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History and Ideals of Gaelic Traditionalism v 1.6
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Ancestors, Reincarnation and Ancestor Veneration, Belief and Practice From Classical Times To Present by Iain MacAnTsaoir The subject of the Ancestors and Ancestor veneration has been spoken of many times in Celtic circles. Because of archeological research into burial customs, the dedication of places to ancestors who did a great deed there or who were buried there (As found in the Dindsenchus), as well as the high esteem given to ancestors in old texts, there is no doubt the practice of Ancestor Veneration. The elements of this practice, as they exist historically, have also been addressed by Sitheag Bochanon in another article. What needs to be elaborated on are certain corollary subjects, the knowledge of which is necessary for a better understanding of Ancestor Veneration amongst the ancient Gaels. Modern people of the Gaelic Diaspora will require this knowledge in order to adequately address this subject. The Gods As Ancestors The very first place to start in an article such as this is with the subject of the First Ancestors. While, unfortunately, there are few complete genealogical records left, there are enough to give us some interesting facts. One of the peoples of Ireland, and particularly of Munster, were the Eoghanacht. Their genealogies [1] still exist and trace those people back to Aine, a Goddess of the Land/Sovereingty, [2] and Eoghan Mor. Eoghan Mor has several variants to his name, denoting epitaphs, some of them being Eoghan Taidhleach ("bright") and Eoghan Fial ("generous") [3]. One of his other names, Mugh Nuadh, connects him with one of the Sky Gods (Gods of the Upper Realm), Nuadh [4]. Typically, the epitephs given to him also associate Him as a Sky God. The Eoghnacht were not the only ones to do this as there are other examples, including the people of Leinster, who held that Nuadh Himself was an ancestor [5]. That the Gael believed that they were related to the Gods is even confirmed by genealogists. A few years back John Grenham wrote a book called Clans and Families of Ireland [6] . This book was approved by, and even contains a foreward by, the then Chief Herald of Ireland, Donal Begley. In this book Grenham writes: "(p. 18) The most important and enduring distinction within the Gael was between the southern tribes and those of the north and west. In the south they gave themselves the name Eoghanacht, or 'people of Eoghan', in honor of their ancestor-diety Eoghan (in English Owen), and, about the year 400 AD, founded at Cashel the dynasty which held power from the fifth to the twelth centuries...... Similarly, in the midlands, west and north, the tribes of the Gael were known as Connachta, or 'people of Conn', in myth the brother of Eoghan. Their name endures in the province of Connacht... (p.30) Although the immediate reason for the early adoption of hereditary names in Ireland may have been a rapidly expanding population, it can also be seen as the logical outcome of a process at work from the times of the earliest tribal names. Originally, they indicated identification with a common God, often connected with an animal valued by the tribe, as in the case of the Osrai, or 'deer people', for example." It is obvious and undeniable that the Gael considered the Gods to be their first ancestors. Furthermore, the respected Celtophile Alexei Kondratiev has written that when the Celts first entered a land they brought the Gods of their People with them. These, the Gods of the Upper Realm, then married with the local indigenous Gods of the Land [7]. By putting the two concepts back together we see that it was from those unions, as typified by Aine and Eoghan, that the oldest Gaelic families arose in the new lands. For the sake of brevity, this article is restricted to a few examples from the tomes of evidence that supports the concept that the Gaels are descended from the Gods, who are the First Ancestors. While it is simply a road to investigate at this point, all of this does give cause for wonder at whether the use of cognomens (surnames based on the skill of an ancestor ) are from an ancient practice of harking ones geneaology back to one of the Sky Gods whose skills were listed as their most important attributes. Reincarnation As shown, there is ample evidence to state that the Gaelic people arose from the matings of the Gods. This evidence also establishes that They are our first ancestors. This being the case, the next topic then becomes reincarnation. Such is the case because if the concept of reincarnation was held by the ancestors then surely, in that worldview, they and we have walked before and will again walk in this realm. What did they believe? Do spirits return? If there is a beginning, then there must be an end, and if there is an end then what precipitates that end? In trying to piece this together we must look at all of the