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Post by wren on Nov 13, 2006 6:11:17 GMT -5
The Nature Spirits - Part 1 of 4
By C. Leigh McGinley & Mauro Bruno for the Henge of Keltria
Many people are drawn to certain trees, where they find comfort and peace. Others are attracted to a natural place, such as a waterfall or an especially pretty spot in the mountains. Often people will find they have an affinity and admiration for a particular animal, or find a certain animal coming to them often in their dreams. Some people collect certain rocks or love to be surrounded by plants. Does a lake or stream near your home call to you? Have you been visited by certain birds recently? Have you had some rather interesting experiences in the natural world that seem to have no explanation? Perhaps these experiences and attractions can be attributed to the Nature Spirits, who have their own special ways of communicating with us.
In the Keltrian Tradition, the Nature Spirits are associated with the Realm of Land and the Discipline of the Seer. They are the spirits that share the earth with us in the present. These are the plants, the animals, the fairies, and the Spirits of Place such as the spirit of the mountain or the spirit of the lake. They are the spirit of the individual oak and the Spirit of the Oaks. They are the spirit of the individual deer as well as the collective Spirit of the Deer. When performing Keltrian ritual, along with the Ancestors and the Gods, we invite the presence of the Nature Spirits to complete our triad invocations.
In this lesson, we will discuss the various types of Nature Spirits so that the student might gain a greater understanding of them, both from an ancient Celtic perspective and from a modern Keltrian perspective. We will examine the sacred landscape, discuss Celtic sacred animals, trees, and plants, and determine the ways in which Keltrian Druids can form a respectful working relationship with the Nature Spirits as we take our example from the Druids of old.
The Sacred Landscape In our modern society, most of us have forgotten the sacred nature of the landscape and how to live at one with the natural world. We have forgotten that the natural world feeds us, both body and soul. This leaves a void in our very being. Humankind feels alienated from the Earth and Nature, and try as we might to fill that void in our souls with the acquisition of more material goods, we are still left empty and searching. This search has brought many people to Earth-based spiritualities, where they discover their sacred connection to the Land once again. The ancient Celts were mainly a pastoral people, dependant on the Land for their living in a way to which most of us can no longer relate. Both their mundane and religious lives centered around the Land. There was no separation of human and nature; neither was there a separation of spirituality from everyday life. Humans were a part of nature, and the natural world was the physical manifestation of spirit. Traditional teachings tell us that the Earth is alive and infused by a spirit that is its life and soul. In this traditional way of viewing the world, the material is a reflection of the spirit, and the spirit reveals itself in the material. There is an outer, physical landscape that reveals and reflects the inner, spiritual landscape. Celtic tradition and beliefs are expressed spiritually through the Land. The natural landscape is filled with places where spirit is present. Stones, springs, mountains, islands, and trees are natural places where we can feel the sanctity of the landscape and begin to communicate with the spirits there, for in the Celtic tradition, such places are ensouled.
Spirit of Place The Greeks recognized and referred to the Spirit of Place as the genius loci, or “spirit of a place.” The Celtic scholar Nigel Pennick prefers to call the Spirit of Place the anima loci, or “place-soul,” feeling that this term more accurately describes the energies apparent where a feature of the landscape is sacred. Because the Celts recognized that places have spirit, significant features of the landscape were named appropriately; that is, the name of a place had meaning to the people. These place-names still exist in Celtic lands, although their meanings may now be forgotten by most inhabitants. The Irish place-name stories, called the Dindsenchas, are stories that tell how a place got its name, and they express the quality of the spirit of those places. There are equivalent place-name stories from other Celtic areas. Natural places become “sacred” when humans recognize their spirit, and the sacred aura of a place is enhanced by a careful tending of the qualities already inherent in that place. One must participate consciously in the qualities already present, and not attempt to control or command the presence. This is the reason that places where rituals are held that are in sync with the natural spirit of a place become more “powerful.” Centuries of honoring and working in harmony with the spirit of a place have given us some very sacred places that still exist today in Celtic lands, such as Avalon/Glastonbury, Uisneach, the Hill of Tara, or Newgrange in the Boyne Valley.
Conversely, performing acts that are contrary to the spirit of a place tend to alter it or, in some cases, even destroy it. Many natural sacred places have been altered irrevocably or destroyed altogether in the quest for profit and gain. The modern mind set views no place as sacred, and if a sacred thing or place is “in the way,” then it is obliterated. Other times a sacred place is not obliterated, but desecrated. The nature of the spirit of a place can be changed forever by misuse.
Some natural places still exist in the world where the Spirit of Place is evident to those who are aware. Waterfalls, rivers and lakes, mountains, groves, rock formations — all have a spirit inherent. It is up to us to discover the nature of a certain place with which we feel an affinity and to develop a harmonious relationship with that particular Spirit of Place. One can never tell when one may discover, develop, and nurture a powerful Spirit of Place right in one’s own backyard!
The Celtic Elements The “elements” in Celtic belief, called dúile in Irish, are not the same as the Greek system that most of us are familiar with. While the Greek elements are earth, air, fire, and water, the Celtic elements consist of things like stone, earth, plant life, sea, wind, moon, cloud, and sun. These are the dúile that occur in nature, in humans, and in the cosmos. The elements of the self are described by the Welsh Bard Taliesin in The Book of Lanrwst. In the poetic writings of both Taliesin and the Irish Amairgin, these great Bards relate themselves to the natural world (see The Song of Amairgin below). Through this we can understand that the workings of the human body and soul are reflections of the universe, and with this in mind, nature can be interpreted in terms of the human constitution. Stone relates to bone, sea relates to blood, wind relates to breath, plant life relates to hair, earth relates to flesh, and so on. Various features of the landscape are reflections of corresponding human parts, so we can relate to them in terms of those parts.
It is clear that the Druid must understand the relationship of the body, mind, and soul to the elements of the cosmos in order to perform Draíocht, or “the Druid arts.” This is a good concept to keep in mind as we continue on to discuss the Goddess of the Land.
Sovereignty Since the earth was considered a living, breathing, ensouled being, each Celtic tribe paid homage to a Goddess that was the embodiment of the land they inhabited. A king ruled the tribe only with the approval of the Goddess of the Land, who was known by different names in various regions. The condition of the land was always a reflection of the quality of kingly rule; in fact, the king was considered “married” to the land, and must care for Her as he would a wife. If the King was good and fair, the Land Goddess would look favorably upon the Tribe and the people would prosper.
