idir Eatarthu: (Betwixt and Between). Bi/le: means "a sacred tree", and is the "sky-father" god, the ancestor of all that lives... Bo/ann: means "she of the white cattle", she is the "earth-mother", is represented by rivers and hills, and gave birth to all we know... Mananna/n: lord of the sea, and of the mists that separate the worlds... way, mucho, very important... has trickster elements... similar in many ways to Heimdallr... Lugh Lamhfada: his epithet means "of the long hand", and refers to the fact that he is widely skilled... he is thus the patron of the "Renaissance Man" image... he also became the ruler of the Tuatha De/ Danann for a time, when Nuada was unable to rule... Nuada Airgetlamh: whose epithet means "of the silver hand"... this refers to the arm he lost in battle, which was replaced by a silver one which could function just like the original... unfortunately, this marred him, and prevented him from acting as Divine King... Brighid: lady of the "Three Fires" - Poetry (magick), Smithwork (magick), and Healing/Childbirth (do you see where this is going? ;)... The Morrigan: the "Queen of Phantoms"... she has many names, including Nemain (Terror) and Badb Catha (Raven of Battles)... she is the lady of destruction and battle (but that is not entirely accurate... and i don't have the time nor the inclination to expand on her here, now)... of course there are many others ( Da Re: moon god Grian: the sun goddess; Da Derga: the "red god"; fili: f/aid: connected to rulers? I have the sense that Sean O'Tuathail may have been on to something in his distinction between the wild and the court fili in Ireland. berdache: quality of his ' tu/ion: or ritual garb. f/aid: originally mean "crazy" (it's related to the old English "wood" and the root >of "Woden"), it may in fact have been the term used for people who were later >labeled as 'geilt'. (hermit?) beac/ain dra/iochta: "druidical mushrooms". Brí: intrensic, inherent power. This may be "dveloped" or "atroped" but can not, sunstantially, be changed in potential amount. Bua: power that is gained or lost, dependeing upon actions. What is being examplified is idircheo: (literally "between fogs") or the idea that "you can't get there from here". Unless the direct invertention of the Sídhe is involved as a "leading-by-the-hand" guide, mortals cannot enter an Saol Eile: (the Irish term for the Otherworld and not the same as Tír na Marbh, or the Land of the Dead) Tír na Marbh: or the Land of the Dead) Dinnseanchas: There is a large body of seanchais termed "Dinnseanchas" which proport to explain why points of landscape bear specific names. Sidh: is the Irish word for a 'fairy mound', a dwelling-place for spirits. The word can also mean 'peace'. aes sidhe: The ancient gods, driven underground below the hills, were relegated in folk memories to fairies, aes sidhe, the people of the hills. Sidhe: A mound or hill, the dwelling place of the De Danann after their defeat by the Milesians. The ancient gods, driven underground below the hills, were relegated in folk memories to fairies, aes sidhe, the people of the hills. bean sidhe: The ancient gods, driven underground below the hills, were relegated in folk memories to fairies, aes sidhe, the people of the hills. Thus the word became the word for "fairies." Most popular is the banshee (bean sidhe), the woman of the fairies. dli/: -- law or binding principle. That which holds all things together, the true nature of a thing. The "connecting thread of poetry" that is mentioned in the law texts. e/ifeacht: -- force, capability. The environment within which one acts, something outside a person which may be tapped into or interacted with. (The external nature he suggests for this never quite sat well with me.) sli/: -- path, way. What one follows in life and the manner in which one follows it. da/n: -- poem, gift, calling. Something unchageable and given to a person by the Gods that is intrinsic to a person. du/il: -- created thing, creature. A person's form in the world, one's emotions, attitude and motives. An intrinsic quality in a person. anam: -- soul. Seated in the head, one does not exactly "have" anam but one "is" anam. beo: -- living thing. The living body, which can shapeshift into other true forms. Aonacht Unity Ionracas Integrity Freagracht Responsibility Feile Hospitality Inspioraid Inspiration Fios Knowledge Firinne Truth Coir Justice Creideamh Faith aiet: east - deas: south - iar: west - tuath: north - oirthear: Irish - east deisceart: Irish - south iarthar: Irish - west tuaisceart: Irish - north nemed: indicated not only natural settings such as clearings in groves, rivers, hills, etc, but also such things as shrines and enclosures, as evidenced by the later being refered to both as nemed and sacellum. The most accurate definition of the word is simply: a sacred place.(1) Calan Gaeaf: Welsh - Samhain Gwyl Mair Dechrau'r Gwanwyn: Welsh - Imbolc Calan Mai: Welsh - Bealtaine Gwyl Awst: Welsh - L/ughnasadh Gwyl Daer: Welsh - possibly modern - L/ughnasadh Fein (The Self) Bith (Cosmos) Directions 1. Cnaimh (Bones) Cloch (Stone) Thuaidh (North) 2. Colaind (Flesh) Talamh (Earth) Faoi (Under, About) 3. Gruaigh (Hair) Uaine (Plant Life) Amach (Outwards) 4. Fuil (Blood) Muir (Sea) Ior, Siar (West) 5. Anal "Breath" Gaeth (Wind) Air, Oithear (East) 6. Imradud (Mind) Gealach (Moon) Isteach (Inwards) 7. Menma (Brain) Nel (Cloud) Thrid (Through) 8. Drech (Face) Grian (Sun) Deas, Deis (South) 9. Ceann (Head) Neamh (Heaven) Os Cionn (Above) RM> Human body: Element: RM> flesh earth RM> bone stone RM> hair plant life RM> blood sea RM> face sun RM> mind moon RM> brain clouds RM> head heavenly realm RM> breath wind The Shining Ones never let us down, or turn away in our hours of need. I am INDO-EUROPEAN CULTURES Greek Thracian Phrygian Armenian Tocharian Iranian Indic Anatolian Slavic Baltic Germanic Celtic Italic Venetic Messapic Illyrian I've just gotten out a book on Irish and Welsh Kinship. (Very interesting) and they list some of the families in the glossary: Ui/ Ailella - descendents of Ailill (one of the dynasties of the three Connachta - Co. Sligo) Ui/ Anga/in - descendents of Anga/n (branch of Ci/arraige Lu/achra) Ui/ Bairrche - descendents of Barrach (ruling dynasty of Ui/ Bairrache Ti/re - central Leinster) Ui/ Chenselaig - descendents of Censalach (main dynasty of S. Leinster) Ui/ Cho/elbad - descendents of Co/elub (ruling dynasty among the Da/l nAraidi - west of Belfast) Ui/ Chuircc - descendents of Corc (Leinster) Ui/ Derca Ce/in - descendents of Derc Ci/an (Belfast) Ui/ Du/nchada - descendents of Du/nchad (branch of Ui/ Du/nlainge - west of Dublin, south of the river) Ui/ Du/nlainge - descendents of Du/nlang (main dynasty of N. Leinster) Ui/ Echach Coba - descendents of Eochu of Coba (west of Co. Down) Ui/ Enechglais - descendents of Enechglas (Leinster) Ui/ Fha/ela/in - descendents of Fa/ela/n (branch of Ui/ Du/nlainge - Co. Kildare) Ui/ Fhailgi - descendents of Failge (Northwest Leinster) Ui/ Gabala - descendents of Gabul (Ui/ Gabla Fine & Ui/ Gabla Roirenn) Ui/ Garrchon - descendents of Garrchu/ (Wicklow) Ui/ Luchta - descendents of Luchtae (branch of Ci/arraige Lu/achra) Ui/ Ma/il - descendents of Ma/l (Leinster) Ui/ Muiredaig - descendents of Muiredach (branch of Ui/ Du/nlainge - south of Co. Kildare) Ui/ Ne/ill - descendents of Ni/all (main dynastic group in Northern Ireland - branches: Cene/l Conaill & Cene/l nE/ogain in the north and Clann Cholma/in & Si/l nA/eda Sla/ine in the midlands.) Ui/ The/ig - descendents of Ti/ag (branch of Ui/ Mail - Co. Wicklow) Ui/ Threna - descendents of Trian (Leinster) (This list is not complete....just some of the families.) Branfionn "The epithet bu/adach, 'victorious'...is one commonly applied to Brigit...A national saint in her own right, Brigit has PART 1 - The Scottish Clanns (Modern Names) 1. Agnew 2. Arbuthnott 3. Armstrong (*R*) Septs: Crozier, Fairbairn, and Nixon 4. Baird 5. Barclay 6. Borthwick 7. Boyd 8. Brodie 9. Bruce 10. Buchanan (*R*) Septs: Bouchannane, Colman, Donleavy, Donlevy, Dove, Dow, Dowe, Gibb, Gibson, Gilbert, Gilbertson, Harper, Harperson, Lennie, Lenny, Macaldonach, Macadeoir, Macaslan, Macauslane, Macausland, Macaulslane, MacCalmon, MacCalmont, MacCamon, Macamond, Macruiter, MacColman, MacCormick, MacNuyer, MacWattie, MacWhirter, Masterson, Murchie, Murchison, Rish, Risk, Ruskin, Spittel, Spittel, Walters, Watt, Weir, Yuill, Yuille, Yule 11. Burnett 12. Cameron 13. Campbell of Argyll (*R*) Septs: Bannatyne, Burns, Denoon, Denune, MacDairmid, MacDermaid, MacDermid, MacGibbon, MacIver, MacKeller, MacLause, MacNichol, MacOrran, MacTavish, MacUre, Tawesson, Thomas, Thomason, Thompson, Ure 14. Carmichael 15. Carnegie 16. Chattan 17. Chisolm 18. Cochrane 19. Colquhon 20. Crawford 21. Cumin 22. Cunningham 23. Davidson (*R*) Septs: Davie, Davis, Davison, Dawson, Dow, Kay, MacDaid, MacDavid 24. Douglas 25. Drummond 26. Dunbar 27. Dundas 28. Eliott 29. Erskine 30. Farquharson 31. Ferguson 32. Forbes 33. Forsyth 34. Fraser 35. Gordon 36. Graham/Graeme 37. Grant 38. Gunn 39. Haig 40. Hamilton 41. Hannay 42. Hay 43. Henderson 44. Home 45. Hunter 46. Innes 47. Irvine 48. Jardine 49. Johnstone 50. Keith 51. Kennedy (Ulrich) 52. Kerr 53. Kincaid 54. Lamond 55. Lennox 56. Leslie 57. Lindsay 58. Livingstone 59. Lumsden 60. Mac Allaster (*R) 61. Mac Arthur 62. Mac Aulay 63. Mac Bean 64. Mac Coll -- MacDaven Clann (*R*) - see Davidson 65. Mac Donald of Clan Ranald 66. Mac Donald of Garagach and Keppach 67. Mac Donald of Glencoe 68. Mac Donald of the Isles 69. Mac Donnell of Glengarry 70. Mac Duff 71. Mac Dugall -- MacGhillielaider Clann (*R*) See Armstrong above 72. MacEwen 73. MacFarlane 74. MacFie 75. Mac Gillvray 76. Mac Gregor (*R) Septs: Black, Brewer, Caird, Comrie, Dochart, Fletcher, Gregor, Gregorson, Gregory, Greig, Grey, Grewar, Grier, Grierson, Grigor, King, Leckie, Lecky, MacAdams, MacAra, MacAree, MacCoiter, MacConachie, MacCrowther, MacGrigor, MacGrory, MacGrowther, MacGruder, MacGruther, Macildny, MacLiver, MacNee, MacNeish, MacNie, MacNish, MacPeter, MacVie, Malloch, Neish, Nish 77. Mac Innes 78. Mac Intire (*R*) Septs: MacTear, Tyne, Wright 79. Mac Intosh 80. Mac Ivor 81. Mac Kay 82. Mac Kenzie 83. Mac Kinnon 84. Mac Lachlan 85. MacLaine 86. Mac Laurin 87. Mac Lean 88. Mac Lennan 89. Mac Leod 90. Mac Millan 91. Mac Nab 92. Mac Nachtan 93. Mac Nicol 94. Mac Niel 95. Mac Pharlan 96. Mac Phee 97. Mac Pherson 98. Mac Quarie (*R) Septs: MacCorrie, MacCorry, MacGorrie, MacGorry, MacGuaran, MacGuire, MacQuaire, MacQuhirr, MacQuire, Mac Whirr, Murdoch, Murdoson, Wharrie 99. Mac Rae 100. Mac Siomoin Clann (*R*) 101. MacThomas 102. Mar 103. Matheson 104. Maxwell 105. Menzies 