evidence regarding the topic. Caesar stated that the Celtic peoples believed in reincarnation [8]. This alone is not enough as there are several variants of the reincarnation theme. The classical writer Polyhistor was perhaps the first to associate the Celtic teachings about reincarnation with a particular variety taught by Pythagoras. This was further echoed by other writers of the Alexandrian School, including Diodorus. Later, Clement, an early Church Father and historian, wrote that it was not the Celts who learned from Pythagoras, but that the student was Pythagoras who learned from the Celts. As regards this essay that particular argument is inconsequential. What matters is that the Celts believed in a form of reincarnation that was typified by that taught by Pythagoras [9]. Clement also goes so far as to associate that common teaching with the Brahmins of Hinduism when he said: "Polyhistor desires to state that... Pythagoras was one of those who hearkened to the Celts and the Brahmins." [10] What did Pythagoras teach? Manly P. Hall said it very concisely when he wrote [11]: "According to one view, he taught that mortals who during their earthly existence had by their actions become like certain animals, returned to the earth again in the form of beasts which they had grown to resemble." While there may be other ideas about what Pythagoras taught, the given interpretation is the closest to that taught by the Brahmin Hindu, whose association with the Celtic concept was established by Clement. Celts believed in the transmigration of souls. This would mean that what is now a *human* soul, with a human spirit, has trekked a course of evolution, having started as non-human and eventually becoming human. As the soul evolves upward and becomes more human, so to do the spirits associated with that soul. Presumably, if we look at other Indo-European cultures, such as the Hindus, such a belief not only means that the spirit can advance but also fall back into those "lower" states, or at the very least into a lower caste [12]. The idea of 'transmigration' of souls is that, if we by our actions fail, we fall back, and amongst the Hindus there were actions that were held to certainly result in that de-evolution. They also hold that if we act with honor (the heroic morality) then we advance. If we are average then presumably we stay as we are. If we strive for excellence and are exemplar in our lives then we advance. We can certainly now come to understanding of what Caesar was talking about when he stated that Celtic warriors were ushered on fearlessly to battle with the promise of another (better?) life. Having established this, let us look at what evidence comes from the Isles. Regarding the topic of reincarnation amongst Celtic peoples generally, there is a triad that speaks directly of this. This one survives from the Welsh texts. It says: "Three purposes for the return of souls to this world : To collect into the soul the properties of all being , to acquire knowledge of all things, to acquire the power to overcome chaos." [13] It is thought that the transmigration a soul is being addressed in the Cymru textual evidence. Talesin wrote as part of the CaD Goddeu (translated by Graves [14]): "I have been in many shapes, As we are more concerned with the Goidelic evidence, we find a similar expression in the Gaelic Song of Amerigin (translated by Graves [15]):
"I am a stag: of seven tines, It is even possible that from the Gaelic folk practice we have a carry-over into modern times. This may be evidenced in such anecdotal evidence as recorded by Yeats [16]: "The souls of the dead sometimes take the shape of animals. There is a garden at Sligo where the gardener sees a previous owner in the shape of a rabbit. They will sometimes take the shapes of insects, as well, especially butterflies." It also needs to be stated that in the old texts we see that the first settlers of Ireland were led by Banba (AKA Cessair). As Cessair we know Her as the fiesty Queen who settled Ireland with Her people prior to the flood recounted in Biblical texts. Amongst the three men who went with her to Ireland was one Fintan. Fintan is said to have survived the flood as a Salmon. Amongst his other manifestations, he existed as an eagle and a hawk. [17] What comes to mind is that the poets not only recorded the genealogies of their people, but that they also knew what or whom a person had been in a previous incarnation. It would also seem that they somehow used their own past existences as some sort of statement of authority. The transmigration of souls exhibited by Taliesin and Amerigin, mythic Ard-fili, also serves the purpose of legitimizing their tribesmen's place in the lands whose every creature, herb, and wind is within their own soul-memory. In addition to these things we see the Taliesin's statements, "I have been in many shapes, Before I attained a congenial form", as well as "There is nothing in which I have not been..." (from the CaD Goddeu). This