I was reading “The Wildhunt” today and I noticed that the ADF has elected a new Arch Druid.

I’d like to add my congratulations to all the other wishes of well to Rev. Kirk Thomas, the new head Druid in the ADF.

How does this affect me as an independent druid? Well, it really doesn’t, except that the leadership of one of the major Druid groups is going to swing a huge club and shape how not only the ADF, but Druids in general are seen in the future.

I’ve known Isaac for a couple years, had the honor of talking to him via email once or twice. I’ve reviewed books by Skip Ellison and also talked to him via email a couple times on websites and email lists that we shared. I have found both men to be very intelligent and open to new ideas, while still maintaining the highest standards for themselves and their Order. Kirk has a HUGE set of shoes to fill.

That said, I don’t know Kirk at all. I’ve never talked to him, nor have I had the honor of reading any of his works. I am going to have to take it on faith that he will be as good as Isaac and Skip have been.

I hope that with this changing of the leadership, some of the problems that have kept me at arm’s length with the ADF will be corrected and worked with. The next few years are going to be very interesting for Druids of every Order.

Originally posted 2010-06-09 16:10:40.

(Note from Daven:  This is kind of a primer for Druidism.  I don’t know how much of it is accurate, since I learned from a different Way.  However, it sounds correct as far as it goes.  Once again, use your brains about all this.  Just because it’s written down here doesn’t mean that it’s written in stone.)

SIMPLE INTRODUCTION TO DRUIDRY

We seem to be living in a time when the past is calling to us at the top of its collective lungs. We are somehow living with deep memories of a past that touches us in a way we don’t understand but hunger to embrace.

The work of Druids is the work of re-making the connections between out everyday lives and the wonder and Magick of the inner worlds. We current day Druids and Wiccan’s are trying to again open the gates of the Soul where everything we still remember resides. To once again use the Power of the Self: intellect, intuition, instinct and emotions to seek the good of ALL people which are health, wealth, wisdom. Love and personal power.

You’ll find this to be a very skeletal account of the Druidic faith and how it has similarities to the craft of the Wise. If I can gift you with an enticing and uncomplicated look at what is practiced by some of today’s Druids, I hope it will be another joyful path upon which you might explore as you seek the Ancient Ways – the Magick, the Wisdom and the Mysteries, with diligence and pride.

There is a good deal that you will find similar of you were to do ritual using the Wiccan rites and those of the Druid. Similar at least, in principle. Both use the basics; relaxation, concentration, visualization and the rational of ritual. Your success in the ritual depends on your skills and your personal study from the sources that have spoken to you in some way and on some level. But understand that even when Druidry is approached as a simple, personal religion, the traditional disciplines of the mind and respect for Druid histories are needed for good results.

If you have a ” feel” for Druidry you will know without hesitation that it is the past that is calling to you. You will have a need to light the Sacred Fire in the place of the Spirits. You will seek out the hidden Holy Spring in the forests heart. You will feel called to worship the Old God/Goddess and to restore their Honour in the modern times. It is… overwhelming at times to work with and through the Mighty Wise Ones of old. You will seek to walk the Elders way, even though we may not possess all the knowledge of the Ancients.

DRUID SYMBOLS AND MAGICKAL WAYS: FIRE, WELL and TREE

While Wiccan rite commonly uses the four elements, Earth, Water, Fire and Air, there are only three that are the center of Druid ritual and Magick. The Holy Well, The Sacred Fire and the World Tree. They have MANY levels of meaning and they must always be present in any working.

At the deepest, the Fire, Well and Tree connect with the primal powers of the cosmos. Holy Wells open the powers of the Underworld, the dark source of the whole of the worlds potential. The waters flow from the womb of the primal mother, whom the Celts call DANU, the mother of Wisdom.

The Sacred Fire brings the Sky power into the Sacred Grove. The Gods and Spirits are seen as being enfleshed by Fire. It is the power that awakens the individual mind. It is the Heart of the Earth and in every being it is the source of the individual Self. Fire is the power of the Primal Father known to the Celts as the Dagda, the good God.

The World Tree is the power of connection. From its base root in the depths to its peak against the skies, the Tree upholds the home of every Kindred. It is a Magical road and carries the powers between Earth and Sky. It is the symbol of the Middle Worlds where ALL things have light and dark.

These are the Powers of the Center and are what bring ritually into every Druid rite and Holy Place.

THE WORLDS AND THE KINDREDS

The universal use of the four elements is understood by Celtica and Wiccans differently because they are the broader movement. The classical system of the four arranged within a Pentagram is for the Druid, replaced by the three realms of Land, Sea and Sky, with the Sacred Fire in the center. These are used as principles of interacting all of the worlds teaming life whether human, animal, plant, stone or spirit.

THE LAND,…

…is the home of our HUMAN Kindreds and of our closest allies. The Land is our common world where most of us will live out our lives. The fresh water that wells up in the Earth is also considered part of the realm of the land.

THE SEA,…

…Is the wild place that lies outside our common land. The SEA is the home of vast and teaming life that is different from our own. It is the place of OTHERWORLD Isles, the home of the Sidhe heroes and is the land of the young.

THE SKY,…

…is the source of light and shadow. It is the place of the Shining Ones. The Sky overarches the Land and Sea just as the Gods and Goddesses watches over all of us. The turning, waxing and waning of the two lights of Sun and Moon

Within all these Worlds, all common life is sustained. In the middle of these Worlds is found the Druidic Sacred Grove. This is the place of flowing together. There the Sacred Fire burns, by the Well of Wisdom, beneath the World Tree.

And all is as it should be.

THE OTHERWORLDS

Within and behind our common realm, as close as that plant next to you and as far afield as the deepest ocean lie the Otherworlds. The Otherworlds are the homes of the Spirits, the Tribes of the Noble ones and the Shining Ones themselves.

THE KINDREDS…

…all of us are the Children of the Mother, descended as we are through the countless lines of mortal mothers and fathers. Don’t be surprised to learn that for as many mortal Kindreds, there are countless tribes of Otherworld beings that have touched you as well. Druids will deal with and make offerings to many kinds of Spirits.

THE SHINING ONES…

…are the Oldest, mightiest and wisest of the beings within the great weaving. The First mother and the First Father. The triple Goddess. The powers of love, artistry and of healing. The children of light and shadow. The Celtic Pantheon.

THE MIGHTY ONES…

…are the Ancestors. Those of our own folk who are presently resting in the land of the dead. They watch over their descendants and lend power to aid us. It is most proper for every Druidic worshiper to honour their immediate ancestors.

THE NOBLE ONES…

…are the spirits of the non-human evolutions, both mortal and those never born. They are the multitude of small spirits of stone, herb and animals to the very Queen of the Fairy and her consort. Each has their own power and should be approached with respect whether it be a gentle herb spirit or a mighty mountain.

These are the Three Kindreds. It is also wise to remember that these are not hard and fast categories. One folks Deity or God/Goddess may well be considered an ancestor by another. So, I highly suggest that it is wisest to do honour to ALL of the Spirits.

RITUAL AND MAGICK

For both Wiccans and Druids, Ritual is a combination of proper speech, proper gesture, proper thought and the knowledge of the meanings and powers of the natural things, times and seasons. The Wise learn the potencies of herbs and stones and woods and colors and the scents and sounds of the things we are blessed to make use of. We train our minds and memory, our bodies and our emotions so that every thing we do can be seen as Holy.

In EVERY work of Magick, the Druid must know their goal and know the skill of his or her Magick. You must dare to seek it out, risking failure or error. No one is going to condemn you or shame you if you fail.

If you would be a Druid, there is one law to which we all must subscribe… That you use ALL of your will to pursue the goal you have set for yourself or the ritual, and, you must keep silent about the work, never displaying the Secret Art before fools.

