"All myths and sagas and legends are like a shimmering veil of many colours, stirred now and then by the wind of our desires, but still hiding from most of us that Council of the Wise seated at the Round Table of the Stars... But between us and them lies the gulf of our arrogance and the mists of our unbelief." The Flaming Door is perhaps Eleanor Merry's most famous work and made an important contribution to the renewal of Celtic mythology. Slumbering in the ancient sagas and legends are the secrets of initiation: when men and women found their way through the 'flaming door', the threshold between the physical and spiritual worlds. The book falls into two parts: before Christ, which includes studies of The Bards, The Cauldron of Ceridwen and Hu the Mighty; and after Christ, which includes the Legends of Odrum, St Columba and the Legends of the Rose and the Lily.

The Celtic Book of the Dead is a 42-card oracle based on the ancient Irish story of the Voyage of Maelduin, given here in a new translation by Caitlin Matthews. The locations of Maelduin's voyage form the route toward the Blessed Isles that lie west of Ireland; for him, and for the reader, each island reveals the wonders and challenges as he sails nearer to the heart of the Celtic Otherworld. As with the Egyptian Book of the Dead, this oracle gives the soul opportunities to purify, clarify, and refocus. Filled with wonders, terrors, and transformational experiences, each island represents a staging post on the reader's own voyage to self-discovery. As the islands reveal gifts that can be resources for the human condition, so too, solutions and strategies for unknotting life's tangles may be found. The cards have three uses: to divine the path ahead as a guide to the soul's direction, as a way of meditation for personal and environmental healing, and as a Book of the Dead for the dying. This oracle offers a grown-up method of divination and meditation, based on an ancient northwestern European tradition.

This is a comprehensive and thought-provoking exploration of some of the metaphysical notions that are the foundation of modern druidic thought and practice. It is a serious and informed contribution to an often-neglected area of the modern Druid Way in which past practice is all too often rekindled without an attendant understanding of past psychology or philosophical perceptions. In this, it is a manifesto for a Druid Way that is both true to its Celtic roots and responsive to the modern world.

Scottish Witchcraft is an introduction and guide to the magickal folk traditions of the Highlands of Scotland. Author Barbara Meiklejohn-Free, a Scottish hereditary witch, takes you on a journey through her own spiritual awakening into the craft and shares the ins and outs of incorporating these ancient magical traditions into your own life. Discover the secrets to divination, scrying, faerie magic, and communicating with ancestors. Explore herb and plant lore, Scottish folk traditions, and magic rituals for your specific needs. Filled with inspiring anecdotes, craft history, and step-by-step instructions, this book will help you begin a new chapter of spiritual discovery.

Why this is not another book on Celtic astrology. To our knowledge, there is no other book on the topic of ancient Celtic astrology. It is an in-depth research on what was, or must have been, the speculations and teachings of the ancient Druids on the subjects of cosmology, astronomy and astrology. Our present understanding of what was Celtic astrology is based mainly on the speculations of modern authors such as Robert Graves, et alia, and thus suffers many misconceptions. The critical review of eminent scholars such as the Vedantist Dr. David Frawley, the Celticist Joseph Monard, provided a plausible working model for ancient druidical astrology. To my knowledge, no other book has thoroughly expounded this difficult subject.

Longlisted for the Highland Book Prize 2020 From the author of The Long Take, shortlisted for the Booker Prize and winner of both the Walter Scott Prize and the Goldsmiths Prize. 'I've long admired Robin Robertson's narrative gift . . . If you love stories, you will love this book.' Val McDermid Like some lost chapters from the Celtic folk tradition, Grimoire tells stories of ordinary people caught up, suddenly, in the extraordinary: tales of violence, madness and retribution, of second sight, witches, ghosts, selkies, changelings and doubles, all bound within a larger mythology, narrated by a doomed shape-changer - a man, beast or god. A grimoire is a manual for invoking spirits. Here, Robin Robertson and his brother Tim Robertson - whose accompanying images are as unforgettable as cave-paintings - raise strange new forms which speak not only of the potency of our myths and superstitions, but how they were used to balance and explain the world and its predicaments. From one of our most powerful lyric poets, this is a book of curses and visions, gifts both desired and unwelcome, characters on the cusp of their transformation - whether women seeking revenge or saving their broken children, or men trying to save themselves. Haunting and elemental, Grimoire is full of the same charged beauty as the Scottish landscape - a beauty that can switch, with a mere change in the weather, to hostility and terror.