106. Moncrieffe 107. Montgomery 108. Morrison 109. Munro 110. Murray 111. Napier 112. Nicolson 113. Ogilvie 114. Oliphant 115. Ramsay 116. Robertson 117. Rose 118. Ross 119. Scott 120. Shaw 121. Sinclair 122. Skene 123. Stewart 124. Sutherland 125. Urquhart 126. Wallace Correspondences of the Duíle Ai> Land/Goltraighe (weeping strain) Ai> Coire Goiriath ("warming"?) Ai> "element" "physical" "spiritual" Ai> earth flesh body Ai> stone bone strength Ai> salt nerve fate Ai> Sea/Gentraighe (laughter strain) Ai> Coire E/rmai/ ("motion"?) Ai> water blood force Ai> rain fluid desire Ai> cloud brain consciousness Ai> Sky/Suantraigh (sleep strain) Ai> Coire Sofhis ("good knowledge") Ai> sun face talent Ai> stars eyes path Ai> wind breath soul The Qualities of the Five Parts of Eireann (as given by Fintan and Trefuilngid Tre-eochair in the 'Settling of the Manor of Tara') North (Ulster) Cath (Battle) ATÚAID - NORTH contentions (arse, casmirt): conflicts, arguments, claims, thesis, discussion, challenge. hardihood (dúiri, crógacht, dánacht): boldness, daring, impudance, insolence. rough places (drobela, gairbhe): coarseness, ruggedness, wildness. strifes (drenna, cogadh): conflict, fighting, diasagreement, disharmony, competition, struggle. haughtiness (díumasa, uaibhreas): arrogance, pride. unprofitableness (dimáine, neamhthairbheach): leaness, unbeneficial, losses, dissservice. pride (húaill, uabhar; brod): ego, self-esteem, egotism, arrogance. captures (hallud, tógáil): gains, takings, winnings, victories. assaults (hindsaighthi, tosái, fogha): attacks, compellings, rapes. hardness (crúas; cruas): resistance, toughness, sterness, harshness, difficulty. wars (congala; cogadh): conflicts, competitions, struggles. conflicts (coicthi; comhrac): hostilities, clashes, strife, war, contentions, dificulties. East (Leinster) Bláth (Prosperity) ANOIR - EAST prosperity (bláth) - prosperity supplies (dino; sólathar): collection, procurement; supply, provision. bee-hives (neathamnass; coirceog): hives. contests (ceasa; comórtas): comparisions; competitions. feats of arms (cosnuma; beart; gniomh): cast, move; shift, plan; action, proceeding, doing, performing, working, exercising. householders (cleas n-airm; ceannas): headship, sovereignty; authority; command. nobles (noethaighi; uasal): noble, high-born; gentle; precious, fine. wonders (halle; ionadh): wonder, surprise. good custom (hinganati; béas): habits; customary tax; dues good manners (sobés; muineadh): teaching, training; good behavior, manners; chasteening; moral, lesson. splendour (sochostud; niamhracht): bright, lustrous, shining, resplendence. abundance (haínis; fairsingeacht): width, extent; breadth; expanse; plenty, abundance; lavishness, liberality. dignity (himid; maorgacht): stateliness, dignity. strength (horddan; neart; daingne): strength; force; power; splenty; power to preventy, to remedy; ability. Also: fortified, strong, solid, secure. wealth (tráchta; saibhreas; maoin): riches, wealth; richness. also: gift, benefit; property, wealth; treasure. householding (turcharthi; teaghlachas; ceannacht): domestic economy, housekeeping; establishment; household troops; retinue. Also: chieftaincy, mainness; many arts (hilldána; dán): gift, offering; craft, calling; art, faculty; poem; lot, fate. accoutrements (teglochus; úim): harness; weaving harness, gear, tackle. Also: D'aon úim = Ogham. many treasures (hil máine; stór; maoin): stores, stock, provisions, abundance, treasure, riches, value, esteem. also: gift, benefit; property, wealth; treasure. satin (sróll; sról): satin; smooth. serge (síric; saraiste): serge, a twilled cloth of worsted wool. silks (sítai; sioda): silks. cloths (britgraighi; eadach, brat): cloth,; sail; clothing; mantle, cloak; covering; curtain. hospitality (brugamnos; féile): generosity, hospitality; festival, feast. South (Munster) Séis (Music): ANDEAS - THE SOUTH waterfalls (hesa; eas): waterfall; cascade, cataract; swift current, rapid. fairs (hóenaigi; aonach): fair; horse fair; assembly. aon = "one". nobles (donda; uasal): noble, high-born; gentle; precious, fine. reavers (dínerga; foglai): plunderer, pillager; marauder, tresspasser. knowledge (súithi; fios; eolas): knowledge; practical knowledge, understanding; familiarity; information; direction, guidance. subtlety (cruithnecht; mine; grinn): smoothness, softness; fineness, delicacy. also: perceptive; clear, accurate. musicianship (céolchaireacht; ceoltóireacht): playing of music; singing; musicianship. melody (bindis; séis, fonn): sense, meaning, order, arrangement; strain, melody; hum; talk. minstrelry (hairfideadh; amhráin): songs, singing; a poetic chanting, meter. wisdom (hecna; eagnaiocht; crionnacht; gaois): Wisdom; cleverness in debate;prudence; shrewdness, sagacity; maturity, old age. honour (hairmitniu; onóir, urraim): honor; esteem; respect; deferential regard. music (séis; ceol): music; song; vigor, animation; ringing sound. learning (foglaim; foghlaim): learning; instruction, teaching; experience. teaching (foirceatul; múinteoireacht): teaching. warriorship (fiansa; saigdiúireacht; laochas): soldering; courage; heroism; valor. fidchell-playing (fidchellacht; fidlana): chess; a game of wood wisdom. vehemence (démne; tréine; racht; fórsa): strength, power intensity; pentup, violenct, emotion; fit; outburst; force of wind. fierceness (díscere; fraoch; tréine): heather; fierceness, fury. poetical art (filidecht; filidheacht): poetry; lyricising; lampooning, satirism. advocacy (fechemnus; abhcóideacht): advocacy; counseling. modesty (féle; cúlantacht): modesty; shyness; backwardness. code (forus; córas): system. retinue (tascor; lucht; coimhdeachta): cargo; people; accompaniment, companionship. fertility (torthaigi; torthúlacht): fruitfulness, fertility, richness. West (Connacht) Fios (Knowledge) ANÍAR - WEST learning (fis, foglaim): learning, experience; teaching, instruction. foundations (forus, bunú): foundation, establishment. teachings (foirceatol, muineadh): teaching, training; good behavior, manners; chasteening; moral, lesson. alliance (bág, cairdeas): frienship; alliance; fosterage. judgement (breithemnus, breithiúnas): judgement; sentence. chronicles (comge, coimce?): chronicles; ancient knowledge. counsels (comhairle): advice, counsel; direction, influence. stories (sécla, sceal): stories; historical story; account; narrative; tale. science (eolaiocht): science. comeliness (slacht): finish; polish; good appearance, neatness, tidiness. eloquence (solabharthacht): affability, civility; fluency, eloquence. beauty (háine, áilleacht): beauty, lovliness; delight. modesty (cúlánacht): modesty; shyness; backwardness. bounty (gart, féile): generosity, hospitality; festival, feast. abundance (fairsingeacht): width, extent; breadth; expanse; plenty, abundance; lavishness, liberality. wealth (saibhreas; maoin): riches, wealth; richness. also: gift, benefit; property, wealth; treasure. Center (Meath) Riogacht (Kingship) stewards (maor; atmháistir): steward; warden, keeper; overseer; prefect; herdsman; lesser weaver. dignity (maorgacht, mórgacht): stateliness; dignity; greatness; majesty. primacy (tosaiocht, bunaidh): precedance; preference; priority; origin; ,original; fundamental. stability (buanseasmhacht): perseverance; establishments (cruthú, firinne): creation; proof; testimony. supports (cuaille; iompraim, taobhaim): stakes; poles, posts; companion; supporter; destructions (togla): destructions; sack. warriorship (ánradacht): heroism; valor; warriorship charioteership ( carbadóireacht): charioteership. soldiery (saighdiúireacht): solidiery; military service. principality (flaitheas): rule; sovereignty; heaven. high-kingship (ardríocht): high kingship. Ollaveship (ollamhnacht): master poet; learnedness; expertness; professorship. mead (meá): mead; a poet. bounty (féile, oineach):honor, good name, reputation; generosity, hospitality; bounty. ale (leann): ale; beer; liquid, fluid; binding; influence. reknown (clú): reputation; honor; reknown. fame (cail): reputation; quality prosperity (bláth): blossom, flowers; bloom; beauty, prime; prosperity, abundance. Searles ---------- > From: Alexei Kondratiev > Subject: Re: [IMBAS] Directions: was Nemeton Advice > Date: Wednesday, March 12, 1997 2:46 PM > > In a message dated 3/12/97 3:25:30 PM, Mary Walker wrote: > > <<"Knowledge in the West (Connacht) > Battle in the North (Ulster) > Prosperity in the East (Leinster) > Music in the South (Munster) > Kinship in the Centre (Meath)" > >> > > Or, to use the alliterative native formula: > Iarus FIS. > Tuadus CATH. > Airthis BL/ATH. > Teissus S/EIS. > Fortius FLAITH. (not "kinship" but "kingship=sovereignty", of course) > It means that whenever you are in sacred space these are the energies that > surround you, and the pattern they form in doing so. > Alexei <> It's a title, meaning "of the tribe". One finds it applied to Celtic "Mars", "Mercury", "Apollo", and used by itself as well, but never in relation to "Jupiter"/Taranis, as far as I know. Alexei As promised, here are a few more "pan-Celtic divinities": 6. "Sucellos" ("Good Striker"). usually portrayed as a mature man with a mallet, the head of which is actually a barrel or cauldron (ie, giving death with one side, life with the other). This is evidently the same god-type that became known as the "Good (=Efficient) God" in Ireland. He is often chosen to represent the trifunctional tutelary god of a tribal territory ('toutatis'). His consort is the territorial river goddess. In southern Gaul he was sometimes interpreted as "Silvanus" (both he and Cernunnos had cauldrons). 7. "Maponos" (meaning "Superboy", essentially!). This god is associated with youth, vigour and growth, and particularly the power of the waxing Year as the days grow longer, which sometimes led him to become an "Apollo" in the 'interpretatio Romana', although the usual "Celtic Apollo" is a different god. Originally he was closely associated with hunting and the Land. He was invoked as a source of energy and quick growth, as illustrated by the Chamalie\res inscription. His animal is the swan, and waterfowl in general. In the later literary tradition his name appears as 'Mabon' in Welsh and as Aengus' title 'in Macc /Oac' in Irish. 8. The Divine Twins. The only literary survival of these important IE divinities consists of Nisien and Efnisien in the Second Branch of the Mabinogi. But they were evidently an important part of early Celtic religion, as the proliferation of temples and dedications to "Castor and Pollux" attests. As in most other IE systems, one twin was truly divine and the other was flawed. They were associated with horses, good fortune and the protection of travellers. 