Month: August 2011

Ancient Celtic Culture

Ancient Celtic Culture

by John Patrick Parle

 

The Celts on the main continent were largely ruled by the chieftain of their individual tribe–some chieftains were elected by the free men of the tribe for a limited term of office.

Here are some of the names of ancient Celtic chieftains, to get an idea of what the old Celtic names sounded like: Orgetorix, Sinorix, Dunmorix, Cartismandua (a woman), Prasutagus, Amborix, Clondicus, Luernios, Ariamnes, Adiatorix. (The “rix” ending to the Celtic name signified that the person was a supreme chieftain, perhaps over more than one tribe or over a large land area). Because there was no written Celtic language there, these types of personal names and the names of the tribes themselves are our best idea of what old Celtic words on the mainland of Europe sounded like. The great names of the Gaulish chieftain Vercingetorix and of Boadicea, the female chieftain of Celtic Briton, will come up later in our story.

Classical writers said that the Celts were taller than the Romans, more muscular, had fair skin, and blonde hair was common. The Celts were known for their hospitality, but could be boastful and irritable. They were fond of feasting, were high-spirited, and in general liked excitement. Yet, in Rome, culturally sophisticated Cicero was able to become friends with a Celtic druid from Gaul named Diviciacus, and Cicero said that a Celtic leader from Galatia named Dejotarus was “gentle and honest.” The ancients said that the Celts liked to speak in riddles, and loved to exaggerate. Some Celtic tribes had a sense of wanderlust and were nomadic (often in response to threats from the outside), while others stayed put in farming communities.

The ancient Celts lived in scattered villages without fortified walls. In wartime, they would build hill forts for protection. Their homes were circular and made of wood with thatched domelike roofs. They had little furniture, and ate and drank out of earthen dishes and goblets. They slept on beds of straw.

Agriculture was a major activity of the Celts of old, with many of them owning private farmlands. They produced mostly wheat for bread. In fact, the ancient writers said that this was the main difference between the Celts and the Germanic tribes of the day, the latter of whom did little farming and consumed mostly meat and milk. Whereas the Celts grew crops, the Germanic barbarians then did little of this. The Celts were also large swinehearders (most of the meat they ate was ham and pork), and cattle was common for dairy products. They brewed beer, which they called “cervesia,” and added honey and cumin to beer, which they called “corma.” The Celts also appreciated wine and mead.

In terms of clothing, the Celtic women wore a simple long garment with a cloak. The men wore trousers (sometimes knee length), a sleeved tunic reaching the thigh, a cloak, and sandals or boots. A metal piece of jewelry for around the neck called a torc (torques) was quite popular. Clothing dyed in bright colors was common. Men wore droopy moustaches, sometimes beards, and often long hair, all of this in contrast to the contemporary Romans. Women enjoyed painting their bodies, and some tribes of Celtic warriors went into battle stark naked and painted all over in bright blue.

The basic social structure was threefold: the chieftain, the warrior aristocracy, and the freeman farmers. Woman had a lower place, but some women were able to attain the position of chieftain, which was unknown in other cultures of the period. Slavery was accepted, largely conquered peoples. Three other roles in Celtic society were quite important: the druid, the bard, and the artisan.

The bard was the chief poet of a clan or extended family. He was the keeper of the family or tribal oral history and entertained gatherings with epic tales of Celtic gods and heroes. He was a storyteller and a man of rhymes–a wordsmith. The Celtic bard, as did the Bard of Elizabethan times, tried the best he could to portray his benefactors as well as possible in laudable terms. Bards often sang their verse while playing a lyre (which in Ireland was eventually replaced by the harp). The artisan, who is often overlooked in books about the Celts, made all the wonderful metalwork, carvings, and tools for the tribe. The works of the ancient Celtic artisans exist today in museums all over Europe.

Celtic Magick and Its Uses Today

Celtic Magick and Its Uses Today

 

For several decades there has been a growing interest in the old Pagan beliefs. People are seeking a more practical, personal system of belief, some way to be spiritual yet improve their lives. This includes Pagan Religion and magick, which is both practical and spiritual.

The Celtic and/or Druidic systems are generally thought of as being Irish, British and Welsh. In fact, the Celts at one time inhabited much of western Europe. Remains of their civilizations range from southern France and areas of Spain north into lowland Germany, the British Isles and Ireland.

It is not necessary to be of those racial backgrounds to practice Celtic magick. All that is needed is an interest in Celtic mythologies and magick itself, a deep sympathetic feeling for Nature and her powers.

Celtic magickal beliefs are firmly rooted in the Earth herself and in the elemental spirits that are the very essence of all Nature. This includes the four basic Elements which make up Nature: Earth, Air, Fire and Water.

The ancient Celts had a vast knowledge of, and respect for the healing and magickal qualities of plants and stones. They knew and used the power flows of the Earth, trees and special outcropping of rock. They called upon the elemental spirits, the “little people” of the Irish, the gnomes and fairies of the British.

But perhaps the strongest belief, almost unique among ancient peoples, was their devotion to the Great Mother, the mother and warrior goddesses. In fact the Celtic peoples, before Roman and Christian intervention, were one of the few races to give their goddesses equal footing with their gods.

This is not to say that other Pagan religions did not honor the Great Mother. But upon close inspection you will find that the male deities of most other pantheons were considered more important, more powerful. The goddesses were allowed their place in worship so long a their followers did not try to usurp the prime position of power which was always held by a male deity.

