Celtic Earth Magic Pic: CMP

We would like to Thank gifted healer Lorna Drake from Sussex Downs Reiki for taking the time writing this post to help introduce us to the fascinating and enlightening practice of Celtic Earth Magic. What is Celtic Earth Magic ? …… I aim to give an overview of a system of energy healing which has become integral to the way I now live my life.

For me, Celtic Earth Magic is a natural evolution and expansion from Celtic Earth Reiki – an all encompassing term for the magic that exists in nature, and which we can all experience if we step away from the humdrum of daily life and learn skills to open our hearts and minds

I will use the terms Celtic Earth Magic and Celtic Earth Reiki interchangeably, as one is born of the other.

The Celtic Peoples believed that everything has an individual spirit, and is connected to everything else and this faith is fundamental to the systems of Celtic Earth Magic that I am going to introduce to you.

Students of Celtic Earth Magic receive attunements - symbols placed into the aura – just as for traditional Reiki, by the Celtic Earth Reiki Master, and this system can be studied on different levels culminating in the Master level.

• The first level is mainly for allowing the student to absorb the new energies, for expanding the connection to nature, and for self healing.
• The second level is designed to help us manifest our goals and discover what we need in order to follow our life path, and also for healing on others.
• The final level – the Master level – is for us to further deepen our connection with nature and the energies, for divination , magic and self-development.

Ogham

Celtic Reiki was rediscovered in 1988 by Reiki Master Martyn Pentecost , and is a system of healing using the energies of specific trees and the symbols for those trees from the ancient Celtic Ogham language. – as each tree or plant has a particular energy and attribute, the particular ogham symbol for that tree/plant can be accessed according to need. These mystical Ogham signs are used in the same way as a Reiki healer uses traditional symbols of healing.

The Ogham language should not be confused with the Norse Runic system, although the two systems would have evolved side by side

This method also uses one other energetic entity that was sacred to the Celts – the Sea

The Ogham symbols and their meanings are quite widely documented in books and on oracle cards, but for those who are unfamiliar with this system, the following are the trees and plants used in Celtic Earth Reiki / Magic :

Ogham symbol chart Pic: Wiki

Each of the trees or plants has a designated symbol, Celtic name and an associated crystal. Also included as mentioned earlier is the Sea, as well as a Grove or Sacred Grove.

When you choose to walk the path of Celtic Earth Magic, you are walking in the footsteps of your ancestors – the connection can be felt so strongly as to be almost tangible, and you may find yourself, having the extraordinary experience of sensing smells and sounds as if from another time long past..

Energy Centres or Chakras

In traditional Reiki, we connect to the seven main Chakras (energy centres) in the body that run from root (at the base of your spine) to the crown of your head.

With Celtic Earth Reiki, we connect to two additional Chakras – the Earth Star Chakra and the Soul Star.

The Earth Star lies approximately two feet below the ground and is most commonly visualised in earth colours and associated with crystals such as Obsidian and smoky quartz.

The Earth Star connects you to your past lives and your ancestral tribe. The Soul Star is approximately eighteen inches above the head and is most commonly visualised as a clear bright light – associated with Quartz crystal or Diamond – also sometimes seen as a weave of light cascading down towards the Earth Star. The Soul Star connects you to your life purpose – your destiny. The call to connect to our ancestors is strong and directly linked to the Celtic belief in the sacred connection between all things.

The Chakras Pic: Wiki

The healing and manifestation that can be created with the Celtic Earth Magic systems is a powerful tool which must always be used for the highest ideal, and is hugely important especially now when the Earth is so in need of healing.

Crystals

As part of the Celtic Earth Magic system, we can also use our connection to the tree energies and Ogham symbols to create a crystal grid for manifestation of goals and also for healing.

Manifestation symbols can be made from stone or wood (only naturally occurring substances should be used ) and these are then inscribed with the Ogham symbol and charged with the energy of the particular tree.

Crystal Grid Pic: Lorna Drake

These manifesting symbols are then selected according to your need at the time and placed into the crystal grid where the connection is made using a master crystal. This system can also be used very effectively for healing.  It is however advisable to create a different grid and set of Ogham symbols for each intent. The attunements that the student receives on their path of Celtic Earth Magic are an ‘awakening’ in many senses.

In my own experience, I found that my perceptions of the world around me started to change – my relationship with the natural world deepened and I became so much more aware of what was going on around me.

Ancestors

This deepening connection also led me to re-evaluate other aspects of my life and was very empowering when dealing with a variety of situations and challenges – calling on and connecting with your ancestors is a powerful and enlightening tool – and we can learn from their centuries of accumulated wisdom

We can also work with Celtic Earth Magic for connecting directly to any aspect of nature  – holding to the belief that everything is connected, you can open yourself to the nature that surrounds you.