Harness the mythic power of the Celtic goddesses, gods, heroes and heroines to aid your spiritual quests and magical goals. This book explains how to use creative ritual and pathworking to align yourself with the energy of these archetypes, whose potent images live deep within your psyche. The book begins with an overview of 49 different types of Celtic Paganism followed today, then gives specific instructions for evoking and invoking the energy of the Celtic patheon to channel it toward magickal and spiritual goals and into esbat, sabbat and life transition rituals. Three detailed pathworking texts will take the reader on an inner journey where they will join forces with the archetypal images of Cuchulain, Queen Maeve and Merlin the Magician to bring their energies directly into the reader's life. The last half of the book clearly details the energies of over 300 Celtic deities and mythic figures to evoke or invoke the appropriate deity to attain a specific goal. The book should help solitary pagans who seek to expand the boundaries of their practice to form working partnerships with the divine.

Druidism evolved out of the tribal cultures of Britain, Ireland and western France over two thousand years ago. In the seventeenth century it experienced a revival, which has continued to this day. Contemporary Druids can now be found all over the world, and Druidry's appeal lies in its focus on a reverence for the natural world, a belief in the value of personal creativity and of developing a sense of communion with the powers of nature and the spirit. Druidry's startling recent growth lies in its broad appeal: some treat it as a philosophy, others as a religion, still others as a path of self-development. Druids can be Pagan, or can be followers of other faiths, and a Druid ceremony might include Christian and Buddhist Druids alongside Pagan and Wiccan Druids. Philip Carr-Gomm explains the practical value of following Druidism today, and examines its core beliefs and relevance to the contemporary issues that face us all.

Trees mirror in many ways the life cycle of human beings: they are born from seed, they breathe and drink, they grow to maturity, reproduce and eventually die from age or disease. Their branches, roots and the veins of their leaves resemble human blood vessels, and certain species even ooze a reddish, blood-like sap when damaged.From ancient times, people appreciated the spiritual value of trees, singling out individual trees for special veneration. In Ireland the roots of tree worship reach deep into pagan Celtic religion and spirituality. Christine Zucchelli looks at these trees, from Fairy Thorns to Rag Trees, from Mass Bushes to Monument Trees. This fascinating exploration of their stories and legends reveals their spiritual, social and historical functions from pagan times to the present.

This book provides a comprehensive overview of Celtic mythology and religion, encompassing numerous aspects of ritual and belief. Topics include the presence of the Celtic Otherworld and its inhabitants, cosmology and sacred cycles, wisdom texts, mythological symbolism, folklore and legends, and an appreciation of the natural world. Evidence is drawn from the archaeology of sacred sites, ethnographic accounts of the ancient Celts and their beliefs, medieval manuscripts, poetic and visionary literature, and early modern accounts of folk healers and seers. New translations of poems, prayers, inscriptions and songs from the early period (Gaulish, Old Irish and Middle Welsh) as well as the folklore tradition (Modern Irish, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Cornish, Breton and Manx) complement the text. Information of this kind has never before been collected as a compendium of the indigenous wisdom of the Celtic-speaking peoples, whose traditions have endured in various forms for almost three thousand years.

Following on from Healing Power of Celtic Plants, Angela Paine's latest book covers a new range of Celtic medicinal plants which are native to Britain, as well as a few plants, such as Sage and Rosemary, which were introduced by the Romans. Combining the latest scientific data on the healing properties of the herbs used by the ancient Celts with recent archaeological discoveries, written in a jargon-free, easy to understand narrative style and offering a botanical description of each plant, an outline of their chemical constituents, and advice on ways to grow, harvest, preserve and use each plant, Healing Plants of the Celtic Druids is an essential guide.

The activities of Jesus before the start of his ministry at the age of thirty have been the subject of much speculation. Did he travel beyond the bounds of Palestine in his search for wisdom knowledge? Where did he acquire the great learning which amazed those who heard him preaching and enabled him to cross swords in debate with Scribes and Pharisees? A number of legends suggest that Jesus travelled to the British Isles with Joseph of Arimathea, who worked in the tin trade. With these legends as his starting point, Gordon Strachan uncovers a fascinating network of connections between the Celtic world and Mediterranean culture and philosophy. Taking the biblical image of Wisdom as the 'master craftsman', Strachan explores the deep layers of Mystery knowledge shared between the Judaic-Hellenic world and the northern Druids -- from the secret geometry of masons and builders, which Jesus would have encountered in his work as a craftsman in Palestine, to the Gematria or number coding of the Old and New Testaments. This book is the basis of the film documentary 'And Did Those Feet' which screened at the BFI in London in 2010.

