lead our lives in righteousness,
Or else we die in sin.

We have been rambling all the night,
And almost all the day;
And now returned back again,
We have brought you a branch of may.

A branch of may we have brought you,
And at your door it stands;
It is but a sprout,
But its well budded out,
By the work of our Lord’s hand…

… The heavenly gates are open wide,
Our paths are beaten plain;
And if a man be not too far gone,
He may return again... “

Despite being Christianized the Hitchin song preserves and reveals several Pagan themes and symbols. The term Mayers is purely pre-Christian Roman from the Latin Maiores, who were elder statesmen in the senate, and could possibly be derived from devotees or worshippers of the spring Goddess Maia. Righteousness and sin may refer to the original two divisions of the Celtic year, with Mayday or Beltaine being the cross-over. Rambling during the night contains clear sexual connotations, of the performance of fertile activities to encourage the blossoming of a new year, as does the branch of may with a sprout. Dew was regarded as being left on May morning by the earth spirits or Faeries, and as previously mentioned, anyone bathing in this natural nectar was said to retain their youthful countenance, the perfect health and shape of the inhabitants of ‘Tir na n’Og’ or the Land of Ever-Young. It was on Mayday that the doors or gates of this otherworld were opened up, bringing fresh blessings, and the man who has not gone too far may refer to the ancient Celtic myth of Tir na n’Og; a place of eternal time, beyond normal perceptions… perhaps this man has traveled there, come back yet remained unchanged?

Over the years there were many attempts on the part of the Christian church to prevent the May celebration. In the 7th century the Bishop Eligius of Noyens begged his flock to stop the sexually infused rituals, but without success. Where the church failed, the industrial revolution gained ground. The process of urbanization succeeded in dismantling the village community based cultural expressions of spirituality, in 1829 Thomas Carlyle commented;

“For some unearthly reason, we have machines and mechanical furtherances; for mincing our cabbages; for casting us into magnetic sleep. We remove mountains, make seas our smooth highway; nothing can resist us. We war with rude nature; and by our restless engines, come off victorious, and loaded with spoils……… But, leaving these matters for the present, let us observe how the mechanical genius of our time has diffused into quite other provinces. Not the external and physical alone is now managed by machinery, but the internal and spiritual also…”

Toward the twentieth century, community celebrations like Mayday became increasingly fractured and remote, only distant memories of the past, renamed and politically neutralized, sanitized by increasingly conservative morality, misogynistic anti-feminist propaganda and the desire to mount, extract and control natural forces. Paul Theroux comments on a Mayday journey in the early 1980’s;

“It was London’s labor day, celebrated by marching Union-men and speeches in Trafalger Square……… neutralized as a Spring Bank holiday……… associated with a trip to a coastal resort……… “

Perhaps with an ever growing interest in earth based faith, ecology and spirituality, new links to the ancient practice and significance of Beltaine and Mayday can be forged, with a reworking of the old rituals that lend a profound understanding of the human relationship with nature. Various annual ‘earth day’ celebrations have been instituted worldwide, the most famous being the April 22nd Earth Day started by Gaylord Nelson in 1970. A rival Earth Day creator who claims seniority is John McConnell (purporting to have established his festival one month earlier on the 1st of March 1970 to coincide with the Spring equinox). The McConnell earth day specifically seeks to provide a genuine spiritual, cosmological, intellectual and ancient basis for a dynamic day of earth based activities. The more secular Arbor day, usually celebrated on the last Friday of April, and instituted by J. Sterling Morton in 1872 is again a genuine springtime attempt to involve people with one of the most visible aspects of the natural world; the tree. It may be a romantic notion, but maybe the new naturalists are silently inspired by the words of the mythical bard Fionn Mac Cumhail, hero of the Irish Fiann cycle, who after receiving his divine wisdom sings a beautiful ode to spring;

“It is the full month of May, the pleasant time; it’s face is beautiful: the blackbird sings his full song, the living wood is his holding, the cuckoos are singing and ever singing; there is a welcome before the brightness………

The man is gaining, the girl in her comely power growing, every wood is without fault, from the top to the ground, and every wide good plain………

There is a hot desire on you for the racing of horses, a bright spear has been shot into the earth and the flag flower is golden beneath it……… “

The true essence of Beltaine is the resonance of revelation, the birth of a new vision and belief in ourselves. A true May ritual refreshes our connections with the land, establishes a firm foundation as a marriage in which as respective partners we work together to ensure success, fertility and a bountiful future of joy and bliss. It is encouraging to realize that a new and invigorated movement of Celtic spiritualists are actively pursuing a reformation and reconstruction of the Beltaine festival, and so I give the last word to a Druidess named Kim, who both sums up her appreciation for Beltain and concludes and summarizes this article;

“Beltaine equals in importance to Samhain, as both mark the halfway points in the year. Beltaine marks the beginning of the light half of the year which is called samos. It is celebrated with fire, appropriately. It is a celebration of the Sun, and it's dominance over dark. Fire of purification and fertility are symbols in this festival. Cattle are driven through the Beltaine fires for purification and good health. People leap the fires for luck, babies are passed over the smoldering ashes to health and so on. In Scotland and Wales this fire was built by nine men using nine woods. The sun's healing power is also sought it another custom of rising with the sun and bathing in the morning dew just as the sun hit's it on may day. The fire in water sacredness is the concept behind this. The sun's healing power is said to be very strong on this day. Another practice is to bottle the water/dew and use it in healing remedies throughout the year."

Kim cites two interesting Irish triads (a traditional saying with a spiritually educating undertone)

“The three most powerful divinations are by fire, by water, and by clay.”

“These are the three great powers: The power that ascends, which is fire; the power that falls, which is water; and the power that lies level on the earth, and has the mystery of the dead, which is clay.”

The basic themes contained within the traditional Beltaine festival, and included within the context of Celtic reconstructionism for the purposes of authentic ritual include; the liminal time existing within the transition from the dark to the light half of the year, purification and healing energy from the power of fire, the sacred marriage of the young prince to the spring maiden and the defeat of the ‘dark’ king of winter represented as the hawthorn tree. Generally speaking, we see elements of passion, fertility, love, warmth and increasing natural power… all rising to the summit of the year; the Summer Solstice.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND SOURCES:

Green M. Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend. Thames and Hudson, London 1992.
Green M. The World of The Druids. Thames and Hudson, London 1997.
Mountfort P. R. Ogam. Rider Press, 2001.
Nicholas R. The Book of Druidry, Thorsens, 1990.
Plowden A. Elizabethan England. Readers Digest, London. ISBN 0340 23044.
Walker B.G. The Womans Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets. Harper and Row 1993.
Herbal Remedies, Gedes and Grosset. London 1996.
Theroux P. The Kingdom by the Sea. Washington Square Press 1994.
Dorner P. The Culture of Craft. Manchester University Press 1997.
Kondratiev A. The Apple Branch. Citadel Press 2003.

An Ceangal Foundation: http://www.efn.org/
Meaning of the Ogham Staves: http://ogham.lyberty.com/
The Hitchin Mayday Song: http://www.nimblewisdom.com/
The Gaylord-Nelson Earth Day: http://www.earthday.net/
The John McConnell Earth Day: http://www.earthsite.org/
Arbor day: http://www.arborday.org/
Denver Druids: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DenverDruids/

Biodh se
David

The Celtic Animal:

2007-03-19T11:36:00.000-07:00

"Modern urban dwellers are cushioned, to and extent, from the rhythm of the seasons, from the immediate effects of good and poor harvests and of the health and fertility of flocks and herds.........in any pre-industrial and rural society, the association of communities with the natural environment and their dependance on it are both close and direct."

Miranda Green identifies the close proximity that ancient Celts had with their environment. It was essentially a life that involved a close ineraction with nature. With foliate and zoomorphic designs Celtic artists took much of their inspiration from the plant and animal world to produce some of the most fantastic and original art in history. The Celts percieved supernatural forces in all natural phenomena to the extent that every tree, mountain, rock and river was seen to possess its own 'numen' or individual spirit. The sanctity with which elements of the landscape and natural phenomena was beheld further led the Celts to venerate animals dwelling in the land, and further becoming the objects or elements of elaborate rituals and the center of profiund belief systems. In some cases animals became the link between the ordinary and the divine sacred, or otherworld.

On the most basic level, animals (in Celtic mythology) are tied into fertility and vitality, as Lars Nooden points out. They also become channels of communication to the realms of the Gods and spirits. The origins of these beliefs may be shamanic. Certain animals are associated with specific attributes;

1) Boars represent fertility, wealth and courage.
2) Salmon represent knowledge and wisdom.
3) Snakes (and dragons) represent strife, trouble and infertility.
4) Birds represent prophetic knowledge, skill of for-seeing the future.
5) Horses, cattle and pigs (all domesticated animals) represent fertility, assurity, personal wealth and status.

The Celts firmly believed in rebirth and reincarnation as demonstrated by the story of Fintain and the Hawk of Achille. Some Celtic people believed that the soul of a person may be reborn as a very small animal, sometimes a fly or worm. Druids believed that the tiny and humble wren was the reborn soul of a human and was considered sacred, called 'Droo-in.'
In Christian Celtic myth the four evangelist (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) are represented as animals; the winged man of the incarnation, the majestic lion, the sacrificial calf or ox, and the ascending eagle.

For me, the epitomy of the relationship between the Celt and the animal world is summed up by a 4th century AD monastic scribe, idly writing a poem in the margin of a manuscript ( a Latin commentary on Virgil) in which he compares himself and his pet cat:

"I and 'Pangur-Ban' my cat,
Tis a like task we are at:
Hunting mice is his delight,
Hunting words I sit all night.

Tis a merry thing to see
At our tasks how glad are we,
When at home we sit and find
Entertainment to our mind...

...So in peace our task we ply,
Pangur Ban my cat and I;
In our arts we find our bliss,
I have mine and he has his."

Conclusions:
More than anything the Celtic view of animal life reminds us that we should perservere in maintaining a working relationship with the natural world order. Perhaps we are not 'the dominant species' but simply one element of a greater whole. We must repsect animals as beings with inherent souls and/or spirits, that can enhance our appreciation for the universe, our dialog and communication with the Gods, ancestors and spirits. If we take the life of an animal in order to preserve our own let it be done with dignity and due respect. All creatures should be awarded the honor that is due to them by reason of their simply existing.

Jain Zazek, The Art of The Celts.

Joelle Miller, Symbolic Meanings of some of the Animals Appearing in Celtic Art (From Celtic Myth and Magic by Edain McCoy):
http://www.joellessacredgrove.com/celtic/animals.html

Lars Nooden, Animal Symbolism in Celtic Mythology:
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~lars/rel375.html

Miranda Green, Animals in Celtic Life and Myth:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0415185882/002-8556887-1631258?v=glance&n=283155

Tacitus and Caractacus

2007-03-18T10:35:00.000-07:00

Caractacus was the Chieftan/King of the Catuvellauni tribe (lands central/west Britian, north-west of London towards Wales) at the time of the Roman invasion under the Commander Aulus Plautius (circa 50 CE). He had a brother named Togodumnus, together they were sons of the British King Cunobelinus. As a strong and dominant force, Caractacus and his tribe resisted the Roman invasion for over 9 years, although they were defeated by Roman forces in the East.
Caractacus moved west to the Silures (Glamorgan in Wales) where another skirmish took place with Roman troops, although it was an undecisive conflict. Then he moved north to the tribal lands of the Ordivices (central Gwynned, south Clywd, north Powys) in preparation for a major battle. The exact location of Caractus's last stand is unknown, despite archeological surveys, though local legend suggests a place called Caer Caradog, or Llanymynech, a limestone bur in Shropshire, a natural location for strong defense/offence position.

Caractacus was apparently an intelligent and capable General. It was at this location that he was defeated by a force under the command of the Roman Governer Ostorius Scapula in 51CE, however, Caractacus escaped the carnage of the battle and ran northwards to the lands of the Brigantes under Queen Cartimandua. The Brigante Queen was a Roman sympathiser and under a 'client/ruler' contract (the Romans allowed her to rule with comparitive automny). Queen Cartimandua therefore welcomed, held and then handed Caractacus over to the Roman authorities. He was then dispatched to Rome as a slave (together with his wife and son). Such was Caractacus's sense of nobility and justice that the Emporer Cladius pardoned him, and allowed him and his family to live out their life in peace in Italy. Caractus's place and time of death are unknown. For me, the most poignant part of Tacitus's record of these events, is his record of Caractus's speech at the Emperor's tribunal;"Had my moderation in prosperity been equal to my noble birth and fortune, I should have entered this city as your friend rather than as your captive; and you would not have disdained to recieve, under treaty of peace, a King descended from illustrious ancestors and ruling many nations. My present lot is as glorious to you as it is degrading to myself. I had men and horses, arms and wealth. What wonder if I parted with them reluctantly? If you Romans choose to lord it over the world, does it follow that the world is to accept slavery? Were I to have been once delivered up as a prisoner, neither my fall nor your triumph would have become famous. My punishment would have followed oblivion, whereas, if you save my life, I shall be an everlasting memorial of your clemency"In this speech, Caractacus displays a well informed knowledge of the international politics of the day, I wonder also if he was fluent in Latin (or the Romans in Gaelic)? He is also acutely aware that his life and actions have a historical importance, knowing that his captors are recording everything for posterity. Strange as it may seem, had it not been for the Romans we may never have known about Caractacus, the Gaels, the Druids and have such important documentation. There is an ancient stone which commemorates Caractus:

Pictured above, at Winsford Hill (SS 88983355) The inscription reads "CARAACI NEPUS', or the 'kinsman of Caractus.' The location of the stone is Exmoor, an expansive and wild plain located in the south-east of Britian in Devon. A shelter was built for it in 1906. The stone was first documented in 1219 as a Forest boundary and called the "Langeston". A little stone hut has been built round it! There seems a modern impulse somehow to domesticate standing stones, to impose our suburban mind set upon their wildness.The practice of siting a Romano-British memorial stone, along a track way up on the hill is a Roman one - think of the tombs along the Appian Way.

SOURCES:

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9G_Rts.ev1FP3EBBA.jzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTBsYnVxczg1BHNlYwNwcm9mBHZ0aWQDSTA2N184OQ--/SIG=12gplrl0b/EXP=1174326206/**http://www.celiahaddon.co.uk/standing%20stones/exmoor.html

http://www.britannia.com/history/bb51.html

http://www.roman-britian.org/
Tacitus. Annals, Book XIICoutrell, Leonard, "The Roman Invasion of Britian," Barnes & Noble, New York, 1992

Woad

2007-03-17T15:34:00.000-07:00

Woad (Isatus tinctoria/I. indigotica)

In his memoirs of the Gallic wars against the ‘brutish Western Pagans’ Julius Caesar draws a conclusive observation of the tribes he encountered in the south east of Britain in his principal invasion;

“Omnes vero se Britannii vitro infuciant.” (All the Britons die themselves with woad).

In addition to its historical use as a dye and a medium for tattooing, woad also has a long tradition as a herbal medicine. Also called Da Qing Ye in the Chinese pharmacopiea, it is a powerful antibacterial and antiviral; containing the essential compounds Indican and Isatin B. This makes it suitable and effective against most common bacterial infections, particularly those originating from staphylococci, pneumococci and meningococci. Another scientific study identified another antimicrobial substance in woad called tryptanthrin which is effective against dermatophytes, which are fungi that cause skin diseases such as ringworm. Woad may help with a variety of conditions such as influenza, meningitis, encephalitis, and common skin disorders such as warts, and athletes foot. As an anti-inflammatory it increases phagocytosis (the pathogen destroying capacity of white blood cells), thus aiding the elimination of infections.

The recommended dosage of the powdered herb is 2g, 4-6 times per day.

In the Judgement of Cormac Mac Airt, a historical Irish tale, Woad or glaisin plays a key role in the restoration of justice; When Cormac, the rightful heir to the throne of all Ireland was a boy, he lived in Tara in disguise; for the throne was held by the usurper Mac-Conn, so that Cormac dared not reveal himself. There was at that time a female ‘Brewy’ or peasant named Bennaid whose sheep trespassed on the Royal Domain and consequently ate up the Queen’s valuable crop of glaisin (woad-plants) which were used for dying cloth. The Queen instituted proceedings for damages, and the question came up before the King for a decision. The King, who after hearing the evidence decided that the sheep should be forfeit in payment for the loss of the glaisin. “Not so.” Exclaimed the stranger-boy Cormac, who was present. And who could not restrain his judicial instincts and inheritance. “The cropping of the sheep should be sufficient for the cropping of the glaisin; the wool for the woad, both will grow again.” “That is a true judgement.” Exclaimed all, “And he who has pronounced it is surely the Son of a King.”

More info on Woad body-art:

http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A9G_Rq8Bx7ZEyv4ApBOjzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTA4NDgyNWN0BHNlYwNwcm9m/SIG=12k0rhh4t/EXP=1152915585/**http:/www.hippy.com/albion/woad_and_modern_tribal_bodyart_i.htm

Teaglach: A Family Spiral...

2007-03-14T10:06:00.000-07:00

This poem investigates the spiral of life, from death, through the gate of rebirth to life. The connection between dark and bright, the spirit manifested within the body. Within the structure of the poem I have attempted to reconcile the old theological doctrine of dualism and extend it, to incorporate the validity and connection between the transcendant and the corporeal. There within is the notion of our life on a constant spiral, ever connected from ancient time to infinite possibility.........

Teaghlach (Family Spiral)

Spiritual swirling world, disintegrating strands of life
Forgetting memories, whirls of sense, vibrant
Wandering down-ward, wind-washed descending
Maze of voices, concentric, slipping
Dividing sound of rains, splitting
Surfing, swimming, dripping round
On a serpentine path
An invisible
Reduction
Door-man
Of
Death
+
Birth
A
Wom-an
Succulent
Warm – delicious
Lake of nourishment
Gentle, palm-voices forming
Finger-prints etched, building in
Bone, muscle, sinew, flesh, ovular
Creating, envisaging, formula – bond
Perception, apprehension, desire into
Force; heart – pumping, wrenching, sucking contraction
Surge – gushing, bursting, screaming, swirling spiritual

God of the Seanrog

2007-03-13T12:05:00.000-07:00

The Shamrock and the Spring Equinox.

As a symbol of St. Patrick’s Day on March 17th the shamrock has gained immense notoriety and popularity. It has come to represent the entire immensity of Irish Celtic culture, and a cause of cultural celebration. This is both a secular and religious occasion in remembrance of the death of the fifth century Christian Saint Patrick. Whilst the spiritual aspect of the feast may have been held for over a thousand years, the first secular day was only celebrated in March 17th 1752 in New York, by Irish troops serving in the British Army.

My investigations into the origins of this day led me to believe that this celebration was, in the pre-Christian Irish community a festival of the Vernal Equinox. Although there is no written evidence to support this theory I took into account several sources, including the very potent symbol of the shamrock itself. The first fragment of Pagan Irish lore that I considered was a ‘God of the Shamrock’ mentioned in a medieval tale called ‘The Settling of the Manor of Tara.’ Tara’ by the name of Trefuilngid Treeochair (Triple Bearer of The Triple Key), the one who causes the sun to rise and set and who stands at this point midway. A glorious God of Spring not unlike the figure of Dionysis, who brings as yet unripe fruits of green, and aids in the divisions and organization of the land. The name ‘Tree-foil’ means three-leaves and is connected to the characteristic form of the shamrock.

It is reputed that at Armagh St. Patrick explained the doctrine of the Trinity, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost through the example of the three-leafed shamrock:

Good St. Patrick traveled far, to teach God's Holy Word
And when he came to Erin's sod, a wondrous thing occurred
He plucked a shamrock from the earth and held it in His hand
To symbolize the Trinity that all might understand
The first leaf for the Father
And the second for the Son
The third leaf for the Holy Spirit
All three of them in one.

However, Patrick was only too well versed in Irish Pagan mythology and beliefs, and was prepared to adapt and employ them within a Christian context to win bodies and souls to the new religion. It may be seen that often he presented himself as a Druid, practicing a new form of magic to attract followers and disciples.

The shamrock was already a sacred plant in Pagan Irish culture. Known as the seanrog or ‘summer plant’ it represented several triads and trinities but most notably the three moral qualities of love, courage and wit. It was a symbol of the Goddess Brighid as virgin, mother and crone,together with her three spiritual facets; the inspiration of poetry, craft of making, and the success of healing. Most importantly it was a perceived as a Celtic solar wheel, perhaps linking the vernal and autumnal equinoxes with the high summer solstice, or more realistically the festival of Imbolc, the spring equinox and Beltaine. This native spiritual desire to achieve balance and harmony from nature is beautifully captured in a poem by Frederick Casey, the Bard of the OBOD:

Pick a clover and make a wish
Kiss each leaf and let the wind take it out of sight
And with the coming of the balance of day and night
May the Shamrock's luck swim to you like a fish
Back from the waters of the returning tide
The stream of Spring is filling up
Open our soul to fill it like a cup
With the energy that winter tried to hide

So, whilst we can never claim that St. Patrick’s day was originally celebrated as the Spring Equinox we can claim the humble shamrock as a Celtic symbol of spring. It gives us a sense of inspiration within history and tradition, a positive reminder of a green season and the coming summer, and most recently has been discovered as a healing agent for cancer. It is traditionally included in the bouquet of an Irish bride for good luck, and part of an older ceremony called ‘the drowning’ in which the plant is placed into a toasting cup, when the toast is proposed, honored and drank the shamrock is removed from the bottom of the glass and thrown over the left shoulder.

Perhaps the most ancient and symbolic representation, as well as the most debatable in one of the stones at Newgrange, dating back to 5000 BCE, inscribed with three spiraling leaves which closely resemble the form of a shamrock!

But I leave you with a small acrostic poem by Joseph Rohrbach which seems to sum up the hidden mysteries and values of the shamrock…

Simple little plant
Head held high
As if a promised
Magic lies within
Randomly bestowed
Over the finder
Carrying a sweet
Kiss of luck

Go mbeannai Dia duit (May God Bless You)

David O’Draoi

St. Patrick’s Day:

http://www.history.com/minisite.do?content_type=Minisite_Generic&content_type_id=851&display_order=2&sub_display_order=1&mini_id=1082

Dr. T. Umbrello of UCC Biology Dept: The Shamrock:

http://faculty.ucc.edu/biology-ombrello/POW/shamrock.htm

The Pagan Trinity:

http://www.sabbatarian.com/Paganism/HecateTrinity.html

Triskelle: St. Patrick and The Shamrock:

http://www.triskelle.eu/history/saintpatrickshamrock.php?index=060.040.010.010

The Shamrock, And Other Sacred Plants. Irish Druids… by James Bonwick.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/pag/idr/idr26.htm

Christine O'Keefe, Trefuilngid Tre-Ochair:

http://www.tartanplace.com/faery/gods/trefuilgnid.html

Alban Eilir – The Vernal Equinox:

http://www.druidry.org/obod/festivals/eilir.html

Ireland Newsletter, June 2001:

http://www.ireland-information.com/jun01.htm

Labyrinth Ireland:

http://www.labyrinthireland.com/irishlabyrinths.html

BBC: The Truth Behind The Shamrock:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3519116.stm

Poem of the Day, Joseph Rohrbach:

http://www.mindspring.com/~jarzap/potd.html

Uisce Beatha: Water of Life:

2007-03-06T08:43:00.000-08:00

The Waters of Life.

“When I was at school in the early eighties I had a friend called William Hue. William exhibited symptoms of what we now call ADD or ‘Attention Deficit Disorder.’ He was destructive, violent, and anti-social. William was written off as a bully and a malcontent by fellow pupils, and teachers. No positive or constructive action was initiated by any person in authority to analyze or improve his behavior and condition. Sometimes he would masturbate in class, he made lewd sexual comments to teachers and school staff, intimidated other kids, indulged in sado-masochistic rituals (cutting himself with knives, or sticking pins into his genitals), violently attacking students without provocation or reason, obsessed with corpses and death, habitually stealing and a frequent truant. At the age of fifteen he was attending an English language class and disrupting the class as usual. Mr Pink, the teacher asked William to leave immediately and report to the headmaster. William did leave, but instead of reporting to the school office he went to the restroom and removed a chain, then went back to the English class and proceeded to attack Mr. Pink with the rudimentary weapon. William then ran out and went home. Once there, he swallowed an entire bottle of barbiturates with several glasses of vodka, sat down on the couch beside his sister and died. William’s father, who was equally unstable, arrived at the school next day with a shotgun, with the sole intention of shooting Mr. Pink. Fortunately the police arrived in time to arrest him and prevent any further disturbances. I am 42 years old now and I have reflected on this episode many times, trying to make sense of it. I had the good fortune to study a program of medicinal nutrition which enlightened me greatly and I found myself slowly beginning to understand the hidden complexities of this tragedy. William and his family lived in a house built before the 1920’s with lead plumbing and pipes intact. I thought of a low class boy with nutritional deficiencies, living in sub-standard housing… a pattern formed in my mind… combined with all the possible disadvantages here was a child poisoned and made insane by drinking water that was heavily contaminated with lead.”