The Lebor Gabála Érenn (Book of the Invasions of Ireland) tells us that the Druid poet Amairgin White-Knee set his right foot on the shore at Inber Colptha upon his arrival at Ireland and spoke these words:
I am Wind on Sea, I am Ocean-wave, I am Roar of Sea, I am Bull of Seven Fights, I am Hawk on a cliff, I am Dewdrop in the sunshine, I am Fairest of Flowers I am Boar for Boldness, I am Salmon in Pool, I am Lake on Plain, I am Word of Skill, I am the Point of a Weapon (that poureth forth combats), I am God who fashioned Fire for a Head. Who smootheth the ruggedness of a mountain? Who is he who announceth the ages of the Moon? And who, the place where falleth the sunset? Who calleth the cattle from the House of Tethra? On whom do the cattle of Tethra smile? Who is the troop, who the god who fashioneth edges..? Enchantment about a Spear? Enchantments of Wind?
One can note above that Amairgin names himself as several natural things. Amairgin was able to become one with the cosmos, by becoming those things he has named and also gaining all the attributes that are hidden in the “kennings” or secret meanings of this incantation. By this act of “becoming,” he was able to set foot on Irish soil and spiritually merge with all things that existed there. He was, in effect, introducing himself to and becoming one with this new Land. In this way, he could spiritually communicate with all things and understand how to honor and gain the favor of this particular Land Goddess and the spirits of the Land that he and his people had come to claim; in fact, he learned how to gain Ireland for his people. Later, as he explored the Land a bit, the Goddess of the Land came forward to speak to him and introduce Herself in return, personified in triplicate as Banba, Fotla, and Eriu. Each promised the Sons of Mil victory over the Tuatha de Danann (the current rulers of Ireland) if Amairgin would promise to keep her name as one of the names for Ireland. Amairgin agreed, the Sons of Mil (who were the Gaels) were victorious, and Ireland is known as Erin (a variation of Eriu) to this day.
The Goddess of the Land is, of course, herself multi-faceted and ambiguous. She can be auspicious as the granter of Sovereignty and the giver of the Harvest, but if the Tribe does not have her favor, she can also be the infertile Hag, or neutral in her reproductive aspect like the Flower Maiden.
The Land or Nature Spirits also represent this full range of being: they can be chaotic and hostile, but can be cajoled into cooperation. The Land Goddess is the ruler of all these spirits, so when her favor is obtained by the people through the just rule of a king, she can direct these spirits to help human survival instead of hindering it.
When we invite the Nature Spirits to join us during Keltrian ritual, we are establishing and maintaining a positive relationship with all of the children of the Goddess Sovereignty, who can be considered the Earth Mother. In this way, we gain the favor of the Land itself so that our Tribe may prosper, just as the Druid Amairgin did when he landed on Irish soil long ago.
Spirit of Stone
As we have seen above in our short discussion of the dúile, the ancient Celts believed stone to be equivalent to the bones of the Land. One of the Four Treasures brought to Ireland by the Tuatha de Danann was the Lia Fáil, or Stone of Destiny. It seems to have been the most important of the Treasures, for it was placed in Tara, one of the two sacred centers of Ireland (the other being Uisneach), where it cried out at the coming of the rightful High King.
The properties of the Stone of Destiny were oracular, and the stone itself was one of a class of stones endowed with divining powers. Only one among the many purposes of an oracular stone is the recognition of a monarch, and the Lia Fáil is just one of many stones of kingship (albeit the most famous). For instance, the O’Neills, kings of Armagh, were inaugurated in County Tyrone while sitting on a special stone. Other rulers were made when placing their foot into a special footprint within a rock — the Celtic version of a coronation. It is no wonder that Celtic High Kings were crowned on the bones of Sovereignty.
Stones were also used for wishing and cursing, for marking sacred places, and for healing. Stones that formed natural rock basins were prized for the water the depression collected, for it was said to contain curative properties, and it is possible that at one time they served as receptacles for libations to the Gods and Spirits. People sat in natural stone chairs for their ability to heal both body and spirit. Rocking Stones, which “sing” in the wind, were used by Seers as oracles. “Lucky stones” were not merely lucky, but were considered to be ensouled with beneficial spirits. Holey stones, which are stones with a natural hole in them, were often held in special esteem, and some were used for healing small children by passing them three times through the hole in the stone.
Some stones are said to endow special gifts. One of the most famous of these stones is the world-famous Blarney Stone, which bestows the “gift of gab,” or eloquence, upon anyone who kisses it.
Pliny the Elder, a Roman natural historian, spoke of a Druid magic egg, reputedly made of the spittle and secretions of angry snakes, that was esteemed by Druids and believed to “ensure success in law courts and a favorable reception by princes.” In Wales it is referred to as an “adder stone” or a “Druid’s gem.” Some say it was a talisman made of glass. Others say it may have been a fossilized ammonite or sea urchin, or the egg-case of a whelk. In Ulster and the Western Isles of Ireland, quartz pebbles and crystals are left on graves or tombs, and are, interestingly enough, also called “adder-stones.”
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Post by wren on Nov 13, 2006 6:15:44 GMT -5
Part 2 of 4
Spirits of Water Water has been revered since the earliest times. It is the primary symbol of life and vitality. In Celtic belief, natural water such as occurs in springs, ponds, lakes, streams, and rivers contain indwelling spirits that must be acknowledged and honored. Celtic rivers have their own indwelling deities, which express their character. In all the former Celtic areas, the rivers are named for a goddess. For example, in Ireland, the river Boyne is named after the goddess Boann and the river Shannon is named after Sinann. Both came into being when the goddesses profaned the holy well— Boann, the Well of Segais, and Sinann, the Well of Coelrind. Both wells overflowed, forming mighty rivers. Surviving legends that tell the origin of Irish rivers suggest that every Celtic river originally had its personal mythos and presiding deity. The Danube is thought to be named after the goddess Danu.
Although entire rivers were deemed sacred, notable features had special virtues. Waterfalls, for example, might possess healing properties, and the people would allow the water falling over these to run over afflicted parts of their bodies. The waterfall itself may contain a separate indwelling spirit.
The Celts believed that lakes, too, were inhabited by water spirits, which gave the lake special healing powers, often to cure skin diseases or wasting illnesses. They show a similarity to holy wells in this manner.
Making offerings to the gods and spirits of rivers and lakes is a time-honored Celtic tradition. Weapons, armor, and numerous Celtic artifacts from the Iron Age have been found as votives in the Thames at Battersea, in Lake Geneva, and in Switzerland at Lake Neuchâtel. Even the literature collaborates: Strabo tells of the treasures thrown by the Gauls into the sacred lake near Toulouse. Sacrifices to the lake were considered necessary for the prosperity of the surrounding land and the Tribe. To neglect the sacrifices would be to court disaster.
