Toney Brooks, from Denver, Colorado, is author of ‘The Mystic Rose, Celtic Fire,’ which is available on Amazon. He is an authority on Celtic mythology and interpreter of 4,000 years of Western culture and history. Listen to his interview above on Blog Talk Radio.

A medieval sailing ship from the Celtic Otherworld begins the first of three dangerous missions. Joining the 21st century voyage into the shadowy mists of British folklore are Tobit, a Cornish boy, Amos, an angel in disguise, a pirate captain, Welsh faeries and the severed head of a Celtic warlord. Together they transport a shape-shifting bird from the graves of Avalon to a new life in Tintagel.

You can find this beautiful book on Amazon or its publisher’s website, Wessex Books.

Pic: Krakow Post

An ancient Celtic village has been discovered near Krakow. A 3rd to 2nd century BC Celtic village was discovered four miles east of Krakow. Archaeologists from the Krakow Highway Exploration Team (Krakowski Zespol do Badan Autostrad) had been exploring it during preparatory archaeological works done on the future A4 highway premises.

The archaeologists managed to explore almost the entire area of the village, which is unique in Poland. They found treasured coins, jewellery and everyday articles, thanks to which they will be able to reconstruct the life and fate of the Celts in the Malopolska district and make valuable scientific discoveries.

The most valuable achievement from an archaeological point of view is being able to explore the whole village, as seldom if ever do we have an opportunity to search through such an enormous, 10 acre area.

says Karol Dzingielewski, the head archaeologist of the team.

Thanks to this we were able to recognise the layout of 17 huts, as well as their structure and chronological order. Also, some glass objects that we found are of great significance, because fragile glass jewellery was prone to fashion. When a bracelet broke, a Celtic woman would get a new one, according to the latest fashion. Now, when we find pieces of bracelets we can track changing fashions and so more precisely date the place it was found in.

explains Dzingielewski.

The Celts were originally a branch of the larger Indo-European cultures, living in the area of today’s southern Germany, France, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Austria, and they were well known for their technical achievements, especially processing metal and pottery. In 280-277 BC they invaded the northern part of the Balkan Peninsula, but had to pull out north. According to the archaeologists’ theory some of them went through the Moravian lands (now part of the Czech Republic) to Malopolska in the 3rd century BC, before any Slavic tribe got here. Maopolska was at that time a largely depopulated area and the Celts could settle there and keep their customs and culture. It was this community that introduced money to what is now the area of Poland. Most likely they traded furs, amber, forest goods and honey.

The Celts migrated out of the Krakow area probably around the 2nd to the 1st century BC, likely joining a great Germanic migration that took place at that time. They left behind pieces of bracelets and glass beads imported from other Celtic tribes living in the south, as well as iron tools – among which was one of the oldest pair of scissors. It is owing to a great accumulation of found items that the scientists can specify the chronology of the Malopolska Celts.

Having been catalogued and inventoried, the findings will be shown in a multimedia exhibition in Krakow’s Archaeological Museum; however the exact date is not yet known.

This article was sourced from the Krakow Post, December 2008.

Pic: Pat Turner

Fae Nation have once again discovered and highlighted an amazing artist. Canadian Pat Turner, of the Pat Turner Studios, has a unique, vibrant style of painting. Pat’s work finds tremendous inspiration in the deep wells of neo-lithic spiritual belief, mythology, creation myth and historical folklore of many lands. Real-world beliefs turned to other-world fantasies by time.

Traditionally trained in painting, illustration and design, Pat attempts to combine the painting methods and techniques of the ‘Old Masters’ with the newest digital technologies to create images, and reproductions of incredible colour, energy and life. Having served several years as a Designer, Photo-
Retoucher, and Illustrator, Pat eventually decided to follow his first love – creating artwork – fulltime, and has been operating Pat Turner Studios for almost twenty years.

Source

Originally posted 2008-06-25 12:07:39. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The Irish Arts Center have instituted a brilliant idea with Irish Gaelic classes for kid sin New York. Just watch the wonderful video above of the teacher, Elaine Ni Bhraonáin. They run two classes: one for younger and one for the elder kids. The details are as follows:

Gaelic Kids I | Ages 3-6 | Saturdays | 10:00am– 11:00am

Gaelic Kids II | Ages 7 to 12 | Saturdays | 11:00am– 12:00noon

8 week semester begins Saturday, September 26
NO class October 17

$15 general sale /$12 members per child per class. Family
rates available! Please contact Rachael at 212.757.3318 ext. 209
for information on the current semester schedule.

