Celtic Healing

~Where Emerald Isles Lie

The Celts are often used to describe people of the Celtic tribes (Galicia, Cornwell, Brittany, Scotland, Wales, Northern Spain, Bay of Biscay, Normandy, England) and their respective cultures and languages. The descendants of Middle Stone Age hunters, gatherers and fisherman, these polytheism people’s history is fragmented due largely to the fact that they often did not write anything down.

What we do know about the Celts is often taken from the literature recorded by early Christians, the Greeks and Romans and archaeological evidence. We also know that they found elements in healing primarily through the bounty of nature, the sacred honoring of places and objects and respect for their gods and goddesses.

I have attempted to honor the healing aspects of this fascinating culture, by tying together several themes we can relate to and find value in today. The process of claiming and adopting styles, religious beliefs and rituals has been repeated over and over again throughout time. Like the cultures before them and every culture after, The Celts have evolved over centuries with a history and folklore rich in myth, mystery and magic!

Celtic Gifts

Elements of Healing

First and foremost, The Celts were and are a remarkable, inventive and long-enduring people.  They were versed in rituals and protocols of nature, had a strong connection to the earth and sea and a reputation for mystery, myth and magic. It is from these elements that we can learn, understand and incorporate each facet into our everyday healing practices!

1. Water: including lakes, streams, rivers, springs and wells, have been held in deep respect, honor and as places to visit on pilgrimage. The power of water has refreshing, hydrating and rejuvenating powers that called the Celts (and most every other culture) to their healing banks and shallows to gather, drink and bathe in the ever sacred waters! Water is considered a fertility symbol, found in the Culdron of Dagda, in the Sanctuaries and Baths of Sulus, on the shoreline of the Boyne River and flowing along St. Brigid’s Well.

2. Sacred Herbs: found in burial sites and ritual shafts, were handed down in folklore and stories and made available from the hand-me-down recipes and tales of intrigue. They tell a story of the plants and perennials that have made their way through Celtic history. From bilberry and burdock to mistletoe and willow bark, herbs were utilized not only for their healing properties but for their taste, color and metaphysical healing aspects, as well.

3. Stones were seen as tools for divination, objects of protection and luck and places of worship and blessings. From the standing stones at Carnac and megaliths at Stonehenge to the Winter Solstice tomb at Newgrange and looming mound in Glastonbury, stones have been used to mark territories, honor grave sites and invoke seasonal ceremonies. They have been revered as touchstones and used as altars or “mass rocks” for centuries. The Lia Fail (Stone of Destiny) is often referred to as the Coronation Stone or Jacob’s Pillar and is where many high kings of Ireland where crowned. The Turoe Stone in Galway, Ireland is considered the Omphalos or “navel stone”. This “earth navel” is considered the meeting place between living mortals, the gods and the dead.

4. Fire: has been used for its powerful healing, purging and cleansing properties. Offered as a tool of celebration in many of the major holidays and seasonal transitions, fire, smoke and ashes were deemed to have protective properties. Cows were driven between two pillars of fire as a cleansing ritual, while tribes would jump over bonfires to achieve fertility, prosperity and protection. Fires were lit to represent stages of the sun and its light. These are all good examples as to how fire plays a major role in ritualistic aspects.

5. Music: and songs are elements of storytelling, the expressing of one’s emotions and a way to connect with people and the past. Music’s magic and mystical connections are undeniable and there is no better way to recall memories, honor life’s transitions and bring hope to anyone seeking enlightenment. The lilthful melodies of the harp of Dagda, were played as a passing of the seasons.

6. Nature: and all its power, glory and destruction where feared and honored as a way of understanding it’s approach through the rhythm of the seasons, from the attention payed to natural locations and to the tides of the moon and weather divination. Trees were seen as revered, ancient elders whom gathered in sacred groves on ancient hilltops and used as divination tools. The trinity of water, fire and earth were also respected as nature’s way of washing, purifying and honoring.