Waters are generally considered feminine and are the preserve of goddesses, but occasionally wells and springs are found where a male solar deity and the spirit of the water are venerated together. Honoring the sun reflected on the water was tied to the Celtic belief that the sun sank beneath the waters at night and emerged from them again at sunrise. During the night, the illuminating and healing power of the sun was absorbed by the waters. As a place of the sun at night, the well symbolizes the inner light of life as contrasted with the outer light of the visible world. The waters issue from the Otherworld, and represent the hidden source of wisdom.
Holy wells remain in all Celtic lands, and the local people continue to acknowledge the water sprites within. They are not wells in the sense of a deep stone-lined shaft, but are natural springs that emerge from the ground, and are often enhanced with protective structures or buildings. Many times they have been re-named after a saint, but their purpose essentially remains the same.
Well waters are reported to cure the eyesight, epilepsy, toothache, and any number of other bodily ills. Other wells were once known for their magical powers, but are seldom used for such today. Some could even affect the weather.
The Fairies “Fairy” is another name that has been given to the spirits of the Land that generally appear in a roughly human form, although sometimes certain types can take the shape of animals. In Ireland they are called “The Little People” or “The Wee Folk,” or sometimes “The Good People” out of respect. In keeping with famed Irish hospitality, it is said that if we are “neighborly” with them that they will be neighborly and friendly with us. One way to remain on the good side of the fairies is to leave food and water out for them — at night, of course, for that is when they are out and about, according to the folklore.
Some fairies are well disposed toward humans, while others are shy and reclusive, and some are even a bit hostile. Irish fairies fall into so many categories that it would be impossible to deal with them all in this limited space. They are basically divided into two classes: the sociable and the solitary. The sociable fairies go about in troops and are sometimes known as “trooping fairies.” They quarrel, and make love, much as men and women do. There are the land fairies or Sheoques (Ir. Sidheog, “a little fairy”), and water fairies or Merrows (Ir. Moruadh, “a sea maid”). The Sheoques are the spirits that haunt the sacred thorn bushes and the green raths or fairy forts. The Merrows are the Irish version of the mermaid. It is said that fishermen don’t like to see them, for they always bring bad weather. Sometimes the Merrows come out of the sea in the shape of little hornless cows. When in human shape they have fishes’ tails and wear a red cap called in Irish cohuleen driuth. Their women are beautiful, and sometimes prefer handsome fishermen to the green-haired men of their kind. Among the solitary fairies is the famous Lepracaun (Ir. Leith bhrogan, i.e. the shoe-maker). This creature is seen sitting under a hedge mending a shoe, and one who catches him can make him deliver up his crocks of gold, for he is a miser of great wealth, but if you take your eyes off him the creature vanishes like smoke. There is also the Cluricaun (Ir. Clobhair-cean), who is similar to the Leprechaun, and some consider this to be another name for the Leprechaun, given to him when he has laid aside his shoemaking at night and goes on a spree. The Cluricauns’ occupations are robbing wine-cellars and riding sheep and shepherds’ dogs for the entire night, until the morning finds them panting and mud-covered.
The Far Darrig (Ir. Fear Dearg, i.e. red man) is described by Yeats as “the practical joker of the Otherworld.” We are told that Fionn mac Cumhail once outwitted an Otherwordly man named Dearg who was trying to claim the kingship of Ireland. No one could defeat him. Fionn was sent for and he kept the Dearg awake for three days telling him stories, tiring him out so that his strength was gone, and then Goll mac Morna was able to defeat him. Three “red men” also appear in the Irish tale known as The Destruction of Da Derga’s Hostel, in which King Conaire is tricked by Otherworldly beings into violating his geas, or taboos, because his grandfather had destroyed a fairy mound. One of several of his geas, which were given to him by a bird-man of the sea, went as follows: “Three Reds shall not go before thee to Red’s house.” Da Derga means “Two Reds,” and it was to Da Derga’s house in Leinster that Conaire was headed when he saw before him three horsemen. “Three red frocks had they, and three red mantles; three red bucklers they bore, and three red spears were in their hands; three red steeds they bestrode, and three red heads of hair were on them. Red were they all, both body and hair and raiment, both steeds and men.” Through some cryptic conversation with Conaire’s son it is discovered that these Red Men were of the fairy folk. Conaire’s fate was sealed, and he died in the House of Da Derga.
The Pooka (Ir. Puca) has most likely never appeared in human form, and the one or two recorded instances are probably mistakes mixing him up with the Fear Dearg, according to Yeats. His shape is usually that of a horse, a bull, a goat, eagle, or ass. His delight is to get a rider (he usually picks on a drunken one), whom he rushes with through ditches and rivers and over mountains, and then shakes him off at dawn.
The Dullahan is a rather scary sort of solitary fairy. He has no head, or carries it under his arm. Often he is seen driving a black coach called coach-a-bower (Ir. Coite-bodhar), drawn by headless horses. It rumbles to your door, and if you open it a basin of blood is thrown in your face. It is an omen of death to the houses where it pauses.
The Leanhaun Shee (Ir. Leanhaun sidhe) is the fairy mistress. This spirit seeks the love of men. If they refuse she is their slave; if they consent, they are hers, and can only escape by finding one to take their place. Her lovers waste away, for she lives on their life. Most of the Gaelic poets, down to quite recent times, have had a Leanhaun Shee, for she gives inspiration to her slaves and is indeed the Gaelic muse. Her lovers, the Gaelic poets, died young. She grew restless, and carried them away to other worlds, for death does not destroy her power.
The Far Gorta is the man of hunger. This is an emaciated fairy that goes through the land in famine time, begging and bringing good luck to the giver.
The Banshee (Ir. Bean-sidhe), like the Far Gorta, differs from the general run of solitary fairies by its generally good disposition. She is perhaps not really one of them at all, but a sociable fairy grown solitary through much sorrow. She wails, as most people know, over the death of a member of some old Irish family. Sometimes she is an enemy of the house and screams with triumph, but more often a friend. On the other hand, the Banshee who cries with triumph is often believed to be no fairy but a ghost of one wronged by an ancestor of the dying. Some say wrongly that she never goes beyond the seas, but dwells always in her own country. However, there are reported instances where the Banshee of certain families has been heard in America. The Banshee is called badh or bowa in East Munster.
There are other solitary fairies. For example, there are House Spirits and the Water Sherie, which is a kind of will-o’-the-wisp. The Sowlth is a formless, luminous creature. Finally, there is the lake dragon, which guards a hidden treasure.