The goddesses of the Celts did not hold a secondary position in their worship or their legends. This respect bled over into Celtic society. As a result Celtic women were highly respected, having many rights of property, person and status. Priestesses were held in honor. Women were warriors as well as mothers, and had equal rights with men.

Did this harm or weaken the society or lessen the men? According to history, decidedly not. The Celts were one of the fiercest, most spiritually advanced races of the Old World, weakening only when they accepted and bowed to the inroads of Christianity.

The life of a Celt was filled with magick and its uses. Their intertwining artwork on jewelry, clothing, utensils and their houses was a form of magick meant to avert the evil eye and send back curses. They believed that their deities could appear in any place and at any time, that it was the duty of humans to call upon them for aid. They also believed that it was the responsibility of each person to do whatever he or she could to better his or her own life, and that decidedly meant the use of magick both small and large. To accomplish this, a person had to be continually willing to learn and grow.

To practice effective Celtic magick today, you must be willing to learn about and use plant and herb magick. Certain stones must be sought, enticed into your service, and cherished as reservoirs of energy. The powers of the elementals and Elements must be respected, petitioned for help and befriended. You must seek the ancient reservoirs of god-power that were built and fed by Celtic worship and which still exist today.

But most of all, you must suspend all the narrow definitions of reality you have learned. You must rethink what is possible or impossible, realizing that when certain actions are taken, nothing is impossible. The practice of these particular actions is the practice of what is known as magick.

Magick is a suspension of what we see, and a belief in and use of what we cannot see, but know instinctively is there. Celtic magick is simply applying that invisible ingredient in certain ways, using natural or Nature’s powers to improve life.

Magick cannot be tested in a laboratory, dissected and placed under a microscope. Magick lives in the mind of the user, manifesting itself in practical living. Pagan magick is both practical necessity and part of a religious experience. Pagans are people who live very much in reality. Long ago they realized that when you no longer have to struggle for everyday necessities, spitituality can be freely sought and more easily attained. They also know that when you can do for yourself, it is seldom that another person will be able to manipulate or control you against your will.

The time is right for Celtic magick to come back into its own place in the world. More and more people are dissatisfied with what they see as socially accepted religions. They are seeking along old pathways, clouded by disuse and overgrown by falsehoods. But the very search of these people is creating a fresh wind that will scour those ancient tracks. The way will become clear, the old wisdom will once again be found and put into practice. To those who seek, success and growth will come. Success will be visible in the improvement of life itself.

Pagan-thinking people do not tend to be followers of the accepted social norm. They are innovators, thinkers, pursuers of wisdom and spiritual growth. They know that improving you, the person, and your immediate life is as important as perfecting the spiritual you or the soul. A well-balanced personality and a successful life by whatever terms you define success, is the true guidepost along the ancient paths. Striving for these worthy goals and getting there are what really matter, not the opinions of others.

May you find your way down the ancient pathways to the Groves of Wisdom.

Preparing for Celtic Magick

Preparing for Celtic Magick

 
 
Preparation for ritual magick of any kind requires the self-discipline and techniques learned from concentration, focusing visualization and meditation. If you desire to obtain physical manifestation from your efforts, it is essential that you actually do and practice these exercises.
 
Concentration is holding an image or idea in your mind without interruption. It is of great importance during rituals when you must exclude everthing not directly related to what you are doing. No thoughts of the day’s happenings, no extraneous noise, must be allowed to dominate your attention for any length of time. If such things do intrude, they must be immediately dismissed as unimportant at the moment.
 
To strengthen your powers of concentration, you will need to practice two exercises. The first exercise is done with a minimum of supplies. Light a candle and set it on a table before you. Sit comfortably and look at the flame. It is easiest on the eyes to look at the blue around the lower part of the wick instead of bright upper flame. Do not stare; blink your eyes whenever you need to. After a few minutes, close your eyes and look for the flame. You will see it against your closed eyelids. Keep your thoughts on that flame image, and see how long you can maintain the mental picture before your conscious mind begins to intrude.
 
The second exercise is much the same, but uses a picture instead of a candle. Choose a picture that pleases you. Tarot cards are especially good for this. Stand or hang the picture at a comfortable level and look at it for sometime. Close your eyes and see if you can discern a mental image against your eyelids. Hold that image as long as you can.
 
Focusing is important to ritual magick as it is the process of adjusting your “inner eye” or attention on a particular object or goal. You must have a clear idea or picture of what you wish to produce while doing magick. This is very similar to concentration but more refined. An idea is harder to hold in the mental realms than a reflected picture.

It is not necessary to visualize a goal in absolute detail. Too much detail tends to limit the manifestation, especially if you could have had something better. Know what you want, but never restrict yourself. The Gods may be more generous to you than you are to yourself.
 
Focusing and concentrating on performance during ritual will channel your mental powers, thereby clarifying and strengthening the function. The act of casting and consecrating a magickal circle must have focus and concentration if it is to be done properly. If you fail to do this the circle will not provide you with the neutral are in which to perform magick, and most certainly will not give you protection.
 
Again, using the picture or card, this time elicit all associated images. See if you can create movement within the picture.
 
Go through the same exercise with the candle flame, this time changing the size, height and color of the flame. Summon up associated images and follow them through. Some startling ideas have come out of such exercises.
 