7. Symbols: are the binding which holds together cultural beliefs, religious significance and etheric ideas. Every symbol is a message from some deeper unconscious part of ourselves to the more conscious everyday part of ourselves expressed in a language that needs to be learned and understood. The symbol has been called the royal road to the unconscious. Just another way to say that symbols are the window to the soul. There is a very small number of original, natural symbols that make up the countless millions of symbols in existence today.

8. Storytelling: has always been the way in which the Celts would teach lessons, entertain their tribe and make as one of the cornerstone beliefs within the society as a whole. Stories gave people an identity. It was a way to keep a communities’ self image, uniqueness and tribal psyche together. Stories were told of shifting backwards and forwards between two worlds, (this world and the Otherworld).  Storytelling would glide along the edge of history and sometimes, blur the line. But the main purpose of the story was always the message it had within it. The greatest Celt stories would wander between warriors and giants, fairies and lovers, gods and goddesses and traditional local lore.

9. Deities: have played a major role in the construction and fabric of the Celt cultures. The common denominator in all religions is the belief in the spirit world and life after death. Priests or shaman have always been the inter-mediators between the material and spirit worlds.

10. Rituals: give us the opportunity to start anew, refresh and reboot our lives, our intentions or goals. Not much has been recorded about the healing rites and rituals of the Celts. What is known is based on the literature recorded by early Christians, the Greeks and Romans and archaeological evidence.

The Wheel of the Year

Found in France, at the end of the 19th century, The Coligny-Calendar is a compilation of pre-Christian Celtic systems of timekeeping, including the Gaulish Coligny calendar, used by Celtic countries to define the beginning and length of the day, the week, the month, the seasons, quarter days, and festivals.

The Gaulish Coligny calendar is possibly the oldest Celtic solar/lunar ritual calendar. Evidence has shown that it was made under the auspices of the Druids, as it shows the Druidical belief in lucky and unlucky days. Each month is divided into a good half (marked “MAT” or auspicious) and a bad half (marked :ANM” inauspicious).

The year was divided into a light half and a dark half. As the day was seen as beginning after sunset, so the year was seen as beginning with the arrival of the darkness, at Samhain. The arrival of the light half of the year started at Beltane. This observance of festivals beginning the evening before the festival day is still seen in the celebrations and folkloric practices among the Gaels, the Irish and the Scots.

The Wheel Of The Year: or four seasons are known as Solar Festivals, the cross quarter days are marked by Fire Festivals, together they form The Wheel of the Year. These holidays are celebrated from sundown on the date of the holiday through sundown the next day.

~Click on each image or link below to enjoy more information…

Litha (Midsummer)

Yule

Top Celtic Stones and Crystals

Stones: were seen as tools for divination, objects of protection and luck and places of worship and blessings. From the standing stones at Carnac and megaliths at Stonehenge to the Winter Solstice tomb at Newgrange and looming mound in Glastonbury, stones have been used to mark territories, honor grave sites and invoke seasonal ceremonies. They have been revered as touchstones and used as altars or “mass rocks” for centuries.

The Lia Fail (Stone of Destiny) is often referred to as the Coronation Stone or Jacob’s Pillar and is where many high kings of Ireland where crowned. The Turoe Stone in Galway, Ireland is considered the Omphalos or “navel stone”. This “earth navel” is considered the meeting place between living mortals, the gods and the dead.

On the summit of Tops Hill in County Donegal, lies Beltany Stone Circle, an example of one of the best Irish stone circles. On the slopes of Mount Tullig, in County Kerry, lies Caherdaniel Fort, a great example of a stone ring fort.

These are just a few images of some of the sites of war, worship and wells that dot the Celtic landscapes. Below I have compiled a short list of some of my favorite stones associated with Celtic lore, stones local to the Gaelic regions and crystals that have been associated in “current times”, which embrace the symbolism of the past.

Fairy Quartz

This crystal has been given several names such as Spirit Quartz, Faery Amethyst or Spirit Druzy. Encrusted with hundreds of small, terminated points, this is also referred to as Cactus Quartz. Also worth mentioning is Crackle “Faerie” Quartz. This is crystal quartz that is tumbled and dyed, which gives the gems their colors, crackle and spark! Third in this group is Star Mica or Fairy Mica.