A word must be said here about the popular idea that the Tuatha de Danann became the fairies, shrinking in stature as the Irish became Christians and no longer believed in them as gods. It is true that the stories tell us that after their “defeat” to the Milesians, the Tuatha de Danann were given the half of Ireland below the ground, where they rule the sidhes (fairy raths). A deep sentimentality was probably involved here, as the converting Irish no longer believed in them as gods, but they also did not want to relegate them to demonhood. Elsewhere, the movement underground would have confirmed a diabolical nature, but for the Irish, who revered the Land itself, the underground was a safe place to store what had changed from divine worth to sentimental value, like an icon turning into a charm. Indeed, the Irish instinctively buried their valuable former-gods in the earth as they had buried other purposely broken valuables in sacrificial burial shafts. By doing so, like the swords and statues, these beings took on a new value, no longer to be “touched” by human hands, or wielded according to their original intent, but precious in a hidden way that took them out of the world while ensuring their preservation in the world. Certainly, it is a very Irish solution.
In the Keltrian tradition, we have returned the old gods and goddesses to their rightful place as Gods, and generally do not believe that the gods of our people are the same as those entities we now call “fairies,” though they have a close relationship. Instead, we believe that the fairies are Nature Spirits. They are among those land spirits that are ruled by and work with the Goddess Sovereignty. But, as is possibly the case with the Banshee, they are sometimes confused in folk tradition with the spirits of the Ancestors (ghosts) and have also been confused with the ancient Gods.
Sacred Animals Animals in particular are able to easily bridge the gap between this world and the Otherworld. Like other Nature Spirits, they each carry a certain gift or power. The Celtic tales overflow with mentions of animals and their special qualities. In fact, animals figured largely in the Celtic spiritual worldview and held a special place in the cosmos. The importance of animals to ancient Celtic life can be seen in the fact that the four Fire Festivals are related to the pastoral life of animal-raising and agriculture. Imbolc was the time of lambing and calving, Beltaine was the time when the herds were let out to summer pasture, Lughnasadh was the first harvest and was especially related to horse fairs and horse racing, and Samhain was the time when the herds were brought back in from summer pasture. Samhain was also the time for any slaughtering required in order to conserve on the food necessary to keep the animals over the winter months.
There are at least three different types of animal spirit that we must distinguish between before we can discuss the animal spirits further. The first is the animal in the physical world. This is the spirit or individual soul of a living animal that we may encounter out in nature or even keep in our homes. While they each have the specific qualities of every animal of its type, these individual animals also have distinct personalities that are as unique as the individual. The second is the power animal, which is an animal that exists in spirit form in the Otherworld, and sometimes visits us in this world to allow us to utilize its special power, which is the special attribute or attributes of all of its kind. Power animals can teach us, guide us, provide inspiration, or give us needed energy. The third is known as a totem animal. The totem animal is an animal spirit with which we may develop a special bond or relationship over a period of time working with that power animal.
Otherworldly animal spirits will sometimes manifest in this world. If such an animal appears, it can usually be known by its color. The determining colors of an Otherwordly animal are red, black, and white, or an unusual combination of any or all of these three colors. For instance, Otherworldly animals in the Celtic tales are often described as being white with red ears. Many Celtic families were identified with animals and these may have been totem animals, as evidenced by their surnames or by other information gleaned from the old tales. Names like MacLennen and Mac Tyre both mean “son of the wolf,” and MacMillian means “son of the wolf servant.” King Cormac of Ireland was raised by wolves, and it was said of him that a pack of wolves accompanied him wherever he went even after he was made king. The name of Fionn mac Cumhail’s son, Oisin, means “little deer.” The inhabitants of Connaught are said to be descended from men with the heads of hounds. The Scottish clans of MacIntosh, Mac Neishe and MacNicol held the cat as their totem animal, and one Irish king was called Caibar cinn chait - “Carbar of the cat’s head.”
Sometimes certain animals were considered sacred to a particular god or goddess. The raven or crow is especially sacred to the Morrigan, for she was known to appear on battlefields in the guise of a hoodie crow, to which the raven is closely related. The name of the Welsh god Bran means “raven,” and ravens still guard the Tower of London, where Bran’s head is supposed to have been buried. We are told that the Irish god Lugh was warned of the approach of the Fomorians by ravens before the second battle of Moytura. The Irish goddess Boann’s name means “white cow,” and cattle were prized by the Celts as an indication of wealth and status.
Horses appear frequently in the tales and myths as animals of special qualities. The Irish deity Manannan mac Lir has a horse called “Splendid Mane,” which is swifter than the spring wind and can travel as easily over water as it does on land. The Dagda has a black horse named Ocean, and wears horsehide boots with the hair on the outside. The Irish hero Cuchulainn had two horses that pulled his war chariot, the Black of Sainglend and the Grey of Macha, which were both foaled at the same time Cuchulainn was born. Lugh was said to have invented horsemanship.
But the most important references to horses are those associated with the Goddess Sovereignty. The white mare especially was a representation of the Goddess of the Land. Several figures emerge as horse-goddesses; perhaps the best known of these is the Gaulish Goddess Epona, whose name is self-evident. She is the only Celtic goddess known to have been honored in Rome, and her name is sometimes styled as Regina. Rees & Rees mention that it has been argued that “her concern was as much with the journey of the soul after death as with the welfare of horses and mules and their attendants.” The Welsh Goddess Rhiannon is also associated with horses in a very definite way. Rhiannon was said to be riding a “pure white horse of large size” when Pwyll first spied her. Rhiannon later gave birth to a son, who was stolen away in the night in spite of the guard of six women. When these women awoke and the child was gone, they were fearful lest their lives be forfeit for their neglect, and so agreed to swear that Rhiannon ate her child. They killed a litter of puppies and smeared some of the blood on Rhiannon’s face and hands, and put some of the bones by her side. Then they awoke her and accused her, and though she swore she didn’t do it, she was condemned and assigned a penance. For seven years, she was to sit by a horse-block outside the gate, and offer to carry visitors into the palace upon her back, like a horse. Her stolen son (Pryderi) was eventually found again on May Eve (Beltaine), when a monster tried to steal the foal of Teirnon’s mare. As a great claw reached in for the foal, Teirnon hacked off the arm and so rescued the foal, but when he went outside he discovered a babe that had been left by the retreating monster. The child was returned to Rhiannon, and the foal born on that May Eve was given to Pryderi. In another tale from the Mabinogi, after Rhiannon disappears into Llwyd’s magic fortress, she is forced to have the collars of asses, after they had been carrying hay, about her neck.
Another Celtic Goddess associated with horses is the Irish Macha, who was forced to race against horses while pregnant. As she reach the end of the field, she gave birth to twins. As she gave birth she screamed, and with her dying breath proclaimed that all who heard the scream would suffer from the pangs of childbirth for five days and four nights in times of Ulster’s greatest difficulty. The curse would last for nine times nine generations. It is said that thereafter the place was named Emain Macha (the twins of Macha).
