Celtic adaptations

[Ci Celli Ddu]

I thought I'd offer some Celtic adaptations, bit by bit, to go hand in hand with Carroll's Liber Null and Psychonaut (http://www.ecauldron.com/bklnap.php).

1. Liber MMM: Sigils (pgs 20-22)

Sigils can be constructed using the Ogam (http://www.omniglot.com/writing/ogham.htm). Due to their appearance, it is not necessary to impose the letters on eachother, and they can be written out in circles, squares or whatever.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/165/369146726_ce35714d71_m.jpg

an Ogam circle

Sigil mantras can be composed -as stated in Liber MMM- by the rearrangement of words and letters. To give it a Celtic twist the key words can first be picked by using an online dictionary before being rearranged. Remember not to conjugate any verbs:

Welsh (http://www.geiriadur.net/)
Irish (http://www.englishirishdictionary.com/)

more later...

[Ci Celli Ddu]

2. Liber MMM: Dreaming (pg 23)

Familiarity with Celtic stories (http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/index.htm) can become a convenient backdrop to this kind of work, particularly the three Arthurian Romances of the Mabinogion (see below) which have a very dreamlike quality.

3. Liber Lux: Gnosis (pgs 31-35)

Another form of gnosis is a daydreaming-like trance that can be brought on whilst reading a suitable story. Once you have entered the story via your imagination (visualisation) you can leave the storyline and turn to your own project within the trance-world you have entered. In my view some of the best stories for this are the dreamlike sequences of the Three Romances found in the Mabinogion, which are not as cluttered with symbolism, culture and myth as are other parts of that book:

The Lady of the Fountain (http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/mab/mab05.htm)
Geraint the son of Erbin (http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/mab/mab13.htm)
Peredur the son of Efrog (http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/mab/mab10.htm)

[Ci Celli Ddu]

4. Summoning
(Liber Lux: Evocation pgs 36-40; Invocation pgs 41-44)

Irish and Welsh texts are a plentiful source of examples of Summoning:

(evocation) The creation of Blodeuwedd:

So they took the blossoms of the oak, and the blossoms of the broom, and the blossoms of the meadow-sweet, and produced from them a maiden, the fairest and most graceful that man ever saw. And they baptized her, and gave her the name of Blodeuwedd

(evocation/invocation) Englyn Gwydion (http://forums.abrahadabra.com/showthread.php?t=842&highlight=englyn)

(invocation) Amairgin's song (Irish)




I am the wind on the sea;
I am the wave of the sea;
I am the bull of seven battles;
I am the eagle on the rock;
I am a flash from the sun;
I am the most beautiful of plants;
I am a strong wild boar;
I am a salmon in the water;
I am a lake in the plain;
I am the word of knowledge;
I am the head of the spear in battle;
I am the god that puts fire in the head;


(invocation) Taliesin's song (Welsh)

I have been a multitude of shapes,
Before I assumed a consistent form.
I have been a sword, narrow, variegated,
I will believe when it is apparent.
I have been a tear in the air,
I have been in the dullest of stars.
I have been a word among letters,
I have been a book in the origin.
I have been the light of lanterns,
A year and a half.
I have been a continuing bridge,
Over three score river-mouths.
I have been a course, I have been an eagle.
I have been a coracle in the sea.
I have been complaint in the banquet.
I have been a drop in a shower;
I have been a sword in the grasp of a hand.
I have been a shield in battle.
I have been a string in a harp,
Disguised for nine years.
In water, in foam,
I have been a sponge in fire,
I have been wood in covert.


5. Psychocosms (pg 42)

Dualistic:

And he came towards a valley, through which ran a river; and the borders of the valley were wooded, and on each side of the river were level meadows. And on one side of the river he saw a flock of white sheep, and on the other a flock of black sheep. And whenever one of the white sheep bleated, one of the black sheep would cross over and
become white; and when one of the black sheep bleated, one of the white sheep would cross over and become black. And he saw a tall tree by the side of the river, one half of which was in flames from the root to the top, and the other half was green and in full leaf.

The Triskel or trinity, trinities or triads were often used to group things together. Referance is today often made to the trinity of Maid, Mother and Crone, but this if anything is a Pan-European interpratation of the Triple Goddess, who in Celtic myth can be found in Ireland (the Three Brigids, Morrigan), and the Three Mothers of the La Tene Celts, the Matronae (http://www.livius.org/man-md/matronae/matronae.html). Other possible correlations are the three elements of water, air and earth united by fire ( though I have yet to come across any evidence that such a grouping of the elements is authentic). See also Welsh Triads (http://www.mythiccrossroads.com/triads.htm)

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/142/370342437_4700958a51_m.jpg

Then there's Fionn's Window, an Ogam Psychocosm, but one that on a symbolic level can be quite abstruse when studied deeper.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/139/370342432_9b48617663.jpg

simpler is the Celtic Cross, which can be correlated with the more conventional four/five elements

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/172/370342435_50df2d4059_m.jpg

[Ci Celli Ddu]

6. Liber Nox: Ecstasy (pgs 68-71)

An alternative posture associated with the Celts is that demonstrated by the horned figure on the Gundestrup Cauldron:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/125/370342436_22e0fb9ae1_m.jpg

