Summer 2008 issue we examined the celtic peoples and their social world. This issue is the final look at the magic and power of the Celts within a special group that existed outside the social structure of the their society. A most appropriate tribute during this winter newsletter is to these people who predominantly perpetuated the stories. In this group we will find the Druids, Bards and the Seers. In other words the elders and conscious initiates of the tribe.

The Celtic religion supported reincarnation and the possible appearance and intervention of spiritual beings on earth. Referenced in a wonderful book The Spirituality and Sacred World of the Celts, the Druids taught the people that the Gaelic race were descendents from the Tuatha De Danan of the underworld, thus suggesting the Irish people possesses a rich and grand heritage. It makes sense that the tales of these majestic legends would not be forgotten with such a distinct connection to the Divine.

Julius Caesar encountered the Druids and his records are the basis of historical documentation about the Celts. We find the Druids originated in ancient Gaul where they would annually hold convocation at it's center in Carnutes. From Caesar's documentation, we learn about the Druid's status of high rank, the long approximate 20 years of training which they had to endure to memorize oral tradition, to support their sacred matters, to gain the eloquence in public matters and the wisdom to council kings, to conduct ritual, ceremonies and Divination. Arthur Beringause writes from The Presentness of the Past in Ireland, "These men of learning, the Celts considered nearly the equivalent of the gods." Unfortunately Beringause forgot to note that certain women were also included in this special class of individuals.

It seemed that Druids, like the Bards and Seers worked with the symbolic world. This symbolic world translated the signs of the spiritual to the physical through art, literature, science and music. This symbolic world was the language of magic to be experienced and understood. The Druid served as educator, judge, and healer. The Druids were considered very well rounded in science and in the humanities with interests and concerns in astrology and metaphysics in order to have some control of the supernatural forces by means of divination. Even though there was no written language until after Christianity there is evidence of the Druids working with symbols and numbers for timekeeping. For example, Celts worked with the seasons and broke the year up into months and days. The Druids used this calendar system heavily for ritual and divination use. In addition, the Druids were well versed in the arts. The art of carving for the creation of talismans (magically charged sacred objects) were important for magical work; as well as to sing stories and chants in order to invoke the power of the words and tones for manipulating the elements and conditions. It has been rumored that the Druids practiced many forms of sacrifice. Though in reference to the Irish Celts there is no note of human sacrifice.

The Bard was another of this high status class who was primarily the genealogist of the tribe and kept a living history through stories in song. The Bards were treated with great respect for they could change one's history if disrespected. It also has been inferred that the Bards could be most significant to caste spells (create magic) through the power of their voice and the words of the song. They also had lengthy studies taking approximately 12 years for proficiency.

The Celtic Seers called vates or ovates served as prophets. They studied nature and also oversaw sacrifices. In his article Tradition in Early Irish Prophesy published in Man, Kenneth Jackson says "Immass forosnai (second sight), was considered the knowledge which 'enlightens' and is one of the types that inspire vision, which was the usual means of foretelling used by prophets..." The Seer went into a trance and chanted a prophesy.

This conjunction of divination practice along with the Druid's timekeeping and the religious ceremonies helped to open the doors to magic and the kingdom of the gods.

To bring this up to date, mystical beings of the Celtic past have been transformed into angels, leprechauns, and fairies.

I find that the belief in a supernatural world in Ireland has endured through the centuries because of the need to believe in something that can give hope, healing, beauty and replenishment in a world of struggle, strife and pain. The ancient Celts and Irish have known so well centuries of life's hardship. The balance to this experience is the magic of the supernatural world as a welcomed balm.

This section of the article was written by Diveena as a collaborative effort for a term essay in 2007.

In The Spirituality and Sacred World of the Celts author Nigel Pennick states that the festivals celebrated by the Celts were considered far older then even the Celtic peoples and were incorporated even later into underground practices in England along with the Solstices and Equinoxes.

The one festival not noted earlier is Samhain, this significant festival initiated a new year for the Celts. Religious scholars agree that the word Samhain comes from the Gaelic “Samhain,” but they’re divided on whether it means the end or beginning of summer. After all, when summer is ending here on earth, it’s just beginning in the Underworld. Samhain actually refers to the daylight portion of the holiday, on November 1st. Ironically around the eighth century or so, the Catholic Church decided to use November 1st as All Saints Day.

Sunset on Samhain is the beginning of the Celtic New Year. The old year has passed, the harvest has been gathered, cattle and sheep have been brought in from the fields, and the leaves have fallen from the trees. The earth slowly begins to die around us.

This is a good time for us to look at wrapping up the old and preparing for the new in our lives. Think about the things we did in the last twelve months. Have we left anything unresolved? If so, now is the time to wrap things up. Once we've gotten all that unfinished stuff cleared away, and out of our lives, then we can begin looking towards the next year.

Winter time is also a time when ancestors are honored. If a loved one had transitioned during the last 12 months or if there had been a loss in the life this time is also good to reflect and honor the experience. If we’re fortunate, they will return to communicate with us from beyond the veil, and offer advice, protection and guidance for the upcoming year.

Even though we are in the passage of Imbolc (mentioned earlier) we are still in the Winter Season, actually at the height of it. Many folks will not find the effects of spring for some time. I also wanted to mention that the Celts carried over their Samhain traditions through the Winter season since they did not emphasize the Winter significance as we do with our 'calendars'. It was the actual shift of the planet's seasons that activated a change in consciousness for them.

