The Complete Idiot's Guide to Celtic Wisdom

by McColman, Carl

• ISBN13: 9780028644172
• ISBN10: 0028644174
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-05-06
• Publisher: DK Publishing, Inc.

Summary

This book is a comprehensive look at Irish, Scottish, Welsh, and continental Celtic traditions, encompassing both Pagan and Christian traditions. This book tells the entire story of Celtic spirituality, offering practical tools for those who would like to walk the Celtic path today.

Author Biography

Carl McColman, author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Paganism, is a well-known name in New Age literature.

Table of Contents

Part 1: Welcome to Celtic Wisdom	1	(81)
Introducing the World of Celtic Wisdom	3	(14)
The Heart of a Warrior	4	(2)
What Makes a Celt Tick?	6	(1)
Entry-Points to the Celtic Tradition	6	(7)
Spirituality, Wisdom, Tradition: Understanding the Path	13	(1)
What's in It for Me: The Benefits of the Celtic Way	14	(3)
A History of a Proud People	17	(14)
Why History Matters	18	(1)
Before the Celts Were Celts	19	(1)
Celtic Archaeology: From Hallstatt to La Tene	19	(4)
The Coming of Christianity	23	(3)
The Six Nations: Today's Celtic World	26	(3)
The Lessons of History	29	(2)
The Concept of Celticity	31	(10)
Defining Celticity	32	(4)
Real Celts and Cardiac Celts	36	(1)
The Wisdom of Being a Marginal Culture	37	(1)
Wisdom, Language, and Celticity	38	(1)
Of Pipes, Whistles, and Fiddles: Celtic Music	39	(2)
The Seven Dimensions of Celtic Wisdom	41	(14)
A Few Basic Celtic Wisdom Principles	42	(3)
The Seven Branches of Celtic Wisdom	45	(8)
Finding Your Path	53	(1)
Activity: Keep a Journal	54	(1)
The Sovereignty of Nature	55	(14)
The Secret of Celtic Wisdom: Partnership with Nature	56	(2)
Nature: The Heart of Celtic Wisdom	58	(2)
The Sovereignty of the Land	60	(3)
Putting Spirituality in Its Place	63	(2)
More About Holy Wells	65	(3)
Walk Your Talk	68	(1)
The Otherworld: Nature's Dance Partner	69	(12)
What Is the Otherworld?	70	(3)
A Geography of the Otherworld	73	(1)
Gateways to the Otherworld	74	(2)
Denizens of the Otherworld	76	(3)
The Psychology of the Otherworld	79	(2)
Part 2: The Three Paths	81	(74)
Singers, Seers, and Sages	83	(10)
``Song of Amergin''	84	(1)
What the Classical Writers Had to Say About the Druids	85	(1)
Celtic Quiz: Which Path Is Right for You?	86	(4)
The Bards: Keepers of the Past	90	(1)
The Ovates: Keepers of the Future	91	(1)
The Druids: Keepers of the Present	91	(2)
Songs and Stories: The Path of the Bard	93	(16)
The Quest for the Imbas: Fire in the Head	93	(2)
Taliesin: The Quintessential Bard	95	(2)
Other Elements of the Bardic Tradition	97	(4)
Samildanach: To Be Talented in Many Ways	101	(3)
Nine Steps Toward Becoming a Bard	104	(5)
Psychic Development: The Path of the Seer	109	(14)
What Is an Ovate?	110	(2)
The Elements of the Seer's Craft	112	(2)
Examples of Famous Seers	114	(1)
The Lorica: A Key to Psychic Self-Defense	115	(3)
Nine Steps to Becoming a Seer	118	(5)
Devotion to the Ways of Wisdom: The Path of the Druid	123	(18)
Just What Is a Druid?	124	(1)
The Three Ages of the Druids	124	(3)
More Than Just Priests: The Wisdom Aspect of Druidry	127	(1)
Druids as Counselors: The Anamchara	128	(4)
Other Pieces of the Druid Puzzle	132	(2)
Nine Steps to Becoming a Druid	134	(7)
Rituals and Tools: Supplies for the Celtic Wisdomseeker	141	(14)
Your Personal Altar	142	(4)
The Virtue of Asking	146	(1)
What Is Ritual?	147	(3)
A Sample Ritual	150	(5)
Part 3: Mythology and Lore	155	(52)
Storytelling: The Waltz of Remembering	157	(14)
The Role of the Shanachie in Celtic Wisdom	158	(3)
The Monks and the Myths: Preserving the Stories	161	(2)
Overview of the Mythic Sources	163	(3)
Common Themes and Motifs in Celtic Myth and Legend	166	(2)
Making Your Own Connection with the Lore	168	(1)
Storytelling for the Future	169	(2)
The Irish Tradition	171	(14)
The Four Cycles of Irish Myth	172	(2)