This study paper is an assessment of the importance of, and the role that water plays in everyday life. Why water is such an important issue, locally, nationally and internationally. I will focus on three key areas; water as a nutrient, a physiological and psychological necessity for stable life, the ecological and environmental status and the importance of water with regard to issues of contamination through pollution and its effects.

Water as a key nutrient and its physiological importance.

Water or H20 is an essential nutrient to the maintenance, development, growth and normal functioning of human and all biological life forms. It is second only to the necessity of oxygen. Water is a scientifically inorganic compound and the most abundant in the human body, comprising nearly 2/3 of the total body weight. The total liquid content of the human body is approximately 40-40 Liters. Water is the medium or solvent in which most bodily processes take place, inside and outside of cells. A solvent is a substance in which most compounds are dissolved. When water is the solvent for a mixture (a blend of two or more molecules) the mix is often called an ‘aqueous solution’ which contains sodium chloride or NaC1 and other molecules, which together form the ‘internal ocean’ of the body. Adults can survive many weeks without food, but only a few days in the absence of water. Fortunately, for those that do not drink the required standard per day many food types contain water which in a small part compensates for what is lacking in consumption. For example, 100 g of raw beef contains approximately 60-70 g of water. The kidneys are responsible for maintaining and regulating the water content of the body. An excessive loss of water can occur through vomiting, diarrhea and heavy sweating through exercise, a hot climate or high fever. If water intake is not increased in these conditions then dehydration will occur. A temperate climate requires an approximate liquid intake of 1 liter or 2 pints per day.

The Ecological, Environmental and Global Status of Water.

70% of the earths surface is covered by water; this represents 1.4 billion cubic kilometers or 335 million cubic miles. This is enough water to submerge the entire United States to a depth of 150 kilometers or 93 miles. 97% of this is sea-water or 370 billion billion gallons. Only 1% of the earths waters are fresh and available for drinking, 2-3% is contained in glaciers and ice caps. So, it can be easily understood that at least 35% of inhabited lands on earth are threatened from lack of fresh, drinkable water;

Humans already use approximately 54% of all accessible, usable, or renewable water. This is expected to rise to 70% by the year 2025. (Postel, Daily and Ehrlich, 1996. ‘Human appropriation of Renewable Fresh Water.’ Science 271: 785-788)

Not only is water indispensable for human life it is also used in agriculture (raising crops for food, to maintain livestock) as an essential part of aquatic life from which we also derive valuable sources of protein as fish, and as part of the general production and maintenance of our modern lifestyles, with regard to cleaning, sanitation and hygiene. Drinking water is therefore a valuable commodity. Population growth increases demand and when the quality of water is compromised by pollutants, the overall issues become very serious indeed;

If the worlds water supply is compared to one gallon (3.8 liters), freshwater would make up for 4 oz (118 milliliters) or 3%, and readily accessible freshwater, which is for immediate use would come to a total of 2 drops. (Miller, G.T. 1998. Living in the environment, 10th edition, Wadsworth Publishers, California.)

Today at least 400 million people live in regions with severe water shortages. By the year 2050 it will be 4.000 million. (Hinrichsen, D. B. Robey, and U. D. Upadhay. 1998. “Solutions for a water-short world.” Population reports, Series M, No 14, John Hopkins University School of Public Health, Population Information Program, Baltimore, Maryland.)

Environmental Concerns and Water Pollutants.

The quality of drinking water is now a very serious concern. The main causes of water degradation are:

1. Population growth and consumption.
2. Infrastructure development, which included the construction of dams, dikes and diversions which disturb the ecosystem.
3. Land conversion, the appropriation of water-land for human habitation or the destruction of wet-lands.
4. The uncontrolled release of pollutants into the environment, including human waste, agricultural and industrial waste and the byproducts of chemical processes.

Pollutants.

In this paper I am mainly concerned with the degradation of the water supply. Metals used in industrial processes such as lead, cadmium, mercury, and manganese are discharged into the atmosphere or more seriously into water sources. In agriculture, organophosphates, fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides, herbicides and other noxious substances are polluting the environment and drinking water supplies through run-off or infiltration. Other contaminants are dioxins, PCB’s, paints, glues and adhesives, gasoline and cleaning solutions are all pollutants and by-products of our technological and industrial age. It is estimated that 2 million tons of human waste are discharged into water courses every day.

The Toxic Substances Hydrology Program of the U.S. Geographical Survey performed a major survey of 139 streams in 30 states of the U.S. between 1999 and 2000. They identified 95 different chemical substances with residential and industrial sources; both human and vetinary drugs including antibiotics, hormones, detergents, disinfectants, plasticizers, fire retardants, insecticides, antioxidants, chemicals included; coprostanal (a fecal steroid), cholesterol (a plant and animal steroid), N-N-diethyltoluamide (insect repellant), caffeine (stimulant), triclosan (anti-microbial disinfectant), tri (2-choroethyl), phosphate (fire retardant), 4-nonlphenol (nonionic detergent metabolite), common steroids and non-prescription drugs. The final analysis of this report states that little is known of the potential human and environmental health effects of the 95 chemicals. Even less is known of the possible interactions occurring when these varied chemicals are mixed together.

Consumption and the Known Effects of Water Pollution.

In 1998 the Clean Water Action Group Alliance of Massachusetts formed a partnership with the Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility Group. Together they investigated the possible effects of toxic substances in the environment, particularly on the neurological development in children. This was prompted by the increasing numbers of children displaying symptoms of neurosis and brain disorders. The resulting paper was published as ‘In Harm’s Way: Toxic Threats to Child Development.’ The paper identified
Key chemical contaminants in the air, in water and food which contribute to hyperactivity, ADD, lower IQ levels, and motor skill impairment. The specific toxic chemicals and heavy metals identified as dangerous were; lead, cadmium, manganese, organophosphates, dioxins, PCB’s and solvents. The report concluded that 80% of all Americans have shown physical evidence of one or more harmful pesticides in their bodies. In other medical trials, hair mineral analyses of children with ADHD showed high levels of metals such as mercury, cadmium, manganese and copper, thus implicating a direct link between children’s capacity for learning and developmental disorders. Approximately 3-4% of children in the U.S. are diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).

Case Study:

Arnold was an eight year old boy who was a bit of a tear-away at school. He came from a broken home and tended to be disruptive socially. One day at break time there was a panic in the playground when Arnold tried to hang himself with his tie, by attaching it to the climbing frame. His father was called and he was taken home. The following day we arranged a mineral screen. It was found that lead in his body was twice the normal upper acceptable level, and that his body zinc was one third below the lower limit of normal.

“It is now recognized that children who are heavily exposed to lead from car exhausts or pollution often suffer from learning and/or behavioral problems. Some hyperactive children that undergo treatment to remove lead from their bodies improve eventually.”

Dr. Stephen Davies. Nutritional Medicine. P 376. London 1987

Similar disturbances can arise in adults because of the same reasons;

“Today we live in a state of environmental pollution. There are over 100,000 chemicals in the environment that we ingest through what we eat, drink and breathe. Contaminants in the soil, water, air and food supply. The toxins in time penetrate and leak through the blood brain barrier and enter the brain tissue. This process happens with several heavy toxic metals such as lead, copper and aluminum. These chemicals and heavy metals by affecting brain chemistry, affect the mind and behavior, and they must be removed.”

Dr. Philip Hodes (on schitzophrenia) http://www.garynull.com

“Many of the people that have developed so called ‘mental illness’ are suffering from things like mercury, lead, copper, aluminum and iron poisoning. These toxic metals affect one’s thinking and behavior. People can develop bizarre behavior and distorted thinking, along with warped perceptions, as a result of these toxic heavy metals. Add to this toxic stew all the insecticides, pesticides and herbicides that we ingest daily.”Dr. Hal Huggins. NY Times, (Science) April 27th 1993.

Mercury.

A report by The Friends of the Earth shows that 50 tons of mercury is being discharged into the environment every year. Mercury is a deadly poison which damages the brain and developing fetuses; the National Academy of Sciences confirms this, that exposure to mercury can cause severe health impacts such as learning disabilities in children and growth in fetuses. The NAS has extensive data on the effects of mercury on the brain and its development. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) biochemist, Kathryn Mahaffey in a January 2004 forum estimated that the number of children at risk of developing problems from mercury pollution has doubled, that one in six women has enough mercury in her system to potentially harm the development of any fetuses she might conceive. 630.000 babies are born each year with dangerous levels of mercury in their blood. Now 45 states warn against eating fish from rivers, streams and lakes because of mercury contamination. This represents a 63% increase from 1994, when only 27 states issued warnings.

Herbicides.

A report by researchers at the University of Iowa found that herbicide pollution of the municipal water supply was affecting the normal growth of fetuses. The study covered several communities with herbicide polluted rivers and water sources, and discovered that infants of mothers in those communities had a higher risk of IUGR or intra-uterine growth retardation, a condition in which the weight of the baby is lower than that of children the same gestational age. The condition is associated with apnea, brachycardia, respiratory distress, hypocalcemia, sepsis, celebral palsy and overall impaired development. The herbicide atrazine was identified and the mean level calculated at 2.2 micrograms per liter. The current maximum concentration permitted for atrazine is 3 micrograms per liter.

Legislation and Pollution Prevention.

The history and development of water pollution preventing legislation;

1899 – The Rivers and Harbors Act.
1948 – The Water Pollution Control Act.
1956 – Amendments to The Water Pollution Control Act.
1965 – The Water Quality Act.
1972 – The Federal Water Pollution Control Act.
1977 – The Clean Water Act.
!987 – The Water Quality Act.

Whilst drinking water in Western Europe, the United States and Canada is of an infinitely higher standard than the rest of the world, still too little is done on the part of environmental government agencies to create, maintain or improve the current standard. And, as I have discussed the current standard is unacceptable and dangerous. In 1998 water bodies in the United States were assessed and 40% were found to be unfit for recreational use because of nutrient, metal and agricultural pollutants.

The U.N. World Water Development Report.

Obviously the various acts introduced to protect our supplies of drinking water are not effective. The evidence already forwarded points to this; medical, environmental and technological research into the effects of water pollution point toward the damage done to human life, why?

The EPA currently tests for only 80 contaminants, when the U.S. water supply contains approximately 1000 differing chemicals or pollutants. With regard to mercury pollution the EPA has said it would require companies to reduce emissions by 90% in 4 years. The Bush administration proposed instead a more relaxed standard. In January 2004 the EPA proposed a rule that would only require a cut in mercury emissions by 70% over 14 years.

The Bush administration has received millions of dollars in campaign funds from electricity utility and energy companies; in 2000 – 2004 the Republicans received $1.4 million in PAC. More than 70% of the electricity companies $8.4 million contributions fund for the 2000 – 2004 cycle amounted to $5.6 million.

Therefore, the Bush administration’s stance on pollution reflects the primary opposition of energy companies to tighter pollution control. The Bush administration defines the role and effect of the Environmental Protection Agency.

Clean Water Action.

The primary role of the Clean Water Act (1977) is to prevent the dumping of pollutants into water sources. The CWA includes a program to address indirect sources of pollution called TMDL (total maximum daily loads). The Bush Administration, under pressure from industry is being persuaded to‘re-write’ the TDML program, which would substantially weaken the act.

Clean Water Action is an active organization which represents citizens concerns, working for a clean and fresh water supply, campaigning against widespread pollution and lobbying on a political level to ensure safeguards against water contamination are continued.

Personal Advice and Action.

Join a local Clean Water Action or environmental group and campaign for a cleaner and better environment for you and you family. From their you can get advice, support and information on your own water supply, political action, and further links on improving the environment and water throughout the U.S. The website address is:

http://www.cleanwateraction.org/

There are many varied changes that you can initiate to improve your health and avoid the possibly dangerous side-effects of polluted waters. And in doing so you will also be a pro-active supporter of the environment. Here are some general tips:

1) Contact your local water authority to find out exactly what is in your drinking supply. These authorities are required by Federal law to analyze and publish their findings.

2) Always run water from the faucet for a minute in the morning before using it. This procedure is known to flush out any build-up of toxic metals that have accumulated in the pipes overnight.

3) Do drink at least 2 pints of water a day for maximum benefit, this may vary according to your climatic conditions, so consult your doctor or dietician for precise advice. Also try to use a reliable brand of bottled mineral water and/or charcoal filtered water as your main drinking supply.

4) If you child is exhibiting symptoms of ADD/ADHD, or other unexplained erratic behavior consider a hair-mineral analysis: consult your doctor and/or dietician for more information.

5) Adopt a natural healthy lifestyle; eat more fresh/organic foods, investigate natural medicines and herbs rather than synthetic ones (whose residues eventually end up in the water system), practice natural forms of contraception, and seriously consider the topic of over-population when planning a family.

6) Use environmentally friendly cleaning and home products.

For more advice and information on home safety with respect to water and the environment, go to ‘Safe-Home’ a leading website which provides a more detailed guide to ensuring you and your family can work and protect yourselves and the environment safely and effectively:

http://www.home-safe-home.org/index.html

Inspiration: The ‘Essence’ of Water…

The sage’s way, TAO is the way of water.

There must be water for life to be,
It can flow wherever.

And water, being true to being water is true
To TAO.

Those in the way of TAO, like water
Need to accept where they find themselves;
And that may often be places where the water goes
To the lowest places, and that is right.

Like a lake
The heart must be calm and quiet
Having great depth beneath it.

The sage rules with compassion,
And his words need to be trusted.

The sage needs to know like water;
How to flow around blocks
And how to find the way through without violence.

Like water, the sage should wait
For the moment to ripen and be right:

It flows around

Without harm.

(From the ‘Tao Te Ching, chapter 8)

Seanfhocal... 6 Irish Proverbs with commentary:

2007-03-03T20:11:00.000-08:00

Seanfhocal… Irish Proverbs

The Kingfisher.

1) Irish Proverbs are filled with nature symbolism and imagery honoring the legendary connection to the land, the wind, the sea and mountains, the kingfisher and the mackerel, the thistle and the plover, the horse and the hare, and even the common crow are all called upon to mirror human hopes, achievements and failings. Irish proverbs are a celebration of Irelands time-honored virtues; faith, gentleness, love of nature, tolerance and trust in life after death. On Ability;

"The Gobadon (kingfisher) cannot work both tides at the same time"

The active life requires balance, making the right choices at the correct moment. The discerning individual will focus all their attention on one task at a time, and contrary to modern perceptions 'multi-tasking' is not beneficial to the good of the soul. Take time to consider, meditate, make sound plans, develop a direct course for action and execute your intention with resolve for a positive outcome.

Madness.

2) There were several categories of insanity and madness in ancient Irish society. Dasacht or 'madness' was thought to be caused by the fluttering wisp (dlui fulla dlui or alluigh) of a curse from a Druid. A fit of insanity was often called baile, or buile, and it was believed that during the fit the persons body became as light as air. Overall the insane person was regarded under the indigenous Brehon laws with much immunity, with a special divine grace and allowed to wander undisturbed.

"Crafty advice is often gained from a fool or a lunatic."

If we can imagine walking along a beach littered randomly with common stones and pebbles, and then suddenly finding a jewel we would be ecstatic. So it is with wisdom, the most precious and valued is not to be gained in the great halls of learning, universities, or libraries full of thousands of words, it is rather those observations glimpsed in the epileptic and random rattling of the wild mind. That anarchic mind which so often see's the world from an alternative perspective, the lateral mode of thought as defined by Edward de Bono.

The Wheel of Returns.

3) The Druid and Ancient Celts believed in a sort of 'karma' which in essence rests on the principle that whatever actions you performed in the world would come back to you in an eternal circle or wheel of existence. If you treated someone badly, that very same behaviour would, sooner or later reappear in your life to remind you, and perhaps until you truly understand existence and your personal role within it - the cycle would continue. Druids held to one and certain predominant principle; that of truth, both outward and inward (in the microcosm and macro-cosm) existing as a divine source of enlightenment. Therefore the Druid strove to balance and maintain an equility of behaviour, that is to be truthful and honest in their actions and intentions. The irish proverb regarding affections;

"Like the sun on a hill-top, but a thistle on the hearth"

This points to an individual who has not attained this balance within themselves. They shine gloriously on the outside, but inwardly are bent and malformed, intentions do not match behaviour. So it is important for us to reflect on the nature and intentions behind our apparent generosity, match the hand with our heart. As the great Bard once said; "To thine own self be true." Meditation on this is the first step toward a beautiful marriage of mind, body and soul, and a positive and dynamic relationship with friends, family and society.

Reincarnation.

4) As I mentioned in the last proverb, the ancient Irish and Celtic peoples generally had a strong believe in the transmigration of the soul, which is re-incarnation. The immortality of the soul was strongly tied to the ever revolving wheel of existence, passing continually from one existence to another. Some believed that the soul passed onto a land known as Tir na N'Og, or the land of everlasting youth to be refreshed and then once again reborn. For this reason the traditional Irish wake was a happy and often riotous affair with much celebration and drinking, to send the soul off with a party. On the other hand a birth would be greeted with sadness, aware of the fact that the soul of a person was reappearing into the world. The continuing cycle of existence is expressed in this proverb;

"As the old cock crows, the young chick chirps."

Here we see birth or youth and age or death in complete unison of faith. Both reveal a transcendant beauty where neither age nor wisdom really count; the cycle of life continues. Some of the old Irish tales express the belief that the soul may be reborn into other forms such as animals (for example the story of Fintain and the Hawk of Achille), and for this reason we must be extremely wary of intentionally hurting any forms of life. All life is held to be sacred, each body is the vessel for an immortal spirit, travelling through the boundaries of our perceived reality.

Anger.

5) Anger is a negative emotion born out of inner frustration at people or events that do not conform to our own world-view, or the way we want things 'to be.' This emotion can ultimately be self destructive if we are not mindful enough to channel it into positive action. Positive action requires us to verbally explain our problem with a specific issue that confronts us, and by doing so our condition may improve. So many problems in the world arise out of anger, ignorance, violence, immaturity, obstinance, bigotry, racism, sexism.....and the list goes on. Perhaps you can be the person to say "the buck stops here" and be different, to follow a logical line of reasoning, not only that but to recognize anger and frustration in others and be a mellowing balm for their upset state of balance, bring them to a sense of harmony and repose. This Irish proverb recognizes several types of people prone to emotional upset;

"No wrong to be done to seven classes of persons excited to anger:- a bard, a chief, a woman, a prisoner, a drunken person, a druid, and a king in his own dominions."

More than anything this proverb teaches us to see the world through the perceptions of others, some in society bear a greater responsibility and are under immense pressure and stress, others are convicted of crimes and stripped of their liberty and self respect, some resort to the use of drugs to try and escape the crushing and degrading effects of modern life, a woman's life involves supporting a family, work, responsibilities, tension and stress.

Mahatma Ghandi said "Be the change you want to see in the world." And in the context of this discussion it could not ring more true. Understanding, openness, and integrity are key facets of both inward and outward change towards a viable peace between people. A mellow word of support to your colleagues or boss at work costs nothing, but may be rewarded manifold and begin a sort of 'chain-reaction' that ultimately brings a resounding and beautiful transformation to your world.

The Earth Mother.

6) Our earthly mother sustains and nurtures us with the milk from her breasts, she tends to our physical well-being and ensures that we grow and mature with enough strength and skill to compete in this world. Our spiritual mother regards our soul, she is the eternal and beginning of ages, the ancient one who is like a stream of inspiration which provides food and fuel for our inner existence. The Ancient One is the one who exists in all of us, as a miniscule seed of immortality.....but which is like the fragment of a star. She controls the seasons and the weather, she has seven youthful periods and seven mates, being reborn over and over in the universal wheel of life, she is the Hag of the myths who dwells beneath the river, of whom the old Irish kings must embrace before being able to mount the throne of authority and once kissed turns into a beautiful and seductive princess of the earth. The Cailleach is the Earth Mother;

"As old as the Cailleach Beare."

In Celtic and Irish myth the Cailleach is the originator of all that exists, the beginning and the most ancient. The eternal Goddess. The danger in refusing to recognize her importance in our spiritual make-up is a fragmentary sense of being, her femininity is an essential factor in our abilty to recognize realms beyond this world, to have faith and direction, to be inspired and to create, to listen and then act with sincerity and certainty. For men, the acceptance of her power and supremacy is one of the most important steps in achieving the nobility of the soul. One of my mentors composed this extraordinary Gaelic creation myth, based on the legends of the Cailleach;

In the Cave of Death beneath the Endless Abyss, there was nothing to be known. All was a "head in a bag." Yet something was not to be denied. Forward strode the giant, dark figure rhyming to her self as she went. In search of her self and seven periods was she. Mighty stones fell into the darkness and color shimmered forth in her wake. Magical writing and symbols appeared in swirls and diagrams as a luminescent testimony to her being. The Sea parted before her as the mountains surged upward seeking the lost home of her apron. Her youth preceded her even as her age marked her. Perhaps it was this that caused the changes though some say that it was the search for her sister-self. The Sun and the Moon came forth to mark the eons of her passing. Life marveled at her endless age, yet there was a point where all came together again. It was so fated even as the birth of no thing marked the endless change. No thing and its sister sang across the ages. The Sun and the Moon sought one another. The Seasons came on the Winds and the Trees remembered their seeds. The Land swelled in her belly and the Stars wandered as cattle across the night sky. The hammer of awareness shaped the Sky into a cauldron in which to serve the cosmic stews, even as the source of plenty sought refuge from chaos. Yet in it all her sadness was uplifted by the joys of her coming lovers even as her youth was stolen seven times the number of infinity from her. Yet hope and love belied this grim vision and a kiss reshaped her misshapen form into loveliness once again. A lover found and a world renewed as the doorway was passed by the Old One and she became the Young One once more. A memory shaped a name and an apron sustained the worlds as the Cave and the Cauldron echoed existence to one another. By Searles O'Dubhain

Sourced From:

Proverbs and Sayings of Ireland, Edited by Sean Gaffney and Seamus Cashman. MJF Books, NY. ISBN 13-978-1-56731-759-6
(With my own commentary!)

Ardam Dossaibh... Highest of Bushes... That is the Oak:

2007-03-02T15:27:00.000-08:00

The Druids and traditional Gaelic clans are closely associated with trees, in his book 'The Druids' Peter Berresford Ellis’s defines this relationship, and suggests a possible meaning of their title;

“The Druids were an indigenous Celtic intelligentsia, evolving from the original wise men and women during the age of the ‘hunter-gatherer’ among the ancient ancestors of the Celts, losing their original functions but retaining the Celtic name of those with ‘oak knowledge.”

Ellis’s main theory is developed through an analysis of the possible meaning of the term Druid, being connected to the Irish dair or oak, dru-wid or ‘oak-knowledge’ and hence interpreted as meaning ‘those whose knowledge is great.’ Other root meanings that Ellis discovered are dru meaning ‘immersion’ and drucht or dew. Ellis concludes that the Druid is one who was immersed in (oak) knowledge.

Within Gaelic (and Irish) culture both the oak and trees in general are venerated, traditionally used a metaphors and models for society and as a means of describing the attributes of individuals and clans. Trees also take a primary place in spirituality and cosmology; modern Moville in Ireland which is 28 Km north of Derry (near the Inishowen Peninsula) takes its name from the old Gaelic Magh Bhile or Plain of the Sacred tree. Lough Gur in County Limerick reputedly has a sacred tree (the crann bethadh or Tree of Life) growing from its bottom, and according to myth the Lough disappears every seven years to reveal the growing tree. Nearby is a pasture in which a stone monument stands as a representative of the tree; the Cloch a Bhile, a seven foot reminder of the mythic ‘supporter of the world.’

Stuart Piggot has identified a ‘sacred oak cult’ in comparison with certain cultural elements within ancient Greek beliefs, finding similarities between the Dryads or Oak-Nymphs and the Druides, Druidai, Drysidae, and the Gaulish Druvis. Dryads were also the priestesses of Artemis, whose souls dwelt in the sacred oak trees.

The pagan veneration and respect for the oak was maintained even after Christianization; Irish churches were known by the old Druidic term dairtech (oak-house): Kildare (Church of the Oak), Durrow (Plain of the Oak), and Derry (The Oak Grove of Calgaich). There are numerous examples of tribal associations with trees, perhaps the most famous was the Craobh Ruadh or Red Branch of Ulster, the warrior band of Finn Mac Cumhail. A 17th century poem dedicated to the O’ Niall clan likens them to a Yew tree;

You are like a certain yew - there was one time - whose straight tops it was difficult to bend - on account of the union of its branches - One night this same yew under the stress of the thundering storm - which blew from the clouds - had its powerful roots torn.