9. The Celtic "Apollo". A healing god of light and warmth and the power of sight, particularly invoked for eye problems. He also seems to have been associated with dreaming and prophecy. His healing shrines -- which he shared with a goddess-consort -- were important centres of pilgrimage in the early Celtic world. Although there's no direct evidence of it in the sources, I strongly suspect that the god/goddess pair here were brother and sister (rather than married consorts as in most other cases), and were related to the cult of a brother/sister prophetic and healing pair that spread across Europe (from Central Asia, apparently) in the early Iron Age (and best known as Apollo/Artemis). Alexei I have been Cord of my Covey for 12 years. I hail from an Irish/Scottish/Welsh background; and was raised in a Pagan household. The word *Cord* is many fold. Primarily it represents the teacher; it is also the belt worn during Tides (holidays), used during the *Weighing & Measuring* of seekers who wish to join the Covey, and a few other things. The Covey is a Clan. From within we are Youth/Maiden, Father/Mother, Cord, Guardian, Elder. The designates Y/M & F/M have nothing to do with age, & are rather formal in nature. We opt more towards Keeper. Cord (as I already said) is a teacher; the Guardian is a protector/warrior figure; and Elder is *retired*, yet serves on the Elder Council. The Metrical Dindshechas is a collection of Irish legends and placename stories that uses as its sources: The Book of Leinster The Rennes MS The Book of Ballymote The Yellow Book of Lecan O'Clery's Leabhar Gabha/la A variety of manuscripts in the Stowe Collection at the Royal Irish Academy A few other manuscripts from the Bodley Library and the Advocates' Library in Edinburgh. Most of these manuscripts date to Medieval times (typically 12th and 13th centuries), but the stories contained within them are older than that. Searles One is the First Number In Irish, the number one is "Aon". This word has deep connections to assemblies and can best be associated through Ogham to the primal Goddess Anu, Mother of All. One is a number that is representative of the center, the self, even the beginning. It is for this reason that the Forfedha Ogham Eadha was placed at the first position in its aicme on Fionn's Wheel. Not only does it start the aicme, but it also symbolizes Imbolc, which is all about the center of life, the beginnings of flow, the hearth fire, and the home of the Celtic family. The first Ogham of the Forfedha is also the cross of the Sun. It represents Being, Creation, Nature and the Source. If One is about Being, then Two is about Becoming. In Irish, the number two is "dó". "Dó" I associate with The Dagda, "who was good at everything that he did". Two is a number about actions and changes. Two is the transformation of One. It is the revelation of the Draiocht that exists within Being. It is also a measure of time. There are two parts to a day: darkness and lightness. There are two parts to the year: Winter and Summer. There are two great parts to Being: Death and Life. The Dagda's staff itself has two ends, one dealing out death and the other giving forth life. There are two parts of Becoming: Giving and Receiving. It is for this reason that the opened doorway of the Diamond represents the second character of the Forfedha. It is placed at the time of Bealtaine on the Wheel, a time of giving and receiving, a time of fertility and a time of growth. It is a time when we pass between the twin fires of Bel, embracing the fertility of life and the growth of Summer. "Tri" or "Three" could mean "Triple God/desses" or it could mean "one child with Three Gifts". Three is the child of One and Two, just as Angus was the child of Boann and the Dagda. Angus, the child, is the result of their mating. He is the new Sun arising from the powers of the Brugh. Three is the third part of the spiral at the entryway to the White Mound. It completes the Three Worlds and establishes our reality. It is what transforms our diversity of two into a harmony of three. Three was a number of balance to the Celts. There are three Sons of Tuireann, three Gods of Danu, three Brighids, triple Morrigu, three Queens of the Tuatha Dé ... Three was a number of continuing and a melody of harmony. The third Ogham of the Forfedha on Fionn's Wheel is Ifin, which is represented by the combinations of the Cross and the Diamond. Three is a number of transformation. It also contains the crossroads of four within it. "Cathair" or "Four" is a number that connects and assimilates. It is a number of focus. Four is represented by the Ogham Uileand, a vine that spirals around the Sacred Bile. As its spiral tightens, all of our hazy and uncertain concepts take form to reveal their secrets. Four is a number that turns a plane into a solid, and gives form to appearance. Four establishes the mental pathways that are necessary for weaving the cloth of knowledge from the threads of information. Four is Mastery of Divination. It is all about seeing beyond the ordinary to other worlds and to other dimensions. I associate "Cathair" with Cathbad, Druid Seer extraordinaire. The Ollam's chair at Emain Macha, rightfully belonging to Cathbad, was itself called "Cathair Ollaman". I also associate cathair with "Coll" which is symbolic of the source of all "seeing" which is the Magical Well of Segais. This well could only be safely accessed when Nechtain and his three cupbearers chanted around it. Such chanting by fours around a well was also found in the healing work of Dian Cecht and his three children at the Well of Slane. Four Druids chanted the Spell of Truth over the dreamer of the Tarbh Feís. If the Celtic Cosmos consists of Land, Sea, and Sky, then four represents the pathways that exist between these worlds. It is a spiral of stitchwork that melds the Three Worlds into a new creation. This spiral also represents the entry way to the House of Donn (always in the Southwest) and/or the Brugh na Bóinne (which is opposite it in the Northeast) . One direction on the spiral leads down into the World of the Sea and the Isles of the Ancestors. Reversing the spiral, takes us up through the Brugh of the Gods and into the World of the Stars. The unity of the Three Worlds is woven within the weave of the spirals by the vine of life. This weaving of four yields a new creation, which is five, our pathway to Destiny. "Cuig" or Five is a number of mastery and completion (as also is nine). Five is also a number that represents the Land. I associate "Cuig" with "Quert" as this is the altered Magical "C" sound. What better five than the five pointed star concealed within the seeds of the Apple? What better Land than the Isle of Apples itself, which is concealed within the mists of an Otherworldly Sea? There were five parts to the Land; five fingers to the hand; five strokes to the Ogham. Five is the center defined by Four and Three. It is the center of worlds, plains, and realities. Five exists on many levels and in many directions. Five is symbolized by the Four directions and Four Hallows as They lay across one another to form the Fidchell board of the Gods. Four lines by four lines yields a figure that has nine compartments. This is the Cró of Lugh within which he was able to trap all opponents. This is the maneuver that Lugh used to defeat Ogma at the game of fidchell, thereby gaining entrance to the fellowship of Tara. The mystery that connects five to nine, within the intersections of time and space, is found contained within the word "noinden". This word signifies a gathering of warriors, or it can also be applied to the ancient Celtic week, a period of nine days. As a gathering of warriors. it is the number of the Cró of Lugh. As a period of nine days, it shows us that the fifth day is the center of the week. The mastery of five is that it defines the center, which is also defined by the center of nine. This center is our connection to Creation. The relationship of five and nine is also shown in the lore of the Well of Segais, which was surrounded by nine hazels, but which also was the source of five streams of wisdom. If we are wise, we will embrace the strategy of Lugh amid the Draiocht of Segais, when we connect the fivefold nature of the Ogham to the ninefold nature of the Dúile. May the center of wisdom guide us in our own efforts at foreseeing the future. May our Wood Wisdom reveal that which is hidden. May our Cauldron of Wisdom be positioned to receive the flow of imbas. Five is the game of Destiny. It is a creator of Worlds and a map to the Cosmos. Five is the window that connects us to the Gods and the Ancestors. It is at the center of the Feast of Age. Five is the Mystery and the Mastery. The five elements of the Forfedha are also said to be the gift of the "Crane Bag" of Manannán Mac Lir (which is curiously similar to the "crane bag" that Finn inherited from his father Cumhall). Manannán and Finn are no strangers to the Ogham or the Wheel. It was Manannán that caused the White Hazel containing Balor's severed head to be made into the Shield of Fionn (another name for Fionn's Wheel). Manannán fashioned this shield and made Finn a gift of it. It was in this way that men received the wisdom of Balor without succumbing to the poison of his "evil eye" (but that is another story). Yet, another name for Fionn's Wheel is Fionn's Window which is representative of the Celtic zodiac as it is seen through the smoke hole in the roof of an Irish hut. It is only when the "star speech" from the Skyworld is superimposed upon the "wood wisdom" of the Ogham, that the true pattern of the Wheel is revealed. It is my hope in this analysis (and the divinations that result), to decipher some of the ancient wisdom and meanings of the Druids. Ray White wrote: >>>I'd be interested to hear how Searles and Alexi and others pronounce Dagda since I've heard about 3 versions.