Once learned and practiced, the Celtic Ogham symbols and their names for the trees and plants can be used to directly connect to a particular ancestor; but more than that, you can connect to anything – any plant, stone, or animal just by opening your heart and mind and listening.

You can suddenly become aware of the specific energies and messages that the trees, plant etc have – like us they are all very different !

Nature Spirits

Nature spirits can also be connected with – most readily in my experience by just sitting quietly in nature and asking them to come to you, but you can also dowse for them using a pendulum or rods, or by just concentrating your mind and feeling the subtle shifts in energetic vibration around you – are they Sylphs of the air ? Gnomes of the earth ? Dryads of the trees ? Or Undines of water ? Ask them ….. You will be surprised at what you find out ……

Divination

The final aspect of Celtic Earth Magic that I want to touch on is Divination.

Using the meanings of the trees, plants and sea symbols can be a way to gain insight into questions for which we seek answers.

The divination tool can be crafted from wood, stone or crystal – I made mine from discs of Ash wood.

There are parallels here with the Norse and Anglo-Saxon runic divination systems, but the Celtic Earth Magic system uses specifically the Ogham signs for the trees and plants and their applied meanings, and can be used as a stand alone divination tool or as an adjunct to healing. I am happy to refer to them as Ogham Runes, because the dictionary definition of ‘rune’ is basically a symbol drawn from an alphabet which is said to have magical meaning.

Ogham Divination Pic: Lorna Drake

This has been a brief but hopefully informative overview of a huge and powerful subject, and one which we and our beautiful Mother Earth can benefit from in so many ways.

Lorna Drake is medically trained as well as being a Celtic Reiki Master, and a Reiki Master in the Usui tradition of healing. She also works with the Quecha Indian Shamanic system of Munay Ki and is a talented Tarot.reader.

You can can contact Lorna on her website at http://sussexdownsreiki.co.uk/  or on her Facebook page at  Sussex-Downs-Reiki.

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You can also now download a Celtic Myth Podshow App from the iTunes store. This is the most convenient and reliable way to access the Celtic Myth Podshow on your iPhone or iPod Touch. You’re always connected to the latest episode, and our App users have access to exclusive bonus content, just touch and play! To find out more visit the iTunes Store or our Description Page.
You can now also find an Android version of the App which works identically to the iPhone version. You can find it on Handster at http://www.handster.com/celtic_myth.html or by using the QR code opposite. It’s als found on the Opera Marketplace as well as AppBrain in the US.
If you come to the site and listen or listen from one of our players – have you considered subscribing? It’s easy and you automatically get the episodes on your computer when they come out. If you’re unsure about the whole RSS/Subscribing thing take a look at our Help page.

The CMP Logo

This episode is the second episode in our Welsh Mythology series and continues with the story of Pwyll, the Prince of Dyfed.In the last episode, Pwyll had gone hunting in the Woods of Glyn Cuch and had been beaten to the kill by a stranger pack comprising even stranger dogs. Having decided that the kill was rightfully his, he had driven off the other pack and set his own dogs upon the prey. It was at that moment that a stranger, the Shadowed Hunter, has appeared and was even now turning his dread gaze upon Pwyll.

We’d also like to introduce our Special Surprise Guest Actor, Damh the Bard, who plays an important role in this show!

How to Listen

The Episode is available for subscribers on the feed, or you can download it or listen to it from our Episodes page. You can find the Shownotes for this episode in the Shownotes section.

If you come to the site and listen or listen from one of our players – have you considered subscribing? It’s easy and you automatically get the episodes on your computer when they come out. If you’re unsure about the whole RSS/Subscribing thing take a look at our Help page.

Hope you enjoy it,

Gary & Ruthie x x x

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You can also now download a Celtic Myth Podshow App from the iTunes store. This is the most convenient and reliable way to access the Celtic Myth Podshow on your iPhone or iPod Touch. You’re always connected to the latest episode, and our App users have access to exclusive bonus content, just touch and play! To find out more visit the iTunes Store or our Description Page.
You can now also find an Android version of the App which works identically to the iPhone version. You can find it on Handster at http://www.handster.com/celtic_myth.html or by using the QR code opposite. It’s als found on the Opera Marketplace as well as AppBrain in the US.
If you come to the site and listen or listen from one of our players – have you considered subscribing? It’s easy and you automatically get the episodes on your computer when they come out. If you’re unsure about the whole RSS/Subscribing thing take a look at our Help page.