According to the Ogham tract from the Auricept na N’Eces (The Scholars Primer) the oak is classified as a chieftain tree, described as Ardam dossaibh or Highest of bushes and Gres sair or carpenters (crafts-mans) work. More than anything the tree was symbolic of life itself and represented the genealogical traditions that infused much of Gaelic society, the origin of the meaning of the ‘family tree.’ Very often a family genealogist would be described as a Craobhe Seanchias or one with ‘tree-knowledge’ meaning of course that they had an extended knowledge of lineage and descent (and probably all the attached history, folk-lore and stories.)

Continuing and maintaining my interest in Druidry, geneology and the oak tree I pursued research into the folk tradition of the oak in British culture, and discovered the ‘Gospel – or Charter Oak’;

The Gospel Oak is a 1000 year old tree in Addlestone, in the county of Surrey, Britian which marked the boundary of Windsor forest. It is one of a number of trees scattered throughout the country collectively called 'Gospel Oaks' or 'Crouch Oaks.' They are so named because they were employed as center-points from which religious instruction or preaching were performed by ministers to congregations (particularly unpopular topics disdained by the mainstream religious establishment.) John Wycliffe (1320-1384) used the Addlestone Oak to preach the bible in the common language, as opposed to Latin. Others who used the Gospel Oak were the Scottish preacher, John Knox (1505-1572), George Whitfield (1714-1770), and Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892).

Gospel Oak is also a suburb of North-London, and named after a particular tree under which parishioners gathered to hear an annual reading of the gospels.

I believe that this practice was the continuation of a tradition which extended back to Celtic times, perhaps within the period that the Romans occupied Britain. Druidic ‘hedge’ schools may have been established in remote locations, instruction and elucidation performed beneath the aforementioned oak trees (out of sight of the Roman authorities.) From this perspective we have inherited a love and respect for this particularly majestic tree - within whose shade the evolution of our ancestor’s education grew, their inspiration blossomed, traditions preserved, language and custom kept a living thing, in peace, meditation and tranquil reflection.

Inspired by the notion of the oak tree as a form of natural learning-book I composed a nine-fold system of life learning, which for me represents a primal Druid rule of order by which I could assess and direct my life in compassion with the Earth, the elements and human society;

1) The Earth. From the roots, trunk and lofty branches of the tree I understood the 'three realms' or great triskele, earth, water and air. I began to understand the various phases of my life, birth, life and death, and the intertwined unity of the inner psychology of my unconscious, subconscious, and conscious. The life cycle of the tree is always continuous; growth and order yields fruit and seeds, which themselves develop into separate lives with their own personality and dynamics. The ‘mother’ tree dies, is consumed by the earth to give fresh pasture – the life continues.

2) The Spirit. The solidified manifestation and expression of spirituality. The tree is nurtured from a seed or spirit, watered and fed, the tap root (or the core of the tree's existence grow first - through the winter). My soul must be fed - with right actions, truth and direction, connected to the earth, following justice and respect for all that which is around me.

3) The Circle. Understanding and realizing place, time, motion, position, seasons. The eternal and infinite revolution of being.

4) The Mind. As the tree stretches out in growth, and I must strive in the pursuit and practise of wisdom, knowledge and learning. This must be as natural as a branch and blossom stretching out toward the sun. The continuation of the effort expended by my ancestors, who passed life onto me through their own struggles, work and pursuits.

5) The Heart. To grow with maturity, to possess responsibility for myself and my family and community. To be a home and haven for those around me, the tree provides these conditions for a host of wildlife, even wood for humans to use as an essential component of construction. To love and heal, support, guide, enlighten.

6) The Seed. To plant and germinate, cultivate, grow in accordance with the seasons and provide fruits for harvest. To give and receive.

7) The Labor. To be, or to have singular purpose, to possess skill, provision for my family through the intelligent use of all my senses; sight, taste, smell, touch, feeling. Understanding the whole character of my nature and using that nature for success in life.

8) The Dream. Realizing my spiritual and physical differences, the seen and unseen (roots and branches), the inner and outer, and bringing the spiritual (within me) to a successful realization. The tree is a place for me to sleep, to dream, to recall history, understand the present, imagine the future.

9) The Preservation. Understanding the importance of existence, avoiding or fighting against extinction, preserving memory and tradition, never to forget the lessons in life.

I found inspiration in a quote from John Wright, a member of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids;

"Let the trees be consulted before you take any action, every time you breathe in thank a tree, let treeroots crack the parking lots at the World Bank Headquarters, let loggers be druids specially trained and rewarded to sacrifice trees at auspicious times, let carpenters be master artisans, let lumber be like gold, let chainsaws be played like saxaphones, let soldiers on maneuvers plant trees, give policemen and criminals a shovel and a thousand seedlings, let businessmen carry pocketfuls of acorns, let newlyweds honeymoon in the woods, walk don’t drive, stop reading newspapers, stop writing
poetry, squat under a tree and tell stories..."

The Eight Celtic Days of Celebration...

2007-03-01T12:49:00.000-08:00

The High Days.

Mean Foghmar, The Autumn Equinox. September 21st.

In astronomical terms this represents the date (around the third week of September) when night and day are approximately equal in length. The sun appears to cross the celestial equator and decline or descend toward the south. The term ‘equinox’ is derived from the Latin, with aequus meaning equal, and nox meaning night. The lunar month in the Coligny calendar leading upto the equinox was called Edrinios and meant an ‘arbitration-time.’ In the Irish tradition this feast is called Clabhsur (closure) in West Munster, and represents a coming to terms and an end to the relationship the tribe or community has had with the earth.

So, this festival comes after the harvest, and represents a ‘fallow-time.’ It is a thanksgiving for the benefits of the agricultural season, the warmth and light of summer and marks the end of a period of growth, fertility and expansion. This is a time of reflection, appraisal, assessment and preparation for the coming dark season of winter, the storage of essential foods and provisions that must last until spring. This was also a hunting season, a time in which the basic nutritional provisions could be supplemented with wild game.

On a spiritual, physical and mental level this is a period in which we can evaluate our past months, our successes and achievements, which of our plans and projects have bore fruit, and lay to rest all those efforts and struggles which lie uncompleted. A time to forgive and forget, to settle arguments and close the door with a cheerful wave.

In mythical and poetic terms this is the day of battle between dark and light, perhaps no better visualized in the Celtic tradition than in the Cath Maige Tuireadh, in the combat of the God Lugh against the forces of the Fomoraigh. Unfortunately in this spoke of the year’s wheel it is darkness that triumphs, but also a barreness and a period of mourning, the caoin or lament for the dead and departed which in seasonal terms reaches an apex in the following festival of Samhain.

Samhain October 31- November 1.

The Celtic festivals are all linked to a wheel of life which reflects the stages in the human development, of birth, life, death and then rebirth. Samhain is both the end and the beginning of a new year and thus represents death and ritualistic rebirth. The Celtic year was divided into two aspects: An ghrian mor or ‘the greater sun, and An ghrian beag or ‘the lesser sun.’ A light half of the year which ran from the festival of Beltaine in May to Samhain in November, and the dark half which manifested itself from Samhain to Beltaine.

It was believed that the veil between this world and the otherworld was thinner at this time of year, and allowed for clearer communication with long passed and distant ancestors, for Druids especially it was a time of divination and omen seeking, praising and honoring the ancestors, and traditionally a place would be set at the feast table especially for the kin-spirits who would be expected to return this night.

The Celtic scholar Alexei Kondratiev identifies five key elements in the Samhain ritual; it is a time of renewal, of giving way to the past and contemplating the coming year. Of hospitality, with respect to the tradition of honoring the dead with tributes. The process of dissolution, in which the normal façade of objective reality disappears and allows the paranormal, the extraordinary and the spiritual dimension to enter our lives. A sense of timelessness, involving the practice of divination in non-linear time and space wherein the boundaries between the physical and spiritual are diminished. Sacrifice, tribute and payment were two key issues brought forward at this time as a means of thanks-giving for the harvest and a way of honoring the spirits of the land.

On a personal and practical level Samhain is a time for deep, thoughtful and meditative reflection. A time in which we can escape the mundane and repetitive aspects of our lives and indulge in foolery and trickery, jesting and of course feasting. A time to remember the passing of our loved ones, and reflect on the joyous times we spent with them. A time to share the fruits of our year’s harvest with those around us. A time of past, present and future.

Mean Geimhridh, The Winter Solstice, December 21st

The Winter Solstice is the darkest point in the year, the shortest day when little sunlight makes for a benign introspection. The mind, body and soul yearns for warmth and comfort, a simple sign that can give some element of hope in a period of frost, death and stillness. It is at this auspicious time that the sun, at its lowest point on the southern horizon pierces the dark inner chamber of the Brugh na Boinne at Newgrange in Ireland. Through a small hole above the entrance sunlight enters the palace of both the Daghda, the Good-God, and Aenghus Mac Ogh (his son, the chosen child of youth). This event calls to my mind the Fleadh Aise, ancient feast of the age, a celebration of eternal existence instituted by the old Irish god’s the ‘Tuatha de Danaan.’ The significance of this event is a reminder that from this point onward the sun will grow in strength, eventually reaching full maturity at the Summer Solstice on June 21st.

The Celtic tradition at this time echoes the Christian, the child of light is born or becomes manifest within a dark world, a child of hope for the future. Differing Celtic traditions give this child varying names, be it Aenghus Mac Ogh, or Mabon ap Madron (Great-Son of the Great-Mother). Another key character I associate with the Winter Solstice is Lugh, the heavenly warrior returning with a glittering sword, a light of illumination, a spirit which emboldens and inspires.

One of the most curious rituals at this point in the Gaelic wheel of the year is ‘Wren Day’ on the 26th of December. More formally called St. Stephens Day, originally is was a ritual in which a Wren was caught and sacrificially killed. To the Druids the wren symbolized the power of prophesy, a king of birds with the power to cross the barriers of this world and the heavens. It has been suggested that the wren is the embodiment of the God Lugh, whose blood is spilled on the earth and therefore ensures a prosperous and fertile season to come. The poor little corpse of the wren is then taken around the various habitations of the community with requests for money to bury it. An elaborate and beautiful coffin was constructed and the wren buried with significant and tender care.

All the evergreens are used to decorate the home at this time; holly, ivy, pine, and juniper remind us of the eternal nature of the spirit in connection with the soul of nature. Mistletoe as an emblem of fertility is coupled with the oak, the king of tree’s, bringing him his crown of glory.

This is a time of innocent pleasure, of sharing the twinkling and bright objects around us to illuminate our sadness. Of sharing hearts and comforts. At this time I make a bowl of spiced cider to share with friends and also a wee sip of golden mead, and celebrate the never-ending path and the eternal light that shows the way.

Oimelc January 31st to February 1st.

A seasonal rite with pastoral and agricultural associations. The term Oimelc or Imbolc is thought to be derived from a root word translated as milk and meaning (in this context) the time of lactation, since this was the first period if the year when the ewes gave birth and suckled their young. In this sense, Oimelc was considered the first day of spring, connected to the fertility of the earth, the feast of flowing and first ploughing. This day is also celebrated as La Fheile Bride or Brighid’s Feast. Brighid is one of the most fascinating and complex of individuals in Celtic tradition. The Irish chronicler in Cormac's Glossary describes Brighid as a poetess, a female sage, a woman of wisdom, or the goddess whom poets venerated because she was renowned for her protecting care. So, originally a much honored Goddess of fertility, inspiration of craft, and healing, her mantle was assumed by the famous saint in Ireland and carried forward within the precincts of the holy church of Kildare (church of the oak).

It was at Oimelc that the spirit of Brighid would be beckoned within the home for a blessing, either as a young girl impersonating the Goddess, or as an effigy called a brideoga, a small, carefully constructed straw doll. Another tradition involved the making of a special cross of Brighid, called a crosoga, and a belt or girdle called a crios. All of these in combination are seen as an effort to bring light and illumination (bri) into the home, life and the hearth or heart of the tribe. Another key element at Oimelc is the appearance of the Rioghan or the Queen Serpent, the magical oracular snake which had spent the past half of the dark year hibernating, and emerges to pronounce its opinion on the favorability of the weather. In Ireland this custom involved the grainneog or hedgehog (a small mammal like a porcupine), and indeed this tradition is continued today in the USA as ‘Groundhog Day.’

This is a time for gentle re-nourishing of the spirit and soul, of new beginnings, of personal invitations, of contemplating and preparing a fresh voyage of adventure, and of being certain that the warm breath of the sun, though distant is coming to inspire and kindle the hearth of our being.

Mean Earraigh, The Spring Equinox, March 21st.

There is no confirmative evidence that the ancient Celts celebrated more than the already documented four agricultural festivals of Imbolc, Beltane, Lughnasad, and Samhain. Mean Earraigh is, like the other solar festivals an anomaly within traditional Gaelic tradition. An Irish-Gaelic verse (based on the information provided by Cormac Úa Cuilennáin in his 10th century Glossary) by an unknown author confirms this:

Rathaí firinneacha na bliana: "The true seasons of the year:

Rath ó Lá 'le Bríde go Bealtaine, The season from St. Bridget's Day to May Day,

Rath ó Bhealtaine go Lúnasa, The season from May Day to Lúnasa,

Rath ó Lúnasa go Samhain, The season from Lúnasa to Samhain,

Rath ó Shamhain go Lá 'le Bríde. The season from Samhain to St. Bridget's Day."

J. A. MacCulloch in his Religion of the Ancient Celts indicates that the so-called solar festivals, the solstices and equinoxes are derivations from other cultures, possibly Roman, Christian or Pre-Celtic societies. The celebration of the Midsummer is pan-pagan, that is, it was celebrated by a variety of cultures throughout Western Europe. The Irish Gaelic terms Geimredh, Earrach, Samradh,and Foghamhar, are all terms which describe seasons of the year ie; autumn, spring, summer and winter but which reflect a desire to present a further division of the year and successfully combine a solar and lunar calendar.

Miranda Green considers only the four agricultural festivals as authentic, and that the addition of the solar festivals borrows from another parallel pagan movement known as Wicca (headed by Gerald Gardner), in which these are called the ‘Sabbats.’ John Michael Greer, Archdruid of the AODA is quoted as saying that the solar festivals are purely inventory within the Druidic and Celtic system of belief, an aspect of the romantic Druid renaissance headed by Dr. William Stukely in the 1700’s;

“The solstices and equinoxes were the festivals of the Druid Revival, and that was specifically because of Stonehenge – its orientation to midsummer sunrise is hard to miss. Much of the early Revival lore was inspired directly by the old megalithic ruins. (The cross quarter days didn't get added to the Druid calendar until the early 1950s, when Ross Nichols and Gerald Gardner invented the "ancient" eightfold year-wheel over a couple of pints of beer in a London pub.)”

However, with this in mind is it possible to celebrate a festival of the wheel of the year in an authentic context? In validating this festival I drew viable details from several Celtic differing sources. St. Patrick’s Day on the 17th of March is perhaps close enough to the equinox to have been a pre-Christian rite of spring. Perhaps the most celebrated symbol of this particular day is the shamrock, a natural symbol of Druidic trinitarianism. The so-called God of the shamrock is a divine figure mentioned in ‘The Settling of The Manor of Tara’ by the name of Trefuilngid Treeochair (Triple Bearer of The Triple Key), the one who causes the sun to rise and set and who stands at this point midway. A glorious God of Spring not unlike the figure of Dionysis, who brings as yet unripe fruits of green, and aids in the divisions and organization of the land.
So, at Mean Earraigh we stand on the thresh-hold of balance between night and day. It is a time for order and the definition of boundaries, of drawing plans and honoring the elemental forces in the Earth. This is the ideal time to ‘spring-clean’ the home, to locate and institute newly discovered dynamics in our personal and professional lives.

Beltaine, April 30th – May 1st.

This festival echoes with the same liminal mystery of Samhain, and ending the An ghrian beag or dark-half of the year. Beltaine is principally a fertility festival.

In the widest possible sense fertility includes the growth and activity of mind, body and spirit, the creation of art and crafts, poetry, foods, and nurturing intellect and inspiration. Also training the senses to appreciate the world around us, our community and life. Within the context of a Celtic fertility festival Beltaine is a reminder of our role and participation in a greater symbiotic cycle; that of the earth and nature. In this particular ritual the key role of fertility is given special status in an agricultural sense, traditionally a time when the shoots of the first planting would be coming forth from the soil, and the ‘light-half’ of the year is increasing in its strength.

Another interesting fertility figure in Gaelic tradition is the ‘Sheela na Gig.’ The Sheela is a carved stone female figurine with open legs, exposed and showing her clutching her vulva with both hands. Most scholars associate her with the ‘cailleach’ or Old-Hag, she may also be a representation of the Goddess Brighid, and many examples are found inserted into the masonry of churches, cathedrals or monasteries. One community in Ireland has been reported as using the figurine as a power object for woman during the process of childbirth and to ensure an easy delivery. Kathryn Price NicDhana sees the figure as one primal aspect of the changing year of traditional Celtic seasons:

“In much of the Scottish lore the year is ruled alternately by the Hag of Winter and the Maiden Queen of Summer. Yet I see Síla as another, lesser known, third face of this well-known duality: the manifestation of the usually-hidden doorway that emerges when these forces are balanced or in flux. She holds the doorway which opens in the liminal-times: the days of Bealtaine and Samhain, the twilight of sunrise or sunset, and when the mists arise where the land and the sky meet the waters. She is both and neither, an Otherworldly force that refuses to fit into either/or categories”

At Beltaine all fires would be extinguished, and the hearth fire relit from the embers of a central bonfire. Cattle and sheep would be driven between two fires in the community as a sacred rite of purification and sanctification for the coming year of light. Communal celebrations included dancing, singing, and general earth centered activities that incorporated the marriage between the people and the feminine protector or land-Goddess, the flower maiden.

In a modern context we can celebrate Beltaine as our own fertility rite by pursuing creative and rewarding activities, stimulating the mind, body and soul with nourishing tasks: learning and knowledge, exercise and fresh nutritional foods, and the cultivation of a sacred and spiritual path to culture our soul. A deeper involvement with nature and the environment can be rewarding, also building and maintaining meaningful relationships can drive away the deserts of depression and loneliness. Whilst Beltaine is mainly associated with the key concept of rebirth and reproduction, it also has the capacity to bring us to a greater understanding of creativity, inspiration and endurance.

Mean Samraidh, The Summer Solstice, June 21st.

The height of summer, when the sun reaches it’s highest point in the sky and the day of greatest length. Mean Samraidh means ‘middle of summer, and from this auspicious day the sun will grow increasingly weaker until the Winter-Solstice.

Although there is no definitive historical Celtic connection many British Druids celebrate the dawn of the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge, when the sun casts a shadow as rises at the central stone onto the earth, perhaps signifying a symbolic fertilization of the ‘mother-earth.’ In Gaulish belief the sun was associated with a deity called Grannos, a god of healing and solar worship, also connected with healing wells. Grannos was usually paired with a goddess called Sirona or Star. Grannos appears to be cognate with the Old-Irish Grian, also meaning sun. The Irish Celts were renowned astrologers and it is difficult not to believe that the event of the Summer Solstice had no meaning for them. We find that in Old-Irish the term reithes grian was used to describe the ‘zodiac’ and its literal meaning was ‘wheel of the sun.’ A later Middle-Irish term is concurrent with this, Crois Grian or Girdle of the Sun. One other term in Irish-Gaelic is used to describe midday, which is lo-chrann. This term is still used in a modern context to describe an illuminating, guiding and brilliant light. So, perhaps within a traditional belief the Solstice may have been perceived as the ‘midday’ of the year, a time for healing, guidance, and empowerment within the ever-circling wheel of life.

A herb traditionally associated with the Summer Solstice is St. John’s Wort, which is encapsulated as a chant within the Carmina Gadelica:

“Saint Johnswort, Saint Johnswort, I deem lucky the one who will have you; I harvest you with my right hand, I store you away with my left hand; whoever finds you in the fold of the young animals will never want for anything.”

St. John’s Wort was seen as a bloom inspired by the solstice, and thus taking on its power and depth for healing. In modern healing it is principally used against depression and some have used it (despite its reputation for photosensitivity) as a sun-burn protection.

Other identifiable customs associated with the concept of the ‘solar-wheel’ are the traditions in which hoops of oak are constructed, set afire and then rolled down steep hillsides, with a mass chase after it. Within a modern context the Solstice is a time for reveling in the healing power of light, the interconnection of our bright spirits in communal sharing, being guided by astronomical and astrological events, and the solemn anticipation of the emerging dark side of the year.

Lughnasadh, August 1st.

Lughnasadh was a festival originated by the God Lugh in honor of his foster-mother Taillte, both in her memory and as an elegy to her death. Cormac in his glossary defines the suffix nasadh as cluiche no aonach meaning ‘game or assembly.’ So, this was a time in which numerous tribes would come together for sportive and competitive games, to exchange news and information and form fresh allegiances.

The Holy Mountain in County Mayo Ireland, formerly known in pagan Celtic times as Croachan Aigh (Mount of the Eagle) and now called Cruach Phadraig (The Mountain of St. Patrick) is the scene of a ritual which predates the Christian era. Druids and their acolytes would walk to the top of the 2510ft high mountain on the last Sunday of July as part of the Lughnasadh festival, make invocations to the gods and goddesses and leave offerings of harvested wild fruits as a sort of thanksgiving. Archeologists reckon that such rituals date back to 3000 BC. The current festival, known as 'Garland Sunday' is in celebration of the 40 day fast by St. Patrick in 441 AD. So-called because pilgrims leave garlands at the top of the mount.

During Lughnasadh many people would pick wild berries from the hilltops, called fraughans, herts, bilberries or blueberries, and make them into festive desserts, puddings or jelly (jam in Europe). Such a delicacy is the Fraughan-Fool with cookies, and incredibly simple to make:

Ingredients: Blueberries, Granulated sugar, Whipped Cream.

Method: 1. Crush the berries with a potato masher and sweeten to taste with the sugar. 2. Fold in the whipped cream (equal to about 1/2 the volume of berries). 3. Chill and serve with your cookies.

For the cookies: Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups of flour, 1 stick of butter, 1/4 cup of granulated sugar

Method: 1. Rub the butter into the flour, then add the sugar. Form into a dough and knead lightly. 2. Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness, cut into rounds with a 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter. 3. Place on a buttered baking tray or on parchment, and put into a preheated oven at 350 F until pale brown (about 15 mins), take out on cool on a wire rack.

Nine Celtic Virtues...

2007-02-26T20:48:00.000-08:00

1) Wisdom.

Wisdom is the measurement of knowledge, and the ability to exercise and balance situations, arguments, problems, and opposing differences through the use of intellect and arriving at a reasonable and effective solution, one that achieves harmony and acceptability. In the Audacht Morainn the term which describes this virtue is ‘firbrethach’ which literally means ‘giving correct judgement.’ In the Trecheng Breth Fene – 201 (the collected Irish triads) fir or truth is further explored:

‘Tri caindle forosnat cach n’dorcha: Fir, aicned, ecna.’ (Three candles that illuminate every darkness: truth, nature, and knowledge.)

Wisdom in the Gaelic tradition can therefore be seen to be diametrically opposed to darkness (or ignorance) and to possess three vital facets. Firstly truth, as a guide for ones personal ethical behavior and responsibilities, as a bond between members of a family, a tribe, a nation, and within the context of relationships with the Gods, Spirits and Ancestors. Secondly, wisdom is connected with the natural order, and nature is never deceptive or misleading, only descriptive. In this sense we seek to fairly evaluate the facts and details of any situation or problem in order to appreciate a balanced view. Thirdly, knowledge is employed in the exercise of wisdom since it draws upon past experience, the voices and exercises of the ancestors.

The exercise of wisdom therefore requires that we contemplate the totality rather than the fragmentary. To use our intellect in assessing facts, and that our behavior is aligned to an objective reality.

2) Piety.

The technical definition of piety is; dutiful devotion to God or the Gods, the observance of commonly accepted spiritual, ethical and moral principles, and obedience to parents, superiors and elders. To be ‘pious’ is to possess or express reverence for God or Gods, to bind oneself to religious demands, laws or ethics, and by one’s nature exhibit a sense of spirituality, and consider the sacred quality of life. Piety is related to the Latin piare, which means to expiate, to atone for, or redress wrongdoing, to make amends.

The depth and breadth of spirituality amongst Gaelic people is commented on by several classical authors. Julius Caesar says (in De Bello Gallico VI 14):

Natio est omnis Gallorum admonum dedita religionibus (The whole Gaulish people are much given to religion.)