The boar or pig was of great spiritual significance to the Celts. The boar was associated with power, strength, and virility. It was a common food as well as a supernatural animal. In the mythology, it was Manannan’s regenerative pigs that gave the Gods their immortality. These pigs would magically reappear in their pen the morning after they had been eaten.
The salmon was considered the world’s oldest animal, and bestowed wisdom and enlightenment on any who partook of its flesh. He lived in the Well of Wisdom at the source of all things; in Irish tradition this is the Well of Segais, which is the source of the river Boyne. Fionn mac Cumhail received the salmon’s wisdom when he was cooking the fish for Finneces and accidentally burned his thumb, which he put immediately into his mouth, and from this, each time Fionn chewed on his thumb, he received enlightenment.
The stag is considered to be sacred to or a representation of the antlered god known as Cernunnos or Herne the Hunter.
These few examples are of course not the only animals that were sacred to the Celts, for in the Celtic worldview, all natural things were considered sacred, and other important animals are mentioned in the old tales. Students should make every effort to discover for themselves the sacred and significant qualities of other animals that share the earth with us.
Often the Druid will develop a special relationship with certain animal spirits that assist them in their work. If you have a special liking for a certain animal, it would benefit you greatly to find out as much as possible about the animal from a Celtic viewpoint, because the chances are great that this animal is your power animal or even your totem. Some Seers who work with animal spirits often work with several power animals, depending on the work they are to perform, but usually have a special totem with which they work regularly.
Sometimes Seers may find that the energy and attributes of the totem animal with which they work is creating an imbalance within themselves. For instance, a person who works with Owl as a totem may find that they are becoming too much like their totem animal (nocturnal, solitary, living too much in the Otherworld and dreams), and may need to work with a balancing force like the Hawk to offset the energy of the Owl. Usually, if this is the case, the balancing animal spirit will come to the Seer on its own, but one should always be aware that a balancing energy may be necessary so as to be open to the balancing animal spirit’s advances. It is not unusual for the Druid who works with power animals to have two totem animal spirits that “walk” with him/her, one on each side, each balancing the energy of the other in the Druid’s life.
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Post by wren on Nov 13, 2006 6:18:34 GMT -5
Part 3 of 4
Sacred Trees Trees, like animals, have spirits with unique qualities. The ancient Celts recognized this, and though all trees were sacred by virtue of their spirit, some were considered especially so. The most sacred trees in Celtic tradition are oak, holly, rowan, hazel, ash, apple, alder, birch, willow, and yew. These trees play an important role in folk custom and belief, which is expressed again and again in the tradition. References to these, and other, trees may be found in Celtic poetry. One source is the Buile Suibhne Geilt (“The Madness of Sweeney”), in which the main character addresses trees, noting their qualities and personalities. Another source are the poems of the sixth century bard Taliesin, including Cad Goddeu and a later poem sometimes called “Bright Trees,” from The Red Book of Hergest. The loss of five individual trees of unique significance is lamented in the Dindsenchas.
Despite a huge lack of archaeological evidence to point to the practices and rituals of the Druids, one thing seems certain: they acted in proximity to trees. Sacred groves were the “temples” of the Druids, and these groves consisted of sacred trees. A tree can serve as a receptacle for an external spirit, and may be inhabited by fairies or other spirits. They may also contain dispossessed spirits of the Land, those who have been expelled from their proper dwelling-places and so have taken up residence in the nurturing environment of the tree. Trees also have personal souls, like humans, which are manifested as special qualities, strengths, and medicinal virtues. Trees may also absorb spirits that might otherwise prove harmful to humans.
A venerated single tree known as a bilé was part of any sacred place where Celtic kings were inaugurated. Offerings were frequently hung upon bilé trees. The most common way to honor a special tree was to tie wool, string, ribbons, or rags to it. Usually, but not always, this was done in Celtic lands by those seeking a cure from a holy well near the tree. Other times trees were decorated with precious items
Often marriages were conducted under holy trees, and it seemed that every town or village had a special tree that stood at its center.
For the purposes of this lesson, it will suffice to provide a brief outline of the characteristics of the ten trees most frequently named and described in Celtic literature and folklore. The relationship between trees and the Ogham will be discussed elsewhere.
The Oak (Duir) is the tree most often associated with Druids, with similarities drawn between its Celtic name and the word “Druid.” It’s longevity and hardiness were no doubt noted, as was the fact that it also provided food, the acorn. It seemed to withstand lightning strikes. Its deep roots kept it standing and green where other trees with shallower roots languished. Another interesting quality was its ability to remain standing even while much of its interior wood had withered away — a dying oak of this type may have been the sort of hiding place that led to images of Druids becoming, or disappearing into, trees. One of the four great trees mentioned in the Dindsenchas was the Oak of Mugna, three hundred cubits tall and thirty across, called “a hallowed treasure.” Secluded until the time of Conn of the Hundred Battles, it at last succumbed to the axes (or words?) of poets. In Cad Goddeu both heaven and earth flee before the “darts of the oak,” and Sweeney calls it “high beyond trees.” Fionn refused to kill a king who was resting under an oak. It is a wood used often in staves and associated with protection and healing, while its fruit is associated with fortune and fertility.
Three of the five great lamented trees mentioned in the Dindsenchas were Ash trees (Nion). The Bough of Daithi sapped the strength of an army to cut it down, and the Ash in Tortiu and the Ash in Uisneach undoubtedly took their toll in warriors’ arms as well. The Teutonic world tree, Yggdrasil, was an ash. In Celtic folklore, ash is the proper wood for the Yule log, marking the season of the Sun’s return. According to Cad Goddeu it is “most exalted above the power of kings.” This strong wood, now famous as the baseball bat, was noted by Sweeney as being “baleful,” the warriors hand weapon. It was used to make spears and is the material of the Spear which belonging originally to Lugh of the Long Arm, one of the four treasures of the Celts. It is associated with protection and healing.
The fall of the Boll of Ross, described as “a handsome yew,” without a flaw, is lamented in the Dindsenchas. Sweeney notes that the yew (Idhahd) is always visible in the churchyard, and that observation continues in truth to this day, with yews traditionally taking a place in cemeteries. This species outlives the oak, possibly surviving as long as 4000 years. This suggests that many of the oldest churches and burial places were purposely built near already revered trees, perhaps because of an association with longevity. It is also an evergreen, and develops new trunks from old roots. One name for yew, Eo, is shared by the salmon, the oldest and wisest animal. All of the yew’s parts are poisonous, though its sap has recently appeared as a component in the anti-cancer drug, Taxol. The yew took the front line in battle in Cad Goddeu and the chestnut “suffered shame” at its power. Its wood was traditionally used in bows.