Meditation is a great aid to centering yourself, controlling destructive emotions and gaining insight. But it should also bring a greater sense of awareness and increase your ability to visualize. All of these skills are necessary in the practice of magick, especially if you want feasible results.
 
Meditation is really not a complicated exercise, unless you lack self-control. If you do, you need meditation more than ever. Relaxing, smooth music is an excellent background to help mask minor noises and help you relax. Turn off the telephone, hang a “do not disturb” sign on the door, and choose a comfortable chair.
 
Listen to the music while taking a few deep breaths. Relax and let yourself unwind. Next mentally surround yourself with white light for protection. Imagine yourself standing on a wooden bridge over a calm pond. Drop all your problems into the water, and watch it close over them. This is a symbolic release that tells your subconscious mind that you need an answer to solve these troubles. Then visualize yourself walking on across the bridge, leaving everything behind.

To continue the meditation, project yourself into a meadow on the other side of the bridge. A small stream runs through the grass and flowers. Shady trees surround it. Wander through the meadow, soaking up the peacefulness and healing. You may see people or nature spirits. Talk with them if you like.
 
As long as you remain objective and do not push to hear what you want to hear, you can receive very accurate guidance while in meditation. If you strain to hear what you want, you will get only messages from your conscious mind, which does not believe in what you are doing.

When in meditation, you are in an astral state. Therefore, it is always possible that at some time you will meet a being that makes you fearful or uncomfortable. If this should happen, recall the white light and leave.
 
You will be able to escape the meditation any time you choose. Simply become aware of your body and open your eyes. As during ritual, time in meditation is non-existent. Time is a limited idea belonging to the left brain and conscious mind. When working with the right brain and subconscious mind, time has no meaning at all.
 
The symbolism of dropping your problems into the pond is essential. It is never a good idea to go into meditation without doing this, just as it is imprudent not to use the white light. Both are protective measures to eliminate taking negative vibrations into an otherwise productive exercise.
 
Celtic Magic
D. J. Conway

Understanding Celtic Magick

Understanding Celtic Magick

 
To the Celtic peoples, magick was as common as breathing. It was not something set aside for special occasions anymore than was their beautiful twisting artwork. Like their intricate designs that decorated even ordinary utensils, magick was a part of everyday life.
 
The Celts had no difficulty reconciling materialism and spiritual insights because they clearly understood that each is present in the other, that matter is only solidified spirit. Today, we have trouble accepting that magickal law. Our minds have been bombarded by prejudiced opinions until we have become programmed to believe a blend of the material and spiritual is impossible. We have been taught an error: that to be spiritual one cannot be materialistic. In defining materialistic I mean concerned with material well-being, not controlled by material things. By continuing to believe this lie, we place ourselves within a tightly-bound area that prohibits us from manifesting by magick, what we need in our lives.
 
Ritual magick removes this programming sometimes with drastic effect in an unprepared person. The practice of magick will quickly bring out the hidden side of any magician. That is why it is so important for a magician to really, truthfully, know him or herself and exercise self discipline.
 
RItual magick is merely the taking of energy from another plane of existence and weaving that energy, by specific thoughts, words, and practices, into a desired physical form or result in this plane of existence. The whole idea of magick is to contact various energy pools that exists in a dimension other than our own. Magicians do this deliberately because these energies add a vast amount of power to the energy for manifestation. that we hold within ourselves. The prime purpose of ritual is to create a change, and we cannot do that without the combination of these energies. We need the assistance of those energy pools, which can be called gods, deities and elementals.

Everything used during ritual is a symbol of an energy that exists on another plane. Whether or not the magician properly connects with that specific energy and believes he or she can work magick depends upon how well he or she understands its representative symbol which is used on this plane or world. Study of, and meditation on, ritual symbols is an important part of training.
 
In order to bring through the energy of the gods or energy pools, the magician must set up a circuit of communication along which that power can flow. This is done by ritual use of symbols, ritual itself, visualization and meditation. To keep the incoming power from dissipating before being directed toward a particular goal, rituals are performed with a cast and consecrated circle. This provides a neutral energy area which will not siphon off or dissipate the incoming energy.
 
To correctly contact the appropriate energy pool, the magician uses as many symbols as possible that represent a specific deity power. For example, he or she will choose a color, incense, plant, stones, and statue or picture to help his or her visualization.
 
The ability to visualize is extremely important, as the magician must invoke, or call into him or herself, a godform (also called an archetypal energy pool). However, you must realize that you can never invoke the entire power of such an archetypal being into your physical body. Trying to do that would destroy your physical form. That much potent energy simply can never be contained within such a limited mundane structure as the human body. You would not try to use a 440 volt line when a 110 volts is called for. It is rare that total inflow of energy is ever achieved. The gods and magickal laws prohibit this from ordinarily happening.
 
Also be aware that if you consistently call upon one particular deity power to the exclusion of all others, you will eventually begin to manifest characteristics of that energy pool within your personality. If this is done correctly in order to gain positive results, these changes will become an important part of your magickal personality. If not, they can cause changes of a negative kind.


At the end of each ritual, the godform or power is dismissed so that it can manifest the desire formed during the ritual. This enables the magician to gain the manifestation for which the ritual was done and also to be able to function in the physical world again. To continue holding the power after the ritual is completed would make it impossible for you to live a normal life.
 