HALLOWING AND TOOLS

Druid Ritual at its simplest needs only a Fire, a bowl of Water and the Druids Staff along with any offerings to the spirits. Here are the tools and Holy things “Hallows” – that would allow a Druid ritual:

SACRED FIRE

Sacred flame MUST be present at any ritual. In the most reduced circumstances a single candle would serve you just fine. A censer could hold the charcoal block for your offering and perhaps you might even ring it with nine candles. This works well if you have no hearth.

HOLY WATER

Drudic Holy Water is created from three blessed wells which have been exposed to the light of the sun, Moon and the Sacred Fire (or lightning). This water should be stored in a tightly closed vessel and added in small amounts to the larger amount used in a ritual.

THE CAULDRON

The cauldron is used to hold the HOLY WATER in Druidic Ritual. It is seem as the Primal well of Wisdom and it should always be clean enough to drink from.

THE OFFERING BOWL

Into this bowl you will place your offering to the Earth or Spirits.

THE EARTHSTONE

The Earthstone is a small piece of stone that is placed into the offering bowl. It acts as the receiver for the Mother Earth when offering is made.

THE HORN OR CHALICE

The horn or chalice is the drinking cup used to pour the offerings of drink and to drink the Blessing.

THE TORC

One piece of adornment that is central to Celtic Magick is the Torc. A Torc is a neck ring that is open in the front and usually made of spiraled metals. The Torc is a symbol of Kinship with the Celtic powers and the Clan of the Old Ways. It also indicates the Sacred mind that enshrines your Magickal knowledge and wisdom. The Torc is a special symbol for those on the Celtic or Druid path.

A SHORT RITE FOR HONORING OF THE FIRE, WELL AND TREE

(SILVER OR PRECIOUS STONE IS OFFERED TO THE WELL SAYING)…

I am here to do as the Wise Ancients did, to make offering to the powers and to bless this work as a Hallowed tool of Magick.

O Sacred waters,

You who flow and swirl beneath all being;

Accept my offering!

Let me know the inner depths within myself.

The source of all.

The well of inner wisdom.

Sacred well, flow within me!

(AN OIL OR HERB IS OFFERED TO THE FIRE SAYING…)

O Sacred Fire,

You who consume and transform,

You are the true light of the Shining ones.

Accept my offering

And let the Holy Flame

Warm my spirit and my Life!

Sacred Fire, burn within me!

(THE TREE IS CENSED AND SPRINKLED SAYING)…

O Sacred Tree, you span the way

between the worlds.

You are the center support of the sky,

Rooted in the Ancient deep.

Let my spirit be deepened in your depths,

Raised to your heights.

Strengthened in your strength.

Sacred tree grow within me!

(HOLDING YOUR STAFF ALOFT SAY)…

The Fire, the Well, the Sacred Tree

Flow and Flame and Grow in me!

Originally posted 2009-11-14 14:17:12.

(Daven’s Comments: Please note this carefully; this is NOT my essay. It is one of the classics of NeoPagan Literature, and as such deserves to be out there in the community. Every time, however, I find a copy of it, it somehow disappears off the Internet completely. To prevent this from being lost, I am putting it up here. So I don’t have to be anxious about whether or not it will vanish the next time I need to reference it. If you wish to see a more up to date version, please go to THIS SITE and read. I honestly don’t know the difference between these two, but that one is a higher version number. Sad to say the original site Clannada na Gadelica seems to have disappeared off the Internet completely. I leave this link here out of respect.)

by Iain MacAnTsaoir and Dawn O’Laoghaire

The following is by no means an indictment of the religion called Wicca. Wicca is indeed a valid and powerful path for those who truthfully walk it and understand it. However, there is a body of people who believe that Wicca is the descendant of the religious ways of the Gaelic or other Celtic peoples (or ‘Celts’ as a general nomenclature). This simply is not the case.

The following is a brief comparison of the Wiccan religion and Celtic religion. The purpose of this exercise is to dispel the notion that Wicca is Celtic, or derived from Celtic religion. It is by no means to be taken as an in-depth survey of either religion. There are a great many questions that could be answered for people if they would visit with the elderly people in the rural areas of the Old Countries, or at least read books written by solid academians instead of profit oriented, new age writers. We will place at the end of this article the sources that can be used to substantiate what is said herein. I encourage you to investigate each source given, to check the veracity of the statement for yourselves

When we talk about Celtic religion, we must define what we are talking about. Precisely put, we are talking about religious beliefs, practices and world views that existed in Gaelic and other Celtic cultures, as these developed as natural manifestations within the cultures. While this woudl included Celtic Christianity, for this article we are addressing Classical (pagan) Celtic theology. The pagan methodology and understandings of Gaelic spirituality survived the coming of Christianity and have continued to this day within the ways of people who are by and large nominally Christian. This is however, where Gaelic Traditionalists, both pagan and Christian, look when establishing their beliefs and methodologies.

An example of what existed in Classical times, when compared with what began afterward, is the use of the Maypole. Prior to importation by Germanic invaders, the Maypole was not in use in Gaelic lands. The High Days, which were fire festivals, saw people gather at the local river to make votive offerings, as well as light bonfires on the hill tops. It wasn’t until the coming of the Saxon that the Maypole came to Gaelic lands, and even then the use of the Maypole stayed in the areas where there was a Germanic population, and was not adopted by the indigenous Gaels.

The spirituality of the various Celtic peoples has not changed. The Gaelic peoples still recognize that there are spirits of the Sky, the Sea and the Land (X). It is only in their official methodologies concerning the Upper Realm, that concepts and methodologies have changed. The Three of Power can still be found in prayers and incantations such as recorded by Alexander Carmichael at the early part of the 20th century. Yet there are a great many who claim that things that have never been a part of the Celtic paradigm are Celtic. Wicca seems to be a religion that is particularly prone to this. The people who make the statement that Wicca is Celtic are usually of two sorts. These are the new people who either for their own reasons truly believe this to be the case, or they have fallen prey to some unscrupulous teacher who uses the allure of things “Celtic” to draw in new students or ensure profits. In both cases the problem is exacerbated by the fact that solid information is not easily accessible to the general public. The people who fall for the antics of the unscrupulous teacher usually do not have access to the information it takes to refute the falsehood. All religions have these types, and the fact that these will also exist within Wicca should not serve as a reason to condemn that path.

People who, with utter conviction, state that Wicca is a Celtic path usually have derived this idea by one of two common arguments (taking for granted that they haven’t been misinformed). The first is conveyed by the person stating something to the effect of, “… _____ (usually Gardner is named) drew upon Celtic lore when putting it together… .” The second statement used is, “…it just *is* Celtic, it’ always been Celtic, its always been in places like Ireland and Scotland.” Both of these arguments are easily disproven. The following shall go toward that end.

Traditional Celtic religions, as is the case with all religions, are cultural manifestations. In tribal cultures the people’s spirituality is part of their identity and world view. Gaelic Traditionalism, for example, holds within the Gaelic culture. This just as a Traditionalist Lakota would remain faithful to their culture. In the Gaelic experience, though regional variants of the name would exist, the Mother of the Gods is Danu, and her mate is Bile. From that union came Dagda and Bride, who are described in some articles of lore as mates themselves. From texts and folklore we see that the Gods were born of that union. The Gods are the First Ancestors of the people, and are individuals. Scholars have noted that when Celtic culture entered an area, the Celtic gods of the Upper Realm went in with them. These then intermarried with the local goddesses of the land (the goddesses of sovereignty). Extant geneological texts chart how the ancient Gael believed that they originated with those unions. Hence the very Gods of the people are their First Ancestors.

The various ideas surrounding the ancestors manifest in a host of customs, such as the Feast of the Dead. Also, such concepts as that of the dead reincarnating through blood lines, in conjunction with the customs of the Gaelic peoples, provides a sense of continuity and identity that cannot be missed.