Another evergreen, holly (Tinne), has the added quality of having distinct sexes. During the Battle of the Trees in Cad Goddeu, it is said that “the holly livid grew / and manly acts it knew.” Those ripe, red berries are poisonous! Sweeney called it the “little sheltering one,” and “door against the wind.” Perhaps because of its sharp leaves, it is associated with protection. Its wood is very hard and good for carving. It was also supposedly used or the axles of Celtic chariots and for spears. One holly spear, thrown by Nadcranntail, pierced Cuchulain from his foot to his knee. It is also one of the few woods to be brought into the house in season, as both a decoration, and as a sign of our unity with nature. Sweeney refers to the rowan (Luis) as the quicken, the “little berried one” whose bloom is “delightful.” Its appearance in literature is often uncertain, since it has historically been known by many names, most recently, the Mountain Ash. In Cad Goddeu it shows up late for the battle, along with the willow. Its red-orange berries are food for birds, and are edible, though bitter. It is the star of two poems in Duannaire Finn (The Songs of Fionn), called “The Rowan Tree of Clonfert” and “The Wry Rowan.” In the Dindsenchas it is described as a wood for magical weapons, and mats made of rowan branches figured in the Tarbh Fheis, a ritual of divination. Druids lit fires of rowan before battles, and the last meal of Cuchulainn was cooked over a rowan fire on a rowan spit. It is associated with authority and protection, and is used to make staves.
In the Cad Goddeu, the hazel is “esteemed for the number in its quiver.” Sweeney’s comments are limited to the fragrance of the hazelnuts. Archaeological evidence points to the hazel as being one of the earliest trees to be planted and cultivated. Its character in Celtic tradition is mixed, to say the least. Poisoned for fifty years after Lugh set the severed head of Balor, the King of the Fomorians, in a fork in its branches, the hazel required the intervention of Manannan Mac Lir to heal it. It is associated with Brighid in two disparate ways. Following her son’s death in the Battle of Moytura, Brighid gave humanity its first experience of keening, or wailing, at the death of a loved one. The Gaelic name for the hazel has evolved into Calltuinn, which means “a loss.” However, there are also stories of certain hazel trees bearing fruits that contained all knowledge. These would fall into a pool to be consumed by a salmon, which in turn became “the Salmon of Knowledge.” Brighid is the goddess of divine knowledge and inspiration, hence her second connection with the hazel. Perhaps the connection of loss and wisdom would make a worthy lifelong meditation for an aspiring Druid. Hazel is associated with knowledge and wisdom: rods of hazel were carried by heralds, and it is the preferred wood for dowsing rods.
Sweeney observes that the poor little apple (Queirt) tree is “much shaken.” Perhaps this was the reason it failed to appear at the Battle of Goddeu Brig in the Cad Goddeu! Still, something shaken may yet cause a stir: Cuchulainn threw an apple through the back of an opponent’s head during the Cattle Raid of Cooley. Poets sometimes carried apple branches, the Craobh Ciuil (Branch of Reason), as a sign of their station. A woman of the Otherworld carrying such a branch lured Bran into his voyages. Cuchulainn himself calls the apple a good sign of protection. King Conchobar had a silver branch with golden apples hanging over his head: when he shook it, the crowd would fall silent. It is associated with protection and shelter, as well as with poetic inspiration.
Alder (Fearn) grows well in wet places and its wood is water resistant. When fresh cut, the wood looks blood red, though it fades to yellow as it seasons. This quality, no doubt, was a strong influence which led to its being considered a sacred wood. At the Battle of Goddeu Brig, the alders were also first in line for battle. Sweeney, who spent much of his time of madness in trees, observed that the alder was not hostile to him, and did not prick and scratch him with its smooth bark. Alder was a preferred wood for shields, which confirms its association with protection, and explains its position in battle!
Sweeney praises the birch (Beithe) as “smooth and blessed” and “melodious” to the top of its crown. The birch was another tree that arrived late at the Battle of Goddeu Brig. Its leaves decay easily and so benefit the environment in which the tree stands. It also often grows first in a new wood, and is then choked out by taller trees like oak and beech, seeming to offer its life for the others. It then continues to benefit the environment, finally leaving a white, mushroom-covered hollow tube in which small animals can nest. Birch has had many traditional medicinal uses for humans, as well. Its appearance also heralds the fantastic adventures in The Pursuit of Diarmaid and Grainne. Its giving nature aligns it with motherhood, and it is associated with protection of children. Cradles are, therefore, often made of birch.
The willow (Sail) appears late on the battlefield in Cad Goddeu. Sweeney does not mention it. The Celts pollarded, or cropped, willows in order to encourage the growth of many branches. These were used in weaving baskets, pots, chairs, fence slats, and wattling for the walls of their homes. The tree has several medicinal uses, one of which is as the source of the chemical behind aspirin, another of which is as a styptic to staunch bleeding. These uses, combined with the symbolic “beheading” of the willow in the autumn and its prolific return in Spring, lead to its association with life and its cyclic eternality. It is also associated with protection and healing.
There is a wisdom in trees. There is a cycle of need and response between them and the rest of nature, particularly us. You may or may not be inclined to hug one, or to sit high up in one for months. You may wince or be indifferent to each pruning or felling that is called for by the circumstances of our coexistence. Still, you will find it useful to sit quietly among them and to listen, at the very least, to the slow, soft stories they tell of times and places you have missed or may never see.
Sacred Herbs: Mistletoe and Vervain In the Lebor Gabala Erin, we are told of Diancecht the physician, his son Miach and his daughter Airmid. Miach was a better physician than his father, having healed Nuada’s arm completely with flesh, whereas Diancecht’s previous cure was to make Nuada an arm of silver. Diancecht, in a jealous rage over his son’s superior medical skill, killed Miach. Miach’s sister Airmid sat by his grave, where 365 herbs grew on Miach’s body that could cure all the illnesses of the world. She carefully gathered them and spread them on her apron according to their virtues. Diancecht came and overturned the apron, scattering the herbs that Airmid had carefully categorized. It is said that this is the reason why we no longer have the herbal knowledge to cure every disease. This story also demonstrates that herbs were sacred to the Celts, and probably to Druids in particular.
According to Pliny the Elder, Mistletoe (Viscum album) was especially sacred to the ancient Druids. It was gathered on the sixth night of the moon with a “golden” sickle and was caught in a white cloth so that it would not be profaned by touching the earth. Two white bulls were then sacrificed in return for this revered plant, which was considered to have great healing properties. Ovid wrote of Druids singing to the herb.