<<< The mediaeval pronunciation would be DAGH-tha, with the [gh] like the voiced guttural in Arabic, and the [th] like the voiced sound in "then". In modern Irish the name hasn't survived traditionally, but it would be either DAGH-a or JAGH-a (assuming the modern form would be 'Deaghdha', as I've seen it spelled by some writers). Alexei > > according to this article's reconstruction from the somewhat > > contradictory extant texts, these are the names of the social classes, > > and the values of each: > > > > CLASS VALUE > > Ri/ Rui/rech 21 cumhal (126 se/t; 378 dairt) > > Rui/re 14 cumhal (84 se/t; 252 dairt) > > Ri/ Tu/aithe 7 cumhal (42 se/t; 126 dairt) > > > > Aire Forgill 30 se/t (90 dairt) > > Aire Ard 20 se/t (60 dairt) > > Aire Tu/ise 15 se/t (45 dairt) > > Aire De/so 10 se/t (30 dairt) > > > > Bo/aire 5 se/t (15 dairt) > > O/caire 3 se/t (9 dairt) > > Fer Midboth 1 dairt > > > > values are as follows: > > > > 1 cumhal = 3 milk-cows > > 2 se/ts = 1 milk-cow > > 6 dairts = 1 milk-cow > > > > or > > > > 1 cumhal = 6 se/ts = 18 dairt > > > > there are several other currency values in that article, such as the > > screpal, the pinginn, and the croso/c... > > > > as to what determines where a person stands on that scale, there is a > > lot to it, and i will have to refer you to the article in question... > > > > Slan agus Beannachtai, > > Lugaid MacRobert > > Thanks! Could anybody do translations? --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ri Ruirech = a very important ruler, like the king of Connacht for instance Ruire = don't know what this is - presumably it's the ruler of several clans Ri Tuaithe = ruler of one tuath - similar to a clan chieftain Aire... this is a high grade of nobility but not a ruler; these are sub-categories of it. "Ard" = high; "Deso" = a client(?) in the sense of a sort of courtier. Others I'm unsure of. Bo Aire = we might translate it as "cattle baron" one of the lowest grades of nobility in the Brehon laws. I don't know what the others are, really. At the bottom and not on the list is the "fuidir", a peasant whose honour price is a ball of string or a chicken. The Aes Dana had their own honour prices as well. Date sent: Wed, 12 Mar 1997 14:30:33 -0500 Send reply to: IMBAS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM From: Alexei Kondratiev Subject: Re: [IMBAS] Nemeton Advice To: IMBAS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM In a message dated 3/11/97 8:30:12 PM, Heather de Belfontaine wrote: <> Because today most of our exposure to mythology takes place through the literary creations of the Greeks and Romans, we're conditioned to think of it in a literary way and to demand of it a degree of internal logic and consistency which living mythological traditions usually don't have (or which they approach differently). Trying to use the Irish and Welsh "mythologies" as the basis for a consistent Celtic theology is ultimately fruitless, because they were never designed to be functioning religious systems, but are literary creations elaborated long after the religion in which they had originated had ceased to be practiced. Like the Arthurian mythos, they become more internally consistent as time passes (ie, as they become more self-consciously literary and less in tune with religious concerns), but the different story traditions also grow farther apart from each other. I think a better approach is to look at how the gods would have fit into actual religious practice. Who worshipped them, and why? Here's one way of looking at it: I. Tribal Divinities: 1. Gods of your immediate kin-group (ueni/a). These would primarily be ancestral spirits, and their worship would be confined to the home. 2. Gods of your occupational group (kerd/a). These would be gods who serve as archetypes for your occupation, as well as goddesses who give energy to that occupation (I know it sounds sexist, but that's the way it was!). The worship would take place partly in the home, and partly in a guild shrine if your guild is rich enough to afford one. 3. Gods of your larger tribal area (tout/a). This would include your own tutelary tribal god, often in conjunction with intertribal divine figures of IE origin which are seen as upholding the tribal order. This is coupled with worship of the sovereignty goddess of the Land you live on, usually identified with the main river that flows through your territory. II. Land Divinities The Land itself is full of fertility divinities that are chaotic and independent of the concept of tribal order. They are nevertheless necessary to the tribe's survival and have to be propitiated (or tamed) as a part of the agricultural cycle. The "intertribal" divinities are too numerous to discuss fully in this post but we can list the main ones. One can see them going in and out of "fashion" during the Iron Age, with some gaining in prominence while others fade away (exactly like what we see happening in Hinduism after the Vedic period). I'll use the names of the 'interpretatio Romana', not because I think the Romans had the right idea, but because they're consistent! 1. The Celtic "Mercury". His rise in prestige is spectacular during the later Iron Age, until he becomes one of the main figures (if not *the* main figure) in the pantheon everywhere. He is usually called 'Lugus' ("Lightning Flash" -- the name of the comic book hero is actually a pretty close fit!) or a name similar in derivation and meaning (like "Loucetios"). He is a warrior, but also a master of all the crafts and skills necessary to society, and as such becomes a protector of society as a whole -- a role he exercises most fully at the beginning of the Harvest, when he wrests control of the fruits of the soil from the Land Spirits, who are also his kin. His weapon is the spear, which is the lightning-flash and also, metaphorically, the flash of inspiration and intuition. His principal animals are the raven, the horse, the lynx, and the wren (part of his myth is that he is a "little" god who outwitted all his rivals). He is the divine sponsor of human sovereigns, and as such his main consort is the sovereignty goddess who presents sovereignty as an intoxicating drink; but as master of crafts he also works with the Celtic "Minerva", whose festival period balances his within the structure of the Celtic Year. 2. The Celtic "Mars". He is the god who sets the boundaries of the civilised world and protects them by force of arms. His weapon is the sword and his animal is the dog. Although as a warrior he is a giver of death, the mysteries of death are seen as being closely related to the mysteries of rebirth and healing, so his main shrines are healing shrines. The story in which he loses a hand or arm and has it replaced by a silver one is doubtless ancient, though it's hard to tell how widespread it was in the Iron Age. 3. The Celtic "Jupiter". He is the sky god who rules the weather and brings rain. Thunder is caused by the rolling of his wheel across the sky, and his usual name is 'Taranis' ("Thunderer"). He is particularly present in mountainous regions. Over time his worship dwindled until he became a mere helper of "Mercury", who like him was associated with storms and high places. In fact, Sulpicius Severus tells us that Gallo-Romans found it easy to turn away from his worship because he was "stupid" ('hebetus'), while they found it harder to give up their affection for "Mercury". 4. The Celtic "Silvanus" or God With Antlers (Karnonos/Cernunnos). He is the god who crosses boundaries, and the god of change. He is the interface between Tribe and Land and between our world and the Otherworld. Through him goods can be passed from one realm to another (hence his association with money), and valuable things can be gotten from raw Nature. He also manifests change as adaptability, as expressed by his antlers that drop off and grow bac k according to the season. Because some of his functions overlap with those of Celtic "Mercury" they are often shown together, although neither replaces the other, since their basic characters are quite different. 5. The Celtic "Minerva". Because in Celtic thought goddesses are primarily seen as sources of energy (equivalent to the Hindu concept of 'shakti'), the distinctions between them tend to blur and to be less clear-cut than in the case of the gods, as many writers on the subject have remarked. But the one that represents *all* forms of energy and provides them not only to the growth functions in the Land but to all forms of human activity and creativity is usually well characterised. Her name usually contains the element 'brig' "high, exalted, rising, energetic", although it can take other forms as well. Her animals are the cow and the oystercatcher (and by extension all things in nature that are black, white, and red). Her flower is the dandelion. Her experience with marriage and childbearing is usually unhappy (as with most IE "culture goddesses"), so she is often portrayed as a "virgin". All I have time for now, and these are certainly the main ones. One should also mention "Sucellos", "Maponos", and the Celtic "Apollo". Maybe we'll discuss those later. Alexei <> 'Viereckschanze' is the name given by German archaeologists to a type of square enclosure found in many parts of the Celtic world. They were obviously set apart for a ritual reason but contain none of the features of a typical nemeton. Although some writers still speak of them as "mysterious", their function is pretty well documented by Classical writers (drawing on the Posidonian ethnography): they were intended for social rituals (eg, potlatch-style feasts) that were not formal sacrifices but still required participants to be solemnly "in the presence of the gods". The inscription from Vercelli documents the dedication of a 'Viereckschanze'. The "Belgic"-style shrines of the Late Iron Age (like the last stage of Gournay) seem to have aimed at bringing the 'Viereckschanze' and the nemeton into one ritual area. Alexei << As for the World Tree, Ash and Yew are the most traditional things I know of to represent the World Tree. Yew may please the Morrigan (they seem to have similar associations, but I may be wrong), although you may have heath issues about using a poisonous plant..