Ritual magick helps to open the doors to your creative mind and the subconscious. To effectively do magick one must get the creative side of the mind, or right brain, to operate uninhibited by the analytical left brain. This is accomplished by consistent routine of visualization and meditation.
 
The dominant left brain generally maintains control. It is closely connected with the conscious mind and deals totally with what is calls reality or this world. It is the side of the brain that makes us feel guilty and criticizes us for things we do or do not do.
 
The creative right brain pertains entirely to what we call imagination, or other worlds. It is artistic, visualizing. It is the powerful belief formed in this are of the mind that contacts the deity energy pools and creates manifestation.
 
One of the first things a magician must do is reprogram his or her subconscious mind to eliminate all the old messages of failure and dissatisfaction that are recorded there. From infancy we are programmed by everyone around us with words and actions that express displeasure or approval. Unfortunately, this programming continues throughout life. Therefore, it is important to choose friends carefully at all ages so that the ideas of limitations and failures are kept to a minimum. This programming can be changed into positive actions by the use of certain techniques during meditation.
 
The right brain and the subconscious mind perform best when presented with symbols, since symbology is the language of the creative mind. During ritual, the left brain is lulled into a sense of control by the chants, tools, candles and movements; all tangible, logical things. The left brain becomes so involved that it forgets to monitor the right brain. As the same time these tools and activities become symbols to the right brain for use in its creative work.
 
Emotion is important in ritual magick. Not fluctuating emotions, but controlled emotions. The more emotionally involved you are during spellwork, the more effective the manifestation. There must be a strong desire in order for a manifestation to take place.


Repetition also plays an important part in manifestation and ritual work. Certain numbers hold mystical power; these numbers are 3, 5, 7, and 9. The ancient Celts were well aware of the significance of repetition and numbers. By repeating rituals or spellwork 3, 5, 7, or 9 times consecutively, the creative activity of the right brain and subconscious mind is reinforced. Repetition becomes the pleasure-pain motivator that influences the creative mind to bring forth the desired manifestation.
 
The number thirteen is very ancient, and is the prime number of importance among the WIccan religion. Traditionally, the seventh son of a seventh son, or the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter, was said to be born witch or magician. There is also an old belief that certain years in a person’s life are years of great importance or destiny. These were considered by the odd numbers of 3. 5. 7. and 9.
 
Among the Celts and Druids, the number three was of great significance. It was considered the balance between two extremes. The Druids even expressed their lore in triads. The Druidic symbol was the Tribann, or the Three Rays of Light. The shamrock symbolized this belief, long before St. Patrick used it to explain the Christian doctrine.
 
The importance of numbers is also shown in the relationship between certain numbers and the planets: Sun, 1 and 4; Moon, 2 and 7; Jupiter, 3; Mercury, 5; Venus, 6; Saturn, 8; and Mars, 9.
 
To effectively work magick, you must believe you can cause things to happen, that you have the power within you to change your life. Until you can reprogram your subconscious mind to believe this, manifestations will take longer to come into being.
 
To begin the changes needed to really believe you can do magick, you must begin by working on your hidden or inner self. You must change bad habits: negative thoughts of yourself, lying, cheating, stealing, broken promises, addictive habits. As you start to create changes in the inner self, you will find that magickal results flow more freely. Your life will manifest health, happiness and prosperity.
 
Some schools of magickal thought will tell you that doing magick for yourself is selfish and wrong. This is an erroneous idea held over from Judeo Christian beliefs and has nothing whatsoever to do with ritual magick and spellworking. The truth is, if you cannot manifest for yourself, you have little chance of manifesting for others.
 
This brings us to one great rule of morality in magick: Do what you will if you harm no being. You never really benefit by deliberately harming another creature through magick. The eventual backlash of karma is not worth the risk. However, one must also look at the opposite side, what happens if evil is left to flourish? In Wicca it is believed that allowing a wrong or evil to exist unhampered is harmful to everybody.
 
There are many ways to solve a problem with troublesome people through the use of positive magick. By no means should you be a doormat when it comes to protecting yourself and your loved ones. Be creative in doing protective spellwork. Brainstorm on paper, if necessary, until you are certain you are aware of all the options, have not limited yourself or destructively harmed others. It is essential to think through your reasons for doing magick.
 
The “Four Powers of the Magus (Magician)” is a very old teaching in magick. It is: to know, to dare, to will, to be silent. To know means to gain the knowledge to do ritual magick; to dare to practice it; to will the manifestation; and to keep silent about what you are doing. The last part is especially important. Talking about magick diffuses its energy flow. Silence also keeps unsympathetic people from directing negative thought towards your effort. People who talk about their magickal operations never ahieve real magick. I firmly believe that a copy of the Four Powers and the Wiccan law of morality should be in every ritual room.
 
The ancient Latin names for the Four Powers of the Magus were: noscere, audere, velle and tacere. It was believed that to be balanced, all these powers had to be present in the magician. There is also a correspondence between the Four Powers and the Four Elements. Noscere(know) corresponds to Air; audere(dare) to Water; velle(will) to Fire; and tacere(silence) to Earth. A fifth power ire(to progress or evolve) corresponds to Spirit.
 
The Celts knew the powers of the Moon phases and used them. In fact, their calendar was based on the lunar year. It is traditional that spellworking for the decrease or removal of problems takes place from after the Full Moon until the New Moon, with the day or night of the New Moon being strongest. Spellworking for increase, growth and gain takes place from after the New Moon until the Full Moon with they or night of the Full Moon being the most powerful.
 