And Diogenes Laertius says:

The chief maxim (of the Druids) is that the people should worship the Gods, do no evil and exercise courage.

In a modern context the individual can express piety through an established form of ritual and traditions, to maintain equitable social relations, to possess a sense of personal and communal responsibilities, and to enact with sincerity and intention the rituals and ceremonies of the calendar year, more commonly called the eight feasts; Samhain, the Winter Solstice (Mean Geimreadh), Imbolc, the Spring Equinox (Mean Earrach), Bealtainne, the Summer Solstice (Mean Samraidh), Lughnasadh, and the Autumn Equinox (Mean Foghmar). There are two Irish proverbs which relate to the sense of individual and personal responsibility that should be assumed throughout life:

Na brise do gheasa (Break not your vows) and, Mairg chailleas a gheasa (Woe to him who fails in his obligations)

There are several reasons to practice these rituals, ceremonies and feasts, but principally to serve and honor the Gods and Goddesses, the land and ancestors, to maintain a sense of spirituality and sacred purpose, and to honor and celebrate the old ways and the holy days of the wheel of the year.

In modern times piety is so often married with the concept of sin, however this term originates from the Old English synn which was a term used in archery and indicated a missed shot, or in other words a mistake. In Irish Gaelic sin was the name given to the metal collar or neck band worn by a judge, which was reputed to tighten and strangle the wearer when a wrong judgment was given.

3) Vision.

Vision is the pursuit of a clarified view of oneself, the world and the cosmos. I would say that vision is knowledge gained by study, work, practice and illumination and inspiration. In the Irish tradition there were a group or class of individuals called the Aes Dana, and these represented the ‘noble craft-workers’ and included poets, artists, healers and smiths, otherwise known as ‘the people of vision and knowledge.’ Through their dedication, practice and perseverance with their crafts they developed rare insight and creative processes which fueled their abilities and perspective of the world. The Aes Dana were held in high regard:

Beannocht leo a los saoire, Dronga ar nar cheisd cruadhlaoighe, Am coimhthinal dar choir seare, Doircheadhan doibh nir dhoircheacht. (Blessings upon their noble nature, To whom complex poems were no hardship, To that beloved gathering of poets, The darkest verse was daylight dawning.)

Vision and inspiration comes from hard work, study, meditation, analysis and dedication. It involves communication and interaction, both within a communal forum and with one’s craft and the world and nature.

4) Courage.

Courage is the power to formulate and carry out an effective response to any given situation, where such a situation demands an action from an individual. In some cases such a situation may be dangerous and the response may involve risk of death, then courage is that emotion and belief in oneself which actually emboldens and preserves in the action taken. Aristotle described a mean value in virtues that exists between two extremes, which in the case of courage is the midline between recklessness and complete inertia (or cowardice), and the thought-principle behind a chosen path of action requires a correct evaluation of the situation, the possible types of action which may be taken and the actual choice of dynamic to be employed.

The actual definition of courage is the quality of facing fear, danger, or pain. It comes from the Old-French corage, from the Latin cor, meaning ‘heart.’ In essence it means to stand in defense of one’s beliefs, to have confidence and the desire to protect and preserve a particular lifestyle. The Celtic scholar Geo Trevarthan sees courage as a primal attribute of the warrior’s path, evoking both Lugh Samildanach and Cuchulainn as examples of this quality:

“The God Lugh is a great warrior God of Celtic tradition, yet he is also known as Samildánach, the All-Skilled One, because, as it's been said, "Courage is the virtue that enables us to practice all the others." The warrior virtues are versatile, encompassing effective behavior in all areas of life, because the warrior energy is our effective power — the energy that makes both actions and honor possible.”

So, we need courage as a primary ingredient in our life, to make our spiritual path strong and bold, to be justified in action, and have confidence and be effective. Within the context of a warrior society the virtue of courage was of paramount importance, and there are many terms to describe it. Perhaps the most widely used term was meisneach, which means ‘to keep one’s head’ and comes from a root meaning to measure, which in other words indicates a capacity to maintain control over ones moods. Another term, calmacht, indicates strength and endurance. In the final analysis, courage in the Celtic sense implies a heartful bravery inspired by resolve and enduring strength and spirit in adversity.

5) Integrity.

On the most basic level integrity means to be honorable, truthful to one’s word or oath and trustworthy. It also indicates a sense of wholeness, whereby the individual is emotionally stable and able to present a sense of sound equanimity, composed and orderly in conduct, manners and presentation. In traditional Gaelic society, integrity was a virtue held in high regard alongside other noble characteristics such as generosity, fairness, and patience:

• The three chief obligations of a person to their country and family; to gain possessions by diligence and integrity, to profit their country and their kindred in all they do, and to seek lawful learning wherever they go.
• Three things of less worth than all else; a woman without dignity, a man without knowledge, and a teacher without patience.

Integrity in the Celtic community meant to be an aspect of the whole, the family, the tribe, the nation. To respect and be respected, to share and be a channel for the good of all. Honesty and a sense of honorable conduct were vital ingredients to the preservation and healthy wellbeing of the community, since the Brehon laws centered mainly around a compensatory system rather than being punitive, strength of character and reliability were key characteristics.

6) Perseverance.

Perseverance is the sum total of effort invoked to start, maintain and finish a task. One of the most noticeable traits of the ancient Celts was their absolute pursuit of excellence, and this is no better seen than through the eyes of numerous Irish parables regarding the nature of work:

Making the beginning is one third of the work. The person of the greatest talk is the person of the least work. Put it on your shoulders and say it is not a burden. It’s no delay to stop and sharpen the tool. It destroys the craft not to learn it. Do it as if there were a fire on your skin………

In the Celtic frame of mind perseverance is the total of patience, purpose and perfection. This is evidently seen in the Irish triad in the Trecheng Breth Féne #119:

Tréde neimthigedar liaig: dígallrae, díainme, comchissi cen ainchiss. (Three things that constitute a physician: a complete cure, leaving no blemish behind, a painless examination.)

7) Hospitality.

Hospitality is perhaps the most significant and important Celtic virtue, the one which actively promotes and sustains a working sense of community. The requirements of hospitality demand that the host be gracious and generous and the guest be appreciative and thankful, for all that we possess are merely gifts in themselves and we are merely conduits of grace and benevolence. It is a common Celtic belief that to give is also to receive, the two go in unison as typified by this Irish proverb:

Ag te a thabharfas sceal chugat tabhar faidh se dha sceal uait (Whoever will bring a story for you, will take two stories from you.)

This indicates that true hospitality is a reciprocal virtue, not one sided or unbalanced. Generosity in this context can take many forms; with words of appreciation, with a contribution of ourselves as labor toward a neighbors household task, as a gift for a significant life commemoration, to provide comfort, warmth and/or food. Often the Celtic notion of hospitality went beyond normal perceptions of reason and law, as in this proverb:

Bheirrin cuid oidhche dha ged a bhiodh ceann fir fo achlais (I would give him food and lodging for the night, even if he had a man’s head under his arm.)

In this context I believe that we should behave with curteous manners, and to be the best we can be; a veritable model of a human and present the ideal characteristics that we desire in others. We can never know the true sequence of events in a person’s misfortune and current state, and therefore never judge or condemn. Even if we can never offer anything material, a kind word or a smile may be enough to bolster the confidence of a person who is down.

8) Moderation.

Moderation is a virtue cultivated by the restraint of appetite and desire. It engenders a sense of knowing when enough is plenty, and avoids excess which in the Gaelic mind is injurious to the content of mind, body and soul. Moderation extends to all aspects of a person’s life, as exemplified by these Irish proverbs:

Eat well, drink in moderation and sleep sound, in these three good health abound. And, The virtue of justice consists in moderation, as regulated by wisdom.

Moderation is a form of self-training, to recognize one’s own passions, and the limits and boundaries of those desires. Ultimately it is a sure way of cultivating the refinement of the spirit, and building self-respect. This is seen as a form of wisdom, as outlined in the triad # 251 in the Trecheng Breth Fene:

Cetheora aipgitre gaise: ainme, somnathe, sobraidh, sothnges; ar is gaeth cach ainmnetach sai cach somnath, fairsing cach sobraid, sochoisc cach sothengtha. (Four elements of wisdom: patience, docility, sobriety, well-spokenness; for every patient person is wise, and every docile person is a sage, every sober person is generous, every well-spoken person is tractable.)

To follow one’s hunger without thought makes one into a slave, a glutton, an idiot. Eating to excess is the cause of many serious medical conditions, and in the Gaelic view leads to an ill-fitting and tight grave. The intoxicating and indulgent excesses of Queen Maeve in the Tain bo Cualigne present a good example of the disasterous and lethal results of unmoderated desire, on a symbolic level she presents an example of the danger of alcohol and its misuse, in excess it leads an individual to complete and utter disaster, disrespect and destitution.

9) Fertility.

In the widest possible sense fertility includes the growth and activity of mind, body and spirit, the creation of art and crafts, poetry, foods, and nurturing intellect and inspiration. Also training the senses to appreciate the world around us, our community and life. Celtic festivals such as Beltaine are a reminder of our role and participation in a greater fertile cycle, that of the earth and nature. In this particular ritual the key role of fertility is given special status in an agricultural sense, traditionally a time when the shoots of the first planting would be coming forth from the soil, and the ‘light-half’ of the year is increasing in its strength.

Another interesting fertility figure in Gaelic tradition is the ‘Sheela na Gig.’ The Sheela is a carved stone female figurine with open legs, exposed and showing her clutching her vulva with both hands. Most scholars associate her with the ‘cailleach’ or Old-Hag, and many examples are found inserted into the masonry of churches, cathedrals or monasteries. One community in Ireland has been reported as using the figurine as a power object for woman during the process of childbirth and to ensure a easy delivery. Kathryn Price NicDhana sees the figure as one primal aspect of the changing year of traditional Celtic seasons:

In much of the Scottish lore the year is ruled alternately by the Hag of Winter and the Maiden Queen of Summer.(6) Yet I see Síla as another, lesser known, third face of this well-known duality: the manifestation of the usually-hidden doorway that emerges when these forces are balanced or in flux. She holds the doorway which opens in the liminal-times: the days of Bealtaine and Samhain, the twilight of sunrise or sunset, and when the mists arise where the land and the sky meet the waters.(7) She is both and neither, an Otherworldly force that refuses to fit into either/or categories.

Many animals in Celtic mythology are representative of fertility, vitality and virility. In particular boars and pigs, horses, cows, bulls, are all indicative of tribal prosperity and increased regeneration. It was a customary ritual for an elected king in Ireland to mate with a pure white mare (as a representative of the earth goddess) to ensure the fertility of the land, and to enter into a covenant as a protector. At Beltaine cows were usually driven between two fires as both purification ritual and to ensure prospective fertility for the tribe.

In a modern context we can ensure our own fertility by pursuing creative and rewarding activities, stimulating the mind, body and soul with nourishing tasks: learning and knowledge, exercise and fresh nutritional foods, and the cultivation of a sacred and spiritual path to culture our soul. A deeper involvement with nature and the environment can be rewarding, also building and maintaining meaningful relationships can drive away the deserts of depression and loneliness.

It is sad that all too often fertility is seen today solely as the capacity to breed in an already overpopulated world.

Thugamar Fein An Samhradh Linn: A History of Beltaine...

2007-02-26T14:36:00.000-08:00

Beltaine: A History of Spring Celebrations.

Seo e an samhradh a thiocfas go haerach
Thugar fein an samhradh linn
Samhradh bui o lui na griene
Thugamar fein an samhradh linn

(This is the Summer that will come gaily, we have brought the Summer in, Yellow summer from the bed of the sun, We have brought the Summer in). – Old Irish Beltaine song.

Beltaine (pron. Bel’ta-na) or ‘bright fire’ is the Celtic festival which marks the beginning of the summer. It is traditionally celebrated on the 1st of May, or in pre-reformation times on the first Monday or Tuesday of May. In astronomical terms it is the cross-quarter day at the junction of the vernal equinox and summer solstice. Beltaine was the opening of the fertile season toward the second division of the Celtic year known as ‘An ghrian mor’ or ‘the great sun,’ as opposed to ‘An ghrian beg’ or the lesser sun which ran from the festival and time of Samhain to Beltaine. Thus Beltaine opened the light half of a year, the other half being dark. On the Coligny calendar Beltaine is represented by ‘Samivisionis’ or the time of brightness and illumination occurring from May to June.

The Irish chronicler Cormac in the 9th century links Druidic ritual to Beltaine, in a description of the creation of two bonfires between which a herd of cattle were driven in symbolic ritual to ward off disease. These ritual bonfires had several purposes, being principally the acknowledgement of the power of the sun, as a source of heat, light, power and sustenance, a recognition of the powerful solar healing powers, and it is believed by some scholars as a form of worship of the sun as a deity. In essence the bonfire was a homage and intended to replicate the sun’s power on earth, as a fertilizer; spreading the remnants of ashes over the ground to aid the germination of seed crops, the fire may also have been seen as a purifier which burned out the old year like a hot fever.

Irish myths show a connection between Beltaine, fire and rituals. In the Lebor Gabala Erin (The Book of Invasions) a Druid named Mide who founded Meath, is recorded as being the first to light a Beltaine fire. The tale is somewhat continued in the Dinnschenchas (The History of Places), where the fire started by Mide spreads throughout Ireland much to the annoyance of other Irish Druids. Mide then proceeds to cut out their tongues and ritually burn them, thereby depriving the other Druids of their essential power of expression; speech, prophecy and satire. Tara is the sacred site in Ireland, in County Meath, which dates back to Neolithic times and mythology represented the royal seat of the kings of Ireland. It was later designated as the location for the Congregation of the National Assembly at Beltaine.

Beltaine was also known as ‘Cetsamhain’ or opposite Samhain in Ireland. It does seem possible that the festival was associated with the continental Celtic sun-god and healer Belenus. The name Bel also means mouth or an opening, tane means fire. Belenus probably represented the curative powers of solar energy, whilst also providing a pathway of visionary power between this world and the spiritual plane of existence.

Beltaine appears to have been a major fertility festival, celebrating the birth process behind the agricultural season, and accompanied by explicit and symbolic sexual rituals. The so called ‘Long Man of Cerne’ or the Cerne Abbas Giant, a naked male image carved into a chalk hillside in Dorset, in south-west Britian was the location for annual Beltaine festivals, all recorded in the early 1900’s. The image of the giant with a huge erect phallus definitely connects the festival to fertile celebrations. A description of a May-day festival by the Elizabethan puritan Philip Stubbes (1550 – 1593) in his ‘Anatomy of Abuses’ in 1583, gives an opinionated but enlightening depiction of the process of the celebration:

“Every parish, town, and village assemble themselves together, both men, women and children, old and young……… and either going all together or dividing themselves into companies, some go to the woods and groves, some to the hills and mountains……… where they spend all night in pleasant pastimes, and in the morning they return, bringing with them birch boughs, and branches of trees to deck their assemblies withal. And no marvel, for there is a great lord amongst them, as superintendent and lord over there pastimes and sports, namely Satan the Prince of Hell. But their chiefest jewel that they bring from thence is their Maypole, which they bring home with great veneration, as thus; they have twenty or forty of oxen, each ox having a sweet nosegay of flowers tied on the tip of his horns, and these oxen draw this Maypole (this stinking idol rather) which is covered all over with flowers and herbs, bound round with strings and sometimes painted with variable colors, with two or three hundred men, women and children following it with great devotion. And thus being reared up with hankerchiefs and flags streaming on top, they straw the ground about, bind green boughs about it, set up summer halls, bowers and arbors hard by; and then fall to banquet and feast, to leap and dance about it, as the Heathen people did at the dedication of their idols, whereof this is a perfect pattern.”

In Stubbes account there is a definite sense of ‘earth veneration’, fertility and celebration of life, with the involvement of live-stock/animals as oxen, and gay decorations. The origins of planting a representation of a phallus into the earth (womb) and venerating it as a symbol of fertility is primarily Indo-European or Aryan in nature. The Maypole is still the ‘Great Lingam’ (a penis or phallic pillar) found in the core of Hindu temples in India, firmly planted into the receptive ground. John Stow (1525 – 1603) the London chronicler gives an altogether more spiritual assessment of the May festival:

“On Monday in the mornings, every man would walk into sweet meadows and green woods, there to rejoice their spirits with the beauty and savor of sweet flowers, and with the harmony of birds, praising God in their kind…”

The month of May represents Maya or Maia, the virgin Goddess of spring. Worship of this particular Goddess and the rituals associated with her have strong connections and are identifiable with the Roman spring festival of Floralia. One key aspect of these celebrations is the presence of a ‘May Queen’ who is inevitably a virgin bride representing the earth mother or Maya herself. The ancient Irish ceremony for the inauguration of a king involved a similar symbolic earth deity, a feminine protectress to whom the king was married, and establishing a contract to guard and preserve the land. The British tradition however appears to lean toward a Latin Paganism, William Stuckley observed several intimations of this in a May celebration in 1724;

“There is a Maypole near Horn Castle, Lincolnshire, where probably a Hermes (a phallic pillar) in Roman times. The boys annually keep up the festival of the Floralia on Mayday, making a procession to this hill with May gads (as they call them) in their hands. This is a white willow wand, the bark peeled off, tied around with cowslips, a thyrsus of the Bacchanals. At night they have a bonfire, and other merriment, which is really a sacrifice, a religious festival.”

In Britain the May festival was celebrated with branches and flowers of the hawthorn (Crataegus oxyacantha), picked the night before and used to decorate windows and doors, which are symbolic of openings, birth, passageways of life through the earth; the feminine aspect of the festival. The hawthorn in this respect was perceived as a cleansing and protecting agent, with the heavy and pungent musky aroma of the flowers observed as an essentially feminine attribute. The ritualistic nature-blessing is preserved in this children’s rhythm from Mother Goose;

The fair maid who, the first of May
Goes to the fields at break of day
And washes in dew from the hawthorn tree,
Will ever after handsome be.

Hawthorn, or in Gaelic huath, is the 6th letter of the Ogham tree alphabet. As it flowers in May it was seen as a rising aspect of sexuality, a garland of the leaves were often placed around the tip of the phallic Maypole. Wood from the hawthorn was the principle ingredient for bonfires at this time, since it provides the hottest fire known. Presumably it was thus used by blacksmiths and metal workers and gained a mystical and magical reputation as a tree which provided traditional crafts with the fire of inspiration. Common names for the hawthorn are may, may-blossom and may-bush. The Hitchin Mayday song gives an important role for the hawthorn;

“Remember us poor Mayers all!
And thus we do begin
To lead our lives in righteousness,
Or else we die in sin.

We have been rambling all the night,
And almost all the day;
And now returned back again,
We have brought you a branch of may.

A branch of may we have brought you,
And at your door it stands;
It is but a sprout,
But its well budded out,
By the work of our Lord’s hand…

… The heavenly gates are open wide,
Our paths are beaten plain;
And if a man be not too far gone,
He may return again... “

Despite being Christianized the Hitchin song preserves and reveals several Pagan themes and symbols. The term Mayers is purely pre-Christian Roman from the Latin Maiores, who were elder statesmen in the senate, and could possibly be derived from devotees or worshippers of the spring Goddess Maia. Righteousness and sin may refer to the original two divisions of the Celtic year, with Mayday or Beltaine being the cross-over. Rambling during the night contains clear sexual connotations, of the performance of fertile activities to encourage the blossoming of a new year, as does the branch of may with a sprout. Dew was regarded as being left on May morning by the earth spirits or Faeries, and as previously mentioned, anyone bathing in this natural nectar was said to retain their youthful countenance, the perfect health and shape of the inhabitants of ‘Tir na n’Og’ or the Land of Ever-Young. It was on Mayday that the doors or gates of this otherworld were opened up, bringing fresh blessings, and the man who has not gone too far may refer to the ancient Celtic myth of Tir na n’Og; a place of eternal time, beyond normal perceptions… perhaps this man has traveled there, come back yet remained unchanged?

Over the years there were many attempts on the part of the Christian church to prevent the May celebration. In the 7th century the Bishop Eligius of Noyens begged his flock to stop the sexually infused rituals, but without success. Where the church failed, the industrial revolution gained ground. The process of urbanization succeeded in dismantling the village community based cultural expressions of spirituality, in 1829 Thomas Carlyle commented;

“For some unearthly reason, we have machines and mechanical furtherances; for mincing our cabbages; for casting us into magnetic sleep. We remove mountains, make seas our smooth highway; nothing can resist us. We war with rude nature; and by our restless engines, come off victorious, and loaded with spoils……… But, leaving these matters for the present, let us observe how the mechanical genius of our time has diffused into quite other provinces. Not the external and physical alone is now managed by machinery, but the internal and spiritual also…”

Toward the twentieth century, community celebrations like Mayday became increasingly fractured and remote, only distant memories of the past, renamed and politically neutralized, sanitized by increasingly conservative morality, misogynistic anti-feminist propaganda and the desire to mount, extract and control natural forces. Paul Theroux comments on a Mayday journey in the early 1980’s;

“It was London’s labor day, celebrated by marching Union-men and speeches in Trafalger Square……… neutralized as a Spring Bank holiday……… associated with a trip to a coastal resort……… “

Perhaps with an ever growing interest in earth based faith, ecology and spirituality, new links to the ancient practice and significance of Beltaine and Mayday can be forged, with a reworking of the old rituals that lend a profound understanding of the human relationship with nature. Various annual ‘earth day’ celebrations have been instituted worldwide, the most famous being the April 22nd Earth Day started by Gaylord Nelson in 1970. A rival Earth Day creator who claims seniority is John McConnell (purporting to have established his festival one month earlier on the 1st of March 1970 to coincide with the Spring equinox). The McConnell earth day specifically seeks to provide a genuine spiritual, cosmological, intellectual and ancient basis for a dynamic day of earth based activities. The more secular Arbor day, usually celebrated on the last Friday of April, and instituted by J. Sterling Morton in 1872 is again a genuine springtime attempt to involve people with one of the most visible aspects of the natural world; the tree. It may be a romantic notion, but maybe the new naturalists are silently inspired by the words of the mythical bard Fionn Mac Cumhail, hero of the Irish Fiann cycle, who after receiving his divine wisdom sings a beautiful ode to spring;

“It is the full month of May, the pleasant time; it’s face is beautiful: the blackbird sings his full song, the living wood is his holding, the cuckoos are singing and ever singing; there is a welcome before the brightness………

The man is gaining, the girl in her comely power growing, every wood is without fault, from the top to the ground, and every wide good plain………

There is a hot desire on you for the racing of horses, a bright spear has been shot into the earth and the flag flower is golden beneath it……… “

The true essence of Beltaine is the resonance of revelation, the birth of a new vision and belief in ourselves. A true May ritual refreshes our connections with the land, establishes a firm foundation as a marriage in which as respective partners we work together to ensure success, fertility and a bountiful future of joy and bliss. It is encouraging to realize that a new and invigorated movement of Celtic spiritualists are actively pursuing a reformation and reconstruction of the Beltaine festival. Current Druid practitioners see Beltaine as being a dynamic integration of three primal and cosmic energies, and it is with this that I will conclude, giving enough space for contemplation, meditation and formation. From the Irish Triads:

The three most powerful divinations are by fire, by water, and by clay.
These are the three great powers:
The power that ascends, which is fire; the power that falls, which is water; and the power that lies level on the earth, and has the mystery of the dead, which is clay.BIBLIOGRAPHY AND SOURCES:

Green M. Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend. Thames and Hudson, London 1992.
Green M. The World of The Druids. Thames and Hudson, London 1997.
Mountfort P. R. Ogam. Rider Press, 2001.
Nicholas R. The Book of Druidry, Thorsens, 1990.
Plowden A. Elizabethan England. Readers Digest, London. ISBN 0340 23044.
Walker B.G. The Womans Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets. Harper and Row 1993.
Herbal Remedies, Gedes and Grosset. London 1996.
Theroux P. The Kingdom by the Sea. Washington Square Press 1994.
Dorner P. The Culture of Craft. Manchester University Press 1997.
Kondratiev A. The Apple Branch. Citadel Press 2003.

An Ceangal Foundation: http://www.efn.org
Meaning of the Ogham Staves: http://ogham.lyberty.com
The Hitchin Mayday Song: http://www.nimblewisdom.com
The Gaylord-Nelson Earth Day: http://www.earthday.net/
The John McConnell Earth Day: http://www.earthsite.org
Arbor day: http://www.arborday.org
Denver Druids: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DenverDruids/

Tiobraidarana... A Fountain of Perception, Enligtenment

2007-02-26T10:21:00.000-08:00

Failte...

Anois osclaím an doras. Anois téim i mbéal an dorais. Anois dúnaim an doras i mo dhiaidh.

(Now I open the Door. Now I enter the Doorway. Now I close the Door behind me.)

