Hello everyone, and the bright blessings of early summer to you all! Today I would like to talk about ways to deepen our practice of Celtic Paganism. One the many  important tools that people may choose to utilize when walking a Celtic path is learning one of the modern Celtic languages - Scottish Gaelic, modern Irish, Welsh, Cornish, Breton and Manx. By dedicating ourselves to learning one of these languages we are contributing to protecting the survival of the language as well as the traditional culture embedded in that language.  Some people feel that they may not have sufficient time to learn a Celtic language, but there are free online sources that a person can use in their own timing. For example there is the app Duolingo where you can learn Irish or Welsh. For Scottish Gaelic there are some wonderful resources at learngaelic.scot. 

 Each of these languages is a portal into one of the Celtic cultures, including their history, beliefs and worldview. If we only look at the mythology and folklore, we are taking those things out of context, and as a result there can be many misunderstandings or confusion that can arise. For traditional cultures, the ancestral language is incredibly important for a sense of identity, both personal and tribal, and it encapsulates how that culture looks at the world.  That includes cosmology, social relationships, and the intricacies of religion. 

 When I began to learn Scottish Gaelic as my great grandmother had spoken, I instantly began to see how the language provided me with a new way of seeing, and a new way of exploring that culture. Eventually I learned Old Irish and studied other early Celtic languages so that I could read the mythology and the ancient literature in the original.  That really cracked open the geode, so to speak,  so that I could see the interior, the shining mysteries, and the sacred ways of seeing.

Around the world there are individuals, small groups, and organizations dedicated to teaching Celtic languages and cultures. You may want to get in touch with some of these groups or foundations, to help provide you with a sense of connection as you learn about Celtic languages and culture as an important step towards deepenomg your understanding of the mythology and religion. At the bottom of this post there is a link to an interview I gave for the new organization Gaelic USA which you might enjoy reading. Feel free to peruse other articles and interviews on the Gaelic USA site as well!  

 Next I would like to share with you a copy of the current Immrama Newsletter,  which contains a number of announcements of things that might be of interest to Celtic pagans, including an upcoming workshop intensive, new books, and much more!  There have been many new developments this year, including two new books on Celtic mythology and religion; a new music CD; two large feature articles in magazines; an upcoming workshop intensive; a recent interview for Gaelic USA, and a new spiritual organization!

http://cdbaby.com/cd/sharynnenicmhachaofthemo2

I have two large feature articles coming out in popular earth spirituality magazines. The first is in Sagewoman magazine ('Worlds of Faerie' issue) and is called "The Gifts of Annwfn" discussing the Irish and Welsh Otherworlds, as well as the goddesses Danu and the Mórrígan.