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The Seven Branches of Celtic Wisdom

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By Carl McColman
(Author's note: this first appeared in the November 2002 issue of Energy Works magazine).
 
Celtic spirituality is a hot topic. From the mysteries of the Holy Grail to the primitive rituals of the druids... From the awe-inspiring power of Merlin the Magician and Morgan LeFay to the visionary piety of saints like Patrick and Bridget... The world of the Celts, from ancient times to the present, is a world most of us think of as deeply mystical, otherworldly, filled with the wisdom and lore of fairies, seers, and sages.
 
But how does a person actually weave Celtic wisdom and spirituality into his or her life? Indeed, there are seven primary portals, or gateways, into the realms of Celtic magic. Some of these doorways are religious in nature: Christianity, Wicca, and Neopaganism are religious pathways, each of which includes a historical or modern Celtic connection. Other paths are less defined, but exist nevertheless. From the mystical quest for the Holy Grail to the healing rituals of ancient shamans... From the philosophical rumination of modern druids to the nature-based folklore of fairy belief, there's a pathway into the Celtic world for every temperament and taste. Read on, and see which of the Celtic portals speak to you!
 
Celtic Shamanism
Several modern writers and teachers, including John Matthews, Francesca De Grandis, and Tom Cowan, have explored the unity between primal Celtic spirituality and shamanism: Earth's oldest spiritual path, practiced by tribal priests and magicians in indigenous cultures the world over. Globally speaking, shamanism is a path based in connecting with the powers and energies of the natural world to access psychic ability, healing power, and divination skill. Shamans connect with spirit guides, power animals, and ancestral entities, seeking guidance to provide healing and empowerment to their tribe. And yes, in its most primal form, Celtic spirituality includes all of these qualities.
 
Celtic Shamanism may be for you if:
• You're interested in how animals, plants, and trees were considered sources of wisdom and power in ancient Celtic lore—and would like to access that wisdom and power for yourself, today.
• You are drawn to other forms of shamanism (such as native American spirituality) but want your spirituality to have a more Celtic focus.
 
• You are especially interested in spirit contact, including connecting with the spirits of your ancestors or spirits from the natural world.
 
Celtic Fairy Spirituality
Closely related to shamanism is the "fairy faith," based on honoring the fairies: the nature entities said to be the ongoing spirits of the old gods and goddesses worshiped before the coming of Christianity. Scholars believe that the fairy traditions are the last remaining vestiges of the spirituality that once was practiced by druids and seers like Merlin and Morgan LeFay. Today's fairy spirituality is a "homegrown" path, still practiced in the rural areas of Scotland and Ireland where it has existed for generations. The fairy faith survives in legends and lore, speaking to anyone who loves a good story told around the fire.
 
Celtic Fairy Spirituality may be for you if:
• You enjoy the myths and legends and folklore associated with the Celtic fairy traditions.
• You are comfortable blending Christian and pagan spirituality together.
• You believe you have a particular connection with one or more Celtic fairies.
 
Celtic Christianity
Although Christianity only came to the Celtic lands between the second and sixth centuries of our era, today it remains the mostly widely practiced spirituality among people with Celtic blood. Looking at the unique ways in which Christianity has been practiced in Celtic lands, one might ask, "Who converted who?" Celtic Christianity is deeply ecological, optimistic, and poetic; far more beautiful and lovely than other expressions of the Christian religion. Today, Celtic Christianity especially appeals to Christians who want to find a way to honor nature while remaining faithful to their religious beliefs.
 
Celtic Christianity may be for you if:
• You are already a Christian (or feel drawn to Christian spirituality) and would like to express your faith in a Celtic way.
• You feel especially connected to great Celtic saints, like Patrick, Bridget, or Columba.
• You want to practice a spirituality that honors just one supreme God.
 