7. Liber Nox: Random Beliefs (pgs 72-75)

Beliefs in a Celtic set-up can fall into the categories of Paganism (option 1), Chaoism (option 5), and Superstition (option 6).
Historical core beliefs were recorded by Caesar in Commentarii de bello Gallico :

Commentarii de bello Gallico VI:14 (http://www.forumromanum.org/literature/caesar/gallic_e6.html#14)

Commentarii de bello Gallico VI:16 (http://www.forumromanum.org/literature/caesar/gallic_e6.html#16)

Commentarii de bello Gallico VI:17 (http://www.forumromanum.org/literature/caesar/gallic_e6.html#17)

Commentarii de bello Gallico VI:18 (http://www.forumromanum.org/literature/caesar/gallic_e6.html#18)

[Ci Celli Ddu]

8. Deities

Im going to leave Liber Null & Psychonaut for a moment and correlate some Celtic deities with the Eight Magics of Liber Kaos.


Octarine

Math (http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/mab/mab26.htm) (Welsh) who hears all things spoken

Manawydan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manawydan) (Welsh) a 'god for all seasons' (hehe)

Lú (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lugh) (Irish) who is a master of all skills

Cernunnos (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cernunnos) (Gaulish) as a Celtic Baphomet

Black

Gwyn ap Nudd (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwyn_Ap_Nudd) (Welsh) as the furious lord of the Underworld

Bendigeidfran (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bendigeidfran) (Welsh) as the Talking Head

Owain ab Urien (http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/mab/mab05.htm) (Welsh) as the Black Knight

Morrigan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morrigan) (Irish)

Esus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esus) (Gaulish)

Blue

Arthur (http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/mab/mab16.htm) (Welsh)

Manawydan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manawydan) (Welsh) for his ability to succeed as a businessman in any craft

Dagda (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagda) (Irish)

Taranis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taranis) (Gaulish)

Red

Cai (http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/mab/mab16.htm) (Welsh)

Peredur (http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/mab/mab10.htm) (Welsh)

Twrch Trwyth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twrch_Trwyth) (Welsh), the unstoppable boar

Cuchulainn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuchulainn) (Irish)

Fionn Mac Cumhaill (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fionn_Mac_Cumhail) (Irish)

Teutates (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teutates) (Gaulish)

Yellow

Beli (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beli_Mawr) (Welsh)

Lleu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lleu) (Welsh)

Bile (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belenus) (Irish)

Lú (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lugh) (Irish)

Belenus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belenus) (Gaulish)

Lugus (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lugus) (Gaulish)

Green

Branwen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Branwen) (Welsh)

Rhiannon (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhiannon) (Welsh)

Brigid (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brighid) (Irish)

Epona (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epona) (Gaulish)

Orange

Gwydion (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gwydion) (Welsh)

Ogma (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogma) (Irish)

Ogmios (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogmios) (Gaulish)

Purple

Blodeuwedd (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blodeuwedd) (Welsh)

Arianrhod (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arianrhod) (Welsh)

Aine (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aine) (Irish)

Damona (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damona) (Gaulish)

[Oblio]

Hey CCD, how would you interpret my name - Caelum.

It comes from Latin, but someone once told me it was Welsh for cowherder (maybe they were teasing me :D).

Cheers!

[Ci Celli Ddu]

(maybe they were teasing me :D).


Yes. They were.

[Ci Celli Ddu]

9. Psychonaut: Exorcism (pgs 136-139)

A) Rosemary and Rowan

Celtic forms of exorcisms (or purification) can be performed by the burning of a branch of Rosemary (if living in areas where rosemary grows wild) held in the hand and taken around the whole area affected, through all the rooms in the case of the interior of a building. If whole branches of rosemary are not available, some other suitable substitute will have to be found. Afterwards branches of Rowan are placed over all the doors. Throughout the whole process a song, mantra or sigil-mantra is sung.

B) Iron/Quartz

An alternative to Rowan is Iron (such as a horseshoe) and Quartz, though these were more often placed on the exterior of the household. All three work as barriers to external sources of intrusion.

C) Exorcism by Knife

According to Welsh custom, the drawing of one's knife will force malignant spirits to flee.

D) Singing

Actually a form of summoning, whatever spirits are in the vicinity will be drawn to the singing. If the singer is able to utilise his or her Will while singing, the spirit(s) can be exorcised, made submissive, or led outside (rather like the Pied Piper). The playing of instruments counts as 'singing' (in the Celtic languages, you don't 'play' an instrument, you 'sing' it).

I'm going to finish now with

10. Psychonaut: Chemognosis (pgs 147-150)

The Celts would burn large amounts of Hemp (Cannabis sativa) in certain rites. Of course, with the arrival of the subspecies indica in modern times, quantity can be replaced by quality.

The finest psylocybes in Europe grow in abundance in Wales and Ireland, and every October thousands of people make their way here specifically to harvest them.

[Kain]

Interesting correlations Ci Celli Ddu!

Kain

[Ci Celli Ddu]

Interesting correlations Ci Celli Ddu!

Kain

Thanks. This kind of reflects in part what I've been up to in the past. Presently I'm exploring both Luciferianism and the Cthulhu Mythos.

[Ci Celli Ddu]

Oh, and one last link, a straightforward and factual overview of Celtic mythology:

Celtic Mythology (http://www.celtic-myth.com/)