Pay for all 8 classes and save over 15%! | $100 general / $80 members

AON, DÓ muc is bó, 
TRÍ, CEATHAIR bróga leathair, 
CÚIG, SÉ, cupán tae!

A fun and exciting Irish language program for children ages 3 – 12 years, now split into two complementary age groups to better suit your child’s needs! Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity for your kids to learn words, phrases and songs in the Irish language.

Gaelic Kids I – Ages 3 to 6
Children will learn basic phrases, sentences, numbers, songs and learn to explore and play through the Irish language.

Gaelic Kids II – Ages 7 to 10
Classes will follow the same Irish language curriculum as primary schools in Ireland including conversation skills, composition, songs, poetry and play through the Irish language.

The source for this article is the Irish Arts Center.  The IAC is located at 553 West 51St between 10th and 11th Avenues.

Pic: BBC

A team of archaeologists is hoping to solve a centuries-old mystery and discover the remains of two medieval ancient towns in Carmarthenshire, reported the BBC in 2008. The settlements are believed to be within the grounds of Dinefwr Park and Castle near Llandeilo.

Their existence is recorded in several medieval documents and researchers are hoping to pinpoint the exact locations later this month.

Previous digs in the grounds have found the remains of a Roman fort.

Archaeologist Emma Plunkett-Dillon said:

We know that the two towns existed because they were well-recorded in various medieval documents.

We know that there was a Welsh town somewhere around the castle and an English town nearer the present site of Newton House, in the centre of the estate.

Records kept by the Crown show us that they were occupied throughout the 14th and 15th centuries – we even know how much rent people who lived there were paying at the time – but the towns themselves have completely disappeared.

The Welsh town was settled by the indigenous population sometime after 1277 when Dinefwr Castle was under Welsh control.

What is referred to as the English town was established some time after that time, in order to colonise the area and capture the castle and surrounding area for English control.

Work will begin to try and pinpoint the exact location of these towns, beginning with the English one, on 23 June.

A team from Dyfed Archaeological Trust together with a group of volunteers will undertake a geophysical study of the land surrounding Newton House.

A machine will pass over the ground, detecting changes within the soil that will enable the archaeologists to identify buildings and other features buried beneath the grass.

This will be followed by the excavation of a series of small pits which hopefully will clarify the nature of the buried archaeology.

I don’t want to raise expectations, but potentially this could be an extremely exciting investigation,

added Ms Plunkett-Dillon.

I’ve been working at Dinefwr myself for almost 20 years and have never seen any signs of these towns.

This is a golden opportunity to try and find them – what we’re actually doing is lifting the lid and taking a look at previously unexplored areas and I for one would dearly love to finally find something.

The public had an opportunity to watch the archaeologists in action during an open day on 28 June 2008.

Carrying on from yesterday’s post, Working with the Fey, part 1, I’ll try and give you an introduction to the rest of the Fairy Tarot decks I have managed to find. We found 6 decks yesterday and the artwork in some of those decks is fantastic – the remaining selection are equally inspirational!

Gentle Wisdom of the Faerie Realm

Visionary artist Sasha St John charms and inspires her audience with her sensitive watercolors. For the first time ever, 60 of her watercolor images of fairies are gathered together in the new inspiration deck Gentle Wisdom of the Faerie Realms. This wonderfully luminescent deck comes boxed complete with a full color 72 page guide booklet. The booklet shows each card in color along with a message written by the artist to provide a basis for reflection, contemplation, or inspiration. Allow the beauty and wisdom of the faerie realms to influence your life. This wonderful bridge between the Faerie Realm and ours will delight and inspire people of all ages, from children to adults, with peaceful images and thoughtful reminders to honor our own gentle wisdom every day.

Sasha says:

Along with countless other people, species, and entities, seen and unseen, we share this miraculous and gracious living planet. From the tiniest of delicate, lacy herbs to the awe and spectacle of a brilliant sunset, our bodies are healed and our parched souls soothed with the gifts so freely given by mother earth. I feel it is of the utmost importance to learn to see the sacredness in all that is on this planet. My sincere prayer is that the children of this earth remember how to live in harmony, with each other and with all of mother nature, and cherish the diversity and beauty in life.