is fully keeping with the element of the ideas of reincarnation, in that we in toto, are the sum of all our lives. The idea that there is an evolutionary ascending of the soul is also common to "totemistic" cultures. In such religions as still have totemistic qualities, a basic idea is that the evolution of human beings brings about the evolution of other species. This happens as these other animals attach themselves to us or our families and clanns. When we move up the ladder, they follow us and take our place. That our ancestors were totemistic is without question. To this day, the totem animals of the families are recorded in the devices of heraldry. Such is why Grenham can write, "Originally, they {family names} indicated identification with a common God, often connected with an animal valued by the tribe..." [italics added by author] Some sects of Hindu, like their Buddhist cousins, believe that when a person dies, if they do not immediately look up and see a light to go into then they enter a spirit-sleep. What will keep the dead person from looking up is that their draw to the physical is too strong and they are attracted back. After a set period of time the spirit reawakens and is born again [18]. Such direct teachings are no longer available to us as may have been taught by our ancestors. Though, there may be hints of it in lore such as where Conn and Eoghan met in battle. Eoghan being routed, an Otherworldly lady named Eadaoin (whose living in the area of the battle may associate her as a Land Goddess) spirited he and his men away to Spain (a possible euphemism for Otherworld). When he arrived he was given a bright cloak made from the skin of a marvelous salmon. At the end of nine years he began to long for Ireland and so returned to take up what he had left unfinished. The Otherworldly symbols cannot go unnoticed, the salmon, the king of Spain, the princess who made the cloak, his longing for this realm ushering in his return, and his taking up where he had left off. The nine distinct periods of time need not be literal years though, and this is where we are once again without particulars. There will no doubt be those who disagree with looking for parallels in Hinduism, yet Dr. Miles Dillon [19], Dr. Mircea Eliade [20], Dr. Wendy Donniger O'Flaherty [21] and others have pointed out the very close parallels between the two cultures. Reincarnation Along Bloodlines Based on what is compiled so far, the First Ancestors were those we now call "the Gods." All of us as Gaels are descended from them, just as Germans from their Gods, Hindus from theirs, etc. Those of mixed ancestry no doubt have the blessing of bounty with all the Gods that come through their blood lineage. It is thought by many of us that the sacred nature of adoption causes the ancestors of the adopting family to become the ancestors of the adopted member of the family. This would be the natural consequence of people literally becoming blood relatives. As a logical consequence, that would also mean our First Ancestors becomes their First Ancestors. This would hold true for as far back as the Mother and the Father of the Gods. While there has been evidence given for the Gods to be our ancestors, a very important point has not yet been shown. That point is that subsequent reincarnations occur through bloodlines. This concept is not outlandish in the least. The thought that the ancestors will return through a bloodline is shared with the ancient German peoples [22]. Much of the same textual evidence that can be utilized to establish reincarnation as a concept held by the Goidelic Celts can also be used to demonstrate this. For instance, while Daelglas was dying he was kissed by his daughter, at that instant a red spark passed from his lips to hers, later she bore a child who was named Daelglas, whose first "feat of folly" was to jump his own gravestone. There are several of these types of stories in the lore. The highly respected academian, H.R. Davidson Ellis has come to the same conclusion, that reincarnation is through bloodlines [23]. Though, she states that she thinks it was more involved than simple rebirth, with the qualities and gifts of the ancestors being passed down as well. That would also arrange things so that we were not only the sum of our existences, but also the sum of our ancestors. Folk Practices and Customs Countless folktales still told in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and even Nova Scotia recount how a dead ancestor haunted their living progeny until a certain outstanding debt was paid. Another aspect of Celtic culture that points toward a definite veneration for the dead are the rituals that surround the death of a relative. Many of these are recounted in another article, the one on death customs. Perhaps the most well known custom, which survives to this day is the Fleadh nan Mairbh (Feast of the Dead). It is at this time the ancestors were honored and the dead were remembered. These feasts were, in