Our Gaelic Wild Heathen Path
Pàganachd Allaidh
this is written by Kym ní Dhoireann and yes, it IS copyrighted and you cannot use it on your site, email list or other fora...stop copying my pages!!! See notice at bottom.
Essays on seasons, Picts, and more
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Pàganachd Allaidh is Gaelic for Wild Paganism and is our own path of Gaelic Heathenry, not a generic term. This is an involved path, which will be described with out a lot of detail further down the page, and we only recognize those who have actually trained with us as being Pàganach Allaidh. We are willing to share some of our ideas, please find your own names for your own path (unless, of course you and we chose to work together). Yes, we used to call ourselves "Celtic Reconstructionist Pagans." What happened? Back towards the end of 1991 or early 1992 I started using the term "Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism" which, to my knowledge so far, no one else was using to describe a spiritual path although "reconstructionist" was used to describe such religions as Asatrua and other historically based Heathen and Pagan religions. I liked the term because it was AWFUL. This was during a time when there were rabid fights in various Pagan 'zines over who could call themselves and who could define names like "Witch" and "Druid" which were far more pleasant and romantic terms. I figured I found a term no one else wanted. How wrong I was. There came "Celtic Reconstructionist Wiccans," there came "Celtic Reconstructionist Druids," there came racists wanting to use the term, there came eclectics who wanted to have some sort of romantic identity for their whiteness while appropriating from every corner. And even among those who were doing similar things as I was, it became a MOVEMENT. And, stupidly, I tried to keep the term and tried to guide what it meant. This means you will see my name on The CR FAQ- An Introduction to Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism and the piece on Witchvox which was removed, thank the Gods. I regret this on many levels. The FAQ was written at the worst time of my life, when my mother was dying, and I regret that any effort I put into it took me away from her. As it is the ONLY thing in that I put any substantial work in was the women warrior section, to keep it from being more of the inaccurate "women were warriors considered equally as men" fantasy that is so prevalent...oh, I do wish it were true, but it wasn't. Sorry. That that was the level of the other writers, however, should have been a warning and I should have removed myself from the project and let them make fools of themselves rather than being made a fool of myself. But I just didn't really grasp, with all going on, how bad it was. Nothing in our practice has changed. We simply realized that we did not feel akin to the movement that now goes under the umbrella of CR. It's seriously too large an umbrella now, with most people using the term mostly practicing non-Celtic religions and being eclectic...or modernly syncrenistic which is not the same as practicing in a historically syncrenistic culture, such as the Highland Gaelic one has long been. Those who loudly proclaim themselves as not eclectic often are instead making up fake family histories and simply trying to egrandize themselves, including creating fake pasts in CR for themselves (sometimes invoking my name in it). Neither of these things were what I meant for Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism (and that WAS the original term, sorry, we were reconstructiong the Pagan religion, not the cultures as they do exist and don't need us to recreate them).
What is our Path? Pàganachd Allaidh Scotland is a land where the two cultures existed and mingled for centuries; where lines often got blurred, although they can still be found. (This is "syncretism" where cultures that actually met have blended and not "eclecticism" where "a little of that and a little of this" is mixed without consideration for the actual cultures behind them, and it is historical, where the actual cultures have mixed, not one person deciding to meld the two today which is not even a step beyond "eclecticism" in our book). In the Highland and Island regions of Scotland the Gaelic culture predominated, giving the base and language of the culture, but the Norse influenced as well. Most of the Highland Clanns show a mixture of these cultures, yet they identify as Gaelic. These people are among both of our ancestors. We identify with the "Outlaw" elements of the cultures. Those who either as part of the cultural ways, such as the Fianna, or through circumstance, such as we face having families who are not following these paths and in another land, would have been separated from their tuatha. This is a form of Wilderness spirituality, ecstatic and connected to the specific land we live on...we are exploring this more, in a much different way than when we tried to gather a Tuath. We're exploring "the way of the Fianna," but we are not Fianna, rather we are students of the path striving to become such (perhaps in another lifetime though). In Gaelic we use the term Pàganachd Allaidh or "Wild Paganism" for our own specific tradition of this. It should be noted up front that we consider Pàganachd Allaidh to be a path that must be taught face-to-face and only then to people who are utterly dedicated to Scottish Gaelic ways and the land here. This is specific to this path, not to CR, of course. Pàganachd Allaidh training involves not only in depth study of Scottish Gaelic culture and religion and the practices