Amazon

Wild Wisdom of the Faery Oracle

The Wild Wisdom of the Faery Oracle is your doorway into the magickal realm of the Faery. Each gloriously illustrated card is brimming with secrets, messages, insights and guidance directly from the most helpful and wise of nature s guardians, delivering clear messages and direct and loving guidance. Easy to read, yet deep, mystical and rich, the Wild Wisdom of the Faery Oracle includes an in-depth guidebook revealing the secret lore of the Faery realm as well as clear lessons on how to connect, create and nurture deep relationships with your own Faery guardians and allies. The included card layouts allow you to give powerful, insightful and accurate readings for yourself and others. When you connect with the Fae, their powerful natural magicks can assist with healing and enhancing your health, activating vivid psychic abilities, gaining insight and direction within your relationships and awakening your innate connection to abundance. Your life then becomes an inspirational experience, full of meaning and joy. Your own ability to see, sense and feel the Fae accurately will grow stronger and clearer each time you work with this enchanted, inspiring deck, steeped in authentic, deep Faery magicks.

Lucy Cavendish works magic every single day of her life, embracing it as a creed for personal fulfillment and happiness, and as a belief system that sees us as part of nature, and thus gives us all the motivation to respect and revere and delight in our unique experience here on Planet Earth.
Lucy is also the author of The Oracle Tarot, Magical Spell Cards and White Magic, all of which are published by Hay House.
Apart from regular television and radio appearances, she is a feature writer for Spellcraft Magazine, Spheres, and has appeared in anthologies like Disinformation s Pop Goes The Witch! In 1992, Lucy created Witchcraft magazine, which she edited for five years.
She is a classic book witch and adores writing, reading and creating enchanted workshop experiences. Lucy Cavendish currently lives in Sydney with her pixie-like daughter and her beautiful labradoodle dog.

Amazon

Waking the Wild Spirit Tarot: Discover the Magic in Nature

Woodland sprites and crafty magicians, wise women and dancing faeries leap out from the vibrant cards of the Waking the Wild Spirit Tarot. Created by artist and Wildwitch Poppy Palin, this one-of-a-kind Tarot brings the inspirational magic of the wild into the everyday world. In the companion book Stories of the Wild Spirit, the characters portrayed in the cards tell their own stories, using first person dialogue to immerse you in their tales and call forth the power of their energies. This unique approach provides a new way of working with the Tarot for those who learn more easily through strong visual cues and evocative prose, rather than elaborate lists of correspondences. This boxed kit includes a 78-card deck and a 336-page illustrated guidebook. Perfect for those who want to reconnect with or have never lost their sense of wonder at the divine magic of nature, the sacred art and sparkling prose of the Waking the Wild Spirit Tarot will enchant and enlighten.

Poppy Palin is a qualified and experienced artist and teacher who uses her trained illustrative skills to enhance her own work and that of others. She has written and illustrated four non-fiction books on her life as a natural psychic, all of which are published by Capall Bann. She combines magical fiction and enchanting artwork in the Wild Spirit Tarot (Llewellyn 2002) and in her "Wild Spirit Trilogy" of novels which begins with The Greening. She is the author of The Craft of the Wild Witch (2004).

She recently illustrated The Hedge Witch’s Way written by English author Rae Beth and will be working with her on The Hedge Witch’s Oracle in 2002. Poppy’s artwork regularly appears in magazines in the ‘mind, body and spirit’ category.

Poppy is also an experienced tattoo artist who specializes in one-off pieces to commemorate rites of passage. She currently lives in Glastonbury, England.

Amazon

Healing with the Fairies Oracle Cards

Heal yourself with fairies – nature’s most powerful guardian angels * From the bestselling author of Healing With the Angel Oracles Cards – over 100,000 decks sold worldwide * Hay House card decks - over 250,000 sold worldwide * Includes guidebook, and 44 beautifully illustrated oracle cards. Learn to give yourself and your loved ones accurate readings, and in doing so find inner strength and confidence Fairies are nature’s powerful guardian angels, and they can miraculously assist you with your self-esteem, relationships, health and career. With the help of these 44 oracle cards, you can have a deeply personal relationship with the amazing fairy realm. There are no negative or frightening cards or images in this deck, as the nature angels love you very much!

