Celtic Neopaganism

Celtic Neopaganism
A group of Neo-druids from the Sylvan Grove of the OBOD at Stonehenge on the morning of the summer solstice 2005.

Celtic Neopaganism refers to Neopagan movements based on Celtic polytheism.

Contents

Types of Celtic Neopaganism

Celtic Shamanism

An assumption that the ancient religious practices of the peoples of the British Isles mirror those of contemporary Native peoples of America and Australia underlies the popularity of Celtic Shamanism, with its related books, training courses and Druidic Sweat Lodges.[2] An underlying assumption found amongst both scholars and neopagans is that shamanism is the most ancient and universal form of religious behaviour. This subsequently leads to the identification of shamanistic elements in early Irish tales such as Buile Suibhne and the stories Finn MacCool. Thus myth and legend are interpreted as evidence that contemporary Celtic shamanism is revitalising an ancient spiritual discipline, rather than historical or archeological evidece.[3]

Organizations

  • The Druid Network is a British Druidic Order and the first pagan practice to be given official recognit­ion as a religion in the UK.[4]

Literature

  • Adler, Margot (1979) Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today.
  • Bonewits, Isaac (2006) Bonewits's Essential Guide to Druidism. New York, Kensington Publishing Group ISBN 0-8065-2710-2 Chapter 9: "Celtic Reconstructionists and other Nondruidic Druids".
  • Kondratiev, Alexei (1998) The Apple Branch: A Path to Celtic Ritual. San Francisco, Collins. ISBN 1-898256-42-X (1st edition), ISBN 0-806-52502-9 (2nd edition) [also reprinted without revision under the title Celtic Rituals].
  • Laurie, Erynn Rowan (1995) A Circle of Stones: Journeys and Meditations for Modern Celts. Chicago, Eschaton. ISBN 1-57353-106-5.
  • NicDhàna, Kathryn Price; Erynn Rowan Laurie, C. Lee Vermeers, Kym Lambert ní Dhoireann, et al. (2007) The CR FAQ - An Introduction to Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism. River House Publishing. ISBN 978-0-6151-5800-6.

See also

References

  1. ^ Matthews, John O. (1991). Taliesin: Shamanism and the Bardic Mysteries in Britain and Ireland. Aquarian Press. ISBN 1-85538-109-5. 
  2. ^ Bowman, Marion (2001). Contemporary Celtic Spirituality in. New directions in Celtic studies. Aquarian Press. pp. 97. ISBN 0859895874. 
  3. ^ Bergholm, Alexandra "Academic and neo-pagan interpretations of shamanism in Buile Suibhne" in Studia Celtica Fennica No. II, 2005
  4. ^ http://www.forteantimes.com/strangedays/misc/4612/druids_recognised_daily_mail_angry.html

External links