Vervain was also said to be especially sacred to the Druids. The common name Vervain includes Verbena officinalis (the European variety), which is sometimes used interchangeably with Verbena hastata (the American variety). It is called Enchanter’s Herb, Holy Herb and Wizard’s Plant. Some Druidic connections have come down to us through Celtic folk medicine, and Pliny describes it as being used by Druids for divination. It was ceremonially gathered by the Druids with the left hand when neither the sun nor the moon were in the sky, and a libation of honey was left in gratitude to the Spirit of the plant. Its name is supposedly derived from the Celtic words “fer” (“to drive away”) and “faen” (“stone”). It is said that vervain was worn as a crown during Druidic initiatory rites, but there is no way for us to know if this assertion is accurate.
In honor of these sacred herbs and in keeping with what we are told of their uses, Keltrian Druids have named a ritual after the Mistletoe, which we perform on the sixth night of the moon, and another after the Vervain, which we perform when neither sun nor moon are in the sky. The Mistletoe rite is a healing rite and is open to all. The Vervain rite is open to Initiates only.
On the Druidic Use of Herbs Our knowledge of the Druidic use of herbs suffers from the same limitations of our knowledge of any aspect of Druidic ritual and practice. Given their oral tradition, anything we know about how, when, and why the Druids used particular herbs, comes to us from secondary sources colored by politics and misunderstanding (such as the Roman sources), those seen through the rosy glow of desire and fantasy (especially those cited in the writings of the Celtic “Renaissance” of the 17th to 19th centuries), and assumptions based on studies, both old and new, on folklore and medicine in Celtic lands. There is also a language barrier in play: while a list of herbs may be culled from early written sources in law and literature, most of the herbs so named do not correspond to traditional or modern names and, therefore, cannot be satisfactorily determined.
Considering the use of herbs, in general, and their Druidic use, in particular, it would be important to begin with the following brief list of presumptions and rules:
Physical: Consumption of herbs should be done carefully, after much reading and, preferably, guidance from a competent expert. Some can cause acute affliction, permanent damage, and even death. Common sense should be practiced at all times.
Emotional: Like any drug, herbs should never be used as an emotional/psychological crutch. To do so is to degrade one’s own human dignity, as well as the dignity of the plant providing assistance.
Spiritual: Use of any living material in ritual naturally calls for the utmost respect. How this is expressed may vary from individual to individual, or group to group. Nevertheless, it is possible to speak of the exercise of “common sense” in dealing with “extrasensory” matters.
Academic: To paraphrase a proverb whose variation is found the world over, “Just when you’re sure this is how the Druids did it, you’re probably wrong.”
We would recommend that those who would call themselves Druids today enhance their own Druidry by the study of herbs, regardless of their use by the Druids of old. Hopefully, the considerations above have cast a sufficient doubt on all of this to ensure our continued study of the Druidic usage of herbs, as well as to promote a mystical dynamism that goes so well with the subject.
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Post by wren on Nov 13, 2006 6:20:53 GMT -5
Part 4 of 4
Ancient Druids and the Nature Spirits The classical Greek writer Strabo (c. 63BC to AD21) tells us that the Ovates (or Seers) were concerned with “natural philosophy,” while the Druids were concerned with both natural and moral philosophy. This indicates a knowledge of the natural world that certainly goes beyond the superficial, and we can see from the Celtic sources that the ancient Druids and Fili (poets) called upon the assistance of the Nature Spirits in many of their magical endeavors. One such working we have already seen in The Song of Amairgin.
We shall return to Amairgin to see another example of his skill in communicating with the natural world and the spirits inherent in it. The Sons of Mil had gone out beyond the ninth wave to await their battle with the Tuatha de Danann. The Druids of the Tuatha de Danann are said to have raised a great wind with their enchantments and so drove the Sons of Mil in their ships far from the shore. Amairgin countered the damaging Druid wind with an invocation to the Land of Ireland:
“I invoke the land of Ireland Much-coursed be the fertile sea, Fertile be the fruit-strewn mountain, Fruit-strewn be the showery wood, Showery be the river of water-falls, Of water-falls be the lake of deep pools, Deep-pooled be the hill-top well, A well of tribes be the assembly, An assembly of the kings be Tara, Tara be the hill of the tribes, The tribes of the Sons of Mil, Of Mil of the ships, the barks, Let the lofty bark be Ireland, Lofty Ireland, darkly sung, An incantation of great cunning; The great cunning of the wives of Bres, The wives of Bres of Buaigne; The great Lady Ireland, Eremon hath conquered her, Ir, Eber have invoked for her. I invoke the land of Ireland.”
Immediately after this invocation, a tranquil calm came to them on the sea. Amairgin had invoked the Goddess of Ireland and her spirits to help them against the enchanted winds. Amairgin also eventually sang to increase the fish in the creeks.
Techniques that the ancient Druids used for divination and prophecy while working with the Nature Spirits are evident from the Celtic literature. The tarbh feis, or bull feast, is one such working. In this working, the Druid ate the flesh and drank the broth of a freshly killed bull, wrapped himself in its hide and lay down within it to obtain a problem-solving vision. It is described in The Destruction of Da Derga’s Hostel as being used to determine the future king. It is said that whomever the sleeper saw in his sleep during this incubatory ritual would be king, and the sleeper would perish if he uttered a falsehood. This ancient Druidic ritual had its Scottish equivalent in the tarhairm, where the diviner wrapped himself in a newly slaughtered ox-hide and lay behind a waterfall to seek the answer in both the roar of the water and the spirit of the slain animal.
The ritual incubation of imbas forosna (literally, “inspiration of tradition”) called for the cooperation of animal spirits as well. It has been suggested that the tarbh feis itself may be a form of imbas forosna. The meat of an animal was also employed in this technique, as described in Cormac’s Glossary. The poet begins by chewing a piece of flesh from a red pig, dog, or cat. Then, putting it on the flagstone behind the door, he pronounces an invocation over it and offers it to his spirits. He then “calls his spirits to him and if they do not reveal the matter immediately he sings incantations over his two palms and calls the spirits again to keep his sleep undisturbed.” He “lays his palms over his cheeks and so falls asleep in this posture.” In ancient practice, it was impossible to eat or use parts of an animal without also communing with its spirit.
The seventeenth-century historian, Keating, writes about the divinatory habits of Druids from the oral tradition. He mentions Druids “looking at their own images in water, or gazing on the clouds of heaven, or keep listening to the noise of the wind or the chattering of birds.” Diodorus also writes of the Celtic practice of ornithomancy, the observation of the flight of birds. Weather-watching was also a common form of divination. Neldoracht or cloud watching is described in The Seige of Druim Damgaire, where Druids from both sides watch the sky and the weather closely for information which will determine the day’s actions.