The included book explains each card, and provides affirmations to bring each card’s energies into your life. Every card is encouraging; each one represents a part of your self to pamper in the near future. The "Healing" of the title is mainly emotional healing; the cards are named things like "Awakening Your True Self", "Creative Expression", "Beauty", and "Inner Child." I think the cards would be great for someone suffering from a romantic breakup, since heartbreaking experiences bring about a need to be gentle and loving toward oneself again. The cards will make you feel better immediately. I find that they’re great to use in conjunction with a tarot deck; you can do a reading with the tarot cards to figure out your situation, and then lay out a few Healing with the Fairies cards to tell you what you can do to nurture yourself and keep sane through the duration of the problem.

Amazon

Faery Wicca Tarot

The eight-three cards of the Faery Wicca Tarot and the 181-page booklet in this set have two tasks. First, they present a vision of the Tarot with extra cards unique to this deck. This complete system is a wondrous tool for inner transformation, designed to help you make wiser decisions and have a richer journey on your spiritual path. In order to accomplish this, you will need to know the divinatory meanings of the cards and how to use them in spreads. The booklet explains the meaning of each card and shows how they are used in fifteen different layouts. Examples allow you to see exactly how to use the cards for a variety of purposes. The second task is to share the magnificent vision of the Faery Wicca, based upon ancient Irish myth and legend. It brings the ancient gods and goddesses to life to guide, comfort, and imbue you with spirituality and power. The symbolism on these cards brings forth that vision in a way that can inspire you to a greater understanding of the Faery Wicca path and a deeper understanding of yourself. Whether you want Kisma K. Stepanich’s Faery Wicca Tarot for its introduction to the Faery Wicca tradition or its usefulness as a divinatory tool, you should get it today.

Although called a Tarot deck, this deck has 83 cards due to the inclusion of four "Gift of Faery" cards and one "Power Card." If these extra cards were removed, one would be left with the standard Tarot configuration of 22 trumps, 16 court cards and 40 pips. The deck is based on the Faery Wicca Tradition as devised and explained by Kisma Stepanich, the designer of the deck and author of the book. The images were rendered by an artist (Renee Yates), based on Ms. Stepanich’s designs. The art is good. The images are well detailed and the colours are bold. The cards measure 4 1/2" X 2 3/4". The Major Arcana are called "The Ancient Ones Cards." They each have four "oghams" in the four corners of the card representing the solstices and equinoxes. The card name and number are in the bottom border of the card and a God/Goddess/Character name is in the bottom border of the image. Most of the Major Arcana have been renamed to reflect the mythology of the Faery Wicca Tradition.

Amazon

The Fairy Ring: An Oracle of the Fairy Folk

Only a few hundred years ago, people believed that fairies could see into the future and were capable of bestowing the gift of prophecy on mortals they loved. This pack of 60 cards and accompanying book is designed to enable you to call upon the fairies to give you a glimpse into your destiny. The surreal art, combining photography, computer imaging and illustration, works as an opening into the mystical Otherworld. The book and deck are inspired by the landscape of the British Isles. They inhabit the enchanted realm of dreams and legends, often crossing the threshold between this world and the Otherworld. They have been called the Little People, the fae, or the People of the Hills. With the ability to bestow great gifts if favored or wreak household havoc if angered, fairies have long been much loved and much feared in the Celtic lands.

Listen to the wisdom of the Little People as they speak through the cards of The Fairy Ring. This new oracle will enchant with its evocative artwork as it enlightens with insightful readings. The full-sized guidebook includes fairy lore, upright and reversed card interpretations, and nine unique card layouts.

Many fairies are seasonal creatures, so the cards of The Fairy Ring are divided into four suits: Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter. This motley assortment of fairies-from helpful brownies to ghostly banshees to the ethereal Morgan le Fay-appear on the cards in the suit of the season in which they are most likely to be seen. Eight additional cards celebrate the ancient Celtic solar and pastoral holidays, long considered to be auspicious days for working with the fae.