This book provides an accessible, light, and spiritually thoughtful introduction to how anyone can live and celebrate Celtic spirituality every day of the year. Contents: * This book offers readers from a variety of backgrounds and perspectives a user-friendly guide into the traditions of the 'Celtic nations' - Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, Brittany, and Galicia. This book draws on sources from throughout the Celtic Tradition (myth, folklore, Arthurian romance, poetry, lives of the saints, and ballads) and presents the universal spiritual principles at the foundation of the Celtic world view.

The mythologies of the world are collective cultural dreams, and as such should be analyzed first from cultural perspectives. How do myths of the ancient Egyptians or Greeks, for instance, reflect the realities of the Egyptian and Greek cultures? When compared, however, mythologies reveal certain universal themes or motifs that point to larger trans-cultural issues such as the place of the human species in creation or the nature of deity as a concept. World Mythology: A Very Short Introduction is organized around the universal motifs. Creation, the Flood, the Hero Quest, the Trickster/Culture Hero, the Pantheons, the High God, the Great Goddess. Veteran mythology scholar David Leeming examines examples of each motif from a variety of cultures-Greek, Egyptian, Norse, American Indian, African, Polynesian, Jewish, Christian, Hindu-treating them as reflections of the cultures that "dreamed" them. He compares and analyzes them, exposing their universal significance and creating a "world mythology."

Tom Cowan's latest book weaves together chapters about the interplay of soul and nature, and describes how this interplay creates mystical pathways between the human and nonhuman worlds. Each beautifully crafted chapter is a small window into the mysteries of nature and soul, a meditation on Spirit infusing our daily lives. Cowan draws on the teachings of medieval mystics, legends of fairies, Celtic songs, present-day poets and seekers, and Native American stories.

A very readable guide which fills the gap between academic analysis and less critical retellings of the myths and legends. Marytn Whittock provides an accessible overview while also assessing the current state of research regarding the origins and significance of the myths. Since all records of the myths first occur in the early medieval period, the focus is on the survival of pre-Christian mythology and the interactions of the early Christian writers with these myths. A wide-ranging and enthralling introduction to Celtic mythology, from the Irish gods before gods, the Fomorians, to the children of Llyr, the sea deity; from the hunter-warrior Fionn mac Cumhaill, whose exploits are chronicled in the Fenian Cycle, to Cu Chulainn, the Hound of Ulster; and from the Welsh heroes of the Mabinogion to Arthur, King of Britain, though the mythical, Welsh version who predates the medieval legends.

This introduction to modern Druidism provides a comprehensive overview of today's Pagan religion and philosophy, whose roots go back to the Celtic tribal societies of ancient Britain and Ireland. The author covers Druidism's mythology, history and important figures and its beliefs and moral system, and describes practices, rituals and ceremonies. A gazetteer of important sacred sites in Europe and America is included, along with information about modern Druid groups and organizations.

When they discover Celtic spirituality, many Christians feel that in some sense they have come home. As they begin to explore the people and places significant in the early centuries of Christianity in the British Isles, they find an expression of faith that weaves together strands of being and belonging, worship and witness in a unique and powerful way. Restoring the Woven Cord takes 15 leading figures from that era - ranging from Patrick of Ireland to John of Beverley - and shares something of their stories, showing their burning love for the Bible, their depth of prayer, their radical commitment to the poor and to caring for creation. Reflecting on their lives and works, we can find powerful inspiration for our own walk with God and rich resources for the ministry of the local church.

This new edition was written out of the need to provide an introduction to the Druid Way based on a Celtic metaphysic. The authors bring a wide experience of druidic practice and thought to bear and present a work that will allow those new to the Way to take their first steps with confidence. However, it is also a book that will be of immense interest to those who are already Druid as it approaches the subject with a fresh vision and a passion that will inspire many to re-examine their roots. The book is divided, appropriately, into three sections. The first part, 'How the World Came To Be', looks at ancestral Celts and Druids and examines not just the history of the Druid Way, but also the metaphysic that gives it continued life. The second part, 'The Shape of the World', explores some of the philosophical concepts of the modern Druid Way as well as the importance of the Matter of Britain in understanding what it is to be Druid. The final part, 'Working in the World', looks at some of the practical aspects of being Druid.