In September, a book was released by Kate MacAlister which tells two stories: one based loosely on Celtic Myth and one based on Norse myth. The Celtic story is called Stag Party and tells of the Irish fertility god, Cernunnos (?) who has to find a bride in the week leading up to Beltaine or become mortal and die.The Norse tale, Horse Truly tells of a cursed Viking, doomed to sail the seas forever. When a car skids off the road, he and his men rescue the driver and Alrik discovers that the driver may be able to break his curse. Each story sounds like great fun with quite a bit of romance thrown in. I found it mentioned here. Amazon

Originally posted 2008-01-14 17:37:32. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

John Bruno Hare, creator of the Archive, passed away on April 27, 2010. His vision included a sacred text archive of largely Public Domain works that would remain accessible worldwide, and would be forever free to read.

The vision of John Bruno Hare is alive and well. Plans for new texts, new products and mobile applications, and new versions of the site itself have been underfoot for some time, and patiently await birth.

In memory of JBH’s passing, ISTA presents the first new content ever added to the Archive since April 2010, along with some featuring of existing content. The theme, loosely, is Remembering Bruno, the Afterlife, and Being Present.

[source]

Many wonderful new titles are offered in this remembrance including “Yogic Alchemy in Taijiquan” , Wallace Budge’s translation of the Egyptian “Book of the Dead“, the “Mayan Calendar” by John Bruno Hare himself and, or particular interest to us in the Celtic community, “Ulster Folklore” by Elizabeth Andrews. As you know, without the Sacred Texts Archive and the inestimable work of John Bruno Hare, the production of this show would have been well-nigh impossible and almost certainly wouldn’t have taken place. We owe him, his friends and associates - past, present and future - a great debt! Thank you guys, and may you travel in peace John.

Souterrain at Ardtolle, Co. Down Pic: Gutenberg

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You can also now download a Celtic Myth Podshow App from the iTunes store. This is the most convenient and reliable way to access the Celtic Myth Podshow on your iPhone or iPod Touch. You’re always connected to the latest episode, and our App users have access to exclusive bonus content, just touch and play! To find out more visit the iTunes Store or our Description Page.
You can now also find an Android version of the App which works identically to the iPhone version. You can find it on Handster at http://www.handster.com/celtic_myth.html or by using the QR code opposite. It’s als found on the Opera Marketplace as well as AppBrain in the US.
If you come to the site and listen or listen from one of our players – have you considered subscribing? It’s easy and you automatically get the episodes on your computer when they come out. If you’re unsure about the whole RSS/Subscribing thing take a look at our Help page.

The CMP Logo

In this show, we bring you the second of our special features about the mythic film, The Spirit of Albion: the Movie and celebrate Beltane along the way! We meet Damh the Bard,who created the songs used in the films and Gary Andrews, the Director, Author and Editor for the film. We meet them on a nice, quiet afternoon in the beautiful country pub, The Giant’s Rest which is almost at the feet of the mighty giant known as The Long Man of Wilmington, a huge chalk figure that makes his acting debut in the film to have a fun chat about the film.

The film will première a couple of days after this show is released and we’ll all get our chance to see this long-awaited production! We also celebrate Beltane with a couple of wonderful pieces of music supplied by the amazing Spiral Dance and the talented George Nicholas of Cernunnos Rising.

Thanks go out to the wonderful manager of the Giant’s Rest, Gary (oh yes, another Gary!) who gave us permission to record in the pub which has been known for over a decade as the Most Druid Friendly Sussex Public House!

Hope you enjoy it,

Gary & Ruthie x x x

How to Listen

The Episode is available for subscribers on the feed, or you can download it or listen to it from our Episodes page. You can find the Shownotes for this episode in the Shownotes section.

If you come to the site and listen or listen from one of our players – have you considered subscribing? It’s easy and you automatically get the episodes on your computer when they come out. If you’re unsure about the whole RSS/Subscribing thing take a look at our Help page.

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You can also now download a Celtic Myth Podshow App from the iTunes store. This is the most convenient and reliable way to access the Celtic Myth Podshow on your iPhone or iPod Touch. You’re always connected to the latest episode, and our App users have access to exclusive bonus content, just touch and play! To find out more visit the iTunes Store or our Description Page.
You can now also find an Android version of the App which works identically to the iPhone version. You can find it on Handster at http://www.handster.com/celtic_myth.html or by using the QR code opposite. It’s als found on the Opera Marketplace as well as AppBrain in the US.
If you come to the site and listen or listen from one of our players – have you considered subscribing? It’s easy and you automatically get the episodes on your computer when they come out. If you’re unsure about the whole RSS/Subscribing thing take a look at our Help page.

The CMP Logo

In this show, we hope to bring you a wonderful gift for Ostara, or Easter, with our first ever documentary show. Starting from conception as a play performed by young actors to a film about to hit our screens, the Spirit of Albion Movie promises to bring the Celtic Gods to the World of Film for possibly the first time! We bring you the long-awaited, full story of ‘the Spirit of Albion the Movie’ along with interviews with all the actors.