It is logical that the Moon should affect your body and emotions just as it affects the tides of the Earth. After all, most of the human body is made up of water or liquids. The type of energy from the phases of the Moon conceivably will be reflected in your bodies. It is better for magick to work with the flow of Moon energy than against it.
 
Celtic magick basically works with and employs the powers of planetary and natural energies. It is a magick that is in harmony with our planet, indded with our very being. It is a magick that can change your life.
 
 
“Celtic Magic”
D. J. Conway

Who were the Celts?

Who were the Celts?

The Celts were a group of peoples that occupied lands stretching from the British Isles to Gallatia. The Celts had many dealings with other cultures that bordered the lands occupied by these peoples, and even though there is no written record of the Celts stemming from their own documents, we can piece together a fair picture of them from archeological evidence as well as historical accounts from other cultures.

The first historical recorded encounter of a people displaying the cultural traits associated with the Celts comes from northern Italy around 400 BC, when a previously unkown group of barbarians came down from the Alps and displaced the Etruscans from the fertile Po valley, a displacment that helped to push the Etruscans from history’s limelight. The next encounter with the Celts came with the still young Roman Empire, directly to the south of the Po. The Romans in fact had sent three envoys to the beseiged Etruscans to study this new force. We know from Livy’s The Early History of Rome that this first encounter with Rome was quite civilized:

[The Celts told the Roman envoys that] this was indeed the first time they had heard of them, but they assumed the Romans must be a courageous people because it was to them that the [Etruscans] had turned to in their hour of need. And since the Romans had tried to help with an embassy and not with arms, they themselves would not reject the offer of peace, provided the [Etruscans] ceded part of their seperfluous agricultural land; that was what they, the Celts, wanted…. If it were not given, they would launch an attack before the Romans’ eyes, so that the Romans could report back how superior the Gauls were in battle to all others….The Romans then asked whether it was right to demand land from its owners on pain of war, indeed what were the Celts going in Etruria in the first place? The latter defiantly retorted that their right lay in their arms: To the brave belong all things.

The Roman envoys then preceded to break their good faith and helped the Etruscans in their fight; in fact, one of the envoys, Quintas Fabius killed one of the Celtic tribal leaders. The Celts then sent their own envoys to Rome in protest and demand the Romans hand over all members of the Fabian family, to which all three of the original Roman envoys belonged, be given over to the Celts, a move completely in line with current Roman protocol. This of course presented problems for the Roman senate, since the Fabian family was quite powerful in Rome. Indeed, Livy says that:

The party structure would allow no resolution to be made against such noblemanm as justice would have required. The Senate…therefore passed examination of the Celts’ request to the popular assembly, in which power and influence naturally counted for more. So it happened that those who ought to have been punished were instead appointed for the coming year military tribunes with consular powers (the highest that could be granted).

The Celts saw this as a mortal insult and a host marched south to Rome. The Celts tore through the countryside and several battalions of Roman soilders to lay seige to the Capitol of the Roman Empire. Seven months of seige led to negotiations wherby the Celts promised to leave their seige for a tribute of one thousand pounds of gold, which the historian Pliny tells was very difficult for the entire city to muster. When the gold was being weighed, the Romans claimed the Celts were cheating with faulty weights. It was then that the Celts’ leader, Brennus, threw his sword into the balance and and uttered the words vae victis “woe to the Defeated”. Rome never withstood another more humiliating defeat and the Celts made an initial step of magnificent proportions into history.

Other Roman historians tell us more of the Celts. Diodorus notes that:

Their aspect is terrifying…They are very tall in stature, with ripling muscles under clear white skin. Their hair is blond, but not naturally so: they bleach it, to this day, artificially, washing it in lime and combing it back from their foreheaads. They look like wood-demons, their hair thick and shaggy like a horse’s mane. Some of them are cleanshaven, but others – especially those of high rank, shave their cheeks but leave a moustache that covers the whole mouth and, when they eat and drink, acts like a sieve, trapping particles of food…The way they dress is astonishing: they wear brightly coloured and embroidered shirts, with trousers called bracae and cloaks fastened at the shoulder with a brooch, heavy in winter, light in summer. These cloaks are striped or checkered in design, with the seperate checks close together and in various colours.[The Celts] wear bronze helmets with figures picked out on them, even horns, which made them look even taller than they already are…while others cover themselves with breast-armour made out of chains. But most content themselves with the weapons nature gave them: they go naked into battle…Weird, discordant horns were sounded, [they shouted in chorus with their] deep and harsh voices, they beat their swords rythmically against their shields.

Diodorus also describes how the Celts cut off their enemies’ heads and nailed them over the doors of their huts, as Diodorus states:

In exactly the same way as hunters do with their skulls of the animals they have slain…they preserved the heads of their most high-ranking victims in cedar oil, keeping them carefully in wooden boxes.

Diodorus Siculus, History.

By: John Patrick Parle

In terms of a starting point, the Celts probably had their birthplace in the Alsace-Lorraine region of eastern France in the years between 1500-1000 B.C. This is roughly the time when Moses and King David were said to be active in Judea. The Celts of this period were a Bronze Age people, although before long they became the first people north of the Mediterranean civilizations to use iron, giving the Celts a superior position in weapons and tools in their geographic region.