>> Yew is the most common 'bile' in Irish tradition (although ash is also common). As for its being poisonous, that doesn't prevent it from being one of the most popular garden hedge plants. I'm sure visitors to the nemeton could be persuaded to refrain from munching on the foliage! Alexi Choice of Timber (for a sacred fire) from the Carmina Gaedelica: Choose the willow of the streams, Choose the hazel of the rocks, Choose the alder of the marshes, Choose the birch of the waterfalls. Choose the ash of the shade, Choose the yew of resilience, Choose the elm of the brae, Choose the oak of the sun. >> Precisely. The combinations vary a lot according to community tradition, but the same types of trees are usually involved. Some rules I can remember off-hand: using oak and birch for Bealtaine (and Midsummer), and yew and apple for Samhain; also some taboos -- never use ash between Imbolc and L/unasa, and never use alder between L/unasa and Imbolc. Alexei <Celtic sacred fires were (are) usually raised rather than being lit in pits. >Pits are for "water" offerings to the Underworld. The standard ritual centre >(especially the big "Belgic" shrines) had a place for fires and an offering >pit opposite each other, representing the Fire/Water, Sky/Underworld-Ocean >axis. Variations on this keep showing up in the archaeological evidence. And how might this be worked into a modern ritual structure? >> It depends on the kind of ritual space you have. If you have a large space outdoors, nothing prevents you from establishing the centre with a 'bile' and then dividing it either north/south or east/west (both traditions have existed in various places at various times), raising a platform for bonfires on one side (usually north, sometimes east) and digging a pit for liquid offerings to the Uomorii on the other (usually south, sometimes west). In a small space indoors, one can do what I usually do, which I learned from a variety of daoine feasa/fiosaichean/dynion hysbys/divinourien: light a candle on one side and have a bowl of water on the other, which is used for lustration at first and then to receive offerings, and is poured out outdoors after the ritual. If you use east/west orientation, there's the added complication that the attributions are very inconsistent in Celtic practice. The idea seems to be that although Fire has its *origin* in the east and Water its *origin* in the west, their "effect" is felt in the opposite direction, so that in many ritual setups one sees the *power* of Fire seated in the west and the *power* of Water seated in the west. Just to confuse people! :-) Alexei In a message dated 3/6/97 6:20:27 PM, you wrote: <> A square fire is built with logs at right angles defining it on four sides, as expected. A round fire is built with radial spokes, with the logs on the periphery arranged not exactly as a circle, of course, but more like a pentagon. There are specific woods to be used for different ritual circumstances. Alexei 'S/i' (from earlier 'Sidhe') comes from Old Celtic 's/edes' which means "stronghold, place of fixed abode'. These places were usually (though not always) associated with ancient burials or abandoned settlements (or sometimes just natural hills that *looked* like tumuli!). The Daoine S/i who lived there represented all the beings who are associated with the power of the Land, but this included the dead ancestors, who have gone back to the Land. This is why it's still natural to think of ancient peoples as being a part of the Daoine S/i, and why one can occasionally see one's own recently dead relatives among them. Alexei Here's a meditation I've personally used to accomplish journeys: Cauldron Meditations In using the Cauldron Meditation we should attempt to empower, focus, and still, each of the Three Cauldrons of the body: Coire Ernmae, Coire Goiriath, and Coire Sois. The first Cauldron to be addressed is the Cauldron of Vocation. This cauldron comprises the bones, the flesh and the skin/hair. One should attempt to find a safe, relaxing place to stretch out (I always orient my head toward the direction that is chosen to be most suited to the purpose of the working). The next step is to lay down and get comfortable. The meditation can also be done while sitting or standing, though I personally believe that it is more easily accomplished while laying down (in the dark if possible). The usual method is to start at the feet, lifting them one at a time, then letting them gently drop. As they come to rest, try to sense and feel sensations of peace and relaxation as they flow up the legs into the torso. The meditator may have to lift and drop, then release each leg, several times until it is truly relaxed and completely "at ease". Once the legs are relaxed and "floating", the same process should be performed upon the arms until they are completely relaxed. The next body part to be relaxed is the head (and the face, as well as the neck). Drop and release. Flow and relax...until completely apart from the muscles, separated from the heaviness of the bones and any tactile sensations of the skin. At this point, the Cauldron of Vocation has been placed in order. The next stage in the meditation is to regulate and release the Cauldron of Warming. The first dúile to be addressed is the breath. Focus upon the act of breathing . Is it natural? Is breathing being done deeply and slowly? Is the torso tight? Please do whatever it takes to ensure that the act of breathing in meditation is exactly like the breathing of one who is asleep (though the mind should be very much awake and focused at this point). Eventually, breathing becomes automatic and forgotten. At this point, the primary awareness should be on the heartbeat and the thoughts (comprising the other two dúile of the Coire Goiriath: the blood and the mind). Please focus on your heartbeat. Is it fast or slow? Is it regular? Does it have a strong steady beat? Listen to the drumming beat of the heart and consciously *Will* it to be deep, slow, and strong. The volume of the drumming will increase and stabilize until the point is reached (which is very akin to the "silent point" of Shamanic drumming) where the heart is no longer heard. At this point, the mind is in synchronization with the heartbeat and the breathing. They are no longer separate but have become One. It is now time to quiet the thoughts and prepare the Cauldron of Knowledge to receive inspiration or Imbas. Consciously focus on a black circle within the mind's eye. Let this circle grow as random images appear within it and come out of it. Let the circle of darkness grow. Feed thoughts into the cauldron as one would feed a fire. Slowly project your consciousness into the darkness. Maintain the vision of the circle of darkness as you enter into the Cauldron of Knowledge. Within its center there is perfect quietness and perfect blackness. It is filled with beginnings and endings. It has no front or back...no up or down. All of existence should have become an empty cauldron in every direction... black within and without. When the capacity of the mind has been expanded to see the blackness in all directions simultaneously, all around and within at the same time, it is ready to be filled. Those that have been called upon for aid can be expected to come at this time, or perhaps the answers that were sought will themselves appear? Sometimes the gateways between worlds open and sometimes we are touched by the spirits of the Otherworld. This is the time when the dúile of the Self are in resonance with the dúile of the Cosmos. Three Worlds are become one Center and Three Cauldrons sustain Nine Dúile. It is in this state that the Self can gain the wisdom of the Gods. This wisdom will eventually be revealed to us by the Ogham that we interpret during divination. Such a meditation is not an everyday occurrence and is definitely a powerful experience; it is not to be undertaken lightly. The state of oneness that it gives with the Cosmos will persist for many days afterward. The entire scenario is basically threefold: Dedicate yourself to the Journey. Do the work of quieting the self/severing the connection to this world. Take the leap into the Doorway that will open for you. There is much more to all of these things, but they are not lightly discussed or undertaken. Searles >Based on the information on Honor Price that has been provided, I propose >the following: > >Ri Ruirech (ruler) = Danielle <21Cumhal> >Ri Tuaithe (Tuath leaders) = ________ <7 Cumhal> >Aire Forgil (nobility) = Imbas Comhairle <30 set> >Aire Ard (high freeman) = Ball{members} <20 set> >Tu/ise (freeman) = Comhlach{associates} <15 set> >O/caie (young freeman) = Si/ntiu/so/ir{subscribers} <3 set> > >1 cumhal = 3 milk cows >2 set = 1 milk cow >6 dairt = 1 milk cow >Jon Keeyes At 03:33 PM 12/26/96 +0000, Ray White wrote: >> The Bush Barrow Calendar has been dated to 1900 BCE, at least 1,000 years >> *before* Celtic tribes began immigrating to Britain. All it proves is that >> the pre-Celtic Britons of c. 1900 BCE had a calendar consisting of six holy >> days -- the solstices and the cross-quarter days. It doesn't tell us what >> the Celtic Britons used for a calendar nor can we tell if the Bush Barrow >> Calendar was still in use when the Celts did arrive. A lot can change in a >> millennium. > >I haven't heard of that one. Where is it written about? Ross, Anne and Don Robins, _The Life and Death of a Druid Prince_ (NY: Touchstone, 1991) Word: grian (GREE-uhn) [g'r'i:@n] Meaning: grian = sun Usage: Ta/ an ghrian ag dul faoi. (TAW uhn GHREE-uhn uh DUL FWEE) [ta: @n gh'r'i:@n @ dul fi:] = The sun is setting. (lit., is the sun at going under-it) Focal an Lae - The Word of the Day in Irish Word: grianstad (GREE-uhn-stahd) [g'r'i:@nstad] Meaning: grianstad = solstice Usage: Bi/onn dha/ ghrianstad sa bhliain. (BEE-un GHAW GHREE-uhn-stahd suh VLEE-ihn) [b'i:@n gha: gh'r'i:@nstad s@ v'l'i:@n'] = There are always two solstices in the year. Word: tiarna (CHEE-uhr-nuh) [t'i:@rn@] Meaning: tiarna = lord Usage: An Tiarna Dia (uhn CHEE-uhr-nuh JEE-uh) [@n t'i:@rn@ d'i:@] = The Lord God Focal an Lae - The Word of the Day in Irish Word: si/or (SHEE-uhr) [s'i:r] Meaning: si/or = eternal, perpetual, ever- Usage: Bi/onn siad de shi/or ag clamhsa/n. (BEE-uhn SHEE-uhd duh HEE-uhr uh KLOW-sawn) [b'i:@n s'i:@d d@ hi:r @ klausa:n] = They are constantly complaining. si/orai/ocht (SHEE-ree-uhkht) [s'i:ri:@xt] = eternity Focal an Lae - The Word of the Day in Irish Word: fe/ile (FAY-luh) [f'e:l'@] Meaning: fe/ile = festival, feast day Usage: Inniu La/ Fhe/ile Bri/de. (ihn-YU LAW AY-luh BREE-juh) [@n'u la: e:l'@ b'r'i:d'@] = Today is St. Brigit's Day. (Actually, it was Saturday, Feb. 1st.) Beidh para/id ar La/ Fhe/ile Pa/draig. (BAY PU-rawj ehr LAW AY-luh PAW-rihg) [b'ei pura:d' er' la: e:l'@ pa:r@g'] = There will be a parade on St. Patrick's Day. Focal an Lae - The Word of the Day in Irish Word: flaitheas (FLAH-huhs) [flah@s] Meaning: flaitheas = rule, sovereignty, kingdom Usage: na flaithis (nuh FLAH-hish) [n@ flah@s'] = heaven (lit., the kingdoms) Ta/ se/ sna flaithis anois. (TAW shay snuh FLAH-hish uh-NISH) It has been pointed out to me that there is a need for the bunreacht to be explained. Therefore the following. A constitution is an agreement between people to interact in a certain way. The beauty of any constitution, is that it is a permanent record that people can refer back to whenever the need arises. In the case of the Date sent: Wed, 26 Mar 1997 13:53:34 -0500 Send reply to: IMBAS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM From: Alexei Kondratiev Subject: Re: [IMBAS] Celtic Values To: IMBAS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM Since we're discussing Celtic values from a list of English terms, it might be useful to explore what terms Celtic languages would use to express these ideas. A word with specific connotations in one language