We also include many ‘Behind the Scenes’ audio clips to bring you a feel of what it was like to be on the set of the film as it was being made.

How to Listen

The Episode is available for subscribers on the feed, or you can download it or listen to it from our Episodes page. You can find the Shownotes for this episode in the Shownotes section.

If you come to the site and listen or listen from one of our players – have you considered subscribing? It’s easy and you automatically get the episodes on your computer when they come out. If you’re unsure about the whole RSS/Subscribing thing take a look at our Help page.

Hope you enjoy it,

Gary & Ruthie x x x

———————————

You can also now download a Celtic Myth Podshow App from the iTunes store. This is the most convenient and reliable way to access the Celtic Myth Podshow on your iPhone or iPod Touch. You’re always connected to the latest episode, and our App users have access to exclusive bonus content, just touch and play! To find out more visit the iTunes Store or our Description Page.
You can now also find an Android version of the App which works identically to the iPhone version. You can find it on Handster at http://www.handster.com/celtic_myth.html or by using the QR code opposite. It’s als found on the Opera Marketplace as well as AppBrain in the US.
If you come to the site and listen or listen from one of our players – have you considered subscribing? It’s easy and you automatically get the episodes on your computer when they come out. If you’re unsure about the whole RSS/Subscribing thing take a look at our Help page.

Study for The Quarrel of Oberon and Titania Pic: Wiki

It is just over three hundred years since Robert Kirk, minister of Aberfoyle, died at the age of fifty two. But the question remains, did he really die or was he ‘taken’? Taken, that is, by the Good People, the elusive folk who lived under the earth in the green hills.The youngest and seventh son of James Kirk, Robert studied theology at St. Andrews and took his master’s degree at Edinburgh.

He became the minister of Balquidder and moved to Aberfoyle in 1685, having published a psalter in Gaelic the previous year. He had also been involved in preparing a Gaelic translation of the Bible.

We might expect a man of his background to have been a staunch supporter of established orthodoxy but this was no ordinary preacher. He recorded his thoughts in a manuscript dated 1691 entitled “The Secret Commonwealth of Elves, Fauns and Fairies“.

Descriptions of the Faerie World

There is no mention of hell and damnation, just a fair and reasonable account of the unseen world. There is nothing sentimental in his writing, and those seers who had the ability to witness the people of peace regarded it as an affliction rather than a gift. The Tabhaiser, or Seer,

“is not terrified with their sight when he calls them, but seeing them in a surpryse (as often he does) frights him extreamly”.

These are clearly not the tinselled fairies of Victorian England but the wild and elemental spirits of nature.

Two ways of gaining the second sight are described. The first is to acquire a tedder (tether) of hair which has bound a corpse to the bier. With this wound round the waist one must stoop down and look back through the legs until a funeral passes. The alternative is to find an accomplished seer who will place his right foot over the candidate’s left and lay his hand upon his head. This confers the power to see and seems not unlike descriptions of admission to a witch coven.

Kirk’s account of the secret commonwealth combines the banal with the surreal. They live in houses underground that are large and fair, lit with lamps and fires but without fuel to sustain them. They may abduct mortal women to nurse their children. Their clothing and speech is that of the country they live in. Their life span is longer than ours, but eventually they die. They have rulers and laws but no discernible religion. Moreover, unlike us, they do not have a dense, material form but have, in Kirk’s words,

“Bodies of congealed Air”.

Every Quarter they travel to fresh lodgings, a reference perhaps to the elemental tides of the seasons.

It is possible that Kirk employed seers to give him information about the dark and silent world, just as Dr. Dee relied upon Edward Kelly a century before.

What really happened to Robert Kirk?

An odd story of what became of the minister of Aberfoyle remains. His successor, the Rev. Dr Grahame, describes how Robert Kirk was walking one day on a fairy hill. He collapsed and was taken for dead. After the funeral, his form was seen by a relative. The spectre urged him to go to their cousin Grahame of Duchray.

Kirk was, he explained, not dead but a captive in the elemental world. His widow was pregnant and he foretold that if Duchray came to the christening, he, Robert Kirk, would appear. Duchray must then throw his dirk over the head of the apparition. If this was done, Kirk would be freed.

Sure enough, the birth and the christening came. Grahame of Duchray was there, just as he had been bidden. During the ceremony the outline of the former minister could be seen. Duchray was so taken aback that he failed to throw the dirk. And the author of the Secret Commonwealth disappeared, never to be seen again

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You can also now download a Celtic Myth Podshow App from the iTunes store. This is the most convenient and reliable way to access the Celtic Myth Podshow on your iPhone or iPod Touch. You’re always connected to the latest episode, and our App users have access to exclusive bonus content, just touch and play! To find out more visit the iTunes Store or our Description Page.