Just as Traditionalists hold steadfastly to their own culture, Wicca tends to draw from various cultures and ideologies. What allows the practicioners of Wicca to put elements from various religions together is the modernist ideology that has at it’s root the Jungian concept of archetypes. Wiccans tend to work heavily in the idea of archetypes — “All goddesses are the face of the Goddess”. They focus on the traits which various deities share, much the same way a Jungian would focus on the shared traits of heros in a Jungian analysis. Wiccans also speak heavily on the subject of masculine and feminine dualities (anima andÊ animus), which are central to Jungian theories of personality. Some Wiccans focus on claiming the shadow side, or “dark” side of individuals, which is a straight lift from Jungian theory.

The concepts that are traditionallay part of Celtic religions reject this type of analysis and state that the Gods are individuals. Furthermore, as stated, traditional Celtic beliefs hold that the Gods are tied to the people by a familial links. As an example, while a Gaelic Traditionalist might agree that your mom and their mom (or your tribe’s Mother Goddess and their tribe’s Mother Goddess) share some traits by virtue of both people being moms, it is a mistake to say that just because both people are moms, they are interchangeable. To the perspective of a Gael, the basic fallacy of extending Jungian analysis to far is this your mom isn’t their mom, no matter how mom-like both people are. Needless to say, one can’t hold an archetype relationship to either the God or the Goddess and a direct and intimate personal relationship to your people’s gods at the same time. The two ideas contradict each other.

Another of the signs telling of the Jungian foundation in Wicca is the propensity to constantly ‘borrow’ of concepts, icons and sacred relics from other cultures and their religions. This causes a great deal of friction to exist between people of other cultures and Wiccans. This friction manifests itself in such passive things as traditional peoples separating themselves and establishing communities aside from the general pagan one. It also manifests in such things as the literal Lakota Declaration of War against those who “steal” (words the spiritual leaders of that People used) that cultures spirituality. The unanimous opinion of the people in the various traditional forms of spirituality is that Wicca and Wiccans spend too much time “borrowing” everything under the sun and throwing it all together. Yet, to be fair, from Wicca’s arcehtypal-based viewpoint, that’s both okay and logical.

From a traditional Gaelic view point, and traditionalists of other cultures say the same things, these practices dishonor the ancestors, distort the fundamental truth (your mom ain’t my mom), and interfere with the duty that traditional people generally feel to preserve and restore traditional cultures. This is because, to them, Wicca creates a distraction that sidetracks people looking for the traditional ways, as well as sucks up the time, interest and energy of people who might otherwise be helping to find ways to preserve their culture. Wiccans also often present themselves as the “true” Celtic religion which prevents some people from ever finding their way back to the path of the ancestors, which would, in the view of a traditional person, honor the gods properly. Meaning, as individuals and as the ‘First Ancestors’. What most traditionalists find deplorable is that many Wiccans embrace the misinformation regardless of fact and refuse to deal with conflicting ideas or views when faced with facts.

Having established the Jungian foundation that allows for misinformation to remain unchecked in the Wiccan community lets start dispelling some of the fallacious notions that exist. The first notion to be addressed is, ‘Wicca is what the Celts of old practiced.’ Toward dispelling this idea, let’s state some things that are faily well established as fact because of the preponderance of evidence,

The first is that modern neo-paganism is highly impacted by, and reflective of, Gardnerian Wicca and its derivatives. The second is that, when Gardner was putting his creation together he drew upon Eastern philosophies, Egyptian ideologies and Judaic ceremonialism, in addition to Celtic lore.

This easily becomes confusing, but when something is made up of components, the whole mechanism is not solely of any one of those components. To state such denotes a severely faulty argument. Let me demonstrate this. For a great many years American Motors Corporartion (AMC) put out a whole line of automobiles. These automobiles very often had Chrysler engines, Ford transmissions, Chrysler brakes, Ford seats and, I believe in one instance, even General Motors instrumentation. All of those components, motors, transmissions, seats, etc, were fixed into a body made by AMC. Yet the complete car wasn’t a Ford because it had a Ford engine, nor was it a Chrysler because it had their transmission. It was an AMC, a creature all its own. The same is true about Wicca. It has a Hindu engine, an Egyption torque converter and a Celtic transmission. These things were set in a ceremonial body that, while reflective of the bodies used by the Hermetic Orders, is Wiccan alone. It is a creature unto itself.

Concerning the second argument they use, I direct your attention at two areas. These two areas will suffice nicely in dispelling the false notion that Wicca just *IS* Celtic. The first area is the theologies of the two systems

The two systems, Wicca and Celtic, and in particular Gaelic, contradict each other on several points. These conradictions are enough to, as a whole, form a severe dissonance between the two religions. In Celtic religion, there are three basic spheres. These are the Sky, the Sea and the Land. Each of these has a ruling body. For the Sky the sun, for the Sea the Moon and for the Land the Earth.

By careful study of the ancient texts, as well as the language itself, we see that the Sun and the Moon are feminine. They are sisters to each other. Though in some lore there is traces of evidence that some believed that while the Sun was feminine, the Moon was masculine. In Gaidhlig the names of both luminaries are feminine, and in invocations and spells they are both addressed as feminine beings. Yet they can change gender according to which of their attributes is brought to the fore. The nurturing, warm Sun who promotes growth is feminine, the light, as personified by Lugh, is masculine, and the scorching Sun just before Harvest is represented by Balor. This contrasts sharply with Wicca which is based wholly on a Feminine Moon and Masculine Sun.

Wicca is a religion whose philosophical foundation is Neo-Platonic dualism with a Goddess and a God as archetypes. Not only is Celtic religion vastly different in that it is truely polytheistic, totemistic, animistic, and zoomorphic but the very processes of reason upon which the whole of the Celtic worldview is based is founded on a tripartite cosmology. In Celtic understanding the world has three independent and free sphere, Sky, Land and Sea. The three realms are both the legs of the cauldron of the world, as well as the three parts of the Tree of the World

The next area of difference regards ethics. The basic ethical statement of Wicca is called ‘the Rede.’ The Wiccan rede states, “An It Harm None, Do As Ye Wilt.” The nature of the Rede is untenable to Celts. The whole morality of Wicca is “harm none”. While it is a theoretical statement, it is one with little real life practice. This is because it’s a rule that must be broken just to survive and as a result leaves interpretation and application to individuals, and common sense, isn’t

Such statments as are typical of the Rede are not a part of the Celtic paradigm, in which we find a heroic morality. In real life, the term “harm none” is typified by the moralities of Wicca, Christianity, and others where the primary imperative is to not hurt others. Heroic is typified by Celtic and Norse religions primarily, though other examples exist. Heroic morality is summed up by the Gaelic hero Caelte as, “truth in our hearts, strength in our arms and fulfillment in our tongues”. Heroic morality is rooted in concepts of personal honor, responsibility and fulfilment of duty. These are all traits of the Heroic morality, but like the Tao, it is an intangible concept that cannot truly be adequately defined

Because Wicca and traditional Gaelic spirituality arise out of different analyticalÊ perspectives, their moralities — the “scripts” they create for their adherents — are radically different. Wicca is a religion that is based on a logical extension of Jungian analysis (and yes, Jung was big into religion) — thus it’s sole ethic “Harm none and do what thou wilt” tends to reflect a personal, individualistic practice. Traditionalist Celts living a “heroic” morality focus on heroism, personal honor, tribal honor and duty to the tribe and “Do what you wilt” is the last thing on their mind. What honor and duty calls for are at the opposite end of the spectrum from what the individualistic bent of Wicca would call for.

The vision conceived and portrayed by Wicca, of what comes after this life, is limited and vague. Celtic religion, on the otherhand, has a complex and intricate conceptualization of the otherworld. In fact, OtherWorld’s interaction in this world is, in many ways, the pivot point of Celtic religion.