the earlier times, tribal in nature and people would travel great distances to attend their tribal feast. The festival actually lasted over a period of three days. Kevin Danaher, in The Year In Ireland, states that a widespread Irish belief is [24]: "It is not uncommon on Samhain night to see the returned dead of the family seated around the kitchen hearth." Such happenings were not considered frightening in any way. Danaher remembers as a child asking an elderly storyteller why the old man was unafraid to visit a local haunted house. The storyteller replied: "What would I be in dread of, and the souls of my own dead thick as bees around me?" [25] Surely not, for those of the dead who were allowed to attend this feast were those who had died with honor. Through dying well, people had the promise of living on in this world through their Clann and at the Feast. Settings were placed at the tables for those who had passed on to Tir na Nog (OtherWorld), and the dead were interacted with in other ways as well. It was also a time to commune with those who had gone on during the previous year. Through the Feast, the Clann remained in unity with its past, present and future. During the Samhain festival household lights are extinguished at dusk, so as not to confuse the traveling spirits. One Rose Shaw, of County Tyrone, is documented as saying : "(p.26) All Soul's Eve is sacred to the memory of the departed. After the floor has been swept and a good fire put down on the hearth, the family retires early, leaving the door unlatched and a bowl of springwater on the table so that any relative who had died may find a place prepared for him at his own fireside."[26] There are also a great many undocumented customs that are wholly the domain of anecdote. These, as they have been passed down through Gaelic families, are practiced throughout the year. Amongst these are inviting the/an ancestor(s) in when the wind blows a door open, as well as casting a coin when certain birds are seen. CR Practice By now it is established that the ancestors were more than a little concerned with lineage. That they kept track of such is beyond question. Also beyond question is that they traced that lineage all the way back to the Tuatha and Fir Bolg, and beyond them to the parents of the Gods. Ancestor veneration was indeed a major piece in their personal practices even up into the current times. Ancestor veneration is still a very important factor to those walking the path of Gaelic Restoration, just as it is in most Celtic communities. For those of us of the diaspora, the customs of the People are such as to reinforce the religious concepts of ancestor veneration. Hence, those customs that are practiced we also practice so as to reinforce on a daily basis the religious concepts we adhere to. Those done on a daily basis, or when signs show themselves, reinforce the ideas involved in ancestor veneration. Those practiced at a community level on special days, such as during the Fleadh nan Mairbh at Samhain, reinforce the values for the whole community. With these the fabric of family, with relationships with the Gods and mortal souls alike, are being maintained. This is as true in our venerating our ancestors as it is for us doing the same with the Spirits of the Land and the Gods of the Sky. No wonder Brehon law mandated that everyone attend the festivals. As venerating the ancestors was a part of what they did, so should it be with us. Other than the Fleadh nan Mairbh, we do not know what they did exactly. Yet, it would be inconsistant for there to have not been daily or monthly rememberances. Therefore, many of us are searching to find a way to reincorporate that element. This is to help re-establish and maintain a connection with our ancestors. Following that train of thought, I do what I saw my grandmother and father do, I think of someone in my family who has passed on and then cast my nickle or penny whenever I see an eagle. This just as someone else may welcome an ancestor in when the wind blows the door open. Most all of us join in some sort of special feast at the eve of Samhain where we share stories from the lore, feast on seasonal foods with the staples of salmon and hazelnuts, and commune with our ancestors at the table. As ancestor veneration is still practiced by most traditional peoples, from the Orient to the Balkans to Central America, and, as we have glimpses that such was also the case amongst our Gaelic ancestors, so should we bring this back as well in full force. Yet the more formal settings, aside from the Fleadh nan Mairbh, are lost to us as they were practiced by the ancestors. Therefore I submit the following. The practice described below is based upon a working set of practices that already exist in a viable tribal culture. What they practice has been adapted slightly, so as to conform more with the Celtic worldview and mindset. It has been tested by two groups of test subjects. In both groups the success rate is at about 