You can now also find an Android version of the App which works identically to the iPhone version. You can find it on Handster at http://www.handster.com/celtic_myth.html or by using the QR code opposite. It’s als found on the Opera Marketplace as well as AppBrain in the US.

If you come to the site and listen or listen from one of our players – have you considered subscribing? It’s easy and you automatically get the episodes on your computer when they come out. If you’re unsure about the whole RSS/Subscribing thing take a look at our Help page.

As you probably know by now, we have been following the progress of the making of a new film called The Spirit Of Albion: the Movie. The name of the movie comes from the title of an Album and song by the Pagan Folk musician Damh The Bard. Filming started in April 2011 and final production of the film is taking place now ready for a Beltane release (May 1st 2012). The film revolves around the lives of three young people who are all facing personal challenges of one kind or another. Then on 31st October they find themselves drawn to a clearing in the woods, and nothing is ever quite the same again….

Following on from our blog on The Spirit of Albion: The Movie on April 6th 2011, we thought we would bring you up to date on the creation of the Movie and how it came into being.

The Archway Theatre Production

As you may know the idea for the Movie came from a play that was originally written and created by a group of young people between the ages 16-24 at a Young Adults Workshop under the guidance and direction of Gary Andrews. The play was inspired by the emotive music of Damh the Bard, a famous British Pagan Folk singer. These talented young people chose ten of his songs and weaved a magical, modern day story of very real social issues and how three young Adults are struggling to deal with these challenges in their lives.

Archway Theatre Production Pic: Spirit of Albion Movie

The play became well loved by the Pagan community. At first it played at The Archway Theater in Horley, Surrey for three nights where it was a huge success! Damh, his wife Cerri and many other people from the pagan community attended along with friends and family of the cast and crew. People were deeply moved by the powerful play and many people were in tears by time the final curtain fell and the talented young actors bowed to a standing ovation. After the success at The Archway Theater, the play was revived for a performance at WitchFest International at The Fairfax Halls in Croyden. By this time many of the original cast had moved on to University and “a new age-appropriate cast made up of experienced actors” was brought in for this one-off performance.

The Spirit of Albion at Witchfest

Again it proved to be a strong emotive performance. The following review is a review of the performance at Witchfest by our talented friend, Craig Sacket:

“In a packed auditorium, I sat among the audience waiting to see how the show would use the songs of Damh the Bard to tell it’s own tale of magick and mystery.  For two enjoyable hours I was drawn in by the story, losing myself entirely to it’s woodland setting and the unfolding drama.  So enwrapped in the adventure was I, that I almost forgot I was actually a member of an audience! Each one of us had been captivated the same way, with only our shared laughter and tears reminding us of others around us.

“Most shows dazzle with fancy illusion, but SOA weaves real magick that rekindles an old fire in each of us.  The cast gave faultless performances, with their acting and singing, raising both the bar AND our spirits with every verse.  While the original Archway line up buzzed with a youthful enthusiasm, the Witchfest cast took things further with a grace and gravity that added another way toward the heart of that woodland grove. “As the story came to it’s conclusion, I felt refreshed and invigorated…as did everyone in the theatre. “Every voice sang along to the final song, and from the smiles from audience and cast alike, it’s clear to see that SOA is something very special indeed….not only a show to watch, but also a story to be a part of.

Witchfest Production Pic: Spirit of Albion Movie

“With two performances now leading to the movie, the magick is set to continue and once again deliver a fresh yet familiar message to pagans and lovers of good storytelling alike.

“Bravo to all the cast and crew!

“Thanks as always to Damh the Bard.

“And may the Spirit of Albion long continue to call you home!”

As Craig mentioned above, and with the demands of its audience, it was realised that this story could have a much wider appeal if a movie was produced.

Filming begins!

The Shooting script was finished by August 2010; and by April 2011, technical equipment for shooting the movie had been gathered, songs storyboarded, locations chosen, and cast, costumes and make-up were in place. It was time to record the songs for the film sung by the principal cast members and overseen by Damh the Bard.

Gary Andrews filming Damh the Bard “Do you dream of drinking from the Grail, That the truth is held within a tale…?” Pic: Lusete

The first shoot was at a private woodland on a beautiful sunny day. Damh was to be filmed playing his song Pagan Ways, and it was here that the flash-back section to Damh’s song Green and Gray was shot, with Gary Andrews playing the priest and Séan George portraying The Horned God. When commenting on this filming, Damh, in a state of wonder, said: “It was just as I imagined it when I wrote the song” From this comment it sounded to us like Gary and the cast were creating something magical, and we couldn’t wait to find out more.