doesn't necessarily have a match in another language and, as we've seen before, free-associating on an English word can lead us into areas quite alien to Celtic thought. The traditional Irish word that is usually translated as "honour" is 'oineach' which (by way of 'ainech') goes back to OI 'enech' which originally means "face" (from Old Celtic 'eniequos') -- cognates in Welsh 'wyneb', Cornish and Breton 'enep' (same meaning). Thus the idea of honour is primarily related to one's "face" which must be saved in the eyes of the community. A closely related concept, often mentioned in the same contexts, is that of 'cl/u' ("reputation" or "fame"), which comes from an IE root meaning "to hear" and thus refers to what is being said about someone. To be honourable, then, is to maintain one's "face" before the community and to be "heard of" in a good way. Dishonour comes from losing "face" and being "heard of" in a bad way. The term 'enech' also expresses the idea of personal power, since as long as one has "face" in the community one is able to influence others: thus people or things that are your responsibility or otherwise under your protection are described as being "on" or "under" your "face". When you lose "face", of course, you're no longer able to extend the protection. What emerges from this is a sense of honour and dishonour being very much defined by the community, rather than the individually chosen codes of honour that are more characteristic of our modern way of thinking. Comments? Alexei Date sent: Sat, 1 Mar 1997 08:48:34 -0800 (PST) To: nemeton-l@pico.concourse.com From: inisglas@inisglas.seanet.com (inisglas) Subject: Bri/, bu/ad, other qualities Send reply to: nemeton-l@pico.concourse.com Alexei said: >Actually, this isn't the way these terms are normally used. 'Bua' (which is >properly 'b/uad' or 'b/uaid', the same word that means "victory") refers to >*innate* qualities (the talents one is born with -- in fact, "talent" would >be a good overall translation). Its antonym is not 'br/i', which means the >essential energy of something (which can be augmented or diminished), but >rather 'cles', which refers to a skill that is learned, or something that is >achieved through planning and effort. With your extensive knowledge of the various Celtic languages, can you tell us more about the various words describing the inherent qualities of living beings and/or the universe? I read O'Tuathail some years ago, and have based some of my understanding on the things that he said, but I've also been told that O'T doesn't know his Irish as well as he claims to, leaving me with something of a quandary. Along with his discussion of bri/ and bu/a, he also offered the following as qualities touched upon in the tales. Some of the analysis is his, some is mine. They're so mixed together now that I'm not entirely sure which is which, and I can't find my entire CnL collection to look it up. Anyway -- Any thoughts or comments? Do you have any additions to this list, or corrections of glaring gaffes? Would you care to discuss any of these in greater depth? Erynn In a message dated 97-01-28 01:47:58 EST, Searles writes: The topic of virtues is being discussed on another list (OWO) of which I am a member. Here's a list of Celtic virtues that I found in the _Audacht Morainn_, the noble qualities are listed as: << Troca/r - Mercy Fírio/n - Justice Chosmuil - Impartiality Chuibsech - Conscience Fosath - Firmness Eslabar - Generosity Garte - Hospitality Fi/alainech - Honor sessach - Stability Lessach - Beneficense E/itir - Capability Inric - Honesty Suthnge - Eloquence Foruste - Steadiness Fi/rbrethach - Truth in Judging >> Ah, now this looks like a list we can also work with, perhaps more appropriately than the Asatru one by virtue of its "Celtic-ness." I will also wait or check (whichever comes first) to see if they fit into the 9 Celtic Virtues that we haven't had the pleasure of seeing yet on the OWO list. << I also have a list of 225 qualities based on the Ogham that could apply >> I'd personally be interested in seeing those, too, if it isn't too much trouble. Go raibh maith agat! Topaz The way in which I was thinking of "bu/aidh" was in its use in opposition to gessa. The kings not only had to carefully avoid violating their geis, they also were given bu/aidh which, if followed, assured the land and people of greater prosperity. Bu/aidh when coupled with clessa means "excellences and feats." Acquiring and achieving excellence is bu/aidh and, in this, I see it more as an active principle, instead of an innate one as you state. Victory is achieved it is not assured. Wishing someone prosperity is an active use of bu/a and not an innate use. "Beir bua agus beannacht," is an active gifting of blessings to another person. It would seem to me that the modern usage of the word bua is more in line with what you are indicating, while what I've read of its more ancient use, tends to make me think of it as being more an active proces (though I would be the first to acknowledge your much greater skill at Celtic languages than my own). It is difficult to get away from the idea that bu/a - bua means an active transfer of power/excellence. As an example of the use of bu/adh as an actiive qualty (to be acquired), I quote the following from a tract that was translated by Miles Dillon: "...the fish of the Boyne, the deer of Luibnech, the mast of Mana, the bilberries of Bri Leith, the cress of Brossnach, water from the well of Tlachtga, the hares of Naas. All of these things used to be brought to the King of Tara on the first of August (i.e. the feats of Lugnasad). And the year in which he used to consume them did not count against him as life spent, and he used to be victorious in battle on every side... It is certain of the kings of Ireland, if they avoided their gessa and obtained their buadha, that they should suffer neither misfortune nor disturbance, and neither plague nor pestilence would come in their reign, and they would not fail with age before ninety years." (Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy, LIV, C, pp. 8 ff.) It is clear in regards to the king and the land, that violation of geis causes power to flow from the king and the prosperity of the people. Following the prescriptions (the buadha) would increase his power and vitality and bring benefits to the people, as well as fertility to the land. I find this use of "buadha" to be very consistent with what Se/an O/Tuathal calls "bua" in his writings. Searles "Ní fili nad chomgne comathar nad scéla uile." searles@summerlands.com http://www.summerlands.com ---------- > From: AlexeiK@aol.com > Subject: Re: something to discuss > Date: Friday, February 28, 1997 6:21 PM > > > In a message dated 2/28/97 5:14:37 PM, Searles wrote: > > <<"Bri" appears to be an inherent quality and "bu/a" appears to be an > acquired property. >> > > Actually, this isn't the way these terms are normally used. 'Bua' (which is > properly 'b/uad' or 'b/uaid', the same word that means "victory") refers to > *innate* qualities (the talents one is born with -- in fact, "talent" would > be a good overall translation). Its antonym is not 'br/i', which means the > essential energy of something (which can be augmented or diminished), but > rather 'cles', which refers to a skill that is learned, or something that is > achieved through planning and effort. "Bri" appears to be an inherent quality and "bu/a" appears to be an acquired property. They both seem to have foundations in the mythology and the legal/poetical writings that follow them. "Bri" appears to be a shortened form of "brig" which a term that can mean "power" or even ""high". "Bu/a" appears to be a more elusive term but could be based upon the words: bu/as (flow) and/or bu/adh (victories, accomplishments, special qualities). Using these meanings and applying them to power means that bri is inherent power while bu/a is acquired power. As such, bu/a is the power that "flows" while bri is the power that maintains. Whether there is a relationship between the levels of bri and bu/a, is a matter of much speculation and consideration. I'd be very interested in hearing the thoughts, understandings and insights of the rest of the list in this matter, as well as discussing it more fully. Searles "Ní fili nad chomgne comathar nad scéla uile." From: cilldara@mail.utexas.edu Date sent: Sat, 15 Feb 1997 10:24:07 -0600 To: nemeton-l@pico.concourse.com Subject: RE: Spring Equinox Send reply to: nemeton-l@pico.concourse.com Jon Keeyes wrote: >I came across a set of names for the "elements" in an article published by >Clan Dalriada. >They are: > east - aiet > south - deas > west - iar > north - tuath I should think these are simply the names of the directions -- north, south, east and west -- in Gaelic. In Irish, they are quite similar: east - oirthear south - deisceart west - iarthar north - tuaisceart These are modern Irish. They have that directional suffix on them, but look at the roots. So anyway, this isn't any kind of list of elements, but a list of directions. For subtleties, like what form these words might be in, we'd need to enlist an actual Gaelic speaker. Su/sanna cilldara@mail.utexas.edu "Our words must seem to be inevitable." -- William Butler Yeats Apart from 'f/ior-r/aith/i na bliana' (the "real" quarters of the year), which represent the seasons as divided by the s0-called "fire festivals", the traditional Irish calendar also recognises 'r/aith/i cama' ("crooked" quarters) which are said to extend "from Christmas to St Patricks, from St Patricks to St Johns, from St Johns to Michaelmas, from Michaelmas back to Christmas". Each of these feasts was celebrated extensively in Ireland (and all the other Celtic countries) and all the rituals had a pre-Christian component to them. This may well have come from an imitation of Germanic customs, but it's been a part of Celtic tradition for over a thousand years. From the nature of the celebrations I tend to see each of these "crooked quarter' feasts as the fulfillment of the ritual themes of the "true quarter" feast that precedes it (this seems to be the way Celtic tradition has "Celticized" them). Alexei To: CLANNADA@LISTSERV.AOL.COM Well dear ones-- here is the first part of the ongoing ( I hope) series on the Brehon law--the Introduction--marriage comes next and then on and on to the end..... Let me know what I need to fix!! Alix Introduction to the Brehon Law Prepared by Alix Morgan MacAnTsaior The Irish law tracts known as Fenechas (the law of the Feine or Freemen), commonly known as the Brehon Law are probably the oldest known European laws. These laws which were originally composed in poetic verse and