Wicca is primarily an invocatory/ecstatic religion which revolves around special rituals. The ‘formularies’ used by Wicca can be traced back through the lodges of ceremonial magic, and especially the work of Alister Crowley. In Celtic religion, the tenets are votive in nature and stress ethics and morality, only secondary importance is placed on ritual. To Celts, life itself is ceremony, with every thought, word and deed being spiritually significant and magical

The very foundation of Gaelic culture was the home. The hearth was the cornerstone of the spirituality of the people. In Gaelic religions great emphasis is placed on the sanctity of the home, and strength of the family. Families, to traditional celtic peoples, include people who have adopted each other. The individuals are encouraged to walk in strength and to fulfill their responsibilities to their families. These components are not found in Wicca

In Wicca, sacred space is ritually ‘created.’ To traditional Celtic sensibilities, both blessing the salt and not blessing the salt are superfluous arguments. This because to the Celtic mind, human kind can make neither the Gods, nor Their creations, any more or less perfect than they already are.

In traditionally based Celtic religions all all space is sacred. The Land is the Goddess of Sovereignty, the Mother of the peoples living there, and holy unto Herself. Sacred space is omnipresent, it is the history of a place or some other distinguishing thing that causes certain places to see different religious usages. What is done at a site depends on the natural predisposition of an area or its history. That the ancestors saw things in this way is established through such literary evidence as the Dindsenchas (a book of place histories).

Related to the concepts of the land is that, the Gods that Celts took with them into a new land (Sky Gods/ Gods of the People), mated with the Land Gods already in that land. Out of those unions came the oldest Gaelic families, out of which came later Gaelic families. What this means is that the Celts saw the Gods as their relatives. Hence we see one of several manifestations of ancestor veneration. Wicca has no component for venerating or developing a relationship with the ancestors, or the Goddess of the land or other land spirits of the lands that a people live in. These are big items in traditional Celtic religions.

Wicca is an initiatory mystery religion. Gaelic and other traditional Celtic religions are inclusive, with very few initiatory elements. Within Wicca there are various degrees and levels, each having its own mystery, each mystery being revealed by someone in authority. While the scope of this article is not designed to explore religious functionaries in pre-Christian Celtic cultures, in Celtic religion, the declarations of the Gods are found in the Order of Nature. The revelations are from the Gods themselves, and in general each person with sincerity seeks to understand the natural world (which includes the “supernatural” world) around them and their place in it. There also the concept of interacting with the natural world as co-inhabitors of the world

As briefly touched on earlier, Wicca uses the classical elements as a fundamental concept. Celtic religions traditionally do not use the classical elements (air, fire, water and earth) in any way. Some point to the inclusions of the four mythical cities of the Tuatha De Danaan, as recounted in the Lebhar Gebhala Erenn as proof of, or a model of, the use of the elements of the later Greek elements. These folk attribute the four treasures that came from those cities as symbols for those elements. However, scholars tend to think that these may have been included as they were by Christian monks to bring things more into line with the Roman concepts as typified by the Roman Vulgate.

Some will argue that the floor plans of sacred sites support the concept of the use of directions in conjunction with the four elements. First, such associations would be speculation only. Secondly, these floor plans are of the square temples that are found primarily on the continent. This floor plan was carried over to the isles with the Romans, and is found as a part of Romano-Celtic culture. The majority of insular temples were round. Typical of this genre is the important ritual structure at Emain Macha which was itself round. Archaeological diggings has shown that the site was based on five concentric rings (perhaps associated with the same five circles placed around a new born) of oak posts, with an opening to the west. Circular sites aren’t plagued with such concerns as which side faces which direction. Indeed, the sitting arrangement of the five kings at Tara, indicate an association with the directions, but these need to be addressed within the framework of the culture. This framwork would be winds, or ‘airts’, not the four Greek elements. The airts are still to this day what are associated with the dircetions, as shown by some of the incantations recorded in the Highlands by Carmichael. The Greek elements were only associated with the Four Treasures in the late 1800′s, by the work of the Golden Dawn, of which Yeates was a member.

If we want to address the Four Treasures, we must recognize exactly what is being stated in the texts. Of those treasures, one was the Sword of Nuada and the other the Spear of Lugh. Lugh did not come with the Tuatha De Danann when They came into Ireland. Lugh showed up later on, just prior to the second battle of Maig Tuired. According to the lore, Lugh’s Spear was forged by Goibiu. In that battle Nuadh was killed, and it was after the battle that Lugh took the kingship. Hence, by seeing that Nuadh was gone, and Lugh ascended, Nuadh’s solar symbol (the sword) was replaced by Lughs solar symbol (the spear). This helps us to see that the significant number involved is ‘three’

Also as stated, in Celtic culture there are the basic spheres of Sky, Sea and Land. These three realms are three parts of the cosmology of most Indo-European peoples, and are not the equivalents of “earth, wind, fire and water” of the Hellenistic Greek world that has filtered down to the modern era through the ceremonial magical lodges.

The Sky, which is related to Fire, is the realm of the gods of culture, light/enlightenment, order, permanence, purity, and the skills (The Tuatha De Danann). The Sea, which is the realm of the watery Underworld is associated with chaos, decay, and death through which comes renewal and rebirth (the Fomorri). Regarding water proper, it is through the sacred wells (direct conduits to OtherWorld), from the Waters of Heaven (which maintains during the rule of the truthful king), that the waters which encircles the Earth, sustains and maintains the people of the Land. It is here on the Land where humans physically exist, living in contentions on the ‘plain of sorrow’, caught betwixt the above and the below.

The closest thing to an elemental system amongst the Gaelic Celts is what are called the dhuile, as such is defined as ‘elements’ in Gaidhlig. These are anywhere from seven to eleven, usually nine, items. These range from sun to lightning to rock. The duile are a way of understanding the relationship of the person to the cosmos, with each item found in the cosmos relating to a part of the person.Wicca has nothing along these lines. In addition, the fertility nature of Wicca addresses the land Gods almost exclusively. When Gods of the other realms are named, they are usually outside of the place held for them in their traditional pantheons. In Celtic theology each is held and venerated in their traditional capacities. As far as the directions are concerned, the overwhelming evidence shows that in tradiional celtic religion, the directions have always been associated with the winds. Not only is evidence found in texts which record folklore and custom, such as the Carmina Gadleica, but also in texts far more ancient such as the Senchus Mor , the Saltair Na Ran, and the Hibernica Minora.(X)

Wicca places little emphasis on mythology. Yet in Celtic religion, mythological stories are a central feature. These, in fact, form the core of magical practice, teaching and what ritual exists (manifested commonly in ‘passion plays’). In Wicca there is no clear teaching of what is required to break past the cycles of rebirth. Yet in Celtic religion, the requirement can be clearly and concisely stated. That being to fullfill one’s duty, to always be honorable and to stand for the truth come what may, while understanding *why* what is honorable is considered so.

Wicca is a relatively recent addition to the religious paths of humanity. There is a lot of mis-information bandied about regarding it. It is sad that a great many of its followers have to do the religion such a dis-service by claiming lineages that don’t exist. I would point out the now tired joke about Wiccan grand mums. Celts tend to discount initiation, or any other device through which validity is gained through some person or agency. To a Celt, that one exists is proof of their validty. The only generally recognized ‘initiations’ are those afforded by the process of life itself, with the two most important being birth and death, with marriage, parenthood and grand-parenthood coming along in a close second place.