The filming continued throughout the Spring and Summer, taking place on location at The Weald and Downland Museum in Singleton Sussex, then a trip to the West Country to Grimspound, Stonehenge, Wayland Smithy and other wonderful magical sites. Afterwards back to Surrey for some indoor filming which we were lucky enough to see.

It was quite magical to watch Damh’s songs brought to life by these talented actors and their supporting crew as well as keeping up with the production via Marq English‘s Video Production Diaries. More than once many of us felt shivers go down our spines as certain scenes were acted out.

The final Marathon over-night shoot

Then came the Finale! The over-night and final shoot – at an idyllic private woodland called Morgan’s Wood owned by the lovely Darren and Siobhan Thomas.

Well, we arrived late Saturday evening, said “Hello” to everyone, pitched our tent and went to find out what was happening. The principal characters were being made up and changing into costume in a gazebo. A generator and a lighting tower had been set up and there was a buzz of excitement in the air. While everyone was getting prepared for shooting, it gave us an excellent opportunity for some impromptu interviews with cast and crew, which you will hopefully be hearing in upcoming shows.

Gary, Simon & Dodie Discussing Scenes Pic: Lusete

The Cast prepare for the Final Shoot

Now is our chance to show you how amazing the actors looked while playing their roles.

Lucy Brennan as ‘Arianrhod’ Pic: Lusete

Séan George as ‘The Horned God’ Pic: Lusete

Lucy Brennan looked stunning and ethereal as the Goddess Arianrhod, the narrator of the story, and it was fascinating to watch Lucy Darkness, Makeup & Prosthetic expert, turn Séan George into the very masculine Horned God.

Lucy Darkness – Make-up and Prosthetics Pic: Lusete

Redvers G. Russell as Robin Goodfellow (Puck) “Why is it that you people think that anything that doesn’t conform to your world-view is evil?” Pic: Lusete

Lucy, above working on the Make-up for George (James Abbott), also did the prosthetics for Redvers G. Russell to turn him into the mischievious Puck.

Joy Tinniswood as ‘Cerridwen’ “That’s enough. Leave him be!” Pic: Lusete

Joanne Marriott as the Morrighan Pic: Lusete

Joy Tinniswood looked almost elven dressed for her unique portrayal of Cerridwen and Jo Marriott was beautifully intimidating dressed in her armour to play The Morrighan.

Filming took all night, with constant supplies of coffee and a welcome warm meal at about 2 a.m. Everyone was tired but in good spirits. The camaraderie between members of the cast and crew was high and it was a pleasure to feel a part of the team.

Around the Camp-Fire

Most of the filming that night took place in a Grove of trees where the scene was set for the Primary human characters to meet up on the 31st October.

The troubled humans around the fire Pic: Lusete

The talented young actors who played the primary Human characters were Emma Doubleday as ‘Esther’, Ella Sowton as ‘Annie’ and James Abbott as ‘George’ and they played very real and believable parts, drawing us all into the story. The magic of a woodland fire, and the fantastic lighting gave us observers the feeling that for a while we had stepped into an otherworldly realm where the Celtic Gods and Fae walked and that something unseen but magical was happening.

As dawn started to break the last of the filming for that night took place. After the final cut at 8.30 am, a lovely warm breakfast of porridge was served (including the hidden ingredients of muscavado sugar and double cream!), after which many of us went off to our tents for a couple of hours sleep, before people started arriving for an afternoon of filming.

After four hours sleep we crawled out of our tents, and went to join the many people who had arrived to take part in the afternoon shoot. The heavens had opened and everyone was drenched, but were drinking coffee, eating pastries and still smiling. This was the final shoot of the movie and it was huge.

The scene was set for the story to Damh’s song Morrighan, with the dead of war singing in the woodland, and lots of battle scenes for a montage during the song. With over 40 extras, re-enactors and stunt performers you couldn’t move for people in uniforms. Filming was due to start at 12.00 pm, but due to the rain it was delayed an hour. So at 1.00 pm the weather had cleared a little and the filming started. Jo Marriott looked glorious in her Raven Feather Cloak and battle armour as The Morrighan, and it was a haunting experience to see people re-enacting death scenes from the trenches of the First and Second World Wars – amongst other conflicts.

The Morrighan still taking the souls away from Battle I am the Phantom Queen, and everything you’ve been…” Pic: Lusete

Death through the years “All the bullets, swords and guns…” Pic: Lusete

Many battle scenes through the ages were filmed that afternoon, and after the Final Wrap for the whole Movie was announced at 16:45, there was a strong mixture of joy and sadness because the filming had finished. Many people had worked closely with old friends, had made new ones throughout the year, and, unsurprisingly, love had even bloomed among the make-up, wardrobe and cameras. Now that the actors’ and supporting crews’ roles were over, it was time for the post-production team to at last put the movie together.