memorized by the Filid were written down in later ages and preserved for us in several books of law including the Senchus Mor, the Book of Acaill, and the Uraiccecht Becc. Linguistic evidence indicates that much of the law has its foundation as far back as the common Celtic Period (c. 1000 BCE). It is said that the Brehon Law was ordered codified in 438CE by Laighaire, High King of Ireland. This work was done by three kings, three Brehons and three Christian missionaries, and is contained in the Senchus Mor. These early Irish law texts originate in the 7th and 8th centuries CE and come down to us in mostly corrupt forms from manuscripts written in the 14th-16th centuries. We have been able to glean much about early law from tales, myths and histories. It is to be noted and expected that any in set of laws so reconstructed there are inconsistencies, later additions, and “christianization” of concepts. In spite of such corruption and the many blanks that the old tales leave us, what has come down to us is an astonishing collection of laws that are extremely unified and which confirm and complement each other. It is to be noted that many of the customs codified in the laws show much older influences which are thought to have affinity to the Indo-Europeans systems that can be paralleled to systems traced to India. There are commonalities between Brahmins and Druids and it is thought by some that both India and Ireland, on the fringes of the Indo-European world, have preserved traditions which were more archaic and pure. To understand the Brehon law further, one must begin to understand the culture of the people from which the law grew. These are laws of a pastoral people whose economics were based on a self-sufficient mixed farming economy where wealth was measured in ownership of cattle and regulated by family and tribal relationships . Coinage was unknown and barter was the prevailing economic standard. The law was based on the interactions of people and their foundation was largely the power of the customs of these people which grew into a more codified body of law. It is significant that these laws were considered even by our enemies to be based on sound principles of justice and later invaders adopted these principles which then governed Ireland into the seventeenth century. The scope of the law as we find it today is very broad and encompasses almost every area of live and human relationships. The law texts show us a picture of a society which in contrast to our largely individualistic society of today was based on tribal and familial relationships. The law texts deal with people in terms of their role in their tribe and family and the obligations of the individual are usually generalized into family obligations, thus contracts are not solely between individuals but are between family units. The role of outsiders is restricted and the kinship roles are broadened. Society was hierarchical and there was defined distinction in class. The obligations and rights of every strata of the society were clearly set down. The law was based on family and kinship groups who were held responsible for the actions of the individual with their midst. The stability of the law and the society was therefore strengthened by the necessity of the individual to be a part of the family or the tribe. A family or tribe that is going to pay the price for the actions of any individual will find it necessary to police the actions of the individuals in their midst. A person who was outlawed or exiled from their family or tribe had essentially no rights that were recognized under the law and no recourse, so one’s tribal and family connection determined and sustained one’s economic status, social status and even one's very existence. Though the hierarchical and non-egalitarian status of the society is firmly establish in early Irish law, the law is fair and humane. The rights of innocent dependents of guilty parties is clearly delineated. Guarantees of fair presentation of evidence including barring of witnesses who stand to gain from the outcome is clearly laid down. Provisions for protection of weaker and infirm members of the community are included as well as protections for clients from dishonest or violent lords. There are safeguards in place to protect the insane and protections for the elderly, the ill and destitute. Criminals, non observers of the law and non-productive members of society are however given short shrift. Tradition, history and myth tell us that the interpretation and enforcement of the law was the job of a specialized group of well trained Druids called the Brithem or Brehon. The training of the Brehons was long and arduous. The memorization of long tracts of law was essential and the mastery of the intricacy of a complex law tradition was mandatory. Brehons were reciters of the law and Brehon were held personally responsible for damages if they gave false interpretation or recited the law incorrectly. There is some indication that early reciters of the law were considered to have some sort of Divine gift that enabled them to give true judgment. Only after the law was recited by the Brehon could the King or Queen make the judgement. Then as now Truth and Justice were the code of the Celtic people. English sources of later periods (The Chronicle of Ireland 1584-1608 by Sir James Perrot-ed. Wood, Dublin 1933) note the hearing of law-cases on the hilltops by Brehons and the law texts we are discussing clearly delineate a place in law proceedings for the chief poet (int ollam filid) and a side court which includes historians “because the court relies upon the traditional lore (senchas) and clarification of historians( senchaid).” The basics of native Irish law handed down from the ancients was practiced in Ireland until the Elizabethan times by law schools that preserved and taught the law and by legal families who were learned in the law. The Flight of the Earls in 1607 effectively meant the end of the law schools and legal families which had kept the law alive. Though there may have been some remnants that were extant into the 17th century, by the 18th century all of these law schools and families were extinct, because the old legal families were unwilling to transfer to English law, though there is evidence that some legal families worked for the new regime. In documents dated 1591 and 1602 there is mention made of a brehowne named Patrick MacEgan who given license to “prosecute and punish by all means malefactors, rebels, vagabonds...” We of the Clannada na Gadelica are dedicated to the task of researching, restoring and rebuilding for ourselves and our descendants the tribal structures, customs, beliefs, and culture of our ancient ancestors, so that we will be a true and vital tribe of Celts in the modern era. To that end we have recognized the Triads ( as found in A Compilation of Triads by John Wright ) as the embodiment of the ancient law and use them to govern our lives. If we are going to truly restore ourselves as a Gaelic Traditional Tribe, restoring, recycling ad recreating the laws in a modern mode is an essential part of our past and we ignore it at our peril. Resources used: A Guide to Early Irish Law by Fergus Kelly The Celts by Nora Chadwick Constitution of the Clannada na Gadelica The Brehon Law by L. MacDonald (Dalriada Celtic Heritage Trust) Gaelic Celtic Culture:Law by Ian MacAnTsaoir S/usanna wrote: >>>I have a question for all you Welsh scholars out there... first, did the Welsh celebrate the holy days we often call the fire festivals, and second, what were their names for them?<<< They most certainly did! (I've also heard Gwyl Awst called , but only by Neo-Paganoid-type people so I don't know how traditional that name is)> Alexei Ian wrote: >>>So here's my question. Is there a Celtic version of the magical energies that Yoga calls prana and apana, and Norse magic calls Ond?<<< Yes. It was called 'brig/a' (difficult to translate, but roughly "that which rises") in Old Celtic and is the basis for Brigantia/ Brigindona/ Brigit's own name. The Irish form is 'br/i', which today most commonly has the sense of "meaning, importance" but still carries the connotation of "essential energy". Alexei The translation of 'd/uile' as "elements" has confused a lot of people who have been led to think that they constitute a balanced system like the Classical theory of the elements. A far better translation of 'd/uil' would be "soul" or "vital essence" (as in the common expression 'gach d/uil bheo' = "every living soul"). Since in the Celtic world view everything is alive, all natural phenomena (including but not limited to what we would call "living things") are 'd/uile', and so nature is 'd/ulra', the great whole in which they all interact. The lists of 'd/uile' in Middle Irish sources are not intended to be normative: they just point to important natural phenomena that have to be taken into account. There *is* a two-element system that stands behind all Celtic cosmology, ritual and magic: it involves the primordial IE elements of fire and water. The interplay of these two elements regulates summer and winter, life and death, activity and passivity, order and chaos, thought and fertility, and even the nature of God-Goddess pairing. Earth is their meeting-place. Alexei At 10:29 PM 2/7/97 -0500, Searles O'Dubhain wrote: >Nuada is equated to Nechtan by some authors. Nuada is also equated to Ne/it, an obscure war god, by some authors. Interestingly, the Badb and Nemain are described as Ne/it's wives in _Ta/in Bo/ Cuailnge_. A God of Sovereingty married to two Goddesses of Sovereignty. It fits. It's also why I see Nuada as the Celtic equivalent of Tyr, a sky god with battle goddess wives. According to Jaan Puhvel Nechtan is cognate with the Vedic Apam Napat and the Roman Neptunus. ************************************************************************** Danielle Ni/ Dhighe * morrigan@aa.net * http://www.aa.net/~morrigan/ Visit the IMBAS Homepage: http://www.aa.net/~morrigan/imbas/ "Oh, you winds of love, help me! Will you take me to my homeland? I'm so afraid that I will grow old in this land of exile." -- _Winds of Love_ ************************************************************************** Nuada is equated to Nechtan by some authors. I'd be interested in hearing more about this relationship, if anyone has some additional information. It seems only natural for two deities of water and sovereignty to be associated. Searles "Ní fili nad chomgne comathar nad scéla uile." At 11:23 AM 1/7/97 +0000, Ray White wrote: >As for Nuada, people don't talk about him very much here. I am also >not as familiar with him as I'd like to be - and