Some well known writers have claimed a great antiquity for Wicca. Yet, if it has any age to it at all, then it is through the Wicce which were Saxon in origin, and patriarchal from the start. These are thought to have been members of the Lodges of Cunning Men. They have nothing to do with the mythological Druids (a product of the British Revival effort of the 18th cenutry). The Wicce have even less to do with the historical Draoi. Such histories, as have connected the two groups of people, are in fact pseudo-histories, or as Margot Adler calls such ideas in her book, Drawing Down The Moon , “myths”.

These same writters state that the word Wicca, derives from the Saxon word, Witan. However, the Witan was the proto-parliament of old Saxon England. If one wishes to twist etymology in this way, it would be more correct to trace the word witch, back to the word ‘wicga’, which is Old English for the insect known as the earwig, and which literally means “creepy-crawly”.

These same writers state that Wicca was practiced in the Celtic lands, and specifically name Gaelic lands, where these practices were supposedly called “Witta”. Yet, from the Gaelic language itself we can see the truth that Wicca is not descended from the Gaelic Celts, nor, because of the similarities in language, even the Cymru (those known to the Anglo tongue as the Welsh). The simplicity of this fact is seen in that that there isn’t even a ‘W ‘ in the Gaelic language, so niether Wicca nor Witta as a derivation could be Gaelic. As concerns the Gaelic language, the sound [w] does exist in Gaelic, or at least in Old Irish, as a lenited /m/ or /b/, like the [w] in the current pronunciation of Samhain [sawhIn - thats a capital I]. But that never occurs at the begining of a word.

In technical speak the ‘w’ does not exist in the language, nor is [w] ever its own phoneme, just an allophone of /m/ or /b/ (depending on the word). Since lenition is rare at the beginning of a word though, it is extraordinarily unlikely that any native Gaelic word would have a [w] at the beginning, and thus ‘Wicca’ is practically impossible in Gaelic even transliterated into the Roman alphabet.

The truth is that modern Wicca, as it is most commonly practiced, is a fairly modern construction, dating from the middle part of this century. This was best summed up by one Dr. Marilyn Wells PhD, anthropology Department at Middle Tennessee State University, who has referred to modern Wiccans as Neo-Wiccans. In other words, there is little to no connection between Gardners creation and the Wicce of the middle ages, and no connection to the Celts; except for what modern Wiccans have borrowed and incorporated. As a matter of fact, if the veracity of The Pickengill Papers is complete, as many Gardnerians have vouched, then the Lodges of Saxon Cunning Men stood in the place of adversary to the Celtic Wise Women , which also goes to support this essay.

More evidence supporting this, can be found in a body of religious laws called the “Law of the Craft”. While there are a great number of groups operating who do not use the set of laws that Gardner wrote, these do, however, usually use some derivation. “The Law of the Craft” as it was created by Gardner, and forwarded by a great many people who recieved it from their grandmothers (a bit of humour), at the least shows the attitude present in the creators of this religion. The undertones still reverberate. There are printed copies of this body to be found in the public domain, in such books as Lady Sheba’s Grimoire, and The King of the Witches by June Johns. There is also to be found on the Internet, a work comparing several versions of that body of law. There are three items of note, where that law is concerned. They are:

1. The uniform appellation given to modern Wicca, as a “brotherhood.”
2. The quote,”… as a man loveth a woman by mastering her…”
3. The quote,”…let her (the high priestess) ever mind that all power is lent…from him (the priest)…” (Her power is absolute in Circle only, and even then lent from the Him [the priest figure])

parentheses added by author-

All three of these items fly in the face of how women were viewed by pre-Roman Gaelic people. Our people viewed women as equals to men, and this through the Brehon Laws which governed the society. Women had the right to possess and disburse property. They possessed the right to inheritance. They possessed ascendency to the throne; in many places above the right of men to do so. They possessed the right to keep and bear weapons, and be it noted that subjegating an armed populace is indeed a difficult thing to do. It was not until Christianity was firmly implanted that women lost these rights, and the equality of the law concerning women came into question.

Other corollary evidence comes from Wiccan statements about themselves. Of the Druids, all that can be agreed upon, based on evidence, was that they were intimately involved in sacrifices. Yet, many Wiccan state that they “..are the priestcraft for the pagan people…”. They are even “training clergy”. Yet, within Gaelic/Celtic culture all people were considered capable of, and responsible for, the mediation of the Gods on their own behalf. Celtic regard for personal responsibility is amply abundant. This is particularly true as regards to mediating the Gods on ones own behalf, and is so obvious and well known that even pop culture books such as The Celtic Tradition by Caitlin Matthews tell of this truth. This has even been commented on by respected celtophiles such as Peter Berresford-Ellis as being a part of the mindset of the Gaels unto this day.

Even the Triads of our people show where the redactors hands slipped on occasion, and let go expressions of the feeling among our forebearers, that kept priests were an abomination. The idea evidently being that the first place we give up our personal power over our lives is to priestcrafts. From there on out, it is one piece of our lives at a time, until we are veritable slaves. Slavery is not a position taken with grace by our people.

This is not to deny the fact that certainly after the coming of Christianity, and probably before, that there were probably orders of Monks dedicated to the service of one or a number of deities. This is only to say that just as there were not temples of the Greek and Roman type, neither were there sacredotes or “clergy”, whose functions were to mediate and or intercede the Gods on the behalf of other people. The sacrifices that these officiated over were not to appease angry dieties. Indo-European sacrifices were for the renewal of the world, which itself according to Indo-European thought was created from the primordial sacrifice of a diety.

In fact traditional celtic religions was votive/sacrificial in nature. Concepts of votive oferings and world renewing sacrifice, though central to Celtic religion, has no position in Wicca.

When I was asked to write this essay, I was also asked to keep it as short as possible, yet not neglecting thoroughness. This should be enough though, to establish the premise quite securely, that Wicca is not descended form our Gaelic/Celtic ancestors.

Sources:

• Popular Superstitions, Sir William R. Wilde, Sterling Publishing, c. 1995
• The Druids, Peter Berresford Ellis, Eerdmans Books
• Death, War and Sacrifice, Dr. Bruce Lincoln, University of Chicago
• Warriors, Priests and Cattle, Dr. Bruce Lincoln, University of Chicago
• Myths and Symbols of Pagan Europe, H.R. Ellis-Davidson, Syracuse University
• Myth, Legend and Romance – An Enclycopedia Of The Irish Folk Tradition, Dr. Daithi OhOgain, Prentice Hall
• A History of Pagan Europe, Prudence Jones and Nigel Pennick
• Celtic Goddesses, Miranda Green, Braziller
• The Silver Bough Vols 1-4, F. Marion MacNeill, Maclellan
• The Folklore of the Scottish Highlands, Dr. Anne Ross, Barnes & Nobles
• The Celtic Consciousness, edited by Robert Driscoll, Braziller
• The Carmina Gadelica, Alexander Carmichael, Lindisfarne Press
• Celtic Heritage, Alwyn and Brinley Rees, Thames & Hudson
• The Tain, Thomas Kinsella, Oxford
• The World of the Druids, Miranda Green, Thames & Hudson
• Twilight of the Celtic Gods, David Clarke with Andy Roberts, Blandford
• Lebor Gebala Erenn Parts 1-5, trans. R.A.S.MacAlistair, Irish Texts Society
• Clannada na Gadelica, “A Tripartite World and Triune Logic”;, Iain MacAnTsaoir, 1997
• The Pickengill Papers-The Origin of the Gardnerian Craft, W.E. Liddell, Capall Bann pub. Oxford
• History Of Britain, Oxford University Press
• Dictionary of Word Origins, John Ayto, Arcade, c. 1990
• Celtic Women, Peter Berresford Ellis, Eerdmans Pub, c. 1995,
• The Women of the Celts, Jean Markale, Gordon Cremonesi, c. 1975
• A HISTORY OF WITCHCRAFT-Sorcerers, Heretics and Pagans, Jeffrey B. Russell, Thames and Hudson
• Drawing Down The Moon, Margot Adler
• The Pickengill Papers, W.E. Liddell
• The Celtic Tradition, Caitlin Matthews, Element Books
• The Celtic World, Miranda Green
• Merlin : Priest of Nature, Jean Markale

Some parts of this essay were based on an article by Lughaid MacRoberts, who encouraged the author of this article to utilize his paper which was copyrighted in 1988.