The exciting bit right now is that Joy Andrews/Tinniswood and the post-production team at Egotrip Media Ltd. have worked really hard, and they tell us the film will be ready for its’ Release Date of May 1st 2012.

We hope to be bringing you Special Episodes that will include interviews and excerpts with the cast and crew over the next few weeks to help you share in this unique experience that we were lucky enough to enjoy.

We would like to thank Gary, Joy and the cast and crew of the Spirit of Albion movie for welcoming us with open arms and allowing us to be included in this very special and magical journey.

Pic: Spirit of Albion

We will be attending the Crawley Premiere and hope to see some of you there!!!

The DVD is now available for PRE ORDER from The Spirit of Albion: The Movie shop as well as
Calenders, T-shirts, Hats, Bags, Cups and posters. Why not preorder the DVD and some merchandise for a novel birthday gift?

At the time of writing there were still Premiere tickets left. The Movie will be shown at The Hawth, Theater, Crawley, Sussex, UK and should be ordered by calling 01293 553636. Tickets are £15. The event will take place on Monday 30th April, where you’ll be able to meet with the cast and crew. You should arrive from 7:00pm (bar open), the Doors will open at 7:30pm and after a Live Concert by Damh the Bard at 7:45pm, the Film will start at 8:30pm. After the film, there will be a chance to mingle/buy DVDs (!)/have a drink and so on. The bar closes at 11pm.

There will also be another Premiere Screening taking place in the North of England to coincide with the main Premiere for those who are too far away to make the Crawley Premiere. This will take place on the same day and approximately the same time, Monday 30th April, at the Mitchell and Kenyon cinema at the University of Central Lancashire. Unfortunately, we will not have Damh performing, nor the cast and crew (unless we can persuade some to come north) but we will have refreshments and a chance to mingle and chat! The cinema seats 150 so I expect they will fill up quickly. Tickets are expected to be £6. Please email Linda if you’re interested on: lsever@uclan.ac.uk

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You can also now download a Celtic Myth Podshow App from the iTunes store. This is the most convenient and reliable way to access the Celtic Myth Podshow on your iPhone or iPod Touch. You’re always connected to the latest episode, and our App users have access to exclusive bonus content, just touch and play! To find out more visit the iTunes Store or our Description Page.
You can now also find an Android version of the App which works identically to the iPhone version. You can find it on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Wizzard-Media-Celtic-Myth-Podshow/dp/B004W8QR58 or by using the QR code opposite.
If you come to the site and listen or listen from one of our players – have you considered subscribing? It’s easy and you automatically get the episodes on your computer when they come out. If you’re unsure about the whole RSS/Subscribing thing take a look at our Help page.

Mermaid, The Book of Kells Pic:Live Internet

One of the illustrations in the Book of Kells depicts a mermaid (more precisely a merhermaphrodite) swimming up the centre of a genealogy.This lovely figure may refer to Iona and to Columba himself by means of a complex linguistic pun.The word, Iona, includes the Greek word for dove;Columba is Latin for dove and the mer-creature makes the island link. Although strange it is a relatively secure reference, since St Columba’s biographer makes the same pun and the Kells manuscript was probably made to celebratan anniversary of Columba’s death. If nothing else the illustration is testament to the popularity of the mermaid image.Sea dwelling creatures, half human and half fish, are common in European and Near Eastern folktales. As these people have immigrated throughout the world, traditions about these mysterious beings have travelled with them.

Mer-folk are rather like fairies in that they are supernatural, but not completely divine or immortal unlike, say angels.  As such they live in an ‘in between’ world. Their lives and actions under the sea, an environment alien to humans, parallel the human world, and they often interact with their human counterparts.

Mermaids are more popular in European folklore than mermen (the males are very popular in Eastern tales however). Marriages between a mer-creature and a human are the most common form of interaction in folktales.

In Irish stories a fisherman will steal the mermaid’s salmon skin cap and the ‘merrow’ i.e. mermaid, will then marry the human. They have children and are happy together, but one day she findsher salmon skin cap and returns to her own world. Usually the children of these marriages have a special characteristic inherited from their non-human mother.

Sometimes they are good fisherman, but other times they have red hair which marks them off as temperamental or fey. This may be where the Disney animators got Ariel’s red hair or it may be coincidence. Sometimes the offspring of these human mermaid marriagesare haunted by the sound of the sea and cannot sleep at night or are unable to speak

The most famous mermaid tale is that of Mélusine, a French Mer-creature and the ancestress of the Counts de Lusignon. Mélusine appears to the young Count as a beautiful woman (with legs).