Between 800-400 B.C., a period called the Hallstatt Celtic civilization, the various Celtic tribes began to dominate what is now France (called Gaul then), southern Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Czechoslovakia, western Hungary, and excursions into Great Britain. This period corresponds to the high point of Greek civilization, from Homer to the building of the Parthenon.

From about 400-100 B.C., a period called the La Tene Celtic civilization, the Celtic tribes expanded their dominance into Ireland, northern Italy, parts of Spain, parts of Belgium, Bosnia in the Balkans, and had some presence in southern Scandinavia. This time period is when the Romans began to be a powerhouse in the Mediterranean world.

A couple of Celtic military campaigns are worthy of note. In 390 B.C., invading Celtic armies sacked Rome and held it for seven days. These Celts later marauded down the Italian peninsula as far as Sicily, but were driven back.

The Celts also invaded the region around Greece in circa 285 B.C. They raided Thrace (now in Bulgaria), Macedonia, Illyria, and Thessaly (in northern Greece). A coalition of Greeks finally drove the Celts back after the latter had sacked Delphi (in the center of Greece) in 279 B.C.

At about this time, three tribes of Celts crossed the Dardanelles into Asia Minor (modern Turkey) and established the region of Galatia. St. Paul’s epistle to the Galatians was a letter to the descendants of these Celtic peoples.

(Note the similarity of area names derived from the Gaelic root word: Gaul in modern France, Galicia in Spain, Galatia in present-day Turkey–all dominated at one time by Celtic peoples

Lady A’s Spell of the Day for 8/30:Crystal Healing Spell ~Simple

Crystal Healing Spell ~Simple

 
You Will Need:

  • 3 candles- 2 light blue & 1 white
  • Allspice & Rosemary (equal parts each) or a Healing type incense
  • photo or paper with name of recipient
  • a small quartz crystal

The Spell:

Place the candles on your altar or workspace in a semi-circle with the white candle between the two blue ones. Place your incense burner above the white candle. Place the person’s name in the centre of the layout, with the quartz crystal on top.

Light the incense then the candles. Centre yourself and inhale the incense as you think of all ill health dispelling from the person and instead being replaced by healing energy, much as the air is filled with the smoke of the incense.

Gather your healing energy and when you feel ready, release the energy, directing it through the crystal and to the recipient who’s name or photo is beneath it.

Give the recipient the crystal to carry as a charm for continued good health.

Herb of the day for August 30 is Jujube Berries

Jujube Berries

Botanical: Zizyphus vulgaris (LAMK.)
Family: N.O. Rhamnaceae

—Synonyms—Zizyphus sativa. Brustbeeren. Judendornbeeren. Rhamnus Zizyphus.
—Part Used—Fruit.
—Habitat—Southern Europe.

 

—Habitat—Originally a native of Syria, Zizyphus vulgariswas introduced into Italy in the reign of Augustus, and is now naturalized in Provence, and particularly in the islands of HyŠres, where the berries are largely collected when ripe, and dried in the sun.

The trees average 25 feet in height and are covered with a rough, brown bark. They have many branches, with annual thorny branchlets bearing alternate, oval-oblong leaves of a clear green colour, with three to five strongly-marked, longitudinous veins. The small flowers are pale yellow and solitary. The fruit is a blood-red drupe, the size and shape of an olive, sweet, and mucilaginous in taste, slightly astringent. The pulp becomes softer and sweeter in drying, and the taste more like wine. They have pointed, oblong stones.

—Constituents—A full analysis has not yet been made, but the berries are valued for their mucilage and sugar.

—Medicinal Action and Uses—The Jujube is classed with the raisin, date, and fig as a pectoral fruit, being nutritive and demulcent. It is eaten both fresh and dried.

A syrup and a tisanewere formerly made from it, but the berries are now little used in medicine.

Jujube paste, or ‘Pâte de Jujubes,’ is made of gum-arabic and sugar. It may be dissolved in a decoction of jujubes and evaporated, but is considered as good a demulcentwithout their addition. It is frequently merely mixed with orange-flower water.

A decoction of the rootshas been used in fevers.

An astringent decoction of leaves and branchlets is made in large quantities in Algeria, and seems likely to replace the cachou.

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—Other Species—
Z. Lotos, sometimes also called Z. sativa, of Northern Africa and Z. Jujuba of the East Indies possess similar properties, and are used in their respective countries. Z. Lotos is thought to have been one of the sources of the famous sweet fruits from which the ancient Lotophagi took their name, the liqueur prepared from which caused those who partook of it to forget even their native countries in its enjoyment. The Arabs call it Seedra. In Arabia a kind of bread is made of them by exposing them to the sun for a few days and then pounding them in a wooden mortar to separate the stones. The meal is mixed with water and formed into cakes which after drying in the sun resemble sweet gingerbread.

Z. Bacleiis said to be used in the same way in Africa, and also for making a beverage.

Z. Jujubais largely cultivated by the Chinese, in many varieties as a dessert fruit, some being called Chinese Dates, and it is also one of the main sources of stick-lac.

Z. Cenopliaof India has edible fruits, and the bark is esteemed as a vulnerary.

In Cochin-China the berries of Z. agrestisare eaten.

In Senegal the fruits of Z. Bareleiare slightly styptic, and the negroes use the roots for gonorrhoea. It is probably the same species that is used there in venereal diseases.

A decoction of the dried leaves of Z. Napecais said to be used for washing ulcers in Arabia.