Prepared by Iain MacAnTsaoir

copyright 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999 Clannada na Gadelica – all rights reserved.

Originally posted 2009-10-27 19:43:01.

Okay, let’s be honest here. We need to get rid of the Rede completely.

Yeah, I said it. What’s more I’ll defend it.

The Rede is antiquated. It’s been the source of more than a little confusion to those who are new, and a LOT of confusion to those who aren’t Wiccan. It has come to be a “Pan Pagan” assumed ethic when it is not. It has been taken out of context and translated literally and even worse, translated figuratively for generations of people. And you know what? We still harm each other all the time.

I harm my family when I go to work since I am not there for their emotional support. I harm my family when I come home since I am not at work earning money to fill their bellies. No matter what I do I harm my family. It’s a Catch 22 situation.

There are those who have stated that the Rede is a continuation of the law that Alister Crowley laid down “Do as thy Will shall be the whole of the Law.” But there is a HUGE caveat to this, you have to know what your own Will (in this case being desire) is. You have to know that and do it. But as long as we cling to the antiquated Rede then that Will will never be known. How can it when we have one ethic saying “do what you want to do” and another saying “do what you want but don’t hurt anyone or anything”? That’s contrary to the Rede too.

So my point is this: The Rede has come to a point where it is actually harming us, and according to the Rede it must now be thrown out since it is harming.

Radical? You betcha. But looking at this dispassionately there are MULTITUDES of faiths out there that don’t have the Rede. Druidism, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, Asatru, Voodoo, Santaria and many others have ethical statements or codes, but have NO Rede that they hang everything on.

Wicca needs to grow up and stop using the Rede as an excuse for everything and redefine their ethics in concrete ways. Just sharing a soundbyte is not enough anymore, because it’s become debased and too simple. And when others use the Rede as an excuse to commit harmful actions (like saying in that oh so pious tone of voice “I won’t heal them because the Rede says I can’t harm others, and it will harm them to be healed since it is their destiny to suffer from this fate.”) or as an excuse to not care, then something is radically wrong.

And yes, I have heard that excuse many times from those who should know better.

Honor, commitment, living a life that you can be proud of, having children who are proud of you, passing on your knowledge and morals to others, THESE are the kinds of things that should be codified into a set of ethics. Even chaing the Rede to “Cause the least harm you can” is SO much better than what is out there now.

Even doctors know that there are times when you have to cause great harm to fix what is wrong, and they don’t let the Hypocratic Oath stop them (which states in the first line “First, cause no harm.”)

I’m tired of this debate in the Wiccan community. I’m tired of having to say the Rede is not a literal statement, I’m tired of being told that I as a Druid and Pagan have to obey the ethics of Wiccans, and I’m tired of seeing this come up all the freaking time on discussion lists. It’s time for a change.

The only thing the Rede gives us that is good is the Sound Byte, and that can be designed into the new Rede easily enough.

Originally posted 2005-10-19 15:52:21.

The following is reprinted from ‘Keltria : A Journal of Druidism and Keltic Magick’ which is published 4 times a year at the traditional cross-quaters festivals of Samhain, Imbolc, Beltane and Lughnasadh. Subscriptions are available for $6.00 for 1 year. For further information write them at:

Keltria
PO Box 33284
Minneapolis, MN 55433

The Myth of Diancecht and Minach

an interpetation by Iarwain

In the first battle of Moy Tura, Nuada lost his hand. Diancecht fashioned a new one of silver and skillfully joined it to Nuada’s arm.  One day Diancecht’s son Miach took what was left of Nuada’s real hand, placed it next to Nuada’s arm and uttered an incantation. AFter three days and nights the hand was rejoined and renewed.

Diancecht was furious that his son was a better healer than he. Diancecht struck Miach three times in the head with his sword. Miach was able to heal each wound. On the fourt blow, Diancecht split Miach’s head in two, killing him.

From Miach’s grave grew 365 herbs, each one with curative powers for one of the 365 nerves in the body. Miach’s sister, Airmid, picked these herbs and arranged them according to their curative powers. Diancecht became so enraged that his son rivaled him even after death that he scattered the herbs about, hoplessly confusing them. If Diancecht hadn’t done this, man would be immortal.

Several meanings can be found in this myth.

One meaning is that Diancecht represents the order of society. Miach was the young upstart, the rebel. Although good came from his actions, he acted out of his place. IN time he might have replaced Diancecht as the healer of the Gods, but he threatened order by challenging Diancecht and had to be stopped.

From Miach’s grave grew 365 herbs to heal the body. From his death, new life, in the form of curative herbs, grew. This represents the  idea that life feeds on life. That new life may only come through death of old. In a Native American Myth, it was corn that first grew  from the grave of a young man’s spirit guide; in the South Pacific, the coconut tree first came from the death of a young woman’s spirit lover. This is a common thread in the mythology of many cultures. In most some sort of food is the symbol for new life, in the Diancecht myth, it was the curative powers of the herbs.

I wonder why Diancecht scattered the herbs. After thinking about it, it seems obvious that the herbs represent immortality, something that man was not meant to have. I found a variation of this interpretation in a myth of the Yamana of Tierra del Fuego.

In the Yoalox family, there were two brothers, of which the younger was the smartest and the most talented. One day the elder brother was playing with some stones, striking them together for his amusement. He discovered that when he struck certain stones together they gave a spark. He struck the stones in such a way that a spark ignited some dry down. He then got some kindling and built a fire. He showed his fire to his younger brother explaining that they could keep it burning forever so that people could have fire without trouble. The younger brother disgreed saying that it would be much better if people had to work for it. He then took a stick and  scattered the embers. Since that time, people have had to work to make fires.

The Yamana myth ends in a similar manner toi the Diancecht myth. Some boon was created so that people’s lives would be made easier, but the results were scattered away. I believe that the lesson of  the Yamana myth can also be applied to the Diancecht myth. Diancecht did not scatter the herbs just out of anger. The curative powers of the herbs could not be given to man, but must be worked for.

As with most myths, the Diancecht myth has many meanings, there may be some I have missed. The number of herbs relates to the number of days in the year and there must be some relation to the number of times Diancecht struck Miach and to how long it took Nuada’s hand to regenerate. How do these relations add to the myth?

References:

On the Myth of Daincecht:

• Charles Squire, CELTIC MYTH AND LEGEND, pp 81-82
• John and Caitland Matthews, THE AQUARIAN GUIDE TO BRITISH AND IRISH      MYTHOLOGY, P.117

On the Origin of Corn:

• Joseph Campbell, THE MASKS OF GOD-PRIMITIVE MYTHOLOGY, PP 216-220

On the Origin of the coconut:

• IBID op. cit. pp 190-195.

On the Origin of Fire:

• IBID, HISTORICAL ATLAS OF WORLD MYTHOLOGY, Vol I Part 2, PP 259-260.

Originally posted 2009-11-14 23:14:43.

A conversation that happened years ago, that I thought was funny as hell, and still think is great:

Parts of the conversation sorted by color….

By the way, do you even know what the Nine sacred woods are? No fair peeking.

Oh, wait, I know this one…

1. Morning wood
2. Afternoon wood
3. Evening wood
4. Midnight wood
5. “I gotta pee, dammit” wood
6. Embarassing first-date wood
7. New Britney Spears video wood
8. Yeah, I guess Orlando Bloom really is hot wood
9. Kids are coming up the stairs let’s finish this *quick* wood

I guess the “10. No reason just random wood” wood isn’t in th ere, but what about the “11. Embarrasing called to the blackboard wood” wood? Where does it go?

