Celtic Neopaganism

The triple spiral is one of the main symbols of Celtic Reconstructionism

Celtic Neopaganism refers to Neopagan movements based on Celtic polytheism.

Types of Celtic Neopaganism

• Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism (CR) – Celtic polytheistic reconstructionism.
• Celtic Neoshamanism – a kind of neoshamanism based on Michael Harner's controversial "Core Shamanism"; proponents include John and Caitlin Matthews.
• Celtic Wicca – a loose syncretism of Wicca and Celtic mythology.
• Neo-Druidism, which grew out of the Celtic revival in 18th century Romanticism.
  • Ár nDraíocht Féin (ADF), formed in 1983
  • Church of the Universal Bond
  • Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids (OBOD), formed in 1964
  • Reformed Druids of North America (RDNA), formed in 1963
  • The Druid Network, the first contemporary pagan organization to be recognized as a charity in the United Kingdom
  • The Druid Order, formed c. 1910 but claiming origins as early as 1717

A younger Comunity is the Luxembourgish "Urglâwen - Bratercatis Arduinna" who practises the Three Mothergodess Cult, known as Matronae Treverea. The Rituals are based on authentic Gallo-Roman Rites and Traditions who survives in luxembourgish Folklore and Traditions, such as the "Burgbrennen" which is the Celtic Festival of Imbolc.

Celtic Shamanism

An assumption that the ancient religious practices of the peoples of the British Isles mirror those of contemporary Native peoples of America and Australia underlies the popularity of Celtic Shamanism, with its related books, training courses and Druidic Sweat Lodges. An underlying assumption found amongst both scholars and neopagans is that shamanism is the most ancient and universal form of religious behaviour. This subsequently leads to the identification of shamanistic elements in early Irish tales such as Buile Suibhne and the stories of Finn MacCool. Thus myth and legend are interpreted as evidence that contemporary Celtic shamanism is revitalising an ancient spiritual discipline, rather than historical or archeological evidence.

See also

• List of Neopagan movements
• Stonehenge Free Festival
• Neopaganism in the United Kingdom
• Neopaganism in the United States

Further reading

• Adler, Margot (1979) Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today.
• Bonewits, Isaac (2006) Bonewits's Essential Guide to Druidism. New York, Kensington Publishing Group ISBN 0-8065-2710-2 Chapter 9: "Celtic Reconstructionists and other Nondruidic Druids".
• Kondratiev, Alexei (1998) The Apple Branch: A Path to Celtic Ritual. San Francisco, Collins. ISBN 1-898256-42-X (1st edition), ISBN 0-8065-2502-9 (2nd edition) [also reprinted without revision under the title Celtic Rituals].
• Laurie, Erynn Rowan (1995) A Circle of Stones: Journeys and Meditations for Modern Celts. Chicago, Eschaton. ISBN 1-57353-106-5.
• NicDhàna, Kathryn Price; Erynn Rowan Laurie, C. Lee Vermeers, Kym Lambert ní Dhoireann, et al. (2007) The CR FAQ – An Introduction to Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism. River House Publishing. ISBN 978-0-615-15800-6.

External links

• Celtic Neopaganism at the Open Directory Project