There are a few, humble but bold people around the world attempting to recreate and preserve the noble ways of their Gaelic ancestors. This is not 'historical reconstruction' or role-playing, but a genuine attempt to maintain a tradition which goes back over 2000 years. I have recently been trying to define the modern trend of reaching back in time to define a native spiritual path for the present, particularly amongst individuals of Celtic origin, but the best I can do for now is to allow them their own voice and present their efforts:

Mothú Treibhe - A Sense of Tribe

With the defeat of the Irish forces at the battle of Ceann tSáile in 1601, the outcome of the Elizabethan conquest of Ireland was assured. This was a major turning point in Irish history and in the following centuries, the old aristocratic order disappeared and without the leadership and protection of the old clan system our lands were confiscated. The English, in order to enforce strict rule upon the Irish, carried out a policy of forcing all of Ireland to abandon its traditional language, customs and law, replacing them with those from England. With the defeat of the old order, the social and political pillars which upheld and maintained our traditional culture crumbled and the effects of this cultural upheaval are still apparent in Irish society today. Thankfully, however, this brutal policy of cultural repression did not have the desired effect.

So what is Craobh Chrua all about? Well, in a word "Culture". We're trying give the 'clan' a modern expression by bringing together people who have a sense of personal responsibility towards the welfare of our cultural heritage and to encourage this sense of responsibility among others. If Irish people resign their traditions and their heritage to the past, they will be the poorer for it. Our traditions have survived all attempts to put them down and will continue to do so as long as there are people who work for the well-being of the tradition. Culture outlives generations.

Although Craobh Chrua is still in it's youth, we have high hopes, plenty of ideas and I personally intend to make this my lifes work.

Stiofán Ó Broin, Craobh Chrua.

http://www.craobhcrua.org/

Tuatha:

Tuatha is a small group of dedicated seekers located at the foot of Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs, Colorado. We have been active a little over two years now and welcome anyone interested to join us. We seek to become more and more a "tuatha". "Tuatha" (pronounced 'TOO-uh') is a Gaelic word that means "people, land". Tuatha, to us, means "the people and the Land are one". We celebrate the turning of the year and the changing of the Land by celebrating the Four Celtic Festivals. We long to learn more and more about the Celtic spirit, the Land of Colorado, each other, and ourselves.

We look to the Celts of the past (and the present) for inspiration in how to live, work, love, and prosper, in our lives today. We call on many Gods and Goddesses to help us in anyway they wish. Our goals are lofty. We hope to live and die without regret.

For many of us, the act of listening to the deeds of the Cuchulainn, or the tragic death of Dierdre, is more stirring to the blood and spirit than can be expressed. We study Irish Gaelic, Celtic forms of folkdance, Celtic star lore, wilderness survival, martial arts, meditation, parenting, public speaking, herbalism, prayer, storytelling, Celtic music, and a thousand other things besides. We welcome those who wish to help preserve the Celtic spirit, and be a part of a Tribe in the truest sense of the word.

We believe the Land of Colorado is sacred. We love her rivers, lakes, wildlife, people, mountains, trees, waterfalls, and stones. Getting to know Colorado is a large part of our spiritual life. What is the spirit of a Ponderosa like? What wisdom and stories does the spirit of Mount Shavano hold? How do we learn from Colorado and Her spirit tribe? These are the questions that enflame and enliven our souls:

http://www.celtictale.com/our_tribe.htm

The Butterfly Tradition:

The Butterfly Tradition of Druidry was created on Samhain 1990 by three college students: Saymion Odinson, Sean Clark, and myself. Our purpose, at the time, was to venture on to the path of neo-druidry and explore different Pagan and Occult traditions.

Our focus was on neo-druidry taken from Irish lore and tradition. We embraced the Tuatha de Dannan, each in our own way, and ran off into the woods to frolick and play in the shadows there. As modern-day druids we revere all of nature and our hearts yearn for the emerald shores of Erin. But above all we love our local environment. Idaho is full of sacred spaces and over the life of Butterfly we have found hundreds of places that hold special meaning to us. In particular we have made a special connection to Caribou Natl. Forest, She has given us much so we honor her when we can and try our best to heal her with our hands.

The first rule set forth for the Butterfly Tradition was that it would eventually, upon gaining over a dozen initiates, be released. We agreed to start out on our own at that point and engage the world as solitaries or as members or founders of other Traditions. It is the whole idea of the Butterfly: change. Kind of a forced metamorphosis planned from the start. Well, here we are, 16 years later, and near enough to our limit that Butterfly is evolving and changing on its own. Half of our number lives in the State of Oregon, while the other half reside here in Idaho. We still practice most holidays together but each of us has begun to walk differing paths over the years. We will always be Butterfly Druids but we will also flutter off to cause our own set of chaotic events and as a result become something new.

My greatest hurdle of all has been the death of my brother, Saymion last year. He died of a heart attack at the age of 33, leaving behind his beloved son, Noah, and a group of druids and druidesses that miss him dearly. Saymion and I, together with Sean Clark, started this tradition together. In fact we were together at its inception...

One day we sat in the woods in the early days of January. The snow was over a foot deep and we had hiked a mile into the trees off the road. It was hovering around 5 degrees that morning and it had been below zero for a week. We sat in silence and began a meditation only to see a tiny moving object in the trees. Nothing else stirred in that coldm but we watched as a small butterfly fluttered towards us. All of the insects were dead or sleeping by this point so we were surprised to see its aproach. It flew up to us and fluttered about our heads, making three complete circuits around us, before it flew away into the trees. In a world of white silence, it was a wondrous gift to meet this colorful spirit that day. So we called the dream The Butterfly Tradition.

In the ancient times the butterfly was a symbol of the soul... that life energy of a loved one, flying away to the Otherworld. It is silent yet it sings with color and merriment. I dedicate this site to my best friend and brother, Saymion, and to all the butterflies in the group who have flown up to me over many, many cold winters since we began. I love you all.

http://www.neodruidry.org/

Dùn Sgàthan:

Pàganachd Allaidh is Gaelic for Wild Paganism and is our own path of Celtic Reconstructionism, not a generic term. This is an involved path, which will be described with out a lot of detail further down the page, and we only recognize those who have actually trained with us as being Pàganach Allaidh. We are willing to share some of our ideas.

http://www.cyberpict.net/index.htm

Rath De ort (The grace of God be with you)...

Vis Medicatrix Naturae

2007-02-24T16:28:00.000-08:00

Vis Medicatrix Naturae: Meditations on the healing power of nature

©2004 by David John Drew. All rights reserved.

As I sat in the cool shade of an ancient Gambel Oak in the blistering dry heat of a Colorado summer I questioned my inner desire to be closer to nature. The apparent silence was in fact dense with my inner mechanical ruminations, lost in the maze of complex relationships that exist between the world environment and humanity, good, bad and indifferent. From an apparently fractured and discordant state how could I establish, build, and maintain a harmonious existence with this nature, with what seemed to be an abstract, chaotic mass of undecipherable signs, seasons and unpredictability. I sensed myself being plunged into darkness with my monumental meditations, into a dark, muddy ocean which blinded my senses but brought a surreal tranquility. Within that womb-like state I came upon an island, in the center of which was a gentle mound, an apparition stood atop the hill shining in glory. The aura spoke to me in a voice akin to the soft rose gilded clouds of a spring dawn;

"A blessing exists for every realization of why you exist in a certain time and space within the cosmos. That which you seek the answer to already exists within you as a map of nature. Fathom the beauty of your spirit and the harmony of the universe will reveal itself and resonate through you, eroding the stone wall of your blind ego..."

And the aura blew me backwards into the vast sea. I landed in the tumultuous vortex of a whirlpool which sucked me down in spirals until I awoke, slowly breathing beneath the oak in the clarity of midday.

Time and again I visited and reclined beneath my adopted tree, pondering and digesting the message of Aurora without realizing it. My earthly path was limited to a concentric circle between labor, meditative speculation, and my abode, but without seeing the whole unified center. But, I felt a gradual change in my perception; a release and subsidence of anger, frustration and depression. I saw others on the same path as I, although without the pause for contemplation and they appeared to be disjointed, fractured and sad, a woebegone existence trapped in a material mechanistic cubicle. The oak tree had imparted a mysterious healing energy on me, and this infused me with a positive spirit to discover why.

Ius Naturale

With Mater Matura or the Mother of Dawn, my vision of Aurora came also with the revelation of a natural law (Ius naturale), the ancient legal system of the Matriarchate. Equality and democracy were the ruling principles, it was not hierarchical and there are no special privileges. The natural law flows through air, water, nature and matter, it inspires fertilization, forges bonds and relationships, secures freedom, demands justice and truth, it will build a wall of ignorance and blindness around the persecutor, it rewards the diligent and those who seek inner light. It is a law of morality, from which the communis omnium possessio or law of common property sprung, and from which we can all claim equal rights to the air, sea and vacant spaces. I learned the vocabulary and origin of the Matriarchate, mater, like the Sanskrit matra, and Greek meter, signify both mother and measurement. The cycle of creativity, nurturing, life, love, healing, and death are all calculated according to the principles of the natural law. Our language infused with root words of the Matriarchate; mantra, matrix, matter, material, matrimony, matron, metric, mensuration, mentality, mark, mathematics, geo-metry, hydro-metry, and many others.

Matrilinialists of the matrix

Throughout recorded human history, across nations and in varying spheres of activity I became aware of significant individuals who possessed a visionary perception of the earth. Inspired people, inventors, engineers, biologists, scientists, naturalists, psychologists, spiritualists, theologians, doctors, philosophers, architects, gardeners, ecologists and others who had observed, recorded and defined the forms of nature with an alternative but equally valid perspective in comparison with orthodox scientific thought, they had glimpsed the "essence," viewed the elements and constituents as a complex and intricate web of relationships. Some were aware of contemporary forces of erosion that in some way disrupted or were in the process of destroying those harmonic bonds and offering proposals or initiating action to halt the malignance and restore an equilibrium. Collectively I began to call this group of workers the mystery-workers of the matrix. They acted as spiritual guardians of a nature-faith to protect the "Mother" to follow and uphold her laws regardless of the historical time and space they occupied. They provided luminous examples of inspiration for me on my spiritual path, venerable saints who pointed and guided me in the right direction and infused me with a sense of purpose and worth.

Wunder-Wasser and Aquae Sulis

A core element expressed in ancient systems of faith is an active belief in the sacredness of earth. Archeological, historical and cultural evidence of rituals and seasonal festivals indicate that human communities have endeavored to maintain a symbiotic relationship with the earth. Indigenous tribal people conceived the earth as a living spiritual being, a Goddess with primal wisdom and knowledge, the source of life with a womb from which the seed or source of live of all existence issues, the Creatress or Mother Nature. One of the most significant properties ascribed to Mother Nature was her ability to nurture and heal, (together with a destroying force) which was regarded as a divine blessing. In this context doctors were originally individuals trained in the processes of natural healing, and would teach and educate their people in best ways to remain healthy, never the arrogant belief that they could prevent disease since everything was in the hands of Mother Earth and the constituents she had provided in the earth.

In the Celtic tradition the element of water was accepted as the primary restorative and therapeutic dynamic of the earth, Dana the Great Mother of the Gods, The Tuatha De Dannan was essentially a water deity with countless rivers named in her honor. Bodies of water such as rivers, springs, wells, lakes and oceans where they met or came into contact with earth were perceived as channels to the subconscious realms of the divine otherworld; Tir na n'Og or the Land of Youth, everlasting beauty devoid of illness, as Niamh Chinn Oir describes in the Fionn cycle;

"It is the most delightful of places, all rich and fertile, fruit grows on the trees in every season, rivers run with wine and honey, a hundred warriors will feast with you, a hundred harpers play sweet music, allow my father to shower you with gifts...You may defy the passage of time, no-one ever grows old in our land, beauty, strength, and good health will always be yours, you will get silver, gold and many precious jewels, you will get everything beyond them of which I have no leave to tell."

As the very soul of the Cosmic Mother, Tir na n'Og is the source of restoration, peace and timeless being, which the perceptive and open can always access through divine ritual. Water as a medium of health and healing is exemplified at Aquae Sulis at Bath in Britian, founded by the leprous and disinherited Prince Bladud who through a series of misadventures was plunged into the primal spring and cured of his affliction. The temple is built in the honor of the Goddess Sulis (a Q-Celtic term for eye, orifice or hole) who presided over and monitored the healing process. The spring pumps out hot water at a temperature of 115 F, and at a rate of 250.000 gallons a day it represents the abundant embodiment of the Earth Mother herself. A similar site exists in Dijjon, France. The Fontes Sequanae is dedicated to the Goddess Sequanae and its curative waters specifically applied to rectify eye disorders. A Christian Welsh "Water-Prayer" may be an affirmation or extension of previously held pagan beliefs in water healing;

Living God, who turns dry land into pools of water,
Lead us to the springs of eternal life,
May we drink and be satisfied
And become channels of your grace.
May those who thirst find the water without price.
Enable us to play our part in leading them
To the never failing fountain of life.

The curative powers of water were rediscovered and made popular by the Revd. Sebastien Kniepp (1821-1897) in Bavaria, Germany. Soon after being admitted to seminary he became seriously ill with pulmonary tuberculosis. Discovering an 18th century book on hydrotherapy he decided in the winter of 1849 to immerse himself in the icy cold waters of the Danube river. Several brief exposures to the waters appeared to stimulate his immune system and affected a rapid recovery from his condition, enabling him to continue his theological studies in Munich. After being ordained in 1852 he continued his practice of natural health, combining other modalities such as phytotherapy, nutrition, exercise and health education for the benefit of his poor parishioners. Several times he used his natural healing techniques and brought dying patients back to life. Kniepp physiotherapy is recognized as an early form of classical naturopathy and despite the fact that he was regarded as a charlatan by the medical establishment a German study in 1977 discovered that immunological reactions to protein and bacterial antigens were much higher in patients who had undergone a course of hydrotherapy.

Viktor Schauberger (1885-1958) contributed the most dynamic and creative thought on water as an active and energetic primal force. Born in Austria to a long line of foresters stretching back 400 years he refused to go to university at 18, instead he left home and spent extended periods of time deep in the remote regions of forest. With an analytical and almost scientific mind he observed, contemplated and pondered on the subtle energetic mechanics and motions of the earth, especially natural water courses, waterfalls, springs, and whirlpools. Schauberger viewed water as a living entity which he termed "the blood of mother earth" which he perceived as being born in the womb of the forest, water had a life and death;

"The upholder of the cycles which supports the whole of life is water. In every drop of water dwells the Godhead, whom we all serve; there also dwells life, the soul of the 'first' substance - water - whose boundaries and banks are the capillaries that guide it and in which it circulates."

In his observations of what he considered to be a primeval mother earth Schauberger developed very profound and radical theories on the formation and use of natural energies, a careful study of whirlpools, tornadoes, cyclones and hurricanes, enabling him to forward his theory of implosion; "all movement is the outcome of attraction or repulsion - between expansion and contraction" using the principle of the vortex and two types of natural movement, centrifugence and centripetence to create energy capable of directing mechanical movement. It was through this particular aspect of his research that he was able to produce the type of nutrient rich water that comes from natural springs. As a substance that Schauberger believed to have life and death, water could also become polluted and diseased through misuse and consequently cause illness in humans. Healthy water, which is capable of nourishment and preventing disease by supporting the immune system is that which has optimum levels of energy and nutrients, and in essence Schauberger developed the technology to convert any water source to this curative level. For his contributions to the understanding of aqua-nutrition and his "wunder-wasser" Schauberger was called the "Water Wizard.'

Alchemy of the Earth

Nearly two years ago I began to study herbal medicine. From the beginning of the course I was introduced to semi-orthodox scientific approach to phytopharmacy, the chemical constituents, drug interactions and a fractured sense of herbalism divorced from its ancient origins and place as a primary earth orientated healing system. My heart yearned for a traditional spiritual dimension of the art. I was introduced to the Astrologer/herbalist Nicholas Culpepper (1616-1654) whose most famous work is "The English Physitian" published two years before his death. Culpepper was odd by the standards of his day, working against the medical establishment with his curious but fascinating cosmological faith;

"If you don't consider the whole universe as one united body, and man an epitome of this body, it will seem strange to none but madmen and fools that the stars have influence over the body of man, considering he, be an epitome of creation must needs have a celestial world within himself."

The "universal man" was a primary belief of Culpepper, a sacred energy flowed throughout creation and nature within and without existence as we perceive it. Plants, animals and humans are all affected by this energy, through exploration, extraction, implementation and balance we can enact and promote the healing process. Looking up at the dark sky at night I realized that the stars, planets and the moon were not faraway untouchable bodies but reflections of myself. I gazed at Orion, the light of Heaven or "Ur-Anna," described by the ancient Greeks as the roamer or foot-turning wanderer with a beautiful composition of stars, and slowly realized that this dancing stellar skeleton, beheld a primal version of my own being in the cosmos. Betelgeuse (the armpit), Rigel (the foot), Mintaka (the girdle or stomach), Trapezium or Thetal Ori (the heart), Bellatrix (the west shoulder), Al-nilam (an arrangement of pearls, teeth?), Al-nitak (belt), Nair al Saif (bright tip of the sword), Saif (sword), and Meissa (the shining head). Like the Goddess of creation, Aruru in the Epic of Gilgamesh, who conceived of a form of man in her mind, of the substance of the firmament, created of water and clay which was then dropped into the wilderness and called the primal or wild man "Enkidu," so, perhaps I too am a reflection of this Matriarch of creation, of divine essence, primal ingredients, minerals, stars and dark matter, animated by bright flowing energy. The Bereishitic Adam of Ha-Adamah (Earth-being formed from the womb of Earth-Mother). I subsequently discovered a 12th century herbalists spell, translated by Charles Singer which awoke me to definite spiritual aspects of the herbalists art, and identified the primordial, Goddess-Matriarch who inspires life, creation and healing;

"Earth, Divine Goddess, Mother Nature who generates all things and brings forth anew the sun which you have given to the nations, guardian of the sky and of all Gods and powers...You are the source of strength of the nations and of the Gods, without you nothing can be brought to perfection or be born, you are the great Queen of the Gods...Now I make intercession to you all your powers and herbs and to your majesty, you whom Earth Parent of all has produced and given as medicine of health to all nations and has put majesty upon you..."

This inspired my study of herbal medicine, and perhaps protected me from the infectious and dangerous belief that through my study of a medicine I would have that "God-like" control over the lives of others. In the spell the name of the Goddess is neither implied or stated openly which caused me concern. Maybe she has no name, being the unimaginable source of all life, but what I grasp from this prayer is the notion that time is considered circular and repetitive, existence is cyclical; the Divine Goddess is invoked as a triad representing the constant repetitions of birth, life and death, then again rebirth. She is the "One"of infinity, mentioned in the Vedic Hymn of Creation;

"There was not then what is not, there was no sky, and no heaven beyond the sky. What power was there? Where? Who was that power? Was there an abyss of fathomless waters? There was neither death nor immortality then. No signs of night or day. The ONE was breathing of its own power, in deep peace only the ONE was: there was nothing beyond. And in the ONE arose love. Love the first seed of soul."

I became aware of the Irish Goddess of herbs and healing Airmid, the daughter of Dian Cecht the God of Medicine. In the 2nd battle of Mag Tureadh Airmid inherits the spiritual knowledge of 365 herbs which grow from out of the body of her dead brother Miach. Airmid has since been the primary focus for invocation when it came to the application for herbal healing. Apart from these references there is very little information on the uses of herbs in Celtic culture. Lacking evidence in the Celtic-Pagan sphere of herbal arts I began to explore the early Christian use of herbs, and discovered the Benedictine monk Basilius Valentinus, an alchemist and mystic with a strong spiritual belief. Valentinus established the foundations of chemistry in the Western tradition, but his views on the nature of medicine and healing were unorthodox and fascinating;

"The earth is not a dead body, but is inhabited by a spirit that is its life and soul. All created things, minerals included, draw their strength from the Earth Spirit. This spirit is life, it is nourished by the stars, it gives nourishment to all the living things in its womb. Through the spirit received from on high, the earth hatches the minerals in her womb as the mother her unborn child."
Like many alchemists Valentinus believed that perfect human health was attainable by the administration of transformed substances from the earth, be they plant, mineral or metal. These constituents of the earth were believed to contain vital essences that are released and obtained through chemical processes. In his work The Twelve Keys Valentinus describes the extraction and transformation of such medicines for specific symptomatic conditions. The keys are highly symbolic, shrouded in mystic metaphor and symbolism, they require extensive study and analysis to decipher, but represent a deep and profound understanding of the living composition of the earth, as a body and form.

Contemporary British scientist James Lovelock gives a name to this entity in a unique hypothesis: Gaia. Gaia is the earth Goddess in the Greek creation myth, and the divinity who formed the earth out of a chaotic mass. Lovelock developed his hypothesis of a living organic earth after participating in the NASA Viking project, which involved sending a complex information gathering vehicle to Mars to assess the planet for life-forms. Lovelock realized afterwards that in essence Mars had no atmosphere and hence had a dead equilibrium, contrasting his discovery with planet earth the conclusion that he come to was that earth's atmosphere provided a "far from equilibrium" state, meaning that other complex processes were happening but not apparent. His involvement with the Mars project gave Lovelock a unique perspective of earth life, almost an independent view. He began to see that Earth was not so much a planet capable of supporting various life forms but itself was a whole self evolving, living, communicating and regulating system. The processes he observed happening, types of homeostasis together with positive and negative feedback loops drew Lovelock to the conclusion that earth was a living being, whom he subsequently named Gaia, a complex, interlaced entity that defies time and space;

"The name of the living planet, Gaia, is not a synonym for the biosphere - that part of the earth where living things are normally seen to exist. Still less is Gaia the same as the biota, which is simply the collection of all individual living organisms. The biota and the biosphere taken together form a part but not all of Gaia. Just as the shell is part of the snail, so the rocks, the air, and the oceans are part of Gaia. Gaia as we shall see, has continuity with the past back to the origins of life, and in the future as long as life persists."

Consilience and Biophila

There are many who are working within the Gaia hypothesis, inspired and intrigued by its revolutionary proposal. Since 1984 the evolutionary biologist E. O. Wilson of Harvard University has gathered various strands of studies, and brought them together in what he terms consilience in order to explain natural phenomena. Consilience in essence is theoretical ecology and a jumping together of knowledge, facts and theory across a wide range of disciplines such as anthropology, biology, zoology, philosophy, theology to investigate and explain natural laws. Wilson went further with a theory he titled biophilia. This concept holds that because humans have evolved in the natural world, their primary instinctual motives are deeply rooted in an environment of plants, animals and landscape. The gradual transference of the landscape from a natural one to a concrete suburban one has induced symptoms of stress, high blood pressure, muscle tension and other chronic disorders. Humans need the essential "touch of the earth"to be truly healthy.

Vis Medicatrix Naturae

The belief that humans are inextricably connected and part of natural order is defined in one of the first principles established by Dr. Benedict Lust (1872-1945). Inherent in his naturopathic system of healing (inspired by the Revd. Sebastien Kniepp) was the belief that the earth, human body and environment possess integral means of rehabilitation, Vis Medicatrix Naturae or The Healing Power of Nature, the doctor can only preserve life for a short time but ultimately it is nature that heals the body:

"In all cases, and in all diseases, therefore, man can recover and again become happy only by the use of the agents of Life; man must strenuously endeavor, in his mode of living, to heed again the voice of nature's path...choose the food that nature has laid before him...bring himself again into the relation with water, light, air and earth, that nature originally designed for him..."

And the wild-one therapy

Modern science and medicine in the Western tradition are slowly awakening, realizing and investigating these healing ways of nature. The incorporation of nature into the fabric and design of medicinal centers is what primarily concerns Dr. Roger Ulrich, professor and Director of the Center for health Systems and Design at Texas A and M. Dr. Ulrich believes that nature is important for emotional and physical health and has conducted serious research on the beneficial aspects of practical implementations such as the effect of hospital window views on individuals recovering from surgery, healthcare gardens and art on patients and hospital staff. His discoveries indicate that even 2-dimensional images of tree's have a positive impact on individuals who are removed or isolated from nature and the environment. This research has had a far reaching impact on the world wide medical profession, architects, interior designers and urban planners who now incorporate healing gardens, garden rooftops, interior plants and landscapes, and nature art into their designs. A study at Deakin University in Australia recognizes that public parks are an essential and fundamental health resource, particularly the salutary role thay play in disease prevention, lowering blood pressure, cholesterol levels, stress and depression.