Z. spina Christi, or Rhamnus spina Christi, of Ethiopia, is said to be the source of the crown of thorns placed on the Saviour’s head. The Arabs call it Nabka.

Deity of the Day for August 30 is NUADHU also NUD, NODENS, LUD.

NUADHU also NUD, NODENS, LUD.

“Nuadhu of the silver arm.” God of healing and water; his name suggests “wealth-bringer” and “cloud-maker.” At the first battle of Moytura, Nuadhu lost an arm, and Dian Cecht replaced it with a new one made out of silver. Because of this, Nuadhu was obliged to turn leadership of the Tuatha de’ Dannan over to Lug. People came to be healed at Nuadhu’s temple at Lydney, and small votive limbs made of silver have been found there.

Daily Motivator for Aug. 30 – Power of your thoughts

Power of your thoughts

The focus of your attention enlarges and expands whatever you focus upon. That can either hurt you greatly or help you immensely.

Your complaints, for example, give more power and presence to whatever you complain about. Your love, on the other hand, gives more substance to whatever you love.

Put the focus of your attention not on what you wish to avoid. Instead, constantly direct your attention toward where you would like your life to go.

Your unceasing thoughts have great power. So frame those thoughts in a positive way that will put their power to work for you.

The more you think you are, the more you are. What you do flows surely and steadily from what you think, so keep your thoughts focused on your dreams.

Give life to your best intentions by giving the power of your thoughts to them. Make your dreams real by keeping them constantly in your thoughts.

— Ralph Marston

Daily OM for August 30: Pattern of Pain

Pattern of Pain
Withholding

Emotional pain is at the root of our tendency to withhold, and this causes pain to the people subjected to it.
The most common form of withholding is what we commonly call “the silent treatment,” but withholding encompasses any unwillingness to express your true feelings. It also includes an unwillingness to give support, praise, or positive attention to the people you love. We have all known someone who is impossible to please, and many of us have suddenly found ourselves at the other end of a chilly silence with no explanation. At the same time, many of us will recognize our own tendency to withhold our emotions rather than express them. Most of us have seen both sides of the withholding dilemma. Emotional pain is at the root of our tendency to withhold, and withholding causes pain to the people subjected to it. It is a dysfunctional pattern that creates a breakdown in communication and understanding.

No one deserves to be subjected to withholding. Feeling ignored, disrespected, or shut out, and to not know why, is a terrible feeling. The first thing to remember if this is happening to you is that you are not to blame. You are caught in someone else’s pain pattern. This person does not know how to express feelings in a healthy way probably because this is what they learned when she or he was a child. The second helpful thing to remember is that the withholder is acting out of pain. They are stuck in a habitual mode of response that is self-defeating and alienating to the people they love. Remembering this will help you feel compassion for the person hurting you. However, if you have suffered too long with this pattern, you may need to get some space. Take some time to look at your own patterns and understand why you have taken part in this drama. If you are dealing with people in a family situation, you can step up to the plate to help break the chain of this behavior pattern.

If, on the other hand, it is you that tends to withhold, understand that this is a learned response and it can be unlearned. Find safe places to begin to express all that you’ve been holding back. Begin to make an effort to say what you’re feeling and thinking. Give praise to someone you love. The more you do this, the healthier you and your relationships will become. What was learned over a course of a life cannot be changed overnight—remember, one day at a time.

Affirmation for August 30

Today is a brand new day. Every step I take is anew. Every sight I see is bright. Every sound I hear is musical. Every morsel I taste is a delight. At the end of this day I will slumber peacefully and look forward to a repeat of this day.

Your Daily Number for Aug. 30: 8

You’re ambitious today, and this is good for business. You may engage in work planning, and be looked upon as a source of authority. On the personal front, healing in relationships is possible. You’re a person of influence today, and you may be the recipient of promising news. A lack of care for detail is something of which to be aware.

Fast Facts

About the Number 8

Theme: Power, Responsibility, Good Judgment, Financial Rewards
Astro Association: Leo
Tarot Association: Strength

Today’s Runes for August 30 is Raido

Today’s Runes

Stone Runes are most commonly used for questions about the natural world and things beyond human control. Raido means to ride. In this rune, the image is not so much the riding of a horse as in riding in a cart or as cargo. As such Raido may suggest a journey, but is much more indicative of communication. Alternate interpretations based on the use of Raido as a cognate in other words give it the meaning of council, judgment, and moral correctness. Therefore, this rune is the rune of wise advice and good leadership.

Today’s Tarot Card for August 30th is The Magician

The Magician

This Tarot Deck: Cat People

General Meaning: Traditionally, the Magus is one who can demonstrate hands-on magic — as in healing, transformative rituals, alchemical transmutations, charging of talismans and the like. A modern Magus is any person who completes the circuit between heaven and Earth, one who seeks to bring forth the divine ‘gold’ within her or himself.

At the birth of Tarot, even a gifted healer who was not an ordained clergyman was considered to be in league with the Devil! For obvious reasons, the line between fooling the eye with sleight of hand, and charging the world with magical will was not clearly differentiated in the early Tarot cards.

Waite’s image of the Magus as the solitary ritualist communing with the spirits of the elements — with its formal arrangement of symbols and postures — is a token of the freedom we have in modern times to declare our spiritual politics without fear of reprisal. The older cards were never so explicit about what the Magus was doing. It’s best to keep your imagination open with this card. Visualize yourself manifesting something unique, guided by evolutionary forces that emerge spontaneously from within your soul.