The gateway to the Otherworld stands open. Cross the threshold and enter the Fairy Ring, where the gifts and guidance of the fairy folk await you.

First Runner Up for the 2003 Coalition of Visionary Resources (COVR) Award for Best Sidelines/Gifts–Interactive Category

About the Author
Anna Franklin [England] has been a witch for 30 years, and a Pagan in her heart for all her life. She has conducted many rituals, handfastings and sabbat rites. She is the High Priestess of the Hearth of Arianrhod, a coven of the Coranieid Clan, a group of traditional witches with their roots in the New Forest, and branches in several parts of the UK. The Hearth publishes the long running Silver Wheel Magazine, runs teaching circles and postal courses as well as a working coven. Anna Franklin is the author of eighteen books on the Craft including the popular Sacred Circle Tarot, Midsummer, Lammas [with Paul Mason], and The Fairy Ring.

Paul Mason is an English Pagan artist, photographer, and illustrator best known for his stunning photomontage images and book jacket designs.  He has worked previously with Franklin as illustrator of "The Sacred Circle Tarot" and co-author of Lammas.  Mason lives in the English Midlands.

Amazon

Wisdom of Elves and Fairies

Elves usually embody the elemental powers working in the realm of plants, while fairies symbolize the cosmic powers and are related to the element of air and the ether. In a simple yet impressive way these Elves and Fairies Cards mirror the mysterious powers of nature spirits. They can help you to focus on your innermost being and to rediscover your own wisdom inside and make it work for you. 40 Cards Size: 2 1/2" x 1 1/2"

Allow this petite 40-card deck to help you focus on your innermost being and to rediscover your own wisdom and make it work for you. Elves are known to embody the elemental powers working in plants, while fairies symbolise the cosmic powers related to air and ether. Combined they provide a perfect mirror for the mysterious powers of nature spirits.

Amazon

Summary

Well, that is a lot of decks to look at! There is a huge variety in styles and approach used in the design of the cards, so I guess the final choice is very much open to those deck(s) that inspire you. I, myself, have tried a couple of them and have fallen in love with the Brian Froud deck so I would be very interested to hear in your experiences with the decks.

Pic: Eire Sarah

TARA, Temor, Temhuir, or Temoria, is intimately connected with the early religion of Ireland, and has been associated with singular theories. As Tea-mur, it was the mount or home of Queen Tea, wife of the Milesian King Heremon. The centre of Druidical song and power, the seat of ancient royalty, Tara was a favourite subject of glorification by ancient annalists, and has been immortalized in the poem of Moore. But, while bards record a great assembly being held there 921 B.C., Dr. Petrie, the eminent antiquary, is disposed to regard the place as existing only between 200 and 300 years after Christ.

The high civilization at Tara has been a favourite subject for Bards. The old lady guide at Tara told us that only gold and silver vessels were used at the banquets. Dr. Ledwich laughs at the yarns about its twenty-seven kitchens, and its amazing bill of daily fare. He assures us that the story of Tara rests only upon the fragment of a fragment in the Seabright collection, that had neither the name of its author nor a date. The earliest Romish ecclesiastics, and mediæval writers, knew nothing of early Irish culture or wealth. Continue Reading »

Originally posted 2008-06-13 21:23:51. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Pic: Farm One of Iceland’s oldest Viking ruins sits just behind this farm house near Lake Myvatn.

I found this article about the worrying climate change effects on Iceland’s landscape. It not only tells us much about our Viking cousins and their early relationship with the Celts but also highlights the environmental impact of Sheep farming in Iceland. It’s easy to see how Iceland’s history could be shaped by its climate, once you experience its fickle weather. On this September afternoon, Unnsteinn Ingason steps out of the inn he runs in northern Iceland and looks up to see whether it’s sunny or snowing. In this land of frequent rainbows, it could be both.

