We have examined the idea of modern tribalism before in this blog. But groups are made up of individuals and it is the individuals that we would like to address in this blog.
Often times, we see in books and in real world organizations, the push for group practice. Whether this comes from the Witchcraft coven idea or other sources, it isn't what we know of how people always function when it comes to spirituality. Many times true spiritual interaction is private to the person. The most moving moments in a person's spiritual life often happen when they are alone. This is not to say that group practice is in any way wrong, but more on that later.
So, how does the person new to Celtic polytheism start to cultivate their own individual personal practice? Well we look to the past and the here and now. We look to surviving practices among the living Celtic cultures and we seek to adapt them in a non-colonizing way. Personally, I would begin by choosing one of the living cultures that resonates with you and look to their ways. Get to know the culture in a personal way, learn the language, meet the people and make connections to them. Show respect for their living culture and ways. For me, it was looking to my Gaelic roots and immersing myself in Scottish and Irish history and folklore.
To begin to build one's practice it is easy to find material in the Carmina Gadelica. The book contains prayers for almost any and every occasion in daily life. The material in the book is mostly Christianized but the prayers come from much older and more pagan traditions. Also modern pagan authors have attempted to paganize the prayers from the book. Morgan Daimler's "By Land, Sea, and Sky" is a great resource for this. I began building my personal practice around a series of daily prayers from the Carmina Gadelica. I chose to do prayers at specific times of day and at meals. I begin my day with a prayer upon waking, and a hearth enlivening prayer, then at midday, I do a prayer to the Sun, in the evening, I make a prayer to the Moon, and before bed, I do a smooring prayer for my hearth, and a shielding prayer before sleep. I have been doing these long enough now that I have them memorized for the most part. These daily actions help me feel connected to my deities, ancestors, and the spirit beings around me.
So, for me, I think beginning small and making these little prayers daily is your best place to start. Once you get going, it is really easy to maintain. You don't need any tools or special space or even to make offerings when you do this. Just go about your day and take a few seconds to say these prayers, whether aloud or to yourself. You can even do them while at work at your job. I started with writing them down on my phone and reading them, aloud when I could, but silently when I had to. Over time, the prayers become memorized and you can say them without having to read along. Once memorized, you can really make a deep connection emotionally to the beings you honor.
This is part one of a four part series on Individual Practice for a Celtic Polytheist. Many of the concepts here are from a Gaelic point of view, but please understand that if you follow a Welsh, Breton, or Gaulish path, the idea is still sound. We reccommend translating the prayer of the Carmina Gadelica into these other languages OR construct your OWN prayers in those languages. We will touch on other aspects of individual practice in other installments.
Resources:
- "Celtic Flame" by Aedh Rua, iUniverse Books 2008. This book includes practical information on building a personal practice for the individual. The author uses prayers from the Carmina Gadelica in this work to great effect.
- "By Land, Sea, and Sky" by Morgan Daimler 2011. A fantastic resource for any Celtic pagan/polytheist out there. Morgan is well versed in Irish folklore and has done their research on the Carmina Gadelica. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
- "An Introduction to Gaelic Polytheism" by Marissa Hegarty 2022. A very in-depth and well annotated book on the subject. The author is well versed in their field and it shows. Marissa uses her knowledge to help the beginner craft their own walk within Gaelic polytheism, including building a daily practice with prayers from the Carmina Gadelica.
- Gaol Naofa This website is a great resource for Gaelic polytheism and it has sections for daily prayers taken from the Carmina Gadelica.
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