Celtic Spirituality - Customs and Practices - facilitated by Lindy Sanford-Martinez, ARCWP

Ring of Kerry photo by Dennis McDonald

Introduction

Celtic Spirituality is a simple and inclusive tradition that can enrich our spirituality.  It is a reminder to ourselves that the Divine is with us always and everywhere with Love. The Sacred in all Creation is the core of this approach.  

         

For 6 weeks beginning Tuesday, October 20 at 7pm we will explore customs many historians believe began with the Desert Mothers and Fathers.  They have been practiced in Ireland, Scotland, and Wales since before the 5th century. A book list is attached, but reading is not required.

Each week a custom and practice will be introduced.  You will be encouraged to experiment with each practice and discuss your experience the following week.  No one will be required to share.

Zoom Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88622329280 

Week 1: Seeing the Holy One in All Creation

“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone, alone with the sky, nature and God. For then and only then can you feel that everything is as it should be and that God wants people to be happy amid nature's beauty and simplicity.” 

Anne Frank

Celtic thought sees life as a journey, encompassing great care for all of creation. Deepening oneness with the Divine and the Earth, the Celts held two texts sacred in their understanding of the Divine... Nature and Holy Scriptures. Love of Nature... fire, water, earth, air and a passion for the wild are reminders of God's gifts.  It teaches the careful observer much about a loving Creator.  

      This closeness to Nature builds great concern for the poor, the sick and the oppressed, as well as the wounds of the Earth.  Hospitality and mercy are also at the core of Celtic Spirituality, building a deep importance of kinship and community...hope in a hostile world.  There are no boundaries between the sacred and the secular here.   

       

First Practice

Spend 10 minutes each day this week with nature, in any way you choose, including looking at photos or paintings.  Afterward, journal what the experience was like, what did you feel, what did you see, what surprised you?  Where was the Divine Presence during this time?

Take a few minutes and write a paragraph or two in your journal of these or any other thoughts you find important. 

Prayer

I (or we) rise up by the strength of heaven:
The light of the sun
Radiance of the moon,
Splendor of Fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of Earth,
Firmness of rock.
I (or We) rise up by the strength of heaven:
I (or we) rise!
I (or we) rise!

Celtic Spirituality Book List

Celtic Way of Prayer:  The recovery of Religious Imagination 

Esther de Waal

One of Celtic Christianity's preeminent scholars...introduces readers to early Irish litanies, medieval Welsh praise poems, and the wealth of blessings derived from an oral tradition that made prayer a part of daily life. A welcome contrast to modern worship, Celtic prayer is liberating and, like a living spring, forever fresh.

Carmina-Gadelica  A Compendium of prayers, hymns, charms, incantations, blessings, literary-folkloric poems and songs, proverbs, lexical items, historical anecdotes, natural history observations, and miscellaneous lore gathered in the Gaelic-speaking regions of Scotland between 1860 and 1909 by Alexander Carmichael between 1860 and 1909. http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaidhlig/corpus/Carmina/

Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom

John O'Donohue

He guides us through the spiritual landscape of the Irish imagination with ancient teachings, stories, and blessings of Celtic wisdom providing profound insights on the universal themes of friendship, solitude, love, and death.

To Bless the Space Between Us: A Book of Blessings

John O’Donohue

A beautiful collection of blessings to help readers through both the everyday and the extraordinary events of their lives.

Praying with Celtic Holy Women

Bridget Mary Meehan and Regina Madonna Oliver

This book invites readers on a journey through Ireland, Wales, and Cornwall where we contemplate the sacred feminine in Celtic spirituality. Here you will connect with the age-old Christian traditions and... discover how springs and holy wells were associated with birthing and healing, and contemplate the feminine wisdom hidden in Celtic traditions.

The Christ of the Celts: The Healing of Creation

J. Phillip Newel

"I explore the Celtic image of Christ as the Memory of what we have forgotten. He remembers the dance of the universe and the harmony that is deep within all things. He is the Memory also of who we are."

--from the Prelude