The Gaelic method of augury or frith was still performed by gifted people until relatively recently. Fasting, on the first Monday of the quarter, at sunrise, with bare head and feet, special prayers to welcome Mary and Brighid and to welcome the frith were said by the seer while walking deosil around the household fire three times. With closed or blindfolded eyes, the frithir then went to the threshold of the house with prayers to grant the request which occasioned the frith. Then, with open eyes, he or she looked ahead to the outdoors and noted everything that he or she saw. The signs are called rathadach (lucky) or rosadach (unlucky). This is an excellent example of employing the natural world and its spirits to divine the future. A preserved rhyme about seeing horses while performing the frith goes as follows:
“A white horse for land, A grey horse for sea, A bay horse for burial, A brown horse for sorrow.”
Of course, other animals would have other meanings; for instance, approaching birds would indicate news, or a duck would indicate safety for sailors.
Among the Celts, a great number of omens were taken from birds (though other animals could give omen as well). There are two scraps of early Irish folklore in a well-known codex concerning the use of the raven and the wren for omens, and some believe that the ancient Druids may have domesticated these birds just for this purpose.
Sacred herbs and their spirits were used for healing and magic. We are told that Miach healed Nuada’s arm (actually causing the flesh to re-grow) through the use of what seems to be an herbal plaster and an accompanying incantation. Lug mac Ethlenn sang Cúchulainn to sleep for three days and three nights so that his wounds might heal, and then dropped healing herbs and grasses into the sores while Cúchulainn slept. Healers are also described as dropping plants and herbs into the wounds of Ferdia.
Many more examples of the Celtic rapport with spirits of the natural world as well as the methods used to request the assistance of those spirits are available in the recommended reading below.
Modern Druids and Nature Spirits The modern Druid also works closely with Nature Spirits. However, some methods that the ancient Druids used to enlist the aid of spirits would offend our modern sensibilities and conflict with our morality. After all, the world has changed, and so we also must evolve and adapt our practices to suit these modern times. Certainly we would not sacrifice two white bulls in order to harvest mistletoe, or wrap ourselves in a bloody bull’s hide in order to prophesy! Keltrian Druids believe that all life is sacred and should not be taken without deliberation or regard. Druids no longer believe that blood sacrifice is necessary to petition the Gods or to gain the assistance of a Nature Spirit.
Still, one might use the methods utilized by the ancient Druids, if not the specific tools. Certainly we can call upon the Nature Spirits to assist us in our lives, just as Amairgin did in ancient times, and continue to develop good rapport with the land where we live. One way that Keltrian Druids develop and continue good rapport with the Na ture Spirits is to invite them to our rituals, along with the Ancestors and the Gods. The invocation can be as simple or as poetic as the Druid or Grove wishes it to be. It can include spirits specific to your area by name, and/or spirits of nature in general. Many times an invocation to the Nature Spirits, besides taking care to include various general spirits, will include specific spirits appropriate to the working at hand or the season celebrated. For instance, at Samhain, one might be especially careful to invoke the Spirit of the Raven by name, because it is an animal that is sacred to the Morrigan, whom we honor with the Dagda at this time.
In addition to invocation, offerings to the spirits of the land and the Goddess Sovereignty, at a specific place designated for such, help to keep an individual Druid or an entire working Grove in favor with their particular area. A stream or pond, or even the base of a special tree, can be a wonderful place to designate for offerings to the Land. Some traditional Irish offerings to the Land Spirits that you might consider are pouring a few drops of whiskey on the ground, or milk, or perhaps leaving a bit bread.
Observation of the flight of birds, cloud watching, and weather or wind divination are all traditional Druidic methods that may still be used by the modern Seer. Many modern Druids have devised their own “system” to read such omens, based on knowledge of the normal patterns of their own area of the world and deviations from normal, as well as Celtic knowledge of the particular pattern, wind, or bird behavior. There are fragments and hints in some of the old literature (and remaining Celtic folklore) that could be incorporated into one’s system of modern Druidic divination. Ogham was one classification system used by the ancient Druids, a way to keep enormous amounts of knowledge straight in the Druid’s memory for such auguries and divinations. Ogham can still be used in this manner, and this is one of many reasons that some modern Druids consider the study of ogham imperative. But what of techniques like the tarbh feis and imbas forosna? These methods use what moderns might consider some rather distasteful means. We must either forget them, or change them. Abandoning such techniques would be a shame and perhaps a great loss. Changing them isn’t that difficult once the Druid understands the intent behind the action. For instance, Golden Horse Grove has performed a variation of the tarhairm with great success, using a red Vellux ® blanket in place of the ox hide. It is likely that part of the effect was to recreate the individual’s time in the womb in a multi-sensory way. The child in the womb is the Ultimate Seer, since, having seen nothing he needs to see all. That pure desire enables him to see what others, in the distractions of their post-birthed days, cannot. This is an example of the method remaining true to the intent of the original Druids, but simply altering the tool slightly in order to abide by our modern sensibilities.
The Keltrian Druid studies and uses herbs and other plants for healing and magic, taking care to leave any plants used for gathering intact to continue the species from year to year. A good rule of thumb is to only take one-third of the plant for your use, leaving the remaining two-thirds of the plant to grow and propagate. Always thank the plant for its sacrifice and leave an offering in return. If you cannot gather, grow, and/or prepare your own plants (and some people can’t, for various reasons), then it is acceptable to purchase necessary oils and essences from a reputable herbalist.
Keltrian Druids may still have a totem animal or special Nature Spirit to work with, and Druids who are especially attuned to Nature Spirits sometimes choose their Druid name after such totems, plant or animal. Oftentimes the name will be in the Gaelic, in keeping with tradition.
Conclusion
Celtic tradition offers us a wealth of information concerning Nature Spirits and the Druidic rapport with these spirits that share the worlds with us, both seen and unseen. In this lesson, we have briefly examined the traditional Celtic beliefs about the Land and Nature Spirits, and perhaps have come to some realization of how important the ancients viewed their relationship with the land around them. Now that we have gained some understanding of that aspect of Druidic practice, we can apply our understanding of the ancient methods to our own modern practice, continuing the tradition in a manner by which our ancestors would approve.
Recommended Reading for Further Study: Celtic Sacred Landscapes by Nigel Pennick The Druid Animal Oracle by Philip and Stephanie Carr-Gomm The Encyclopedia of Celtic Wisdom by John and Caitlin Matthews Celtic Tree Mysteries: Secrets of the Ogham by Steve Blamires A Druid’s Herbal for the Sacred Earth Year by Ellen Evert Hopman The Celtic Seers’ Sourcebook edited by John Matthews Animal Speak by Ted Andrews * * - This book is included here for animal lore that is general and not specifically Celtic, as such lore can sometimes be especially useful to the Druid living in America.
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Post by bran_sinnach on Nov 14, 2006 0:27:00 GMT -5
Very interesting and informative, a great read, thank you very much for posting this wren.
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Post by wren on Nov 14, 2006 0:29:03 GMT -5
You are very welcome!
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