involved, but also martial arts and wilderness (and some urban) survival as well. But what do you believe and do? We are still "reconstructionist" meaning that we follow a scholarly-based interpretation of ancient ways that have not had continuous practice or teaching. We use various sources such as ancient literature, anthropology/archeology, first-hand histories (yup, those nasty Romans), and later folk practices (including those continuing into modern times and including involvement with living Celtic culture, art, music....), understanding that we are not reconstructing the exact practices but are hoping we are as close as possible. We are not reenactors, we are living in the modern world and are working towards creating a religion that is viable for the future. However, some of us also strive to find more natural and simple ways of living, having turned to homesteading as a way of life. Again, those of us who have are not rejecting all modern technology; in fact some of the alternatives we are looking into are even more modern than the average homeowner might consider. However, there is a misconception that this is ALL that we do, that we are just about books and study. We do not put research ahead of spiritual experience, but we do try to relate those experiences with what we can find through research. If we can't find anything to back up our personal gnosis, we will still use what we find that way but will be clear that it is not backed up. I do practice ecstatic forms of trance, divination and Otherworld travel, but this is not to be considered "Celtic Shamanism" a term which we find offensive on many fronts. There were native terms for it all among the Gael as there were native practices among them and we do not steal from other cultures. We are Polytheistic, believing in ALL Goddesses and Gods. This doesn't mean we worship Them all. We have a Land Goddess, a Hearth Goddess, One who guides us, and our personal Patrons, as well as others of our cultures we find reason to honor. We do not worship are the Maiden/Mother/Crone Moon Goddess and Horned God of the Wiccans; these are NOT our Gods and although most of our Gaelic Deities, male and female, are Triple, it is a Triplicity of Function not age. We also honor our Ancestors/Beloved Dead whether they are blood Ancestors, loved ones, or those who have gone on who have touched out lives in anyway. Like our Gods, we give offerings to them at our home altars and at ritual. Likewise the Nature Spirits who share this world, we honor ritually as well as trying to live a life that is peaceful among them and healing the damage humans (who are Nature Spirits too, but so many have forgotten this) have done; we consider living "low impact" and "Green" to be part of our religion. And we honor the Sidhe, although we are clear this is not the same as worship. Those Folk who we may have personal bonds we may invite to worship with us at our rites. We also make peace and treaty with those Folk and other Beings who may not be so friendly towards us, The Outsiders, that they might not interfere with our rites making food offerings outside of our homes and/or ritual area. While some Pagan "religions" like Wicca and Druidry are really priest/esshoods (often in the "we are all priest/esses" manner as in the case of Wicca), we may walk many paths that are related to ancient Iron Age ones, but may be heavily revised to work today. Priest/esses are included, but not alone....we also have those who aspire to be Bards, warriors, healers, producers, artists and more. Each might have a ritual role, but we also strive to include what we are on our paths in our everyday life. This is not the same as role playing or trying to separate from society, but instead we work to learn how to walk these paths in the modern world. Our festival rituals revolve around making offerings to our Gods, Ancestors, and the Nature Spirits, our life around the idea of Hospitality. Actually they are the same basic rule: you have guests you take care of them, be they of this World or Other. Which brings us to our belief in Three Worlds....the Otherworld is where the Gods, the Sidhe, and other beings live; the Underworld is the domain our those passed on from this world which we live in along with the Nature Spirits. We also work with the Three Realms of Land, Sea, and Sky. In no way should these be confused with the Wiccan Four Elements of Earth, Air, Fire and Water as many seem to do. We do not use these Elements nor the Wiccan directional correspondences, although some might offer to the winds in their ritual (we do not). The Realms are those places which, in all the Worlds, things actually exist in. Fire is a central (literally) part of our practices as the Hearth has always been central to life and it is a way to convey offerings to the Gods but nothing lives in it; but nothing lives there so it is not definable as a "realm." For a more specific look at our rituals please go to Ritual and Devotions. We celebrate four seasonal Fire Festivals of Samhuinn, Imbolg, Bealtuinn, and Lùnasdal. On these days we observe the changing of the seasons, give offering, take omens, and tell stories pertaining to the season . Throughout the year we give offerings at our home altars or in outdoor areas we have felt a connection to and occasionally partake in more ecstatic activities as well as offerings. And to see what sorts of books we read you may wish to visit our library.
All text is copyright © 2008 -2009 Kym Lambert ní Dhoireann, all right reserved, and may not be copied or reprinted without expressed permission.
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