Today, the term \”Celtic spirituality\” is an umbrella term, an ambiguous magical term embraced by adherents of a variety of spiritual traditions. There are Celtic Reconstructionists, who attempt to reenact as closely as possible the ancient religious practices of the Celts, neodruid orders who embrace the romantic ideal of the druid as learned scholar and wise religious teacher.
Although no one can pinpoint where the Celts actually came from, there are many historical findings and artifacts to prove where they eventually ended up. The first distinctly \”Celtic\” culture is believed to have been born circa 800 B.C.E. By the sixth century they had expanded into what are now the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria, as well as Belgium, the Netherlands and all of northeastern France from Normandy to the Alps.
The Feast of Lughnasadh falls on the cross-quarter day between the summer solstice and the autumn equinox. The festival was, according to legend, instituted by the god Lugh on the occasion of his foster-mother Tailtiu\’s death as a funeral feast. It is clear, however, that the feast originated as a commemoration of Lugh\’s slaying of the giant Balor, and the prizing of agricultural secrets from the dark god Bres. This victory over the Fomorians marked the beginning of the rule of the Tuatha D Danann.
These traditions in particular remained strong through Christian times. Predictably, the church discovered yet another festival to commemorate, which just happened to fall at this time – the Lammas festival. Lammas also celebrated the harvest, and it was celebrated in much the same way, with games and contests and open-air markets. The name Lammas is believed to be derived from \”loaf-mass,\” but this explanation is not universally accepted.
So you see, claiming to be Celtic can mean any number of traditions. Following is a listing of some -certainly not all- of the many traditions that are in some way Celtic. On this page I\’ve listed some of the more prominent Celtic Traditions in the Pagan Community. Most of the listings are followed by web sites where you may go to learn more if you so desire. Obviously it would be impossible to list all the Traditions that are in some way Celtic, what I\’ve done here is include the ones that seem to have the most impact on the most people. If I\’ve overlooked any please let me know!
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