I would suggest that we all still have time to work on unfinished business etc. before the intense spring energy disrupts us all.

I find that this time of the year puts things in order for me and when Imbolc comes along I have hopes to be ready to recollect my self. I then begin the process of putting myself back together. Throughout the winter time if spent in meditation and purging I find I am ready to put a new plan into action that will support my new dedication to my path.

Remember I'm saying 'throughout' the winter. Change and newness does not happen after celebrating on the eve of December 31st and making a promise that night with a toast of our favorite champagne. Resolutions can not be made until the actions of assisting closure are done.

True dedication happens with commitment, encapsulated with convicted plans. What helps to seal our agreement for ourselves always is a ritual. Imbolc time is also the celebration of Lights. In an esoteric concept I'd say the Light symbolically represents the magnificent radiance of your soul. The fuel that is given to fire your true self and to begin a new journey out from the end or beginning of summer once again.

In ancient Egypt this is the time of the year when the ceremony of the resurrection of Osiris is done, The Coming Forth by Day ritual. It would be understood that the true self/soul has been nurtured and attended to during the winter season and now it can be resurrected with the body into the day light of the world.

The question is are we ready? If we are honest then we'll go for it, we'll be all set for our next year's journey. If not then we still have time to utilize winter's power. This is why I take my retreats during this time of year. Usually a 5 day complete emergence with the earth with fire ceremony, sweat lodge, vision questing and time for submergence into the dream world and body treatments and healing sessions.

You don't have to be a fanatic like me. You can spread it all out during the season, then you can really relish your moments so well. Just don't for get to do it. Blessings.

Read the Parable of The Prodigal Son At the end of the Parable of The Workers in The Vineyard Christ Jesus says : " The last shall be first and the first shall be last for many are called but few are chosen . " and in another Parable he says : " whoever falls on this rock shall be broken , but whomever this rock falls upon shall be ground into powder ." In the Parable of The Prodigal Son ; the son , after wasting his inheritance and finding himself in a pigstye , " comes to his senses " and begins to head back to his Father's House content merely to be accepted as a servant in it . When his Father sees him " far off in the distance " he goes out to meet him , brings him home and calls for a great celebration . The son is not met with judgment , or called to account for his actions in any way . No, he is fully accepted back in Joy by The Father " because this My Son who was once lost is now found and back into his home ." It is said that one enters the Spiritual Path to find God . This is true as God is always calling everyone back home . Many , in fact all , are called . As one comes under The Direction of a Master Teacher , s/he is given Direction along the Path of Return to God / The Self . Following this Direction creates a receptivity to The Self and The Self is able to find the Seeker . This is accomplished by "thinning out" , reducing the density of the soul so that The Light of The Self / Christ is able to be seen . Christ Light is necessary , not to find The Self , but in order to see what is blocking the Self from finding us . The Work of Spiritual Life is seeing and letting go of all that blocks us from being one with The Self / The Self finding us . Those who become chosen are simply those who allow The Self to find them . Those who choose to find the Self / The Rock will be broken down and if they stop before they choose to allow The Self to find them they can " put themselves back together again " One who allows the Self to find them / upon The Rock falls cannot put them self back together again as they once were for they " are ground into powder " and can only be re - formed into an entirely new person : " Anyone who is IN Christ is a new creature " Becoming Christ Conscious is being ground into powder and allowing an utterly different way of thinking, seeing , and believing , The Christ Mind , to Be Us and we Become it . Full Self /God Realization as demonstrated by Christ Jesus is a matter of allowing our Soul to disappear so that all that is left is The Self . When Jesus came to Jordan he was already the most advanced Master to have incarnated on Earth . When he was Baptized and came out of Jordan , Jesus as a distinct Soul , no longer existed . Jesus went into The Jordan and Christ Alone emerged and that from that time forward Christ , not Jesus , was Teaching , Preaching , and Healing . This is why it is said that The Christ came fully into Earth for the first time through the body /mind of The Master Jesus who became The Christ .

John received his initial Spiritual Training in The Holy Order of MANS and was ordained Priest of The Universal Christ. Additionally initiated as a Master of The Tantric Kriya Yoga School and as a Master Teacher of The Western Tradition . John is a Bishop in this Tradition and Direct and Ordain those chosen for The Universal Priesthood of Christ , Initiate those chosen as Master Teachers of The Universal Christ , and Ordain those chosen as Bishops in this Tradition.

I chose to include John's article here because the Christian tradition resounds with esoteric principles as do the ancients through parables/story telling i.e. earth based indigenous elders.

The return 'home' is the return to ones mature consciousness. This maturity as the symbol of the Christ or the resurrected Osiris is the clean unadulterated 'grown up' ready to truly begin a life path. This is only the beginning of the end or the end of the beginning. (What ever is appropriate). The elders of any indigenous position took life times to perfect their profession i.e. as the Druids, the Bards, the Vates etc. These folks were very respected because of truly who they are, as to whom we can also respect today. There are few people in our society that will let alone stick with a partner, profession or a dream for more than a few years if that. Even in art there are so many artisans that decide to make a business on art/music etc. with no training what so ever, no wonder we are starving for quality in our world.

Being a grown up takes time, and for many of us life times. My partner Marcus says that Bi Polar is an excuse for not behaving when we don't have it all our way. Perhaps with an aberration of this symptom in our midst, it is an indication that we have a society full of children that are in need of many lessons.

Diveena