The History of the Celtic Path.
Celts(pronounced Selt)historically were a diverse group of tribal societies. Proto-Celtic culture formed in the early iron age in Central Europe and by the later Iron age had spread all over Central Europe into as far North as Scotland and Ireland and west to Spain. Dating back as far as 1200BC, the culture maintained and spread with the waves to come afterwards.
Attempts are being made to reconstruct proto-Celt Language, and what has come up to date is Old Irish based recordings of insular Celtic languages. Remanent of the truest bloodlines still exist even today in the Islands around Scotland, Cornwall, Wales, Isle o Mann and Ireland where the ensuing Christian culture pushed it back in attempts to assimilate the heathens.
Laying claim to be Celtic does not automatically mean you are a Pagan. This is a misunderstanding in current usage. Also there is not a lot of recorded information on certain aspects to know how they practiced religion in a pre Christian era. The Romans notably are the best record keepers for the later day Celts as in the Roman's 9th battalions skirmishes with Boadicca, and contacts with Celts along Hadrian's wall. I note here Romans did marry and mix with Celts at this time and even stayed when the romans pulled back in 300 AD. Aprox. There was an overlap period when Pagans and Christian lived together for a time where Christianity was not the main religion as in Marion Zimmer Bradley's book, The Mists of Avalon.
Modern Celts are divided fairly evenly between Protestants and Roman Catholics. About 75% of the population of the island of Ireland is Roman Catholic, as are nearly all Bretons, but the majority of the Scots, Welsh, Cornish and Manx are Protestant. In Scotland, there is a substantial Roman Catholic minority, estimated as 16% in the 2001 Census, mainly in areas with recent Irish immigration, but also in some Gaelic speaking areas such as South Uist and Barra.
The true Celtic pagan bloodlines that still follow the path will only be found in the fartherest reaches of the outer hebrides, the orkney islands of Scotland, a few in Edinburgh/Glasgow and perhaps skirting around the extreme edges of northern wales/Anglesey. Another point to consider when looking at this Earth based Path is the migratons of neolithic man, the first wave I call it, and had already influenced in many ways Religion, folkways and folklore that would shape those that would come in the years to follow. Man acquires progress on imitation and building and improving on what they see. So extrapolation and back tracking on old excavations in many cases is the only way to fill in blanks. Some snippets, some oral tradition may be found if you look hard enough. These kernels are exciting finds and give a link to our ancestors' free spirit before the times of Christian Oppression and aggression was forced on this earth loving, community minded people changing the culture forever.
http://www.irish-association.org/archives/richard_warner11_99.htmlBy looking at this link, it will give an excellent over view of how the use of Celtic has been misused and explains the variances in a way better than I can. And I am happy to show this to you. MY only comment on this work is that is is heavily slanted towards the irish part in the Celtic history while I lean to the Scottish direction. So it offers balance. Much work has been one by others in the field and in research labs to help bring to life for us to see what a wonderful, diverse people the Celtic culture was.
Your Celtic journey has to begin by research, dedication and making your own mind up on what was based on meagre offerings.Close your eyes, listen to your heart.Feel the wind blowing off the coastlines and feel the energy from the Earth. Know in yourself that you are called on this journey and then you have already begun.If we can walk with you even for a short time, then our job is done.
Light and Love
Starwalker