As he crosses the family farm’s rolling, grassy hills in a four-wheel-drive SUV, he’s not just watching the road. He’s also scanning the landscape for clues about Iceland’s deep history — its Viking history. Continue Reading »

Originally posted 2008-06-18 12:01:07. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Cora Anderson 1915 – 2008 Cora Anderson, a co-founder with Victor Anderson of what is now known of as the Feri Tradition, passed on this morning at the age of 93. Cora Anderson was known as a Grand Master of the Feri Faith, a prolific writer, and was a key influence in the lives of several prominent Pagans and Witches. Cora Anderson is the author of Fifty Years in the Feri Tradition and Childhood Memories, and coauthor, with Victor H. Anderson, of Etheric Anatomy: The Three Selves and Astral Travel. She was a contributing author to Potpourri of Cookery. Her articles have been featured in Witch Eye and Circle magazines, and her recipes have been published in Women’s Circle and T. Babes Recipe Service. She also writes a feature column, “Letters from a Hill Witch,” at Lilith’s Lantern.

Cora was the Grand Master and, with her husband, Victor, the foremost teacher of the Feri/Faery Tradition. She helped train some of the most influential voices in neo-Paganism. A natural kitchen Witch, Cora worked as a hospital cook for many years, and often charged the food with healing energy for the patients. Her straightforward approach to the Craft earned her the respect and admiration of many around the world. Continue Reading »

Originally posted 2008-05-02 11:32:21. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Kenneth Mackenzie, also known as Coinneach Odhar or the Brahan Seer, was a legendary Scottish clairvoyant. Tradition dates his birth to the early 17th century in Uig, on the island of Lewis. This is the northernmost island of the Outer Hebrides, a chain of islands to the west of Scotland’s northern coast. Legend has it that he came into his talent after napping on a fairy hill and finding a small stone in his coat, which allowed him to view the future.

The fey stone with a hole in it, aremarkably reminiscent of the seeing stone in the Spiderwick Chronicles, is traditionally full of power. Predictably, legend has it that he was eventually burned to death as a sorcerer by being immersed in a barrel of burning tar. Before his death he forespoke the doom of the noble Mackenzie family who had him executed: the last male heir of this line would be deaf. In the 19th century this came true, as the last of the Mackenzies lost his hearing in his youth.

He is inevitably compared with Nostradamus. However, unlike Nostradamus, many of predictions attributed to the Brahan Seer are very straightforward and literal, instead of being cloaked in word games, riddles and allegory. For instance, a typical prediction is that a specific church roof would collapse when a magpie made a nest in it for three years running. There are predictions of the birth of a two-headed calf, a boulder falling over, and the plaintive death of a French expatriate in the Isles, mourned by a local woman. Other reputed predictions were of “a chariot without horse or bridle”, and “fiery chariot[s]” which could interpreted as a premonition of railroads or automobiles, and “hills strewn with ribbons”, which sound like powerlines, but this is about as futuristic as he gets. Unlike Nostradamus, none of his predictions are about geopolitics, global war, or the distant future.

He predicted the Caledonian Canal.

One day ships will sail round the back of Tomnahurich Hill.

This is a remarkable prediction – firstly, there was already a passage for shipping – the River Ness, on the opposite south side of Tomnahurich Hill from today’s canal – and the only choice for boats in the Brahan Seer’s day. To say that ships would sail round the opposite side of the hill from the river seemed highly illogical to those who first heard the prediction. But the prediction came true.

He predicted the demise of the MacKenzies of Kintail and Seaforth.

The day will come when the MacKenzies of Fairburn shall lose their entire possessions; their castle will become uninhabited and a cow shall give birth to a calf in the uppermost chamber of the tower.

In 1851, the now-ruined tower was being used by a farmer to store hay, and a cow gave birth in the garret. It is believed that the animal, following a trail of hay, entered the tower, climbed to the top, and got stuck. Both the cow and the calf were taken down five days later, allowing enough time for people to come and see the prophecy fulfilled. This was one of four prophecies by the Seer regarding Fairburn, at least three of which are reputed to have been fulfilled.

He predicted that when there were five bridges over the River Ness in Inverness that there would be worldwide chaos.

In August 1939 there were five bridges over the Ness and on September 1st the same year Hitler invaded Poland. He said that when there were nine bridges that there would be fire, flood and calamity. The ninth bridge was built in 1987 and in 1988 the Piper Alpha disaster happened.

References:

Scottish Myths and Legends

The Brahan Seer Home

Wikipedia

The Brahan Seer

The Prophecies of the Brahan Seer, Alexander Mackenzie, 1899 – Sacred Texts

Originally posted 2008-03-30 16:33:05. Republished by Blog Post Promoter