Key Themes in the Myths	174	(1)
Meet the Characters of Irish Myth	175	(8)
Where to Go for Further Study	183	(2)
The Welsh Tradition	185	(10)
The Main Stories and Themes of Welsh Tradition	186	(2)
The Poetry and Triads of Wales	188	(1)
The Legacy of the Welsh Tradition: The Arthurian Cycle	188	(1)
Who's Who in Welsh Myth	189	(5)
Where to Go for Further Study	194	(1)
Archaeology, Folklore, and the Living Tradition	195	(12)
Archaeology: Every Picture (and Artifact) Tells a Story	196	(1)
Folklore as a Source of Wisdom	197	(1)
The Power of Place	198	(2)
Modern Interpretations of Celtic Deity	200	(3)
A Who's Who of Other Celtic Deities	203	(1)
Comparative Mythology: The Ultimate Research Adventure	204	(1)
Where to Go for Further Study	205	(2)
Part 4: Further Steps Along the Path	207	(86)
Quest for a Disciplined Mind	209	(10)
Please Pass the Elbow Grease	209	(1)
The Disciplined Mind of the Druid	210	(2)
Elements of a Disciplined Mind	212	(5)
Unleashing Your Inner Druid	217	(2)
Reaching Out to the Otherworld	219	(10)
The Path of the Celtic Shaman	220	(1)
What Is Shamanism?	220	(2)
Entering the Otherworld: The Quintessential Shamanic Activity	222	(1)
Contacting Otherworld Guides	223	(1)
What Is the Purpose of Shamanism?	224	(1)
Key Voices in Celtic Shamanism	225	(1)
Tree and Landscape Meditation	226	(3)
Revering the Ancestors	229	(10)
Honor Your Father(s) and Mother(s)	230	(1)
The Concept of Worship	231	(2)
How to Honor the Ancestors	233	(4)
Celtic Reconstruction: One Way to Honor the Ancestors	237	(1)
The Ultimate Honor: Living an Honorable Life	238	(1)
Befriending the Good People	239	(14)
Where Do Faeries Come From?	240	(1)
What's Unique About Celtic Faeries	241	(2)
The History of Faery Contact	243	(2)
Sites Associated with the Faeries	245	(5)
What's So Wise About the Faeries?	250	(1)
Faery Protocol	251	(2)
Celtic Spirituality and Christianity: Cultivating the Heart of Holiness	253	(14)
The Story of the Coming of Christianity	254	(3)
How Celtic Wisdom + Christianity = Celtic Christianity	257	(2)
Brigid: Christian Saint, or Goddess Makeover?	259	(2)
Christianity and Hostility	261	(2)
Christopaganism: A Celtic Possibility	263	(2)
Key Voices in Celtic Christianity	265	(1)
Cultivating the Heart of Holiness as a Celtic Wisdomseeker	266	(1)
Mastering the Magical Arts	267	(14)
The Controversial Concept of Magic	267	(2)
Celtic Magic 101	269	(4)
Celtic Witchcraft?!	273	(2)
Wicca and Celtic Magic	275	(4)
Magical Ethics: The Wiccan Rede and the Law of Three	279	(1)
Key Voices in Celtic Wicca	280	(1)
The Quest for the Grail	281	(12)
The Grail Tradition	282	(6)
Key Themes of the Grail Quest	288	(3)
Embarking on Your Own Grail Quest	291	(1)
Key Voices in the Grail Quest	292	(1)
Part 5: Applied Celtic Wisdom	293	(64)
Divination: The Theory and Practice of Spiritual Guidance	295	(14)
The History of Celtic Divination	296	(1)
Celtic Divination Today	297	(3)
The Tree Ogham: A Modern Celtic Oracle	300	(6)
Commercially Available Celtic Divination Systems	306	(3)
The Cycles of Time	309	(12)
The Real Reason Why Clocks Are Round!	310	(1)
The Wheel of the Year	310	(4)
Samhain: Roaming Spirits and the Chill of Death	314	(1)
Imbolc: Bridget's Milk and Pregnant Ewes	315	(1)
Beltain: Blossoming Hawthorn and Nighttime Revels	316	(1)
Lughnasa: Sporting Games and a Harvest of Grain	317	(1)
Solstices and Equinoxes	318	(1)
The Dark Comes First: The Symbolism of the Cycle	319	(1)
The Cycles of Time and the Nature of Human Existence	320	(1)
Practical Celtic Wisdom: Living the Celtic Life Today	321	(36)
A Nine-Step Process to Living the Celtic Life	322	(6)
By Yourself or with Others: Living the Life of a Wisdomkeeper	328	(1)
Celtic Spirituality in a Group Setting	329	(2)
Honoring the Path of Wisdom: Celtic Ethics	331	(1)
The Virtues of Brigid as a Template for Honor	332	(3)
Appendixes
A Bibliography	335	(10)
B Online Resources	345	(6)
C Timeline of Celtic History	351	(6)
Index	357