Calling all Celtic witches, Druids, Recons or generally well-informed individuals.

[tseringdolma]

Re: Calling all Celtic witches, Druids, Recons or generally well-informed individuals

It's a tricky one, I work with a mix of Irish/Scottish Celtic deities and find that a lot of the information out there is very subjective to the authors beliefs rather than being of Celtic Lore or the result of reconstuctional research. I sometimes find it hard to sort the chaff from the wheat.
Sorry it's not much help. I really hope you find the answers you are looking for.

[Jembru]

Re: Calling all Celtic witches, Druids, Recons or generally well-informed individuals

It's a tricky one, I work with a mix of Irish/Scottish Celtic deities and find that a lot of the information out there is very subjective to the authors beliefs rather than being of Celtic Lore or the result of reconstuctional research. I sometimes find it hard to sort the chaff from the wheat.
Sorry it's not much help. I really hope you find the answers you are looking for.

Actually, you ARE being helpful. It's reassuring to know it's not my ability to research that's at fault. On the whole, I go for a 'trust my instincts' approach. I feel that my gods may not neccessarily want me to worship them as they were historically, but might prefer me to follow a more contemporary path. I still like to know how things were, even if thet's not how I feel things must be for me, if you know what I mean..

[tseringdolma]

Re: Calling all Celtic witches, Druids, Recons or generally well-informed individuals

Yeah, to know how your Gods have been worshiped through the ages and where things came from is always interesting knowledge to have even if your path is not so much down a recon road or "to the book". The ways in which I worship my Gods is very much a case of what feels right, and practice that fits in with my everyday life... it may not be how others do/done it, but I'm sure the Gods don't mind.

[Gobae]

Re: Calling all Celtic witches, Druids, Recons or generally well-informed individuals

I have not found a "historically true" MMC Celtic deity. Usually, authors who make this claim have made some compromises with the available evidence. Either blurring national distinctions (Irish vs Welsh for example) or bringing in similar goddesses that have similar names and use lightly sourced linguistics.

Bridgit and the Morrigan are often cited as triple goddesses. And indeed, while they do have triple aspects, they don't come in an MMC format. They also seem to be some of the few Celtic goddesses that have triple aspects. It doesn't seem to be as common in Celtic lore as is often stated my modern pagan books.

[Maria de Luna]

Re: Calling all Celtic witches, Druids, Recons or generally well-informed individuals

I have not found a "historically true" MMC Celtic deity. Usually, authors who make this claim have made some compromises with the available evidence. Either blurring national distinctions (Irish vs Welsh for example) or bringing in similar goddesses that have similar names and use lightly sourced linguistics.

Bridgit and the Morrigan are often cited as triple goddesses. And indeed, while they do have triple aspects, they don't come in an MMC format. They also seem to be some of the few Celtic goddesses that have triple aspects. It doesn't seem to be as common in Celtic lore as is often stated my modern pagan books.

I'm with Gobae on this one, I can only refer to old irish translations of ancient irish text, (and I have to get those translated into english) I have seen places where a few different names have been used to refer to the same "person." But I'm honestly not sure I would even use tripple to describe them, because it seems like there are often more than just 3 used, and maiden mother crone is not exactly how I would decribe it eigther. Some people will find ways to fit things into the space that they want, that said, I don't hyave the refrences for the goddesses you are describing, so i don't know.

[Aurora]

Re: Calling all Celtic witches, Druids, Recons or generally well-informed individuals

I think a large part of the problem you may run into when dealing with British specific Deities is that Britain and Gaul were pretty much ruled by Rome at the time most of the information we do have comes from. So, that coupled with the fact that the Celts in general didn't write anything down makes it more complicated.

That being said, I do have a few sources for you! I think they might be what you are looking for, but they are far from complete.

I am new so I cannot post links, however here are the names of two websites to google:

Timeless Myths (which covers mythology from all Celtic areas, and other mythologies)
and
Classic Celtic Wicca (which deals with the merging of Roman and Gaulish/British religion and cultures)

Hope this helps!

[Jembru]

Re: Calling all Celtic witches, Druids, Recons or generally well-informed individuals

I think a large part of the problem you may run into when dealing with British specific Deities is that Britain and Gaul were pretty much ruled by Rome at the time most of the information we do have comes from. So, that coupled with the fact that the Celts in general didn't write anything down makes it more complicated.

That being said, I do have a few sources for you! I think they might be what you are looking for, but they are far from complete.

I am new so I cannot post links, however here are the names of two websites to google:

Timeless Myths (which covers mythology from all Celtic areas, and other mythologies)
and
Classic Celtic Wicca (which deals with the merging of Roman and Gaulish/British religion and cultures)

Hope this helps!

Oh cool! I'll check those out and see what info I can find. Thanks for that!

- - - Updated - - -

What the... Brigantia's consort was the God Bregans? Where the heck did they pluck that from? Besides his name possibly being from the same root, there is no way anyone can claim this. He is my patron (so yes, I do worship these together) and I know he is known from ONE sole inscription in Slack.

Same old guesswork and making stuff up that I am used to, but hey, it's somehow reassuring to learn that other devotees of Brigantia have found her alongside Bregans. Not just reassuring but pretty amazing even.