Dr. Howard Frumkin at Emory University Department of Environmental and Occupational Health looks forward to the day when he could prescribe nature as a treatment for conditions, saying "Spend time in the park instead of taking this medicine." This desire is in fact being made a reality, many universities and colleges such as Naropa in Boulder, Colorado are offering courses in "wilderness therapeutics" as an added healing modality to healthcare professionals such as psychologists. Structured retreats in natural settings have been found to benefit cancer patients, emotionally disturbed children, and rape victims amongst others. Perhaps we have become too civilized, surrounded by walls and restrictions of our own construction, defined by temporary and transient notions of citizenship based on certificates of ownership, employment and nationality. Our poverty is not of means but of ideas, resulting in a blind, fumbling illness. This is summed up by Janet Thomas in her book "The battle in Seattle":

"The reductive challenge we face in contemporary life to describe, weigh and measure the secrets of our lives means that they (the administrative power and control of governments) lose their power, their numinous nature, their stature...Try sitting with a cedar tree for ten minutes and listening to what it has to tell you...The truth is that nature is always attracting, recovering, healing. It is our biological and psychological ability to regenerate, and when we connect to the natural world with our own reasoning, consciousness and language, together with all our other senses, we are opened up to real power."
I personally realized the importance of nature in healthcare whilst I worked as a Chef at Bowden House, a psychiatric clinic at Harrow, Middlesex in England. The building is a converted ancient manorial residence situated in the grounds of a beautiful tree-laden landscape. With a nearly 100% success rate I'm sure that the surrounding peace, tranquility, gentle tree energies and birdsong contributed a tremendous amount to the patients healing process and recovery. Whilst I applaud the most recent developments in Western medicine towards the healing power of nature it also makes me despondent to realize that the ancient practitioners of the healing arts, who worked as partners of Mother Earth and were pointing out these facts since the sun first rose, were either ignored, laughed at or regarded as charlatans.

Florilegium
So, in terms of Druidry and the Earth Path how can we incorporate these valuable lessons into our everyday life in a practical way. Mother Earth has three primary principles to offer to anybody who seeks enrichment through positive transformation. Through the study of habitat, ecosystems, wildlife, plants, weather we can develop our sense of the knowledge of unity, that everything is connected and related yet also infinitely diverse. A simple interaction with nature initiates a healing process, a deeper study of this process is a journey into natural medicine. A developed partnership with Mother Earth through a medative process begins a heightened and broader ecological spirituality. In conclusion the Earth path offers knowledge, spirituality and healing. On a purely practical level I began to change my own life to attune myself with the "Mother." This involved doing practical voluntary work with an organization called Clean Water Action, which actively campaigns for the maintenance and support of legal standards to ensure that the water we consume is free from pollution, and meets and exceeds accepted standards of purity and health. I also joined a water monitoring group called CoCoRaHS (The Community Collaborative Rain and Hail Study) in which my little home became a registered meteorological station and I measured daily rainfall. This enhanced my appreciation for the value of natural sources of water in an area of the country which is constantly on "drought-alert." I committed myself to cycling, walking or bussing to work and participated in a scheme entitled Ride Smart Thursdays, who encourage forms of transport which reduce urban pollution. With help from the National Wildlife Federation I turned my back yard into a haven for indigenous species of plants and animals, they offer both practical advice and an online "university" with free courses in habitat creation, preservation, ecosystems and endangered species. But, the core of my personal transformation has been my study of herbal medicine, which is constantly developing and integral to my daily life, matured by studies in ecopyschology. It is all hard work but the blessings are infinite, as infinite as the divine source of creation that I am slowly coming to realize.

Book of the universe

One day I was one the way to visit my oak tree, anticipating the bright lunation it would bestow upon my spirit. To my horror I discovered a steel fence had been erected around the area and I feared the worst, construction workers were clearing the parkland, chopping down trees and marking out the foundations for a complex of buildings. My heart fell and I said a whisper of a prayer;

O Ancient ones that tread softly through the earth
Winged Spirits of breath across the sky from Heaven
Musical guardians of rippling waters and ocean depths

O Armies from the hive of the Queen
Enwrap your armor around the oak
Burnish it with fires of bronze

Let its memory not fade
Let its age not tell
Let its wisdom prosper.

And I had a vision of numerous bronze coins being retrieved from the deepest and darkest parts of the earth. The coins were strung together on a hemp cord and wrapped around the trunk of the oak tree. A sign was written on parchment in oak gall ink, the blood of the oak which cursed any man who lifted a sharpened tool against it.

Of all the trees in the park the oak was one of the few to survive, later I learned that the area was to be turned into a rehabilitation and detoxification center for drug dependents and abusers. Whether my petition to Mother Earth had enabled this or the healing power of nature had ultimately planned it all along I cannot say. What is sure is that the mighty oak was now on another purpose, to heal others that had become sick, isolated and distracted from their true nature of being. And so, I leave the last word to the Italian Renaissance visionary, Dante Alighieri (1265-1321), in the Paradise of the Divine Comedy;

Nel suo profondo vidi che s'interna,
Legato con amore in un volume,
Cio che per l'universo si squaderna.

La forma universal di questo nodo
Creo ch'io vidi, perche piu di largo
Dicendo questo, mi sento ch'io godo.

("Within its deep infinity I saw ingathered and bound by love in one volume, the scattered leaves of all the universe. The universal form of this complex whole I think that I saw, because as I say this I feel my joy increasing.')

Biography

David Drew was born on the North banks of the river Tyne in Northumberland, NE Britian in 1964. He graduated with a Degree in Design from Plymouth University (Devon, SW Britian) in 1989. Studied Culinary Arts at various London schools including the National Bakery School at South Bank University and was the Executive Chef at the Science Museum in Kensington, London. Currently lives and works in Aurora, Colorado with his wife (a jeweler and silversmith) and a triadic coven of inspirational daughters.

Earth-treasures

Clean water action: http://www.cleanwateraction.org/

CoCoRaHS (Community Collaborative Rain and Hail Study): http://ccc.atmos.colostate.edu/~hail/index.php

Ride smart Thursdays: http://Ridesmartthursdays.com/

Backyard wildlife habitat program: http://www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat/

Wildlife University. Free courses in habitat creation, wildlife preservation, ecosystems, endangered species, native plant and animal conservation: http://www.nwf.org/wildlifeuniversity/

Ecopsychology (free course): http://www.ecopsych.com/giftecopsych.html#start.

Herbal medicine (free courses): http://www.susanweed.com/An_Article_Weed_Self-help1.htm

http://www.naturalhealthschool.com/

Practical plant alchemy course by Mark Stavish MA (free): http://www.hermetic.com/stavish/alchemy/plant1.html

A Daily - Celtic Prayer Devotional...

2007-02-24T16:24:00.000-08:00

The conception and Practice of Daily Celtic Prayer.

All of these prayers are inspired and adapted from a series of books collectively called ‘The Carmina Gadelica.’ They represent the prayers, invocations, and sacred poetry of the Scottish Islands compiled by the scholar Alexander Carmichael in the latter half of the 19th century, and represent the inherited oral traditions of a Gaelic community from over a thousand years of history. A careful analysis of the Carmina provides a unique insight into the spiritual beliefs of both pre-Christian Pagan Celts and of the developing Catholic theological framework. In short, the Gaels considered all space, sacred. The entire landscape was woven of intense spiritual and heavenly threads, and each moment or life experience was awarded a prayer in dedication. It can also be observed that the ancient Celts followed specific points in the day with spiritual devotions, specifically dawn, midday, dusk and mid-night. This is known as the Trathan or ‘four-times.’

Generally speaking the name and concept of God within the Carmina Gadelica is translated from Dei, a term which is cognate with the Latin Deus, Greek Theos, and Sanskrit Deva. In Irish it precedes the designation of every day, and itself can mean day. The root meaning of this name is both sacred and source of illumination. For me, it means the revolution of the sun around the earth and thus emblematic of unity, it represents life, growth, healing, the flow of the celestial sea and infinite energy, and thus is symbolic of the Great Spirit. Another term for God within Gaelic culture is Cruithear or ‘Creator’ or ‘Shaper.’ This conception of a supreme being is similar to Native American and First Nation peoples. The Creator in Native Gaelic culture is both supreme in kingship and personal, immanent and an essential aspect of a world perceived as a woven fabric.

I conceive and believe in Cruithear within the traditional trinitarianism of both Gaelic and Indo-European theology, whereby the creator possesses both masculine and feminine characteristics, although beyond gender definition, and composed of three primal aspects; creator, sustainer and destroyer. Cruithear is the Great Father Sky, joined with the Holy Mother Earth, expressed in the divine word of the Son of Light.

The traditional posture of prayer in invocation is standing erect, raise the arms outward (to form a T shape) then bend the arms at the elbow up-to head level to form an L shape. This posture is described in a medieval Irish monastic manuscript called ‘The Rule of Tallaght’ and believed by some scholars to imitate pre-Christian Druid practice. Traditionally this posture would be assumed in greeting each of the four sacred directions.

Morning Prayer.

The morning prayer is pronounced upon waking, or more effectively at the moment of the sunrise, and facing the east. It was the tradition that the Chief Druid of a village sing a song of greeting to the sun at dawn to welcome it back from the underworld, and likewise another farewell song at sunset, both times being considered the most liminal and sacred of spaces in the natural world.

I will kindle the flame of my soul this morning,
In the presence of Deep-Sea, Heavenly-Sky, Rich-Earth,
Without malice, jealousy, envy, fear, without terror of
Anyone under the sun.

O Great Creator
Kindle thou in my heart within
A flame of love to my neighbor, my foe, my friend,
To all my kindred
To the brave, the knave, the thrall,
From the lowliest thing that lives
To the name that is highest above all.

Exalt my thoughts, my deeds, my word, my will,
My understanding, my intellect, my way my state.
I beseech thee this day;
To keep me from harm, mischance, grief,
Shield me, fill me, keep me, watch me.
Traditionally the morning prayer is accompanied and ended by a form of encircling protection called a caim or ‘hoop.’ The suppliant stretches out their right hand with their forefinger extended and turns around deosil (sunwise) like a pivot, describing a circle. This ritual invokes a spiritual protection around the person. The most famous caim prayer is found within the Lorica of St. Phadraig, and of undoubtable pre-Christian origin, and which invokes the power and energy of natural elements:

I arise today
Through strength of Heaven:
Light of sun
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightening,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth
And
Firmness of rock

The Creator to navigate and guide my soul………
Midday Prayer.

The midday prayer is directed toward the sun at its highest position in the sky toward the south. It is not in itself a solar adoration but a form of thanksgiving for its great capacity to heal, promote growth and spiritual illumination.

Eye of the Great Creator,
Eye of the Glorious Creator,
Eye of the King of Heavens, Lands of Harmony and Bliss,
Eye of the Chieftain of the Living-Ones,

Here, settled in the throne of the sky, Pouring upon us,
At each time and season,
Pouring upon us waves of energy, heat and strength,
Generous waves of gold,

Glory to thee, thou glorious sun
Glory to thee thou sun,
Face of the Great Creator of Life.
The Dusk Prayer.
The evening prayer bids farewell to the sun as it leaves us in the west, a time for recollection and assessment of our day’s activities and preparation for a new day. The new day begins after sunset in Gaelic culture.

I smoor the hearth of my soul, within and without…
And on all my household,
I close this bright day
And end the song of my spirit
I bid farewell…

O Creator,
Compass me this night
Both soul and body,
Compass me this night
And on every night.

Compass me aright
Between earth and sky
Enfolded in the mystery of thy laws
Secure in your darkest robes
Illuminated by moons light.
The Midnight Prayer.

The sleep prayer is directed toward the north, visualizing the Pole star above the head as a guiding light, and the sun beneath our feet in the ‘underworlds.’ Together they form a symbolic shaft of light which passes through the body, cleansing the soul of dark impurities, filling us with cosmic energy. The Gael imagined retirement as boarding a coracle or small boat, and drifting through an ocean of sleep.

I am now going into the sleep,
Be it that I shall be in health awake,
Keep though my coracle,
Keep it always…
As my soul soars in the shadows of heaven.

The white day comes to the fire,
Thou to me as a star,
Thou to me as a guide,
From my life’s beginning to my life’s closing.

Be a bright flame before me,
Be a guiding star above me,
Be a smooth path below me,
Be a navigator behind me…

Today, tonight…
Unto the guiding light of eternity…

A perfect world without end, changeless through life eternal.
Perhaps with the Gaelic notion of the day as a microscopic equivalent of an entire life, and the eternal cycle of being and existence, the final evocation summarizes the tidal nature of the cosmic order, and the threefold nature of the Creator, of birth, life, death and eventual rebirth;

As it was,
As it is,
As it shall be
Evermore.
O thou Triune of Grace…
With the ebb,
With the flow,
O thou Triune of Grace…
With the ebb,
With the flow.

Purpose and practice of the prayers.The principal motive and intention of these prayers is to in-tune with the natural celestial rhythms of the day, which itself reflects the year, the seasons and indeed a lifetime. They are a method for immersion in the sacredness of the moment and time, together with a harmonic understanding of space and movement. They naturally inspire a commitment to a natural spiritual path. It is also an opportunity to step back out of ordinary time, to contemplate and consider within a silent and sacred space, created by you for you. Yet, in doing so the personal soul-aura is lightened and polished to a sparkling radiance which benefits all around. Ultimately our consciousness evolves to a greater understanding of the beautiful music of cosmic truth.

Mythic Assessment and The Celtic Sources:

2007-02-20T19:53:00.000-08:00

The Structure and Definitions of Myth.

To many of us the term myth may not go beyond the notion of fairy or folk tales. Yet I have found an amazing body of serious academic research which seeks to translate, define, understand and interpret many ancient cultural myths. Within this scientific anthropological academia there exists extensive discussion, argument and theory regarding the roles and purposes of myths. My study in this subject begins inevitably with the standard textbook definition of a myth, here taken from the Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia, which is:

“a myth is a sacred story concerning the origins of the world or how the world and the creatures in it came to have their present form. The active beings in myths are generally gods and heroes. Myths take place before time, before history begins. In saying that a myth is a sacred narrative, what is meant is that a myth is believed to be true by people who attach religious or spiritual significance to it. Use of the term by scholars does not imply that the narrative is either true or false”.

This gives an indication that myths lie outside our common notions of time, space, fact or fiction. Myths are an inherent ingredient of common culture with similar traits, such as archetypical individuals (the mother, the saviour, the hero, the trickster ect), they take place within a sacred space or are typically spiritual or religious in nature. As Miranda Green (1993) further states:

“A useful definition involves the perception of a myth as a symbolic story, similar to a parable, a means by which human imagination can express a concept whose meaning is too complex and profound to be conveyed by simple verbal messages.”

The myth also involves aspects of the human imagination. A deeper sub-consciousness enters into the narrative which allows the communication of possibly untranslatable concepts. Green’s definition of myth is in part one aspect of a broader field of research into the subject. She indicates that myths transcend the physical senses and regular human perception of the world. Through symbolism they hold information, concepts, and language beyond the realms and limits of everyday experience. Within more specialized scholarly research there are six main ‘monolithic’ theories or strands of studies followed in defining various myths:

1) The Phenomenic, translated means of describing origins. This includes the creation myths, battles between light and darkness, truth and falsehood.

2) The aetiological, which is proto-scientific and seeks through myths to explain natural occurences and events, examples such as fires, floods, catastophic events.

3) The charters, are myths which define customs, institutions and beliefs.

4) Structural theory, as defined by the anthropologist Claude Levi Strauss in his publications Elemental Structures of Kinship, Structural Anthropology, and The Savage Mind.

5) The Pyschological theories of myth, established by Sigmund Freud, and Carl Gustav Jung.

6) The Ritual theory of myths, which is the connection between myths and formalized rites and their narrative. This theory is expounded most by Walter Burkett in his publications Homo Necans, Savage Energies, Greek Religions, and Ancient Mystery Cults.

One of the most popular strands of research into myth in modern times has been in the field of psychology. Carl Gustav Jung states (in The Structure of The Psyche):

“The whole of mythology could be taken as a sort of projection of the collective unconcious.”

Jung defined three categories of the Psyche: (1) Consciousness, (2) The Personal Consciousness, and (3) The Collective Consciousness. In his assessment, the latter of this triad of human awareness represents the ancient inherited symbols, meanings and understandings of the physical environment and our place in it. The collective unconsciousness is not individualistic but comon to all, and the basis on which the individual psyche is constructed. As a psychologist, Jung concluded that imbalanced mental states could be studied could be studied and corrected through the collective unconscious of an individual. In other words, it was the belief of Jung that the way an individual see’s is dependent on primordial traits inherited from previous generations, and that these perceptions could be analysed through mythological motifs.

Using Jung’s model of the psyche and definition of mythology it could be said that myth, in terms of the Celtic people is relevent and important in the sense that it provides a definitive connection between the ancestors of the past, both in the written mythological cycles, and those notions of the world which are inherited through a collective ‘genetic’ process. The integral possession of myths and perceptions at all levels of consciousness allow a passageway to meditation and reflection on the human state in the environment, universe and greater cosmos. This provides the opportunity of understanding past mistakes, failures, successes, and strengths, allowing a possible range of choices to ultimately define and mold the path of life. To harmonize, maintain balance, preserve acceptable notions of truth within the land and community.

The concluding importance of myths, pointed out by Joseph Campbell is that they allow a greater perspective on life, they permit the ability to compare, provide pieces of information that have supported generations of human life, created systems and civilizations, interpreted great mysteries and rites of passage. Myths are the paths and guidelines which enable choices, and conect us with our predeccesors. Without the value of these myths we become alienated, dislocated, arrogant, and dysfunctional. Ultimately with the loss of an essential community (of which myths provide the ‘glue’) comes a wandering disorganization, criminal activity, lack of mutual respect, and relationships.

For the modern Celtic-Druidic movement myths are a potentially powerful tool for reviving and revitalizing their community. It has the capacity to build connections, partnerships and mutual benefits, with the collective ancient myths used as a bond of strength, instruction and comparison. The benefits are increased sense of spirituality, physical and mental well-being, deeper ecological, environmental and universal understanding.

The literal interpretation of myths as concrete forms becomes a barrier to a greater transcendental experience, the ultimate experience of primal energies and eternal truth’s, albeit in symbolic and/or metaphorical terms. Carl Jung said:

“Religion is a defense against the experience of God”.

Where religion is composed of a set of dogmatic laws or rules extracted from the primary mythic sources and designed to be followed on pain of some equally rigid punishment. The experience of God represents the active, conscious participation in a divine stream of illumination, or unseen source of knowledge. The anthropromorphization of myths is an attempt to fix them in terms of time, space, and truth regardless of the infinite, eternal narrative which allows for inspiration and open dialog.

Mythic forms should be interpreted in a more abstract form (with the text providing the substance or meat of the experience), elemental, the powers of (human) nature, primal energies of earth and creative forces. Taken literally myths can present an extreme and distorted view of the world – since no myth can in fact be validated by scientific analysis they exist essentially outside of the normal perceptions of time and space, they are the complex inner narratives of human existence exposed for their beauty and significance. Literal interpretation may be likened to building a strong wall around something unsubstantial or without a bodily form, the enclosure becomes inpenetrable and self-decieving, an accepted belief or notion which an individual or community must continously struggle to defend against all reason and/or logic. Christian theologists developed a special science called Apologetics to defend their literal interpretation of mythic events in the Bible and their cosmology and worldview. This process of aggressive defense is in reality an entrenched fundamentalist isolationism fuelled by fractured perceptions. The movement to defend the literal belief in the creation of the world by a particular God (or Creationism) presents an endless, argumentative duality without any possible resolution when opposed by the rationality of evolutionary science which seeks to disprove the belief. Some Christian scholars and theologists have attempted to find a ‘third-way’ to this dilemma, and with some success, such as Pierre Teilhard de Chardin whose unique blend of science, theology, history, religious-mysticism and myth are inspiring:

“Blessed be you, universal matter, immeasurable time, boundless ether, triple abyss of stars and atoms and generations: you who by overflowing and dissolving our narrow standards of measurement reveal to us the dimensions of God……… The man who is wholly talen up with the demands of everyday living or whose sole interest is in the outward appearences of things seldom gains more than a glimpse, at best, of this second phase in our sense perceptions………a very dim awareness of that aureole, thrilling and inundating……..disclosed to us at every point of contact the unique essence of the universe.”

The anthropologist Mircea Eliade has also defined and investigated the third-way-path of myth and spirituality amongst traditional tribal communities. In his book Myth and Reality he concluded his studies with several important observations and definitions, that many myths are concerned with the genesis or creation of the world and things in it, and that myth represents the ‘truest’ of all stories. The structure of myths serve as models for human behaviour in traditional societies, and periodically re-enacted in the form of sacred rituals of confirmation – connecting the participants to the individuals to the community to nature to divine forces, and ancestors in a total, complex but dynamic gesture.

The Nature and Sources of Celtic Myths.

Although there are three main sources of Celtic mythology and cultural information (the classical, vernacular, and archeological), within that scope there exists a further three branches of tradition, being the Goidelic (composed of Irish, Scottish, and the Isle of Man), the Insular Brythonic (composed of the Welsh and Cornish), and the Continental Brythonic (composed of the Gaulish-French and Brittanic). The latter classification points to the fact that the Celtics were not a homogenous people with a centralized governing structure but a loose confederation of tribes which collectively inhabited regions stretching out from eastern Europe across the west to Ireland. Similarities occur, but also differences in terms of language (the so called ‘P and Q Celtic), cultural and cosmological beliefs, rituals, regional Gods and Goddesses and varied creation myths.

The study of Celtic mythology may also be made more complex by the various phases and influences that Celtic culture has been through. Beliefs and rituals may have developed and changed as the basic culture expanded through the Paleolithic, to the neolithic and Iron-age cultures of La Tene and Hallstat, thereafter splitting up into differing strands of traditions with Celtic tribal expansion. Changes in the mythologies occurred with their transcription by monks in the transitionery phase of the Christian era, revision and redaction were primary concerns of the scribes who whilst concerned with preserving the rich Celtic traditions and myths also attempted to ‘temper’ the tales in line with a monotheistic faith. In the modern age there is an added dilemma of actually translating older technical terms and meanings of a substantially older form of the gaelic language, which significantly points to the fact that just as a culture develops and changes so does it’s language, myths and perceptions of the world.

The one primary obstacle in researching and reading Celtic myths and religion in a Pagan, pre-Christian format is the fact that ostensibly Celtic society was literate only in an oral based tradition. For the most part Pagan Celts and Druids were disinclined to write down their myths, traditions and beliefs. In essence all written evidence is regarded as secondary information and indirect, much based on the observations of outsiders. The main classical sources of information on the Celts and their myths are of Roman origin and dated between 50 BCE to 300 CE with Ceasar (mid 1st BCE), Strabo (late 1st BCE to early 1st CE), Diodorus Siculus (60-30 CE), Lucan (1st CE), and Dio Cassius (late 2nd to early 3rd CE). These sources provide information on varied rituals, the Druids role and practise in Celto-Gallic society, beliefs, divination, human sacrifice, the preservation of human heads, death, and the ‘other-world.’

The vernacular sources, the transcription of oral legends and myths in colloquial and local languages (other than Latin or Greek) began in the 5th to the 6th Centuries CE by Christian scholar monks, particularly in Ireland. Most of the surviving manuscripts date from the 12th CE, representing copies of earlier pieces, although many scholars believe that the material recorded depicts a much earlier phase of Celtic society, at least pre 5th CE. In the Irish vernacular tradition there are four main collections of prose tales taken to be of special interest and importance in Celtic studies:

The ‘Leabhar Gabhala Erren’ or Book of Invasions. The charted history of Ireland and its inhabitants, with general geneologies, tribes, origins, battles and invasions. From this book many Celtic scholars have derived a primal Irish-Gaelic creation myth.

The ‘Dinnshenchus’ or History of Places. This manuscript descibes the notions, origins and meanings of many Irish place-names and their associated mythologies, it is an indispensable aid to the study of Celtic-Irish mythology.

The ‘Leabhar na h’Uidre’ or Book of the Dun Cow. Composed by 3 monks at Clanmacnois in County Offaly in 1106, it is also known as ‘The Ulster Cycle.’ This manuscript contains the epic ‘Tain bo Culaigne’ or Cattle Raid of Cooley, an epic quest for the possession of two mystical bulls.
The Fionn Cycle. This book charts the character, life, exploits and adventures of the Irish Celtic hero Fion mac Cumhail and his war band, called the Fianna.

The Welsh mythological tradition is more sparsely documented when compared to the Irish. The principle text for study is the Pedair Ceinc y Mabinogi or the Four Branches if the Mabinogi. This collection of stories is preserved in two medieval manuscripts; The White Book of Rhydderch 1300, and The Red Book of Hergest of the late 1400’s. The tales are rich in Celtic symbolism and mythology; a pagan ‘underworld’ ruled by Prince Annwn, a cauldron with the magical capacity to bring dead warriors back to life, metamorphosis and shape-changing, and the living head of the decapitated Bran buried at Tower Hill in London. Within the continental Gaelic tradition there is the Barzaz Briez or ‘The Plaints of Brittany’ which is a collected volume of ancient folk tales, legends and songs of Brittany by Theodore Hersart de la Villemarque in 1839. This contains the story of the mystical city of Ys, which was consumed by the sea.