Mer-creatures usually are able to walk on land and only have fins while in the sea. (Rather a convenient trait in these marriage tales). Mélusine promises to marry the count, as long as he attempts to see her bathing on a Saturday. Of course eventually he does just this, and realises that she is human from the waist upwards but a sea serpent from the waist down. She then disappears through the window with a screech and is never seen again. But she is heard crying on the battlements before a death in the family.

The merman story is much the same. A human woman marries a merman and lives with him in his beautiful underwater world. After a while she wants to return home to visit her family. She is warned not to overstay her visit and not to attend church services. Naturally she forgets and cannot go back to the sea. Coleridge’s poem, The Forsaken Merman is based on this story.

To read more of the facsinating article By Dr Juliette Wood  visit Here

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You can also now download a Celtic Myth Podshow App from the iTunes store. This is the most convenient and reliable way to access the Celtic Myth Podshow on your iPhone or iPod Touch. You’re always connected to the latest episode, and our App users have access to exclusive bonus content, just touch and play! To find out more visit the iTunes Store or our Description Page.
You can now also find an Android version of the App which works identically to the iPhone version. You can find it on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Wizzard-Media-Celtic-Myth-Podshow/dp/B004W8QR58 or by using the QR code opposite.
If you come to the site and listen or listen from one of our players – have you considered subscribing? It’s easy and you automatically get the episodes on your computer when they come out. If you’re unsure about the whole RSS/Subscribing thing take a look at our Help page.

Hawthorns in blossom Pic: Tom00la

Marking the dawn of the Celtic pastoral year, the vernal equinox celebrates the Otherworld in the moment of balance which occurs as the sun crosses the celestial equator. For the Celts, the solstice and equinox observations may have enjoyed less celebrity than the festivals of Samhain, Imbolc, Beltine and Lughnasadh. However, the semi-annual equinox was carefully noted, as it also brought increased visitation from the Otherworld.

On the equinox, when day and night are momentarily equal, the busy activity  which keeps the human and Otherworld separate momentarily subsides. In that time of suspended activity, the conduit between the worlds yawns, the “veil becomes thin.” As the contents of both worlds mingle, the resulting tumult offers an opportunity for a renewed relationship with the unseen.

An open mind is required for transacting with the Otherworld. As Yeats writes

“If he is sceptical about them, and would fain reduce them one after another to
the rules of probability, this sort of crude philosophy will take up all his
time.”

Keep in mind that such meetings occur in a fleeting instant — longer dalliances in the world of mythos can lead to madness. It must be noted though, that those singular moments of insight can last a lifetime.

Whether one believes such encounters are an external journey or an internal experience, they can be considered similarly. In both instances the contents and symbols of the Otherworld are approaching the individual from without or within.

The equinox is just such a time when an association between worlds can be broached. By engaging in a simple ritual, perhaps a few minutes of silence, the frenetic conversations of everyday life recede, consciousness is reduced and the underlying song of the Otherworld has an opportunity to be heard.

The symbols which cluster around the Celtic observances of the vernal equinox and St. Patrick’s Day are particularly evocative in creating associations which are as useful to us as they were for our ancestors.

Through symbols like the leprechaun and the magic shillelagh, one can visit the fairy kingdom of the Tuatha De Dannan. Wise and giving, lusty and tempestuous, they offer their myths and enduring company. The snake and the trefoil shamrock give evidence of the presence of the Goddess, wrapped in her verdant cloak of Spring.

The four-leaf clover reminds us of the later solar worshipping invaders of Ireland, just as the leprechaun’s pot of gold recalls the educated, priestly class of Druids who controlled the gold trade routes connecting Erin to continental Europe.

T. L. Markey writes

“In the so-called primitive stage of many societies, websof associations, highly symbolic in nature, are frequently woven between periodsof the day, cardinal points, seasons, colours and social-spiritual values.”

The “primitive” dialect of symbols which was created by our ancestors stillexists in our unconscious minds. These symbols are composed of both personal and universal matter, and it is our association with those symbols which allows us
to hear the language of our soul.

Tending to those associations tends to the soul and renews the ligature that binds mortal to mythos. This year as you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day or the equinox, take a moment to enjoy the multi-layered experience of our ancestors.

Source

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You can also now download a Celtic Myth Podshow App from the iTunes store. This is the most convenient and reliable way to access the Celtic Myth Podshow on your iPhone or iPod Touch. You’re always connected to the latest episode, and our App users have access to exclusive bonus content, just touch and play! To find out more visit the iTunes Store or our Description Page.
You can now also find an Android version of the App which works identically to the iPhone version. You can find it on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Wizzard-Media-Celtic-Myth-Podshow/dp/B004W8QR58 or by using the QR code opposite.
If you come to the site and listen or listen from one of our players – have you considered subscribing? It’s easy and you automatically get the episodes on your computer when they come out. If you’re unsure about the whole RSS/Subscribing thing take a look at our Help page.