For me, he came to me purely by accident. Just a name that came to my mind during a meditation at work while I was trying to connect to a god I believed was the local deity Vitiris. I'll be blogging about it in the New Year.

[Nordic Druid]

Re: Calling all Celtic witches, Druids, Recons or generally well-informed individuals

Merry meet, friend.

I do not have much knowledge of Brythonnic celticism, but I am a Celtic recon in the Gaelic aspect. I am not sure if Pictish is a group of Brythonnic celticism, but i do know that it is seperate from West Scottish Celtic culture.(East Scotland was the Pictish kingdom, West Scotland were the kingdoms of Strathclyde and Dalriada, both of Gaelic Scotti culture.)
I can tell you that whatever Celtic tradition you are from, the Gods and Goddesses of the Celts are pretty much the same, with slight variations in personalities and powers. So you can probably find Gods and Goddesses from other traditions that match the descriptions of yours.

[QuercusRobur]

Re: Calling all Celtic witches, Druids, Recons or generally well-informed individuals

Basically, I just want to know if there is anyone here who could maybe advise me and help answer questions about Brythonic deities, religion, magic. In fact, even knowledge of Celtic beliefs from elsewhere would help.

There's two books that may be helpful : Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology by James McKillop and The Religion of the Celts by J.A. MacCulloch. The latter is available on the Sacred Texts website. You may find it useful searching on Sacred Texts for various deities, although I remember that MacCulloch had a list of English Celtic deities. As for magic, I'm still trying to put together an Irish system of magic after years of trying. One day I will get there...

[Jembru]

Re: Calling all Celtic witches, Druids, Recons or generally well-informed individuals

There's two books that may be helpful : Oxford Dictionary of Celtic Mythology by James McKillop and The Religion of the Celts by J.A. MacCulloch. The latter is available on the Sacred Texts website. You may find it useful searching on Sacred Texts for various deities, although I remember that MacCulloch had a list of English Celtic deities. As for magic, I'm still trying to put together an Irish system of magic after years of trying. One day I will get there...

I'd be very interested if you ever wished to share what you have so far! The deeper I'm getting into working with Brigantia, the more I'm pulling away from traditional wiccan ritual styles. I'm very loosely taking inspiration from surviving religions from elsewhere. I think I've mentioned before, but I've been quite inspired by Hinduism, because seemingly there is a common ancestral religion. It might be like studying trees in order to understand grass, it's better than nothing at all.

Mainly though, although some purists might not like it, I get a lot just from my gut feelings. After all, it's my path so only I need to like it!

It would be very interesting though, to compare my working style with others who are feeling it out for themselves, to see if there are any common characteristics.

[QuercusRobur]

Re: Calling all Celtic witches, Druids, Recons or generally well-informed individuals

I'd be very interested if you ever wished to share what you have so far!

I haven't got very far : I've developed a circle casting based on stuff I read in one of Lady Wilde's books, I can post that in a new thread if you want, plus writing spells in quatrains.

[Louisvillian]

Re: Calling all Celtic witches, Druids, Recons or generally well-informed individuals

Is there even the smallest bit of evidence that any Celtic people had a concept of goddess anything like the wiccan three-fold goddess?

For the most part, no. The only real contender against that is Brigid, who is referred to having triple aspects. But it's ambiguous as to whether it's three goddesses with a joint identity, a single goddess with three identities, or three separate goddesses that merely share a name and some abilities. I would put my money on the last option, but I'm not as up to date on Celtic mythology as I am on Greek myths.

On that note, the only goddess who really fits the bill when it comes to Wicca's triple goddess ideal is the Greek titaness Hekate. She is explicitly depicted in art and statuary as having three heads or faces that look in different directions--youthful past, nurturing present, and ageing future.

[Lennaboef]

Re: Calling all Celtic witches, Druids, Recons or generally well-informed individuals

I am currently reading a book by J. A. MacCulloch called 'The religion of the ancient celts' amongst many other books. You can easily find it as an e-book online, though you can probably also find it in physical form if that's what you prefer.
it might help.

[QuercusRobur]

Re: Calling all Celtic witches, Druids, Recons or generally well-informed individuals

For the most part, no. The only real contender against that is Brigid, who is referred to having triple aspects. But it's ambiguous as to whether it's three goddesses with a joint identity, a single goddess with three identities, or three separate goddesses that merely share a name and some abilities. I would put my money on the last option, but I'm not as up to date on Celtic mythology as I am on Greek myths.

There are quite a few Irish triple deities, both male and female. Among the female ones are The Morrigu triplet, the aforementioned Brigit and the three sisters who gave their names to Ireland : Banba, Fodla and Eriu who married the male triplet Mac Cuill, Mac Greine and Mac Cecht. Also among the male ones are what the Lebor Gabala Erenn names as the Three Gods of the Tuatha De Danann : Brian, Iuchar and Iucharba.

I guess Graves couldn't shoehorn a triple male god into anything like he did with the triple females.

[Louisvillian]

Re: Calling all Celtic witches, Druids, Recons or generally well-informed individuals

My understand of those was that they were trios of separate deities, like the Fates or the Graces in Greek polytheism. Which isn't really the typical meaning of "Triple Goddess" as used by Neopagans influenced by Graves, i.e. Wicca.