Daily Horoscopes for Tuesday, Aug. 30

We can re-establish balance in our lives with the Moon’s shift into peaceful Libra at 2:25 pm EDT, especially after the recent emotional intensity we’ve experienced. We may feel another kick when the Moon opposes irrepressible Uranus and squares formidable Pluto later this evening. Thankfully, the harmonious and happy effects of a lovely trine between beautiful Venus and opulent Jupiter bless us with good vibrations throughout the day.

 

Aries Horoscope
Aries Horoscope (Mar 21 – Apr 19)

Other people may get on your nerves today if they won’t hurry up and make up their minds. You want answers now and can become frustrated when your impatience gets the best of you. Unfortunately, no one seems to share your sense of urgency. It’s easier once you admit that this problem is more about your needs than anyone else’s shortcomings. Ease up and give your friends a little room to be themselves.

Taurus Horoscope
Taurus Horoscope (Apr 20 – May 20)

You may lack ambition today, even though you have specific chores that still must be finished. But you might not feel the need to jump in and take care of your duties before heading out for a little fun. Be careful about avoiding your obligations because, ironically, you may not be able to relax enough to enjoy yourself if you act irresponsibly.

Gemini Horoscope
Gemini Horoscope (May 21 – Jun 20)

You are looking forward to an easygoing day with the Moon entering your 5th House of Fun and Games. However, there is so much happening in your life these days that you might not have enough time to explore new ways to entertain yourself. But don’t take out your frustration on others. Even if someone seems to be blocking your progress, it isn’t about anyone else’s actions. Changing your own attitude is the only way to overcome the resistance you feel today.

Cancer Horoscope
Cancer Horoscope (June 21 – Jul 22)

You may be unsure about how to handle a family matter today, but it’s certainly not because you don’t care. Rather, you’re so concerned with what’s happening that you see the pros and cons of more than one solution. You may even reach a point of frustration and walk away from the whole situation. Don’t be a quitter; it’s better to just make a choice now, even if you aren’t one hundred percent positive in your decision.

Leo Horoscope
Leo Horoscope (Jul 23 – Aug 22)

You might want to play the role of the diplomat today, placing yourself between two other people who are in the middle of an ongoing disagreement. You’re able to listen to each version of the story and still remain neutral and levelheaded. Just remember that you aren’t the final arbiter of truth and justice. Instead, you’ll be most effective if you can simply help the conflicted parties find some common ground on which to stand.

Virgo Horoscope
Virgo Horoscope (Aug 23 – Sep 22)

You might not be as in touch with your feelings today as you were over the past few days when the Moon was visiting your sign. Thankfully, you are able to cool off emotionally now, enabling your critical thinking to lead you in a sensible direction. But don’t be overly judgmental and end up saying no to everything. Keep in mind that this isn’t about lowering your standards; rather, it’s about remaining open to unknown possibilities.

Libra Horoscope
Libra Horoscope (Sep 23 – Oct 22)

The Moon returns to your sign today, possibly overwhelming you with powerful feelings. Thankfully, you should be able to keep working toward your goals if you’re able to integrate your emotions into what you’re doing. You may be sure enough about your ideas that you can easily go along with any group decision. Unfortunately, others may think that your willingness to yield is a sign of weakness. Don’t try to convince anyone that they are wrong. Keep your integrity intact and others will shift their assumptions over time.

Scorpio Horoscope
Scorpio Horoscope (Oct 23 – Nov 21)

You are willing to tell others how you feel, but may not have the need because you’re probably a lot more flexible today than you seem. However, you certainly don’t want to come across as weak or undecided, so you might just choose a side and then remain loyal to whatever you pick. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter if you are right; what’s more important now is that you’re following your bliss.

Sagittarius Horoscope
Sagittarius Horoscope (Nov 22 – Dec 21)

You would like to participate in some summer fun with your friends today because being in a group of like-minded people is nourishing to your soul. However, you might not be eager to relinquish your authority or let go of control. Ironically, everyone else may believe that you have things more together than you actually do. This is tricky territory; if you don’t show some vulnerability now, others may not be able to help you later on when you really need it.

Capricorn Horoscope
Capricorn Horoscope (Dec 22 – Jan 19)

It feels as if everyone expects you to be able to pull the right answers out of thin air today; however, you may not be willing to play their game. As interested as you are in being correct, you’re not as concerned with choosing one solution over another. What’s most critical now is to navigate by your own moral compass instead; if you do, you’ll find a way out of the current dilemma.

Aquarius Horoscope
Aquarius Horoscope (Jan 20 – Feb 18)

Everything seems to work well up to a point today. You’re willing to create a plan and then execute it, but you must be ready to set it aside if circumstances change and obstacles stand in your path. Instead of attempting to make a run for the finish line, take your time and handle any issues that pop up along the way. Slow and steady wins the race.

Pisces Horoscope
Pisces Horoscope (Feb 19 – Mar 20)

You’re interested in getting to the bottom of an emotional issue now that could be getting in the way of the intimacy you seek. Discussing your attractions and desires is not enough to deepen the bond, because it becomes harder to talk about your feelings when you’re scared of losing your rational perspective. Nevertheless, you’re safer today than you realize, so let your emotions wash over you without any fear of drowning.