I'd like to here >more from people about their scholarly and personal experience of >him. I'm finding the connection to Tyr and sky gods very interesting >and I'd like to here more. I can't answer to personal experience with Nuada, as most of my personal experiences with deity has been limited to the Morri/gan, with occasional workings with Cernunnos, Bri/de, and the Dagda, so I'll stick with what I know as a scholar. "From Findias was brought the sword of Nuada; none used to escape who was wounded by it." "...the Tuatha De...received patrimony and land in Dobar and Iardobar in the north of Alba. Seven years they were in that place, Nuada being prince over them." "In consequence [of arriving in Ireland and their conflict with the Fir Bolg] was fought the battle of Mag Tured of Cong in Conmaicne Cuile Tolad of Connacht...Nuada son of Eochaid son of Etarlam was king over the Tuatha De...even the Tuatha De were slain and cut off to a great extent, and in the joining of battle their king, Nuada, had his arm hewn off from his shoulder. Afterwards Diancecht the leech and Credne the brazier made for him a silver arm, with vitality in every finger and every joint of it. But Miach son of Diancecht lopped off the silver arm after a while, and put joint to joint and sinew to sinew, and healed it in thrice nine days..." >From _The Book of Invasions_, as translated in _Ancient Irish Tales_, ed. by Tom P. Cross and Clark Harris Slover (Totowa NJ: Barnes & Noble, 1996) "Then Nuada Silver-Hand and Macha, daughter of Ernmass, fell by Balor grandson of Net." >From _The Second Battle of Mag Tured_, as translated in _Ancient Irish Tales_, ed. by Tom P. Cross and Clark Harris Slover (Totowa NJ: Barnes & Noble, 1996) Nuada and Macha were supposedly a divine couple, which parallels Tyr/Teiwaz and his battle goddess wives. "Essaying extra-Celtic comparisons for the insular tradition, we find the Irish pair Nu/adu and Lug (or their Welsh counterparts Lludd and Lleu) homologous with Scaevola and Cocles of the Roman Republican War, marked by loss of a hand and one-eyes battle magic respectively. On the divine level this means comparability with the Germanic pair *Ti/wz and *Wo/thanaz, in Old Norse terms Ty/r and Odin, the former having given up his right hand in order to bind the wolf, the latter sacrificing an eye to gain magical powers. The ascendancy of Lug over Nu/adu parallels the eclipsing of Ty/r by Odin in Norse tradition. Ogma seems to embody the warrior level, with his club ,matching Thor's hammer (and Feridun's gurz), while the third estate is reflected by Bres, the agricultural expert and popular favorite elected king by the women's vote. That he had to be put in his place by a violent conflict indicates that the Second Battle of Mag Tuired contains elements of the Indo-European myth of the 'war of the divine classes' (Indra vs. the As/vins, Romans vs. Sabines, Asir vs. Vanir...)" Puhvel, Jaan, Comparative Mythology (Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1987) I had always seen the name listed as Ethlinn and did not connect the two (I looked in CMG and MD and she's called Ethné in the first; Ethné and Ethlenn in the second). This would make Lugh the son of the seed (Ethné), the foster son of the plains (Tailtu and Magh Mór), and the grandson of the eye of primal chaos (Balor). Since Lughnasadh is also the wedding feast of Lugh, does this mean that he marries his mother, who is also his daughter, while he celebrates the death of his foster-mother during this festival? Having Ethné be the mother of Lugh certainly gives him an interesting pedigree (not that he didn't already have many stories to tell). Searles I did some work on this for someone who is trying to recreate the fili's course of study for a Celtic reconstructionist group. Here is a translation 1st year - Foclo/c - Novice 2nd year - Macfuirmid - Son of composition 50 further ogams. 6 detailed lessons of filidecht. 30 dre/cht (poems), 10 each of setrada (this may be the setna mo/r metre), senamain (a metre having lines of four syllables ending in a disyllabic word), and snaithe senamna (snaithe means "ornamented thread" or "thread of life"). I suspect that the snaithe senamna is a more complex form of senamain, probably involving internal rhymes. 3rd year - Doss - Shelterer (bushy tree) Auraicept text. 6 other detailed lessons of filidecht. 40 dre/cht (poems) and 16 la/id (8 rannaigecht ghairid and 8 of the metre designated "murphy 12" in the Gerard Murphy text "Early Irish Lyrics"). 4th year - Cano - Cub 50 dre/cht (poems). 50 laws from the Bretha Nemid. Some of these can be found translated by Liam Bretnach in Uraicecht na Ri/ar: Poetic Grades in Early Irish Law. I'd recommend just reading that text for this requirement. 20 emain (poems regarding si/dhe mounds, or knowledge of 20 si/dhe mounds?). 5th year - Cli/ - Ridgepole 60 dre/cht (poems). 30 anair (poems that are not satires). 30 iarmberla (items of ancient, obscure speech). 6th year - Ansru/ith - Great Stream 70 dre/cht (poems). 80 nath mo/r (great praise poems). 80 nath becc (small praise poems). Berla na filed (language of the poets -- possibly the three word ogams?) 7th year - Ollamh - Great High One Broshnacha suad (the lethrannaigecht mo/r metre), i.e. the bard metres which the poet ought to know, for that is the poet's lesson of the seventh year; e.g. 50 divisions of brosnacha or dechnad mo/r, and the two species of drechnad mo/r are there reckoned -- sned (the lens) and trebrad (weaving). Sned might be a drechnad mo/r focussing closely upon one object, while trebrad might be a more ornamented drechnad mo/r, with more internal rhyme or perhaps more than one subject, woven together. 8th year - Ollamh Fiscomarca filed (wise invocations of the poet) i.e. du/ili berla (elements of language) and clethchor choem (fence/row/line changes?) and reicne roscadach and la/id (extempore poems and la/id) i.e. tenmla/ida and imbas forosnai and dichetal do chennaib na tuaithe and the dindshenchus (land naming tales) and all the principle tales of Ireland inorder to relate them to kings, lords and gentlemen. For the fili is not yet perfect. 9th and 10th years - Ollamh 40 sennath (ancient poems). 25 luasca (movements, swayings?) and 7 ena (waters); eochraid (metres) of 60 words with metres and 14 srotha (venerable or ancestral) and 6 du/ili feda (elements of letters). 11th year - Ollamh 50 anamain mo/r (great inspirations) and 50 anamain becc (small inspirations). These may be poems of prophecy and divination. 12th year - Ollamh 120 rochetal (great songs). 4 cerda (feats) ie the feat of Ladchend mic Bairchida and the feat of Chota and the feat of Bicni and the feat of Be/ci. I don't know what these are. Probably various poetic feats accomplished by people of those names. Apparently, some of the information about what these metres might be are found in Windishe & Stokes "Irische Texte" 1880-1909, a German text on Irish texts. I don't know if there is an English translation of this or not. I would note that there are other sources for this information which differ somewhat with the list given here. I only know about the list I've translated for you. I believe that other lists may be more detailed. Erynn In a message dated 4/2/97 4:19:31 PM, you wrote: << And "uaisle" means? >> "high ones" or "noble ones" ('uasal', from Old Celtic 'ouxellos' "high"). >>> like the idea that going tuathal "spins us out of ordinary reality". This ritual should take place mostly in "mythic reality", and then be brought into the every-day world.<<< It got a start out of me! In living Celtic tradition 'cor tuathal' is used exclusively for cursing. It represents an unmaking of the cosmic order, and ensures that things will go *wrong*. It's one thing that the few surviving Celtic ritualists are adamant about. Alexei > From: Searles O'Dubhain > To: IMBAS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM > Subject: Re: [IMBAS] CHAT: off-topic: shamamanism > Date: Saturday, April 05, 1997 8:48 PM > > The Irish for necromancer ia "asarlai/" ot "marbhdhraoi/." The first word > can also be generally applied to socerers and conjurers. Marbhdhraoi/ Date sent: Sat, 5 Apr 1997 23:01:54 -0500 Send reply to: IMBAS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM From: "Searles O'Dubhain" Subject: Re: [IMBAS] CHAT: off-topic: shamamanism To: IMBAS@LISTSERV.AOL.COM I rank Druids in much the same way that I once saw a Roman historian rank them: Natural Philosophers - Medical Doctors, Scientists, Herbalists, Alchemists Poets - Bards, Story Tellers, Poets, Composers Moral Philosophers and Priests - Counselors, Clergy, Psychologists, Psychiatrists Seers - Lawyers, Prophets, Seers, Diviners, Astrologers Judges - Shaman, Magi, PHD, Teacher Here is how they might stack up as Filidh: Driseg (the Beginner, Natural Philosophy) - Level of Beith (Birch, Beginnings) Fochlac (Advanced beginner, the Bard) - Level of Duir (Oak, Strength) Cli (Journeyman, Moral Philosophy) - Level of Ngetal (Reed, Bending) Anrad (Master/Warrior, the Seer) - Level of Edad (Aspen, Life and Death) Ollamh (Doctor/Judge, Priest) - Level of Emancoll (Witch Hazel, the Sea, Surrounding) Modern Irish words for these could be: Lia - Physcian File - Poet Fealsamh - Philosopher Seer - Fa/idh Saggart/Saoi - Priest/Doctor (Learned One) Old Irish words for these are: Liaig - Leech, physician, healer Fili - Poet, Historian, Man of learning E/ces - Much the same as a Fili (but MacCrossan seems to think they are theologians) Fa/idh - Seer Ollamh - Master Alexei will probably correct any mistakes I've provided, but these should be pretty close(though he may not receive CHAT). Searles "Ní fili nad chomgne comathar nad scéla uile." searles@summerlands.com http://www.summerlands.com ---------- > From: Danielle Ni/ Dhighe > Subject: Re: [IMBAS] CHAT: off-topic: shamamanism > Date: Saturday, April 05, 1997 10:15 PM > > At 10:15 PM 4/5/97 -0500, Searles O'Dubhain wrote: > >I agree that a Shaman is a Shaman. The word asarlai/ is a generally one > >that can mean trickster, sorcerer, medicine man, etc. It's not bad but my > >own personal preference would br Draoi/. > > How about Faidh, cognate with Vate? Modern Irish: prayer - urnai invocation - achaini blessing - beannacht baptism - baisteaddh thanksgiving - altu/ intercession - impi/ supplication - idirghui/ offering - tairiscint burnt offering - iobairt dedication - tiomnu/ It's pretty clear that the ancient Celts referred to the gods as 'd/euoi' (the PIE-derived term meaning "shining ones") if they were sky-gods and 'and/euoi' ("anti-shining ones") if they were Land-gods, and that these weren't problematic terms. Gods that serve as models for social functions