Not all woods are sacred woods.

Astute readers of my Journal will have already noticed that the name has changed.  That’s what should be.  But let me tell you why.

As you may have read in earlier entries, I’m transitioning from Male to Female.  Well, in recent months I’ve made some major strides forward in that regard, namely I’ve come out to everyone I know that I’m transitioning, and I’ve legally changed my name from my male moniker to a more female name.

With this change came a LOT of soul searching, a lot of meditation and a lot of discussion with the Gods.  Finally after a long time, we all determined that I am Their daughter just as much as I was Their son.  I am Their Priestess and still Their Priest.

Confusing?  You bet you.  About as confusing as being female, dressing as female, being called “She” and “Her” and “Miss” and still being called “Dad” by my daughter.  But that’s okay, things take time, and I’m only partway through the hormone treatment.

So, with the new name, new gender and the acknowledgment of the world at large, I rededicated myself one morning near Samhain.  I abandoned the name Daven and took the name Erin to be my magickal working name.

You may be able to see some of the changes.

Juliet:
“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.”

So, the name of the Journal is changing to Erin’s Journal.  But the content is not.  It will still have the same content as any you have come to expect.  The look and feel will be the same.  It may have more personal focus and changes based on crossing gender lines and still being a representative of the Gods.

I am going to be taking time over the next months to find and change all references to Daven’s Journal and replace them with Erin’s Journal.  I am going to do this gradually since it will take some time for you, the reader, to adjust to this change too.  Everyone knows Daven’s Journal, but it will take time to realize that it is the same site as Erin’s Journal.  Thus the “new and improved” logo upstairs.  Hopefully by keeping something the same, it can become normal, then we gradually phase out the various elements of Daven and replace them with Erin.

But also, like the Shattered Tower, this is a change that has happened and cannot be undone.  But also like Death, it’s one that has been a long time in coming.

(Note from Daven: Poetry is a huge part of the life of a Druid or Bard. So it is appropriate that I do some poetry, even if it does stink, although, there are those who don’t think it does. Hurray for rose-colored glasses.)

Has anyone else ever

Has anyone else ever felt the Goddess?
Not just the Maiden, Mother and Crone,
But also the Warrior?
The woman who defends her cubs to the death?

Has anyone else felt the God?
His faces: Wanderer, Hunter, Guide and Guardian?
He who is all with the Lady
The man that balances the Goddess?

Has anyone else heard the stars sing?
Their songs of bright things in the sky?
Their tales of ancient times?
Their eternal mourning for those who died?

Has anyone else ever listened to the Earth?
To Her pain for what has been done?
To the life that beats inside her?
And heard the promise of a new life?

Have you ever listened to a baby’s heartbeat?
Thought about what they might become?
Wondered what kind of world they will inherit
And if they will grow in love and beauty?

If you have never done these things
I advise you to go and do them.
Life is too short to be wasted
But should be savored, bitter and sweet.

Stars light your path.

Originally posted 2009-11-11 18:52:41.

(Note from Daven:  This is a work on standard Numerology, as opposed to the Celtic Numerology that Mike Nichols wrote about.  I place it here because this system of numerology is one of the most widely used in the world.  You may need it one day.  I know I did.)

Pythagorean System Of Numerology

Now simply total the numbers which represent the letters of your name.

JOHN PHILIP BROW’N would total: JOHN (1 + 6 + 8 + 5) = 20 = (2 + 0) = 2 PHILIP (7 + 8 + 9 + 3 + 9 + 7) = 43 = (4 + 3) = 7 BROWN (2 + 9 + 6 + 5 + 5) = 27 = (2 + 7) = 9

These numbers have their own significance. That of the family name offers a general generational influence. The number of your forename, given name, Christian name whatever you call it – is the most important to use in numerology: and it should be used in the form in which most people use it (if Mr. Brown is usually known as “Jack”, then that is the name which would be used in numerology – and the most significant number for him would be 7 rather than 2). A “middle” name or names is less important, and its influence less marked.

Looking at a combination of traditional factors in numerology, we would interpret the effect of the number of the forename as follows:

1. Above all, you will be an excellent communicator, and in one way or another will always be able to explain your arguments (w emotions to others, whether on a personal level or in your business or career (and You may work well in the media). You are reasonable, but highly argumentative and adaptable and perhaps opinionated; you are perceptive, but very critical – sometimes hypercritical; you are versatile but can be very tense and uptight.

2. Modest and shy, you are meticulous in everything you do and diligent in completing every task you undertake. Your perfectionism can make you a less than welcome workmate, for your own high standards will make it impossible not to seem to be Criticizing others, however hard you try to avoid this. Criticism can become carping, and self-criticism can turn to introversion and worry. Your natural discrimination is trustworthy, and provided it is disciplined and not expressed in grumbling about others’ standards, it can make you an ideal employee.

3. Charm and diplomacy, romance and sociability are all qualities of this number; but they can hide a certain weakness, masking indecision, changeability and gullibility – you are highly susceptible to persuasion. Decision-making is not your strong point, and your relaxed attitude can result in your never reaching a conclusion about anything at all. You like luxury, a quiet life (even at any price?); You can be resentful towards anyone who seems to be standing between you and a harmonious and troubled existence.

4. Your true feelings are probably hidden behind an extravert exterior and an outwardly brash and forthright manner. Determined and forceful, passionate and an exciting personality, you can also be obsessive, resentful and jealous. You’re not likely to give way to even the strongest arguments of those you believe to be in the wrong; and -your feelings about any dispute that may arise will be supported by the most powerful a well-sustained reasoning.

5. This is the number of learning – and not just the accumulation of random facts on a number of subjects (as with ONE), but real, in depth study. Religion and philosophy may interest you; you will possibly find the study of languages attractive. You will be optimistic, loyal and much concerned with justice – but beware of self-indulgence and conceit, and indeed of over-optimism.

6. This number is associated with the planet Venus and hence with the emotions; you will be particularly eager to find a partner and enjoy a satisfactory emotional relationship. This may lead to your committing yourself too soon, and somewhat thoughtlessly. The feminine side of your personality will be emphasized (whichever sex you are), and you may well have an interest in art or fashion. Gentleness, friendship, tact and social adaptability will probably come easily to you – but you should beware of blind optimism, and of continually wearing rose-coloured spectacles.

7. Optimism, good humour, honesty are the hallmarks of this number; the reverse of the coin displays the possibility of over-optimism, carelessness and irresponsibility. You are a free spirit, always concerned for the freedom of the individual whether on a local or worldwide basis. You can be tactless in expressing your forthright opinions, and your emotions can carry you away to such an extent that you become offhand and superficial. Sport may well interest you more than usual.

8. This is a number much concerned with ambition, supported by practical, patient, disciplined theory and work. You may be a little too conventional, and this together with an inherent pessimism and fatalism can make for an all-work-and-no-play attitude to life, which may be somewhat joyless. Your sense of humour can be a saving grace, not only for yourself but in your relationships, and your prudence should pay off in your business life.

9. Your friendliness and loyalty will mean that you need never be alone; you are original and inventive, and your independence of mind is a great asset provided you don’t allow yourself to be too contrary, perverse or unpredictable Your originality means that you are able to shed an unexpected light on – for instance – others’ problems. Positive and optimistic, you may find yourself in some ways a leader. But you may also find it somewhat difficult to establish a close personal relationship.

The number associated with love is the total of all our forenames. A classical numerological system tells us that particular numbers vibrate in harmony with each other, others strike a harmonious chord, yet others are in disharmony. Some (not mentioned below) appear to have no potential either for harmony or disharmony.

