Guest Post by Elaine Ní Chiardha
All native spiritualities, including Celtic and pre-Celtic Irish traditions, teach the interconnection between all beings - between humans and the beings of nature, and indeed the spirit world. To return to and remember this awareness, which is innate to us all, is to heal. To heal ourselves, our relationship to one another and to the world. It is true, the old adage - nature is the greatest healer.
Read MoreThis is the third time we begin the month with a tarot or oracle card. And, once again, it is an uncanny pick. Here we are in March and I drew a picture of March hares. I must admit that I have only a distant memory of the March hare in Alice in Wonderland and a fainter memory yet of the phrase “mad as a March hare”. A bit of research tells me these big hares do live in Celtic lands, that they jump around and “box” all night, acting mad from a human perspective. People are most likely to witness this crazy activity at dawn in March when light is optimal and breeding season makes the hares most active. Thus, the Brits coined the term “mad as a March hare”.
Read MoreCeltic legend has it that the salmon is the oldest of all living creatures. Like other indigenous peoples, the Celts believed animals had spirits and that each species held unique energies or values. Some were imbued with healing properties (like Native American medicine spirits), others were considered omens or charms. The salmon represented wisdom.
Read MoreI like to stay mindful of the Celtic calendar because it heightens my awareness of the turnings of seasons and the activities of the sun and moon as they change throughout the year. Sometimes, in the busy-ness of our modern world with its artificial lighting and 24/7 scheduling, I forget.
Read MoreHave you ever had an overwhelming feeling of familiarity while being in a place or situation, but you know is seems impossible that you were there in this lifetime? Did visiting a particular historical place, watching a movie or reenactments of historical events and battles trigger a feeling or memory? Maybe you are drawn to a particular era of time while studying history and getting an “A” on the topics of Ancient Egypt.
Read MoreIn December I began what I intend to be a monthly ritual on this blog: drawing a Celtic Oracle or Tarot card to shed light on considerations for the month. As I mentioned then, I draw these cards to focus a meditation or invite contemplation and reflection. It is uncanny how helpful they often are.
Read MoreAmidst the Stones is free on Kindle today and tomorrow in honor of St. Brigid Day! Visit Amazon.com to get your copy.
Read MoreFebruary 1 (sometimes February 2} is Imbolc, the Celtic festival between winter solstice and spring equinox. As with all the Celtic holidays, it celebrates the coming of the light and is set around a fire burning throughout the night, with the emphasis on preparing for the season ahead…
Read MoreCeltic Spirituality continues to be a popular topic—and one close to my heart. Yet some have suggested that modern forms of ‘Celtic Spirituality’ are just wishful fabrication. As J.R.R. Tolkien said, “Celtic 'is a magic bag, into which anything may be put, and out of which almost anything may come.”
Read MoreGuest blogger for January 21, 2019 is Kenneth McIntosh, author of Water From The Ancient Well and other books on Celtic spirituality. He has traveled extensively in the British Isles and has presented workshops in both the U.K. and the U.S on the topic. He also serves as minister of The United Church of Christ in Honeoye, New York. I have been enjoying exchanging ideas and experiencing based on our shared passion for the subject and am sure you will enjoy his views as well. Check him out on Facebook, Amazon and/or Anamchara Books.
Read MoreSo many readers of my new novel Amidst the Stones of Celtic Ireland asked questions about what is real and what is fiction within the book, that I decided to write a blog about it. If you haven’t read the book yet, I will try not to spoil it, but you will hear the general themes that unfold.
Read MoreFull moons have a beauty, a magic, a magnificence of their own; even more so when aligned with a Celtic stone circle. I marvel at these Neolithic sites and wonder what the Ancient Ones knew that gave them the knowledge and the motivation to create them…
Read More