The most recent method of investigating the nature and origins of Celtic myth use the science of archeology. This can provide valuable evidence and insight into the material culture of the Celts, ritual behaviour, sanctuaries and sacred places used for votive offerings to deities. One recent and interesting archeological project has been the Das Grab des Kelten-Fursten or ‘The Celtic Cheiftains Grave’ at Eberdingin-Hochdorf in Germany. A full scale and extensive excavation of the site has revealed a great deal of information on a Celtic Prince circa 580 BCE.

Myth and Poetry in Celtic Society

In Irish Gaelic society myth and the telling of tales was the sole responsibility of a special category of Druid, offically called the ‘Filidh’ and the ‘Baird.’ These individuals commanded great respect and were entitled to immense privelages. The Filidh underwent an extended and detailed course of learning over a period of 12 years, learning all rules of grammer, texts and the memorisation of a considerable corpus of texts; at least 250 prime tales, and 100 secondary stories. The Bard was lesser in status to the filidh, and an Irish text comments; “Bard dano; fer gin dliged foglama acht inntlicht fadesin.” Or “A bard is a person without a proper education, but one who possesses intellect.”

An Irish text called the Auricept na N’Eces or ‘The Scholars Primer’ gives valuable information regarding the grade structure of the Filidh. There were seven grades: Ollamh, Anruth, Cli, Cano, Dos, Macfuirmid, and Fochloc. There were also three sub-grades of Taman, Drisiuc, and Oblaire. The highest rank, that of Ollamh, could be equated with the modern equivelant of Professor or Doctor (of Poetry). The memorisation of texts included a wide range of mythological categories: Togla or Destructions, Ta-Na or Cattle-Raids, Tochmarca or Courtships, Catha or Battles, Fessa or Feasts, Echtrai or Adventures, Athid or Elopements, Airgne or Slaughters, Tomadma or Erruptions, Fi-Si or Visions, Serca or Loves, Sluigid or Expeditions, and Tochomlada or Invasions.

Within these categories there exist several myhtic archetypes which are universally held by most cultures, and these include; sun, sky and moon, healing and fertility, fire, thunder and mountains, land and water, animals and zoomorphism, festivals, sacrifice and ritual, death, rebirth and otherworlds. Being a principally polytheistic culture the predominant and over-riding belief was in the numinous spiritual properties of all things, gods, goddesses, spirits, ancestors and spiritual energy was an inherent aspect of the Celtic cosmos and world. On a simpler level, the Celtic myths reflected the triadic nature of their cosmological beliefs, that is, of the earth, sea and sky: of actions and adventures, of history, geneology and ancestors, and of the Gods, Goddesses and magic.

Conclusions

Myths work for us only when we accept them on their symbolic value, and use them to enlighten aspects of our deeper sub-conscious. Taken literally they enslave us into the belief that we must conform to a pre-designed set of morals and ethics. Religion is the grave-stone of myth, and the deepest appreciation that we can hold for the ancient tale is simply the enjoyment of the lyrical flight of words as poetry, like a butterfly that shimmers before us, giving a brief glimpse of something more profound.

'I go to encounter for the millionth time the reality of experience.And to forge in the smithy of my soul,the uncreated conscience of my race.'—James Joyce

Myth: Problems of Definition:

http://www.uwo.ca/classics/myth/mythintro.htm

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Myth:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myth

Claude Levi Strauss: The Structural Study of Myth:

http://www.colorado.edu/English/ENGL2012Klages/levi-strauss.html

A Review of Walter Burkert’s Homo Necans (The Anthropology of Ancient Greek Sacrificial Ritual and Myth):

http://www.cs.utk.edu/~mclennan/BA/HNR.html

Das Grab des KeltenFursten (The Celtic Chieftains Grave at Hochdorf):

http://www.keltenmuseum.de/english/index.html

The Eternal Druid... An Investigation:

2007-02-20T19:36:00.000-08:00

WHAT IS A DRUID? MODERN INTERPRETATIONS.

One of my primary introductions to Druidry was from an online course run by the Order of the Mithral Star (OMS) and Ellis ‘Sybok’ Arseneau. The order is an aspect of the ‘Reformed Druid Movement’ which began in 1963 at Carleton College in Northfield, MN USA with a group who called themselves the RDNA or Reformed Druids of North America, a protest group started in opposition to orthodox religious requirements by the university. By 1980 the movement had grown to include 10 groves throughout the USA, and one key member Isaac Bonewitz broke away to form a new organization which he called ‘Ar nDraiocht Fein’ (ADF) or Our Own Druidry. This modern pagan movement which pursued a Celtic spirituality splintered once again into the ‘Henge of Keltria’ creating yet another contemporary aspect of Druidism. The Order of the Mithral Star is very much like these modern, alternative groups seeking a definable Celtic, Druidic spiritual path, although the OMS grew out of an institution called CAW or the Church of All-Worlds.

As part of the modern neo-pagan movement OMS and Ellis Arseneau believe that no-one really knows what the ancient Druids did, because there are no written records, some of their activities can be surmised from archeological records, many of the modern interpretations of Druidry are educated guesses based on mythological readings, fantasy and the appropriation of practices from varied pre-Christian cultures. Arseneau expresses the maxim “We’re doing religion the old fashioned way, we’re making it up as we go along.” In essence, building a tradition based on modern relative experience, with the argument that all religious movements are initially based on myth and fantasy.

In the first lesson Arseneau quotes Professor Ronald Hutton, a historian at Bristol University (UK);

“All that we know about the Druids is that they were the most highly respected magical practitioners and spiritual experts of the tribes of northwest Europe. The trouble is that we don’t have a single word of writing left by a Druid, and we don’t have a single archeological artifact that everyone agrees is associated with the Druids. We know so little about them in fact that they are almost legendary characters.”

The purpose of this paper is to discover whether this really is true. Can the Druid be defined and explored within an impartial historical context, what was their role in, and what did they contribute to Celtic society, and what sources are available for this research?

Many of the leading and active authorities on the subject define druidry within an evolutionary process. Philip Carr-Gomm (Chief Druid of the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids ‘OBOD’) classifies four developmental stages of Druidry; proto-Druidry, an animistic and shamanic phase of the Paleolithic age. The classical, between 400 BCE and 100 CE when Greek and Roman authoritative writer documented the Druids and Celtic/Gallic life and customs. Underground Druidry, the continuance of certain pagan practices opposed to christianisation and conversion and a revival phase in the 18th century, beginning with John Toland (1670-1722) and continuing to the present in various forms. Carr-Gomm emphasizes Druidry as a system that has constantly evolved and changed over time, that its principle dynamic was communion with nature and understanding the relationship between the ‘God/ess’ source, the individual self and the soul with respect to the earth, and that it is influenced by other great classical (mystery) traditions. In ‘Touchstone’ magazine, June 1997, he says:

“Our task is not to try to recreate a Druidry that existed thousands of years ago, but instead to respond to the source and interpret it for today. If only we can do this, the gap between ancient Druids and modern one disappears.”

The Druidry of Philip Carr-Gomm is essentially a spiritual path, by which revelation comes through a series of initiations (or the essential dynamic of their correspondence course in Druidry). The goal of this path is to connect the individual soul with the external environment; the earth, sky, moon, stars, elements, seasons, animals, plants, and tree’s. The vehicle used to enable this connection with the natural world and the ‘Divine Source’ is an eightfold cycle or series of festivals, each with specific and symbolic ceremonies. Within OBOD the Druid is defined as a ‘spiritual-ecologist.’

Isaac Bonewitz (of the ADF) views Druids as the intelligentsia and religious clergy of the Celts, part of a greater Paleo-pagan culture, which also includes the Slavic, Baltic, Germanic, Aryan and Vedic cultures. He divides the development of Druidry into three interlocking phases: an Indo-European Paleo-Paganism (from 4000 BCE) where a common Indo-European culture has a base community or ‘mother-culture’ in the region of the north-west Black Sea and undergoes a series of migrations (over centuries) to various parts of the world, yet still retaining identifiable Indo-European characteristics (such as similarities in language, cosmology and ritual.) This culture, with bronze forged implements, which we recognize as ‘Celtic’ pushes westwards to dominate the pre-existing Neolithic (stone-age) communities, Meso-Paganism from 1245 to the 20th century. Although Bonewitz states that by 1000 CE the Druids were completely wiped (or appear to have vanished)out by the Romans and later Christians, he leans towards the theory that a small group of ‘underground’ Druids formed a brotherhood which they called ‘Mount Haemus Grove’ in the vicinity of Oxford University in 1245. Bonewitz mentions several reformers in the modern druid movement, John Aubrey (1659), who initially formed a theoretical connection between the Stonhenge monument and Druidic ritual at midsummer, John Toland (1694), who formed the UDB or Universal Druid Bond and wrote a history of the Druids, William Stuckeley (1717), Henry Rowlands (1723), Jean Martin (1727), Henry Hurle (1781) who formed the AOD or Ancient Order of Druids, Thomas Jones (1789) who organized the first Bardic gathering or Eistefodd, and Edward Williams or Iolo Morganwg (1792). Bonewitz’s last phase he terms Neo-Pagan, or the reform movement of Druidry (or Neo-Druidry), which traces the formation of several modern Druid groups such as Ar n’Draiocht Fein (or ADF), The Henge of Keltria and The Insular Order of Druids.

In Terms of defining the Druid, Bonewitz concludes that they were the clergy of an Indo-European culture, the intelligentsia of that culture, being poets, musicians, historians, astrologers, geneologists, judges, diviners, and religious leaders, and Druids were part of a caste system (which in some form is still in operation in India today) which included the ruling monarchy, the clergy and intelligensia, warriors, artisans and outsiders.
Brendan ‘Cathbad’ Myers, a lesser known scholar of Druidism has evolved a sharper and distinctive definition of the Druid, based on his research in classical literature, archeology and the mythological cycles:

“A Druid is a professional invigilator of living spiritual mysteries as expressed by Celtic cultural forms.”

For Myers, the role and definition of the Druid comes from the society in which he/she existed, they are inseparable. A careful and methodical study of Celtic society as it existed, using the above mentioned (three principle) sources will reveal the nature of the Druid.

Miranda Green (Author of ‘The World of The Druids’) takes a more academically rigid and detached approach to Celtic and Druid history, based on sound principles of referenced research. Her sources of information are strictly derived from historical documents, archeology and previously published reliable research papers. Green covers five broad phases; the archeological, classical, missionary/Christian phase, renaissance and modern. Green describes the earliest evidence of a Celtic culture is at Hallstatt. The emergence of an Iron age (750-500 BCE) culture called ‘La Tene’ (after artifacts found at Lake Neuchatel in Switzerland). Green states that although there is no literary evidence for the existence of a Druidical priesthood at this time, the fact that Classical writers recorded them and their practices later, does not exclude the notion that they existed within the La Tene culture. Green charts the European pre-history, where evidence of Bronze age (1200-1300 BCE) and Iron age communities suggest hierarchal societies with ceremonial structures and organized religions. The Classical period where Greek and Roman writers expressed observations on Celtic, Gallic and Druid life, such as Strabo, Diodorus, Siculus, Julius Caesar, Timaeus and Herodutus. Then the missionary phase, between the persecution of the Druids by Roman forces (form the texts of Seutonius, Tacitus and Pliny), to the wholesale indoctrination and conversion to Christianity in Western Europe. Clashes and struggles recorded in vernacular writings between missionaries and Druids. Green’s assessment of the Druid renaissance is one that combines romanticism. Idealism and borrowings from classical sources between the 17th and 19th centuries. Green records the serious, misinformed, academic, archeological, religious, artistic and eccentric contributions to the Druid revival. Finally Green covers the modern Neo-Pagan movement, where Druidry, in part is classified with other revivalist faiths such as Wicca, Shamanism and Asatru, however she defines the Druid movement as nature/earth focused with strong links between the present and remote past, exhibiting a cyclical nature.

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PALEOLITHIC ERA AND EVIDENCE OF DRUIDIC PRACTISES WITHIN ARCHEOLOGICAL REMAINS OF CULTURES IN THAT TIME-FRAME

The very earliest notions of a Druidical (or Celtic) presence are placed in the last stages of the Paleolithic era by Philip Carr-Gomm, at the end of the last ice age approximately 35.000 BCE. This stage is termed by modern practicing scholars paleo-paganism or proto-Druidism, and typified not by organized religious practices but rather a primal form of spiritual animism or shamanic. The core structure of human communities or tribes at this time were the basic family unit, perhaps a form of extended family. Primary activities involved hunting, food gathering, procreation and basic survival (in what must have been an extremely hostile environment). It is at this stage that tool making developed into a complex art, the intelligence behind the recognition of an object as a suitable form for affecting a desired function, together with the appreciation for form and function is confirmation of a developing human logic, understanding the environment and the search for possibilities to enable successful development. It is in this era we find the first archeological evidence of artistic activity, sites discovered in 1940 at Lascaux (Dordogne) in France, the cave of Addaura, Monte Pelligrino (Palermo) Italy and at La Magdelaine cave, Penne (Tarne) France show a variety of paintings, engravings and rock carvings dating between 15.000 to 10.000 BCE. Images of animals, incised, painted, sculpted of deer, bison, horses and cattle, produced as part of magical hunting rituals (to ensure success?). It is suggested that the superimposition of certain images (of animals) reflects the inability to distinguish between the image and the reality, that overall the appreciation of the environment is animistic in the sense that everything is equally sacred. As a whole the creation of images, the notion of grasping, possessing and killing the ‘vital spirit’ is wholly connected to a ritual process. The animal is of no consequence after death, hence superimposition. Other samples of cave art feature fertility and dance rituals. It has been suggested that the dance is the earliest form of artistic expression, the human inspired or moved by a transcendent power, an expression of his role in the environment and an emotional desire to connect with unseen divine forces. Perhaps the most famous depiction of the synthesis between dance, spiritual expression and primitive belief systems is the so called ‘masked sorcerer’ at Les Tres Freres at Arriege in France, described and interpreted by Maria-Gabriele Woslen:

“Prehistoric cave paintings show man clothed in animal skins and masks, dancing and celebrating the animals strength, following his prey and appeasing the animal spirit when he had killed it. Vestiges of such ancient ritual behavior may still be observed in the ceremonies of the North American Indians”

The increasingly sophisticated appreciation for artistic form extended to the production of small sculpted objects, carved using flint tools, figurines made from mammoth ivory (the Vogelherd cave, Germany circa 28.000 BCE) the famous ‘Venus of Willendorf’ a fertility figure from Austria circa 25-20.000 BCE, bison carved from reindeer horn at La Madeleine near Les Eyzies (Dordogne, France circa 15-10.000 BCE). Another aspect of pre-historic spiritual life was created and carved in the form of beads, an undeniable desire for self adornment, decoration and expression. Beads have an elaborate structure of symbolism; ritualistic, ceremonial and magical, and thus show evidence of a developing notion of spirituality. At the Grotte du Renne cave in Arc sur Cure, France, a cache of beads was found, carved, grooved and notched teeth of fox, hyena, wolf, reindeer, bear, marmot for hanging on a necklace circa 31.000 BCE. According to Lois Sherr Dubin (author of ‘A history of beads’), the beads are created to cope with a hazardous environment, self conscious expressions of prowess in hunting, symbolic of a need for ‘spiritual assistance’, obtaining necessary resources and talismanic; the by-product of hunting. The Paleolithic era could therefore seen as an environment where the roots of a Celtic spirituality and cosmology first developed, a progressive process to establish communities and relationships with the seen and unseen world, nature and natural forces, creating tools and language in preparation for the ‘Neolithic’ revolution. Celtic jewelry is one form in which we can trace the establishment and subsequent continuation of practices formed in the Paleolithic era, Tessa Murdoch comments:

“The selection of materials chosen for amulets was very important, amongst the Celts, for instance, the boar was admired for its strength and ferocity, by wearing a tusk from the animal it was hoped that these qualities would be transmitted to the wearer. Their natural crescent shape, resembling the moon, may have increased the tusk’s amuletic properties”

Although there is nor direct, specific or definitive evidence for the existence of a druidic or shamanic practice amongst the Celts, recent archeological finds suggest practices which bear similarities (to shamanic practices) and indicate a thread of continuation from the Paleolithic era; men assuming the forms of animals in order to enter into a spiritual connection occur in images depicted on the Gundestrop cauldron. At Neuvy-en-Sullias on the river Loire in France a horde of 1st century BCE bronzes were recently discovered, a statuette of a boar, a stag and a horse dedicated to a God called Rodobius, human figurines include dancers, musicians and what may possibly be a representation of a Druid priest. A 4th century discovery of red deer antlers designed to be worn as a headdress establishes links with Paleolithic practices. The wearing of golden torcs is also well documented amongst Celts (Polybius, and Dio Cassius). The golden torc found at Snettisham, Norfolk from the early 1st century BCE is a good example; the Cernussos type figure found on the Gundestrop cauldron is pictured wearing a torc together with an antler headdress, interpreted by Miranda Green as a shaman communicating with a spirit world.

THE NEOLITHIC REVOLUTION, CELTIC COMMUNITIES AND DRUIDS

The Neolithic revolution began in the Near East approximately 8000 BCE. Some of the earliest examples of Neolithic activity are at Jericho in Jordan (plastered skulls-painted). The Neolithic people are characterized by the cultivation of crops as grains for food, the domestication of animals, the establishment of food supplies, communities, tribal discipline, new crafts and inventions including pottery, weaving and spinning, architectural constructions in wood, brick and stone. There is little evidence of the spiritual condition of Neolithic humans, but in the change from the Paleolithic hunter-gatherer to organized husbandry we must recognize also a profound change in the human appreciation of themselves and their relationship to the world. From Catal Huyuk in Anatolia circa 6000 BCE we find houses and shrines with specific worship patterns attached in the form of ‘fertility Goddesses. To Cernavoda in Romania circa 5000 BCE the progress of the Neolithic took a slower pace in Western Europe. In the West the Neolithic is characterized by the construction of stone sculpture, Stonehenge on Salisbury plain is dated to 2000 BCE with religious functions attached, dolmens or tombs indicate an awareness of the spiritual aspects of death, cromlechs and religious observances. Ross Nichols links the construction of Stonehenge to the Druids. At Paspardo in the Camonica valley in Northern Italy there is rock art dating from the late Neolithic to the end of the Iron age circa 150 BCE, the Camunian tribal religion is expressed here in symbols of the sun and stag which they appeared to have venerated. The specific carving of most interest with respect to this study is one which combines a composite image of a man wearing antlers, a torc with a dagger and a sun symbol, clearly a representation either of the God Cernussos or a tribal shamanic figure. It is the opinion of Miranda Green that these images belong to a proto-celtic phase of the bronze age (3000 to 1000 BCE). Further (important physical) evidence of Neolithic spirituality was discovered in 1991, in the Austrian Alps near a melting glacier the body of a man was discovered dating from circa 5000 BCE. The man was nicknamed ‘Otzi’ the Iceman, he had been frozen, mummified and preserved in the ice, perhaps originally caught in a blizzard as he attempted a mountain crossing. Otzi is tattooed, wears a stone disc around his neck on a leather thong and carries dried medicinal mushrooms. By comparing Otzi with other discoveries of bodies from the Iron age, such as Lindow man (discovered in 1984) we can build up a picture of the development of faith systems amongst tribes in Europe. Whilst there can be no unequivocal evidence for the existence of Druids in the Neolithic age and that all conclusions are purely speculative, we can assume that Druids existed in some ‘shamanic’ form. In realizing any connection between the Druids and Paleo-Neolithic forms of worship or ritual I consider Eliade’s view that;

“(The) dialectic of the sacred tends indefinitely to repeat a series of archetypes, so that a hierophany realized at a certain historical moment is structurally equivelant to a hierophany a thousand years earlier……….in the most elementary hierophany everything is declared. The manifestation of the sacred in a stone or a tree is neither less mysterious nor less noble than its manifestation in a God, the process of sacralizing reality is the same; the forms taken by the process in man’s religious conciousness differ”.

The ritual overrides the label or identity of the individual who initiates the performance, whether we choose to discriminate between shaman, Druid, Priest, or ‘Holy-man is irrelevant. Ross Nichols points out the mythic ‘unknown’ origins of Druidry;

“Druidry is the Western form of an ancient universal philosophy, culture or religion from the days of early man”.

This early stage of Druidry is characterized by the pagan Celtic belief in an ‘all encompassing’ divine presence in the landscape/environment, a spirit or spirits which permeate, infuse or represent the hidden mechanics behind the seen world. This belief is purely animistic and represents the link between the Paleolithic, the Neolithic, the Stone age to the Classical period. The question of whether the Druids were shamans or if they actually existed in the name by which they eventually became known is purely linguistic, Shaman is a term used by Siberian tribes (the Evenk, Even, Nanay, Orochi and Udegay) in Russia to denote a tribal priest and actually means ‘The ecstatic one’. The ultimate origin of the term is the Sanskrit srama, meaning ‘religious exercise’ and in Pali, Samana is a Buddhist monk. The Gaelic term may be asarlaiocht or ritual magic or asarlai meaning sorcerer. The conclusion drawn by me is that individuals in Celtic society were elected, volunteered or chosen as spiritual leaders, they performed sacred rituals in order to make connections with a landscape (physical and spiritual) that they perceived as suffused with living energy.

THE CLASSICAL PHASE OF DRUIDRY

The Classical phase of Druidry is defined as written evidence and observations of Celtic society and the Druids by Greek and roman authorities (documents written in the Classical languages of Latin and Greek). Some of these records no longer exist but are mentioned and quoted by later writers. The earliest known references to the Celtic tribal community were by Hecataeus of Miletus in the 6th century BCE. Herodotus observed a tribe living in the area of the Danube in the 5th century BCE and named them ‘Keltoi’, a Greek term meaning stranger. The earliest literature to mention the Druids specifically may have been Timaeus circa 450-350 BCE, then Posidonus circa 135-50 BCE who was a Greek philosopher resident in Syria but who traveled extensively in Gaul. The bulk of Classical information about the Druids are Roman, from the 1st century BCE onwards to the 3rd century CE. The most important source of reference is Julius Caesar (100-44 BCE) who wrote extensively on the Gaul’s and Druids in his memoirs ‘The Gallic Wars’. Cicero, circa 50-60 BCE, wrote of Divitiacus, the Gaulish Druid in Rome.

As the Roman empire expanded across Western Europe, conquering and occupying those lands principally inhabited by Celtic people, the Roman authorities naturally recorded their observations of the people they subjugated, for several reasons, to maintain their power and control through understanding and knowledge. We learn from Roman sources that the Druids never wrote anything down, but preferred memorization (a practice common amongst nomadic tribes), Julius Caesar comments in his Gallic Wars (VI-14);

“They (the Druids) consider it improper to entrust their studies to writing………I think they established this practice for two reasons, because they were unwilling, first, that their system of training should be bruited abroad among the common people, and second, that the student should rely on the written word and neglect the exercise of his memory. It is normal experience that the help of the written word causes a loss of diligence in memorizing by heart……... they use the Greek alphabet in nearly everything else, in their public and private accounts”

When the sources are viewed as a totality, the image constructed of the Druid’s role in Celtic society is both intriguing, opinionated, sometimes contradictory but on the whole positive;
Druid’s held power over and maintained social order in Gaulish/Celtic society (Caesar), were Judges and arbitrators (at the Carnutian assembly of Druid’s), rulers, chieftains and/or politicians (Diviaticus the Aeduan chieftain; Cicero), healers, herbalists and magicians (Pliny, Hippolytus, Diogenes), educators, religious doctrinarians and a tax exempt professional class, not obliged to serve in war (Caesar), were classed into Bards (poets/musicians), Vates and Druids (Strabo), philosophers (Diodorus), magistri sapientae or ‘masters of wisdom’ (Pomponius Mela), had a lofty intellect, investigators of things secret and sublime (Ammianus, quoting 1st century Timagenes), the Druidic philosophy compares with the great civilizations of Egypt, Persia and India (Dio Chrysostom), astrologers (Pomponius Mela), capable of reckoning time by the moon, capable of mathematical calendrical calculation (Caesar, Pliny), capable of Pythagorean reckoning and calculation (Hippolytus), rhetoricians and orators (Ausonius). Many scholars of Druidism and the Celts regard the classical sources of information as dubious, that many of the writers are acting as hostile witnesses in their capacity as invaders and colonialists. It is clear that many of the comments on the Druids and Celtic society which appear in the reign of Claudius (who officially banned the practice of Druidry) are based on propaganda type motives.