1. Is in harmony with 9, In accord with 4 and 8, In discord with 6 and 7.

2. Is in harmony with 8, In accord with 7 and 9, In discord with 5.

3. Is in harmony with 7, In accord with 5, 6 and 9, In discord with 4 and 8.

4. Is in harmony with 6, In accord with 1 and 8, In discord with 3 and 5.

5. Is in harmony with 5, In accord with 3 and 9, In discord with 2 and 4.

6. Is in harmony with 4, In accord with 3 and 9, In discord with 1 and 8.

7. Is in harmony with 3, In accord with 2 and 6, In discord with 1 and 9.

8. Is in harmony with 2, In accord with 1 and 4, In discord with 3 and 6.

9. Is in harmony with 1, In accord with 2, 3 and 6, In discord with 7.

Numbers that are in harmony indicate a strong natural attraction; numbers that are in accord with each other are likely to get on well together; numbers in discord will find that their relationship will need some hard work. The most favourable numbers are those which are the same.

Anyone wishing to get more stuff in accordance with the Pythagorean System Of Numerology, Or Spells/Chants, Feel free to E-mail and ask for them. E-Mail is: IceBreak13@Aol.Com

Originally posted 2009-11-14 14:14:28.

Because it’s relevant to a lot that some are doing, I thought I would put up some sort of post on how to interact with and what to expect from the Celtic pantheon.

First, the overriding ethic for ALL Celts is that everyone, EVERYONE, has an inherent worth. When interacting with someone who is a Celt or whom identifies as a Celt, you must understand and acknowledge that worth. Be prepared, if you insult that worth you will be making compensation to somebody for the insult. If you kill a Celt, SOMEBODY is going to come and demand payment for the “honor price” of that person, you will have to make payment or you will BE the compensation (in that you will be serving as a bondsman until that is repaid according to the statutes of the Brehons). If it is intra-tribal, that is. (1) If the insult is inter-tribal, it could mean war. The greater the person’s status is, the greater their honor price. This holds true from the Gods down to the bondsman or least slave of the tribe. Personal honor is the MOST important thing to a Celt. The laws, status, and prior instructions on honor price indicate it strongly. (1)

Second, know that the Tribe, the Clan, the Family, the Tuath, the group you are part of is the second biggest thing in a Celt’s life. They will do, give, be damned near anything to help the Clan, to take care of their family, to contribute to the group. However, just as the First Law of Robotics overrides the Second Law, the personal honor – worth is more important to the individual than the Family/Clan. (2)

Third, personal honor reflects on the Clan honor. If I, as a Celt, do things that bring me fame and renown, it raises the status of my Clan. It also increases my status and Honor Price. (3)

Physical ability is important. Their kings were not only elected by the Tribe because of their ability and their proficiency, but also by their physical perfection. Nuada couldn’t be the Righ (king) of the Tuatha de Dannon once he lost his hand because he was missing a hand. Odin would not have been the leader because he is missing an eye. But, Nuada COULD be the king again once Dian Cecht made him the new hand of Silver. (4)

The ability to give gifts are important. The election of a Righ was not only about who was the most physically capable, but also who “bribed” the electorate the best. I say that but it wasn’t really bribes. Hospitality and generosity were prized traits, and thus the Righ should show those the most. Having a lot of gifts of treasure, jewelry, weapons and so on to give out to those that come into contact with them is a hell of a big deal.

Personal honor is very important. If a Celt says something, it was damned important that they keep to what they said. If they gave their loyalty to someone, it was expected that it was pretty much forever unless there were HUGE extenuating circumstances. That’s why oathbreaking and outcasting was such a HUGE deal, it made the person so shunned nothing. The person so cast out was a piece of wood, a rock, not human. They could be killed without any consequences.

All these are part of the Celtic deities. They embody this principle in themselves and reflect it to the world. So be very careful about what you say, because you will be expected to live up to those words. There is not really any “being released” from an oath to those Gods unless there is a really, REALLY compelling reason. You will be expected to hold to the Celtic Virtues (found on http://davensjournal.com/druidism-and-wicca-a-comparison) and you will be judged on how well you personify those virtues.

Rules are important, but not as important as everything else is. There is flexibility in the rules and if you can cite an overriding reason to ignore those rules, then you might be allowed to avoid punishment, but you’ll need the tongue of Taliesin (c. 534 – c. 599) to survive.

This is what made the Celts particularly recalcitrant when it came to taking oaths and giving their allegiance to someone. Their local tribal leader was the most important leader, because they knew him (or her) and (s)he had done good for the tribe before. The other leader was an unknown and the Celt’s attitude would have been “yeah? And what have you done for me lately?”

The three “classes” in society were the Druids, the Warriors, and the Crafters. The farmers were considered Crafters. Each of these castes was equal to each other, for each held the other two at different times. The druids were the professional class, the Doctors and Lawyers, the studiers of nature and so on. The warriors protected all, without care as to who they were, and they kept order among the tribes. The crafters made things and grew things that allowed the others to live a life they desired. All three were important. Placing the Warriors above all was idiotic to them and it would not have been considered had the Romans not come in and corrupted the thinking. Male/female didn’t matter much. While it was easier for men to do some things because of physical differences between the sexes, a female warrior was seen as just as important as a male one, and they were treated the same. (5) (UPG, see note)

It is from the Warriors that the kings were chosen. Omens played a big part of the lives of the Celts, but the Druids were the ones who interpreted the omens. There were tribal deities, and personal ones that you felt closer to. They didn’t really do animal spirits, although the Gods did have their associated animals. Druids were not warriors and they didn’t carry arms of any kind. As such, their person was inviolate on the battlefield and off it. They were the people who could move between tribes, even ones in active warfare, and who could act as peace bringers. Captured peoples of another tribe were bondsmen who could earn their way back into Celtic Society, usually in the tribe they were with now.

That’s all I have right now. It’s a lot and it is all important.

General Reference: Celtic Flame: An Insider’s Guide to Irish Pagan Tradition by Aedh Rua http://www.amazon.com/Celtic-Flame-Insiders-Guide-Tradition/dp/0595529704
Celtic FAQs http://www.personal.psu.edu/ejp10/lingland/faqcelt.html#top
Irish Gaelic translator http://www.irishgaelictranslator.com/
1. Honor Price: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_law plus Bibliography
Honor Price The Preserving Shrine Erynn Rowan Laurie http://www.seanet.com/~inisglas/ethics.html

2. Personal Honor: Gaelic Culture http://homepage.eircom.net/~kthomas/gaelic/gaelic1.htm
New Tara: http://www.newtara.org/newtara_lib_ethics004.asp

3. Increasing personal status The Preserving Shrine Erynn Rowan Laurie http://www.seanet.com/~inisglas/ethics.html
Llygedyn Grove http://www.llygedyngrove.com/Ethics.htm

4. Celtic culture: a historical encyclopedia By John Thomas Kochhttp://bit.ly/bFPeAk Page 1359
Nuada’s sliver hand http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuada

5. THE SOCIETY AND CULTURE OF THE CELTS FOCUSING ON IRELAND
http://www.greyhawkes.com/text/celts.txt
Celtic & Druidic Society From Celtic Library http://www.druidcircle.org/library/index.php?title=Celtic_%26_Druidic_Society

Ranking of Classes* http://www.aislingmagazine.com/aislingmagazine/articles/TAM27/Druids.html  *
http://www.celticcallings.com/resources/celtic_traditions/celt_life.htm
*My Unverified Personal Gnosis: It is my belief that within the classes there were ranks and that the status of a low warrior was less than a master craftsman. A student of Druidism would be ranked far lower than the king or tribal leader and so on. The texts referenced show that the Druids had a higher status than the Warriors, and the Warriors had higher status than the Crafters. While this was true to a point, high ranking people of each group would probably be considered equal to each other.