97% (with two in the second group not having given a report at all). This is a live fire exercise and should be treated as such. The ancestors must be treated with respect. By now anyone practicing Celtic Spirituality should have a personal altar area, or hearth altar area in their homes. Christian Celts will of course read from the Bible, read from the lore, pray and share the lessons and values of that perspective with their family members at the family altar. Those who venerate the Tuatha De Danann and Fir Bolg will probably be reading from the lore, praying and sharing the lessons and values of that perspective with their family members there. Our spirituality is, after all, all founded on the hearth. Upon your altar set a picture or other icon of a highly esteemed ancestor. This should be a blood relative. Make sure that no person other than the dead ancestor is either in that picture or identified with the icon used. To have a living person in that picture or icon is to place the person in a position to join the deceased person. Utilizing the altar as the symbol of the sacred enclosure of the land, have a candle (fire/sky), and a glass of rain or natural spring water (water/sea) upon your altar. At the next full moon, have a feast for yourself and your family. The next day start with the meditation technique found in that article online. It is imperative that you meditate every day. Meditate for 13 minutes. It is also imperative that you meditate at the same time each day. Finish the session by reading lore, studying Triads or what have you. Two days before the full moon (which will make a three day run including the day of the Full Moon), set a small glass of milk and a small saucer of cheese on your altar. Have the always present candle and water as well as the picture of the ancestor, also on your altar. Use this only to call blood relatives. On the second day before the Full Moon, at the same time you usually meditate, pray to the ancestor who you wish to speak with, making sure that ancestors picture or icon is on the altar. Pray for 13 minutes. Once again, start and do this at the exact same time each day, when it is in the day doesn't matter. Let the prayer sessions start by lighting the candle, then calling upon that/the ancestor/s. Call on them by name, call their name/s three times. If you call on more than one, call each name three times. Call *your* ancestor/s *to* *you*. Offer them thanks and love, offer them the water for refreshment and the warmth and light of the candle. Offer them the milk and cheese for sustenance. Let there be purpose in it, whether that purpose be to connect to them again, or to call upon them for a real problem. Save conflict resolution till you have a feel for this practice. Let the milk and cheese be a gift to them. After finishing the prayer session, thank the ancestor/s for coming or being there, then once again study or whatever as you would during any other part of the month. For saftey's sake, you may put out the candle, or let it burn as you wish. However, leave the water until it disappears by itself over the days. After each session take the milk and cheese outside so that the ancestors and Land Spirits can partake. Do this for the entire run, including the Full Moon, which will make three consequetive days. This practice can also be used anytime in the month as a divinatory practice to get needed answers from those who have gone on. As it is presented though, it is for veneration, with the associated votive offerings. In conclusion, at the start of this article I stated that most of us can agree that there is some sort of beginning. I, as a pagan person, in the interest of dialogues such as this, define that beginning as the start of my existence as a human, a "congenial" form. When the time comes that I need not exist as a created creature any longer, I believe that all of my selves shall remerge with the soulself that is part of the Sacred Fire at the Center of the All, the Great Ineffible. I do believe that there is at least one step beyond this one in my evolution and that step is to be as one of the Gods myself. I believe that to make that ascension (whether it be to remerge or to simply advance a step) I must be truthful, I must fulfill my duty, and I must be honorable. To know truth, to know what my duty is, and to live honorably, I must have wisdom and knowledge. That way I can discern truth, honor and duty. The body of knowledge that allows this, is the body of knowledge that is composed of the properties of all being , nature and knowledge knowledge of all things. By doing this, as we merge back with the Sacred Center, where we are and where we are going back to, we embue that Great Ineffible with the power to overcome chaos. Through this, not only is what we know about reincarnation fulfilled, but so are the Triads that give us further information. Special Thanks To Sources: prepared by Iain MacAnTsaoir |
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