POSSIBLE MEANINGS OF THE TERM ‘DRUID’

The term ‘Druid’ has a varied etymology, and is the cause of much debate amongst scholars. The earliest generation of Celtic scholars regarded Druidism as a ‘cult of the oak’, basing their assumptions partly on the testimony of Pliny the Elder;

“The Druids, so their magicians are called, hold nothing more sacred than the mistletoe (Viscum album) and the tree (the oak – Quercus robur) that bears it, But they chose groves formed of oaks for the sake of the tree alone, they never perform any of their rites except in the presence of a branch of it; so that it seems probable that the priests derived their name from the Greek word for that tree.” Pliny, Natural History XVI. 95

In Greek the term for the tree (oak) is druas, from drus and extended to describe a nymph or spirit of that tree, termed ‘Dryad’. The Dryad was an oracular priestess, of Artemis, a cult moon Goddess. In the Ogam alphabet the oak (known as Duir) is the seventh letter, recognized as a chieftain tree in the Book of Ballymote, the King of the woodland. The Gaelic name duir reflects both the practical and magical nature of the wood itself. The oak is connected to the Gaelic God of thunder Taranis, and to the supreme God of Irish-Celtic mythology The Dagda, who owns a harp named Dur-da-Bla (the Oak of Two Blossoms). There are many examples and much evidence for Druidical oak groves; On the Isle of Skye in Scotland and oak grove near Loch Siant was held sacred.

THE DRUID IN VERNACULAR, INSULAR AND MYTHOLOGICAL TRADITION

A wealth of information may be gathered from the analysis of vernacular texts. These manuscripts were written not in the classical languages (of Latin or Greek) but the common insular Gaelic of Britian, Scotland, Ireland and Wales. The majority of these manuscripts primarily date from the 6th to 14th centuries CE, and are concerned with such diverse subjects as law, mythological tales and epics, geneology, history, triads and poetry. Care must be taken in their reading, since many of the scribes assigned to write down the information did so from a Christian perspective, in their professional capacity as monks and agents of the Church in Rome. Very often they submitted to redaction in rewriting ideas, to conform and fit in with their theological and spiritual beliefs. It must also be pointed out that the Irish and Welsh mythologies should not be taken as being totally representative of Celtic culture as a whole, which was a loosely connected society stretching from the west of Ireland, Spain, France, parts of central Europe, Hungary, to the Eastern Mediterranean in Galicia (Turkey).

There are four primary mythological cycles in the Irish tradition, being the Book of Invasions (Lebhor Gabhala Erren) which gives an account of the history of Ireland and its successive inhabitants – the Partholonions, Nemedians, the Fomhoire (or Fomorians), the Fir Bholg, the Tuatha de Danann, and the Milesians. The last invasion of Eire is headed by a Druid/Bard called Amergin (a name which means The Birth of Song). The Fenian cycle accounts for the history and exploits of the warrior-band ‘Fianna’ and their leader Fionn Mac Cumhaill, raised by Bodball the Druidess and Liath Luachra. Later Fionn meets Finneces the Druid employed in the pursuit for the salmon of knowledge. The Tain bo Cuailgne (or Cattle Raid of Cooley) is the central story in The Ulster Cycle. Queen Mebh of Connaught amasses a great army to capture a legendary brown bull in Ulster owned by Dare macFiachna. This text mentions two significant persons, Cathbad the Chief Druid in the court of King Conchobar mac Nessa, and the Druidess ‘Fedelm’, giving this detailed description:

“Weaving lace was she, and in her right hand was a bordering rod of silvered bronze with its seven strips of red gold at the sides. A many spotted green mantle around her; a bulging strong headed pin of gold in the mantle over her bosom; a hooded tunic, with red interweaving, about her. A ruddy, fair-faced countenance she had, narrow below and broad above. She had a blue-grey and laughing eye; each eye had three pupils. Dark and black were her eyebrows; the soft black lashes threw a shadow to the middle of her cheeks. Red and thin were her lips. Shiny and pearly were her teeth; thou wouldst believe they were showers of white pearls that had rained into her head. Like to fresh Parthian crimson were her lips. As sweet as the strings of lutes when long sustained they are played by master players’ hands was the melodious sound of her voice and her fair speech. As white as snow in one night fallen was the sheen of her skin and her body shone outside her dress. Slender and very white were her feet; rosy, even, sharp round nails she had; two sandals with golden buckles about them. Fair yellow, long, golden hair she wore; three braids of hair she wore; two tresses were wound around her head; the other tress from behind threw a shadow down onto her calves”.

Fedelm describes herself as a prophetess from the Sidhe (or Fairy-mound) of Cruachan, and recently come from the Isle of Alba (Scotland) after learning prophetic skills there. I have included the description of Fedelma here to illustrate and dispel the (sometimes) misrepresented historical notions of what the Druids looked like; old men in white robes, with long grey beards! Fedelma seems to be more a vision of Walt Disney’s Snow-White than a creaking fantasy of a misinformed Oxford scholar. The final Irish mythological cycle is The King’s Cycle, which gives a history of the legendary kings of Ireland.

Wales has a comparable and equally rich mythological collection. The Red Book of Hergest and The White book of Rhydderch, together with The Pedair Ceinc y Mabinogi or The Four Branches of The Mabinogi, date to the 13th-14th CE. Lyf Aneirin or The Book of Aneirin contains an epic poem called ‘Y Gododdin’ which describes the defense of Britian under King Mynyddog Mwynfawr against the Angle invasion, and commemorates the Battle of Catterick in 600 CE. Taliesin is sometimes called a Druid, other-times a Shaman, but it is as a Bard that he is most well known, and his poetic fervor is encapsulated in The Book of Taliesin which contains some of the oldest poetry in the Welsh language. The central poem in the book is ‘The Cad Goddeu’ or Battle of the Tree’s, and describes a mighty battle between Gydion and Bran, it also has many Welsh triads and describes the 13 treasure of Britian. The British version of The Lebhar Gebhala Eirren is The Historia Britonium or History of Britian, written by a Welsh monk called Nennius in 820 CE. It is noted for its role in contributing to the myths surrounding King Arthur. Geoffrey of Monmouth contributed two important manuscripts; Historia Regum Brittaniae or A History of The Kings of Britian in 1136, which is a chronological survey of 2000 years of British history and contains many indigenous myths. His Vita Merlini or Life of Merlin accounts for the archetypal Celtic-British Wizard/Druid, presenting a more ‘mystical’ bard than that offered by the Irish school.

Less well known as a source of Celtic myth is the Barzaz Breiz or ‘Bards of Brittany’, a compilation of Breton folk tales, legends, stories and songs gathered by Theodore Hersart de la Villemarque in 1839. The Carmina Gadelica is a collected mass of historical oral Gaelic literature, songs, poetry, invocations, incantations, and prayers from the highlands and islands of northern Scotland by Alexander Carmicheal, in the latter half of the 18th century. Most of this material is ‘Celto-Pagan’ in subject matter and format, but altered and lightly veneered in the Christian model. It presents an exciting opportunity to explore the rich spiritual panorama and thoughts of the Celtic people.

In 1906, Professor Kuno Meyer published his ‘Trecheng Breth Fene’ or The Triads of Ireland, after some careful and detailed research of several antique Irish manuscripts, principally The Yellow Book of Lecan, The Book of Ballymote, The Book of Hui Maine, The Book of Lecan, a paper MS of 1575, and a paper MS written by Tadhg Tiorthac O’Neachtain in 1745. Published as volume 13 of the Todd Lecture series of the Royal Irish Academy. The collection gives an important insight into the most visible teaching aid of the ancient Irish Druids, an in its entirety a valuable resource.

The Irish Immacallam in da Thaurad or Colloquy of The Two Sages (contained in many differing manuscripts, but principally the 12th century Book of Leinster, the 14th century Book of Lecan, and the Rawlinson B. 502 manuscript) is the dialog between two Druids concerning the knowledge required by individuals seeking the status of ‘Ollamh’ or Doctor/Professor. I would describe it as a fathomless repository of essential knowledge for understanding the mind behind Druidic practice. Nede asks Fechterne;

“And what is your Spirit?”

“Is not hard, the answer; Seer of wisdom, oratorical warrior, interrogator of small statements, courting knowledge, weaving skill, repository of poetry, abundance of the sea!”

Likewise the Cath Maige Tuired or The Second Battle of Mag Tuired gives a detailed account of the origins of the Tuatha De Danann and their further exploits. Originally they existed in the northern islands of the earth and studied the occult, sorcery, druidic arts and magic in four cities under four wizards (Morfesa, Esras, Semias, and Uscias). The text describes the initiation of Lugh Samildanach into the company of the Tuatha De Danann, and the necessary skills required for membership (which may be some of those of necessity possessed by a learned Druid to be established in such a community) such as builder, metal-smith, champion, harper or musician, warrior, poet, historian, sorcerer, physician, cupbearer, and brazier.

The myths present an image of Druids that is both colorful and dynamic, when compared to the dry and academic views of the classical writers. The advancing Christian missionaries across western Europe (beginning in the 3-4th CE) attempted to stamp out Pagan practices amongst communities, and in Ireland they particularly targeted Druids. Muirchu Moccu Machteni of Armagh, in his Life of Saint Patrick written in the 7th century CE, compared the Druids to the wizards of Nebuchadnezzar;

“And it came to pass in that year, that on the same night as the holy Patrick was celebrating Easter, there was an idolatrous ceremony which the Gentiles (The Pagan Irish) were accustomed to celebrate with manifold incantations and magical contrivances and with other idolatrous superstitions when the kings, satraps, chieftains, princes, and great ones of the people had assembled, and when the Druids, singers, prophets, and the inventors and practitioners of every art of every gift, had been summoned to Laoghaire, as once to king Nebuchadnezzar, at Tara, their Babylon”.

In the Leabhar Buidhe Lecain or The Yellow Book of Lecan of the 14th century, we learn from one of the many compiled manuscripts (The Leabhar na gCeart or Book of Rights) that in the 5th Century Patrick enthusiastically burned 180 books written by the Irish Druids, and thenceforth determined to destroy all remnants of Druidic ‘superstition.’ It may be that Caesar, when writing of the Gaulish Druids disinclination to put their thoughts into writing, was observing a limited or specific practice, and that Druids elsewhere (perhaps only in Ireland) were less rigidly attached to the sole practice of oral instruction, and did indeed write down their thoughts, teachings, wisdom and sciences. The episode recorded in this particular manuscript is extremely grave and depressing, indicative of the differences between Christianity and Gaelic Paganism, but evidence indeed that some Druids did put their ideas into books.

THE VISION OF CELTS AND DRUIDS THROUGH AN ARCHEOLOGICAL LENS

Archeology is a relatively new science, although it uncovers the most ancient evidence of our ancestors. In 1857 the level of Lake Neuchatel in Switzerland dropped considerably, revealing many ancient and important structures. This caught the attention of a local amateur explorer called Friedrich Schwab, and using a homemade dredge he scoured the shallow lake and recovered over 3000 Celtic artifacts, including tools, horse gear, 160 swords and scabbards, and other important relics of Celtic origin dating from 300 BCE. Later archeologists termed the artifacts and their origin in a Celtic community as ‘La Tene’ and dedicated research and study has evolved a considerable amount of interesting details and information of the Celtic tribes living in that area at that time. Of numerous Celtic tribes living in the area we now know as Switzerland, the Helvetii mentioned by Strabo is still celebrated as the ‘Republic Helvetica.’ A remarkable museum of archeology called ‘Latenium’ has been set up on the banks of lake Neuchatel to display the rich Celtic heritage of the area, together with artifacts from several related areas, including the Paleolithic.

Other important archeological finds in the past 150 years which give information on the spiritual and cosmological aspects of Celtic life include the Gundestop cauldron. Found in a dry peat bog in Himmerland, Denmark in 1891 it is believed to be of fine, silver northern Gaulish craftsmanship, composed of 13 separate plates it depicts various figures and cosmological scenes including what is believed to be a representation of the horned god ‘Cernussos,’ and musical instruments called ‘carnyx.’ Dating from the 1st CE, Miranda Green believes it to be an important bowl from a significant shrine and the property of an established Celtic priesthood. The cauldron plays an important role in Druid ritual and magic, we are told that the Daghda, of the Tuatha De Danann brought a ‘cauldron of plenty’ from Murias in the northlands, which possessed the capacity to satisfy any hunger. In the story of ‘Branwen the Daughter of Lyr’ in the Mabinogian we are told of a magical cauldron which has the capability to bring dead warriors back to life, owned by Bendigeid Vran and given to the Irish king Matholwch as a gift.

Another key archeological find is the Coligny Calendar, a shattered bronze tablet found in Coligny, near Bourg en Bresse in France in 1897. Again, dating from the 1st CE, Miranda Green believes it to have been designed and constructed by Druids as a device to help chart predictions based on astronomical observations. The calendar provides evidence for the celebration the four major festivals of Imbolc, Beltaine, Lughnasadh, and Samhain, and that the Druids may well have been instrumental in deciding on which days these primarily agricultural gatherings should take place. Moreover the bronze tablet dispels myths regarding the observation (by Julius Caesar) that Druids never committed their reasoning into a written form.

Lovernius or the ‘Lindow man’ is analyzed by Anne Rice and Don Robbins in ‘Death of A Druid Prince’ as a historical example of the cult of human sacrifice in Celtic society by Druids. Lindow man is the remains of a well preserved male corpse found in Lindow peat bog in August 1984 in Manchester, Britian, evidence shows that he was executed sometime in the 1st CE. He has well manicured nails, hair and beard carefully trimmed with shears, both indicating that he was no manual laborer, but either a member of the aristocracy or the Druid intelligensia, the fox-fur band around his arm may indicate a spiritual standing in his society. The contents of his stomach revealed a final meal of ‘blackened cake’ composed of grains such as wheat, barley and bran together with mistletoe pollen. This cake, known as ‘Beltaine-cake’ always seems to be the last meal in a Celtic ritual sacrifice. Lovernius experienced a ‘three-fold’ death, his head was crushed with a heavy metal object (perhaps a ceremonial axe), strangled with a leather (sinew) rope, and his throat was cut, then his naked body was thrown into (what was then) a murky black lake called ‘Llyn Cerrig Bach or Lake of Small Pebbles in Welsh.

Searles O’Dubhain in a workshop on human sacrifice in western Pagan society gives a hypothetical (but plausible) account of the events surrounding the sacrifice of Lovernius. In 62 CE the forces amassed by Queen Bodiccea had been defeated by the Roman army under the command of general Seutonius, together with the bulk of Britians Druids on the Isle of Anglesey (or Mona). Perhaps for many Britons this was a vision of increasing darkness and bondage under empirical rule. The Druids sensing that they had failed on the physical plane decided to take the fight onto a higher level, a spiritual dimension, and send a suitable messenger to the gods to request their help. Lovernius was selected and underwent a series of ‘spiritual energy boosting’ sessions, before undergoing the triple death. O’Dubhain is of the opinion that the three aspects of his execution are symbolic of a dedication to three separate gods of the three worlds, being Taranis, Esus, and Teutates of the sky, middle-earth and otherworld. The location of the sacrifice is also significant, a place where sky, water and earth met and provided a direct link with the other dimensions in Celtic cosmology. It is interesting to note the decline of Roman rule in Britian after this event.

The evidence surrounding Lindow man all suggest that he was a human sacrifice, that it was Druids that performed the ceremony, and had several intricate and symbolic elements. I do not feel that this was a commonplace event, but an unusual and perhaps necessary (for the associated morality and beliefs of those individuals) for the events at that time. The greatest achievement of Lovernius is that he has traveled through time and history to us today, and given us important information about our ancestors.

A PHENOMINOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF DRUIDRY.

In a Ph.D dissertation for Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in 2004, Mark T. Cooper documents the modern progress of Druidry which he sees as a ‘new religious movement.’ Whilst he recognizes some attempt of modern Druids to draw support from pre-Christian European indigenous traditions he regards the claim for a historically continous line from the ancient to the contemporary as invalid. Cooper therefore defines the modern Druid movement as both a cultural phenomena and a religious cult. Despite this he has endeavored to understand the movement from an independent viewpoint and pursued evidence based on primary sources, principally through interviews with those practicing and following this spiritual path.

Cooper asks five main questions in his interviews with modern Druids; how does Druidry provide an understanding to the meaning of life? How does Druidry provide an understanding to the meaning of death? What must a practitioner of Druidry do to achieve a good life? How does Druidry provide a sense of security and guidance when it deals with the unknown? And what is the Druidic sense of moral order?

In terms of meaning in life Cooper discovered that Druids today base their primary spiritual life around the ‘wheel of the year’ and that this gave them direction and understanding with regard to the experiences in life, they also found inspiration from nature, ancestors and deities. The ‘wheel of the year’ is defined as a series of eight community festivals divided into two sets of four. The first four are tied to celestial movements, thus defined as the autumn and spring equinox, and the summer and winter solstice. The second four are defined as ‘agricultural’ festivals, known as Beltaine, Imbolc, Samhaine, and Lughnasadh. Each festival is separated by an approximate 6-week period. Whilst Cooper suggests that there is no historical data or reference for these celebrations, the general belief amongst practitioners is that they are an important way to connect with nature and the universe, and that it is believed that the Druids enacted these rituals. Cooper quotes Dr. Maya Sutton, adjunct professor of Celtic Studies at the University of New Mexico:

“We use this cyclical pattern in our Druid ceremonies and find that it becomes more relevant and appropriate as time goes by,”

Nature is therefore seen as the principle and greater divine force in a Druids life, providing inspiration, guidance, meaning and revelation. The Druid plays a role in the intricate movements and interplays of the universe and cosmos, the festivals are celebrated as re-enactments of a greater, deeper cosmological belief and understanding.

In terms of death, Cooper has extrapolated three main stands of belief amongst Druids; a belief in reincarnation, an understanding that there is no existence after death – a form of re-cycling, and in transmigration of the soul – where an individual spirit will pass into another body, not necessarily human. Overall death is seen as the doorway to another ‘state’ of existence, although reincarnation is the predominant belief amongst Druids today.

Many Druids had a strong belief in the Vedic ‘Karma’ principle, where deeds that are either good, bad or ugly are at some time in the future rewarded likewise. In terms of guidance, some Druids use divinatory techniques, some seek blessings from ancestors, gods and/or goddesses, others employ self-regulatory techniques such as meditation, whilst some employ starlore or astrology to help define their paths. Guidance is also obtained through a ‘flowing spiritual energy’ called Awen, often called inspiration or creativity, and similar in many ways to the early Christian notion of Gnosis, spontaneous vision and communication with the supernal divine world.

Cooper discovered that Druidry as a whole lacks a belief in the duality of ‘good versus evil.’ In his search for a definable morality amongst modern Druids he came upon some who followed the Golden rule of the Wiccan Rede, which states that ‘one should harm none.’ Another aspect of personal morality, defined as virtues are an integral aspect of the first triad of the Dedicant Program of the ADF, composed of nine virtues which the apprentice is encouraged to interpret in terms of their own life and understanding of order; wisdom, piety, vision, courage, integrity, perseverance, hospitality, moderation, and fertility. Cooper concludes that Druids have a complete understanding of the notion of right and wrong in society. In his concluding observations he remarks that there is no apparent disconnection between what followers wrote, or said, and their general practices, although he points out that (in his opinion) many Druids ‘borrow’ from other religious systems to enhance their own understanding and rituals. Cooper sees a pronounced discord between the modern Druid practice and pre-Christian paganism, although he does not believe that the continuity of such ancient systems are of vital importance in the modern expression. He concedes that, due to the oral nature of pre-Christian Druidry, modern practitioners could interpret the spiritual path of their ancestors with some creative license.

CONCLUSIONS

I set out on the path of this essay to try and discover the historical evidence of Druids. And on this journey I have discovered much detailed information, locked away or forgotten in the recesses of cultural memory. In terms of the opinions of academic researchers I found that the distinct boundaries they placed around their studies certainly inhibited examination, expansion and clarification through alternative avenues or approaches (perhaps through other specialist fields). Information on the Celtic people and Druids is certainly fragmentary, of various strands which only a few individuals (principally those labeled “amateurs’) are doggedly prepared to examine and slowly piece together like a highly complex jigsaw, and then creatively compose and enact their conclusions.

I would describe my journey into the ‘world of the Druids’ as beauty of insight, poetic of notions, fragrant of ages, bearing fruits of nature, resonant of long songs, mulling thoughts of the hearth, bending trees in the wind, union of times, regent words, breath of great ancestors. I must see the spiritual path of the Druid both in personal and organic terms, as a personal interpretation which enhances my quality of existence, to see it otherwise would simply be an academic exercise. Druidry cannot be just historical fact, but ever-evolving present, that constantly asks questions of the journeyman in pursuit of the task, that rewards for skills well learned and practiced with diligence, that encourages perseverance in adversity, that gives voice to the spirit.

I see the Druid as a vital component of a vast cultural heritage, as a part of my own history and that of my ancestors, which provides a forum for my continued development and passage into the future. The soft rhythmic words of the Irish Gaelic like the earth dark-peat of ancient times is traversed and cut and used for the warmth of the fire now. And I leave the last words to one of my favorite poets, William Butler Yeats, who beckons the weary traveler to a land of mystical and mysterious beauty, and a communion with the universal elements;

Into the Twilight
Out-worn heart, in a time out-worn,
Come clear of the nets of wrong and right;
Laugh, heart, again in the grey twilight;
Sigh, heart, again in the dew of morn.
Your mother Eire is always young,
Dew ever shining and twilight grey;
Though hope fall from you and love decay,
Burning in fires of slanderous tongue.
Come, heart, where hill is heaped upon hill:
For there the mystical brotherhood
Of sun and moon and hollow and wood
And river and stream work out their will;
And God stands winding His lonely horn,
And time and the world are ever in flight;
And love is less kind than the grey twilight,
And hope is less dear than the dew of the morn.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Tessa Murdoch. Jewellery in London from pre-Roman times to the 1930’s. The Museum of London 1991.
Rodney Castleden. The Stonehenge People, an exploration of life in Neolithic Britian 4700 bc to 2000 bc. Routledge, London & New York 2002.
Ronald Hutton. The Shamans of Siberia. Isle of Avalon Press. 1993.
M. J. Green. The World of the Druids. Thames and Hudson, London 1997.
M. J. Green. Dictionary of Celtic Myth and Legend. Thames and Hudson, London 1992.
Ross Nichols. The Book of Druidry. Thorsons, London 1990.
Piers Vitebsky. The Shaman. Macmillan, London 1995.
Lois Sherr Dubin. The History of Beads from 30.000 bc to the present. Thames and Hudson, 1987.
H. W. Janson. The History of Art. Harry N. Abrams Inc, New York 1977.
Maria-Gabriele Wosien. Sacred Dance, encounter with the Gods. Thames and Hudson, London 1974.
Susan Youngs, Editor. The Work of Angels, Masterpieces of Celtic Metalwork, 6th – 9th centuries AD. University of Texas Press 1989.
Paul Rhys Mountfort. Ogam. Rider Press, London 2001.
Barbara G. Walker. The Womans Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets. Harper and Row. New York 1983.
Patricia Calvert. The Ancient Celts, Scholastic Inc 2005.
Denise Dersin (Editor). Among Druids and High Kings: Celtic Ireland AD 400-1200, Time Life Books 1998.
Kevin Duffy. Who Were The Celts? Barnes and Noble 1998.

Online sources:
Reformed Druids of the Mithral Star, Website;
http://www.mithrilstar.org/index.html
The Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids, Website;
http://druidry.org/
Isaac Bonewits’ Homepage;
http://www.neopagan.net/
The Religion of the Ancient Celts by John Arnott MacCulloch. Edinburgh 1911
http://otherworld.celtic-twighlight.com/druidism/macculloch/druids.htm
Myers, Brendan. The perennial Question, What is a Druid?
http://www.wildideas.net/cathbad/pagan/druid-defn.html
Sibley, Lynn. Lindow man –Murders in a bog.
http://www.chemistry.org/portal/a/c/s/1/acsdisplay.html?DOC=vc2%5c2my%5cmy2_man.html#meal
O’Dubhain, Searles. Celtic Workshop – Human Sacrifice.
http://www.summerlands.com/crossroads/library/human_sacrifice.htm
Cooper, Mark. T. A phenomenological analysis of Druidry.
http://sgsl.edu/Research%20Data/Phenomenological%20Analysis%20of%20Druidry.htm
The Triads of Ireland:
http://w3.lincolnu.edu/~focal/docs/triads/triads.html
The Tain Bo Cualgne (The Cattle Raid of Cooley);
http://vassun.vassar.edu/~sttaylor/Cooley.html