The Chinese
The Chinese dragons are perhaps the most well known next to the Celtic (occidental) dragons. The original stories surrounding the dragon are believed to be based on the real life Chinese alligators. According to ancient texts, the dragon was a supernatural creature that could take on many different forms (shapeshift).
ORIGIN Greek and possibly cultures in Asia Minor. God of hunting and healing.
KNOWN PERIOD OF WORSHIP circa 1300 BC and earlier until Christianization (circa AD 400) and probably later.
SYNONYMS Apellon (pre-Homeric); Atepomarus (Celtic).
CENTER(S) OF CULT Delos, Pylo-Delphi and many other sanctuaries throughout the Greek world.
Celtic gods and goddesses serve as powerful symbols within the Celtic culture. They are representative of a stronger, higher power; they are immortal, yet possess human traits. These dualities are signs that we ourselves hold the same dual nature and are able to aspire to greatness.
I will present the results of an Inner Journey later, using Fionn’s Wheel as a guide to the Astral Archtypes within each of us.
Continue reading “Celtic Workshop #11 – “Walking between the Worlds” and “Journeys on the Wheel””
(The following was compiled from several sources on the Web.)
Herbs are “Magick”. They have been the primary source of medicines for people of every culture and were considered magickal or spiritual by many of them. An ancient earth based spiritual belief system concerning herbs appears in many ancient cultures and civilizations such as Celtic, Chinese, India, and Native American philosophies just to name a few. Their religious beliefs shaped their view and relationship with the Great Spirit, and the relationships between their citizens. This was a belief system which also demonstrated a wholistic view of illness, and utilized herbs according to religious belief.
Continue reading “INTRODUCTION TO A PAGAN PHILOSOPHY OF HERBS”
How to actually influence your surroundings. How to perform Weather Magick, to call animals to you, to improve your crops and to influence the outcome of events. How to discover your past life, find your Inner Teacher or Self and how to summon “Spirits” to your presence. Our Cyber Tuatha gathered upon the moors and among the raths once more. This night was a night of Magick and the Power of the Moon Goddess in her full glory. We engaged in some prelimenary greetings and then the presentation begain …..
Continue reading “Celtic Workshop #10 – The Act of “Becoming” and The Charm of “Summoning””
“In Between Times and Places”
As we noted previously, the Celts believed that Reality actually consisted of multiple worlds. As a minimum, they believed there was a World of the Stars or Gods, a Middle World (the Earth) and an Under- world. All these worlds were connected in some way, with events and Magicks from one affecting events occuring in a different world. The Celts believed that these Worlds were closer at certain times. These are the “In Between Times” that we are going to speak about tonight. It should also be no surprise that the Celts and Druids practiced their most important Magicks during such times of transition as the sunrise, sunset,the moonrise, moonset and the transitions of the seasons (Beltaine and Samhain) and the extremes of the Sun (Mid-Winter and Mid-Summer) or the great “Fire Festivals”. Later during our discussions of stone circles and passage graves we shall see one way that this desire to do Magick at the optimal times was possibly implemented.
{(During the previous Workshop, we studied the Celtic Otherworld and their God/desses. We saw how Existence was divided into a Higher, Middle and Underworld reality. The Spirit of the Celt would be tied to and migrate between these various worlds. A celt was very connected to the land as well as having a strong belief in his “code of conduct'” and the immortality of his Being. Tonight’s Workshop will attempt to clarify how A Celt arrived at these strong inner concepts of connection to his family, his Land and his Eternal or Spirit life. In order to understand the Celtic Spirit, one must know the Dinseanchas, the Totemic Animals and the Druidic concept of Transmigration of the Soul.}
Continue reading ““Celtic Workshop #6 – Dindsenchas, Totems and Transmigration””
Please exercise caution around most of these herbs!! Some of them are considered to be POISONS! The effects of some of the others are very powerful in areas of “mind alteration”. The author of one of the texts, used as a reference, presents his suggested methods for how the Druids used these herbs (they are ONLY used in a greatly dilluted state!). Once again I urge caution and good judgement before proceeding. All in all, the Workshop participants evidenced a very thorough respect and understanding of the use and effects of these herbs.
Continue reading ““Celtic Workshop #9 – The use of Herbs and Potions””
Anyone that has ever done Magick knows that it involves resonances and associations. Magick has many color associations as well as musical associations. We have all experienced the magick of music in contemporary music. Sometimes this can be in the form of attending a concert, othertimes it can be when we are alone and listening to our favorites tunes. Modern day religious services take advantage of the Magick inherit to music to enhance their worship services. This can be in singing hymns or hearing organ and choral anthems. I’m sure that we will all agree that music in such sitruarions alters our state of being. We are uplifted and changed by the ritual music we experience. It should be no surprise that the ancient Celts used music in a similar manner. In Morgan Llwellyn’s “Druids” we find an example of such a Druidic use of music in Magick. The chief Druid of a village would greet the Sun with song and lead the village each day in welcoming the Sun back from the Underworld. When the Sun set, another farewell song was enjoined. This practice is still followed by some in Celtic lands to this day. Examples of such incantations and greetings to the Sun may be found in the “Carmenica Gadetica” a vast resources of ancient and rercent Celtic verse and song.
Witch's Well 