Modern Druidism
The ancient druid orders were destroyed, first by political conquest as the Roman empire destroyed most of the free Celtic states, and then by spiritual conquest as Christianity swept across the Celtic lands. But Celts (and non-Celts) have long been fascinated by this ancient order of sages, and many attempts to revive druidism have occurred over the centuries. Today, dozens of druid organizations exist worldwide, each dedicated to reviving ancient Celtic wisdom in practical modern ways. Modern druids tend to be more philosophical than spiritual, and many druids also practice another religion (such as Christianity, Wicca, or even Buddhism!).
 
Modern Druidism may be for you if:
• You feel particularly drawn to the druids of old, or feel interested in learning more about modern druid groups.
• You would like to practice a spirituality that blends Celtic wisdom with other mystical or esoteric systems, such as ceremonial magic or theosophy.
• You want to explore Celtic wisdom from a philosophical perspective rather than a religious or spiritual perspective.
 
Celtic Wicca
One of the most significant spiritual megatrends of recent years has been the explosion of interest in Wicca, or ethical religious witchcraft. Although Wicca is primarily based on British and Italian witchcraft, it does have some Celtic influences, notably in terms of the holidays it celebrates (four of the eight main Wiccan holidays are Gaelic in origin), while some of the mythology of Wicca is Celtic in origin. While it is not technically correct to call Wicca a "Celtic" spiritual path, it (like Christianity) can be meaningful when it integrates Celtic symbolism.
 
Celtic Wicca may be for you if:
• You are especially interested in magic and witchcraft.
• You are comfortable blending Celtic wisdom with ideas from other spiritual traditions from around the world.
• You want to practice a spirituality that honors one Goddess and one God, seeing the many gods and goddesses of Celtic tradition as "aspects" of the Lord and Lady.
 
Celtic Neopaganism
While Celtic shamanism and Celtic Wicca are popular, not all people interested in finding a nature-based expression of Celtic spirituality feel comfortable with these multi-cultural forms of spirituality. A small but dedicated group of people have formed a vibrant online community in recent years of Neopagans who are attempting, through both spiritual and scholarly means, to create as "purely" Celtic a spirituality as is possible. Many Celtic Neopagans stress the importance of learning a Celtic language, like Irish or Welsh, and approach their spirituality from a polytheistic perspective, honoring spirit through many gods and goddesses.
 
Celtic Neopaganism may be for you if:
• You would like to revive, as closely as possible, the ancient pre Christian spirituality of the Celts, free of any modern or non-Celtic influences.
• You are interested in archaeology, comparative mythology, and Indo European studies, and are willing to do the scholarly work necessary to "get it right."
• You want to practice a spirituality that honors the many different Celtic gods and goddesses.
 
The Grail Quest
For many people, the loveliest doorway into the Celtic world involves the myths and legends of Camelot, King Arthur, and the Holy Grail. The Grail itself is a curious symbol, merging pagan Celtic symbolism of a cauldron of abundance with Christian mysticism related to the cup (grail) used by Jesus at the last supper. To this day, much speculation goes on over the location of the "real" grail, but to many spiritual seekers, the most important quality of the Holy Grail is what it symbolizes, spiritually: as a sign of enlightenment or union with God.
 
The Grail Quest may be for you if:
• You feel drawn to Merlin, Morgan LeFay, or the other wisdomkeepers of Arthurian myth.
• You enjoy the mysteries surrounding the Holy Grail, and enjoy learning about this elusive topic.
• For you, the Grail is more than just a missing relic of the past—it is a living symbol of humankind's ultimate mystical destiny (enlightenment; union with the divine).
 
Finding Your Path
As you can see, the seven paths overlap one another: Christianity and the Grail Quest share much in common, as do shamanism and fairy spirituality. Perhaps one of these paths clearly beckons you to follow; or perhaps you feel drawn to two or more. There is no one "right" way to explore the Celtic way, except perhaps the importance of being true to your own heart.

How, then, does one embark upon the Celtic journey? You can visit the internet to find websites devoted to the Celtic vision; and your local metaphysical bookstore probably stocks a variety of books related to these paths. But perhaps the best way to explore Celtic spirituality is to connect with nature. After all, the Celtic path involves seeking spiritual insight within the air you breathe, the water you drink, and the land where you stand. Such reverence for nature is the heart of the Celtic way.