Merlinite

This mystical stone is a combination of manganese oxide with inclusions of both potassium and barium. This particular variety occurs in Cornwall in the United Kingdom. Associated by name, after the great wizard, Merlin, who was King Arthur’s legendary mentor, this stone is considerd the Stone of Self-Mastery. It exhibits traits of duality: black and white, day and night, light and dark.

Smoky Quartz

This is the National Gem of Scotland and has been considered a sacred stone dating back to the Druids. It is a grounding stone. It is used most often to overcome depression, soothing nightmares and stress. Quartz stimulates the natural crystal in body tissues.  Inducing Alpha/deep meditation, it’s benefits also include channeling higher guidance and deep relaxation. Heightens your understanding of nature and concerns for the environment.

Celtic Astrology: The Way of the Trees

The First Tree Calendar

Based on these early Irish texts, Peter Berresford Ellis attempted to reconstruct an earlier Celtic calendar, summarizing that “a study of linguistic concepts, early cosmological motifs and calendar philosophies of both Celtic (inclusive of Old Irish) and Sanskrit/Vedic cultures give a path back to the common Indo-European roots of our cultures”.

In Celtic (Druid) symbolism, the moon represents the subconscious mind and hidden matters while the sun represents the conscious mind. The moon is the repository of the subconscious mind where true knowledge of past lives resides. Using the lunar calendar, Celtic astrology unlocks your past life memories and other hidden mysteries. Each lunar calendar month, thirteen in all, is assigned a tree symbol. The trees’ energies are said to be revealed through the Tree Alphabet.

According to Ellis, the Celtic calendar was similar to the Vedic astrology calendar. Another aspect of Celtic astrology is the animal symbols used to depict the conscious mind. When the animal symbols are used in conjunction with the tree signs, a bridge is formed between the conscious and subconscious mind. In Western Astrology, the zodiac would be considered sun sign.

Click on your birthday day below & learn more about your Celtic Tree Sign…

Songs of the Emerald Isles

Music is the grand motivator. Whether you seek solitude or need an energy boost, the right music takes you to the level you need most.

So in honor of the Celtic experience, I thought it would be a special gift to share the songs that invite healing, inspire fantasy and embrace magic! These melodies cross several genre, yet they ring true for me as a connection to a Universal life force and the amazing way we can heal and find hope through song.

1. Irish & Celtic Folk Classics
2. Mythology
3.Relaxing with Celtic Music (Instrumental)
4. Emerald: Musical Gems
5. The Best of Celtic Music
6. A Celtic Dream
7. Celtic Harp: the Quiet Path
8. Celtic Garden: A Celtic Tribute
9. Celtic Twilight
10. Celtic Music Collection: Irish Jigs,Reels, Laments
11. Celtic Meditation Music
12. Celtic Twilight 3: Lullabies
13. Encore
14. Irish & Celtic Christmas Music
15. Celtic Journeys: A David Arkenstone Collection
16. Wind of the North: Irish Celtic Music
17. Celtic Sessions
18. Daughters Of the Celtic Moon
19. Celtic Dream – Celtic Spa Music
20. 30 Favorite Celtic Hymns

Sacred Sites of the Celts

It was just by chance (or “happen-stance”) that I found myself on a plane from London to Aberdeen, Scotland.  This port city in northeast Scotland, is where the Dee and Don rivers meet the North Sea. While visiting London, Tonio’s cousin, Marcia spontaneously invited us to “come up and see the highlands”.  Little did we know, it would open a door to a mystical journey that took us from the Island of Orkney, where the Stones of Stenness lie, along the coast to the ancient Ring of Callanish on the Isle of Lewis. It was this “spark” that led me on a path of amazing self-discovery and an even greater love for the Celtic culture.  Come along with me and unearth some of the greatest finds “across the emerald isles”…

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What are your experiences with Celtic Healing?

Sharing your own experiences often helps others. We’d love to know in the Peacefulmind Community.

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