Divination and the Second Sight - Reknowned Gifts of the Gaels 1.0

by Iain Mac an tSaoir

Divination:

The arts associated with predicting or seeing the future have a long history amongst the Gaelic peoples. There is recorded evidence which goes back to Caesar's time (1), and even precedes him. In the Tain we are told that Scathach took on the Imbas Fornosai to look into the future and give predictions for CuChullain (2). As we know, that is a specific ritual (3), one which predates the demise of the draoi and the institution of the Filidh. Yet, we definitely see that the rites of Imbas Forosnai, Tenm Laida and Dichetal do chennaib were also used for prophecy. Those whose jobs were specifically as seers were called fháith (4), women were called 'banfhlaith' (5). Because of their use of techniques known to have been the perview of the Filidh, the fháith were probably themselves Filidh whose 'magical' specialty was prophecy. A whole branch of practitioners who served as oracles are thought to have at one time been called 'Gruagach' [Scottish Gaelic], though the term eventually degenerated to simply denote a female brownie (6).

It is common to hear the art of divination referred to as augury. Augury and divination are many times considered to be the same thing. Technically though, an augur was a member of a specific group of people in Rome who divined the future based on the flight of birds. For the purpose of this treatise, I will use the word 'divination' as it is more appropriate to the art.

There is a difference between the Second Sight and the art of divination. The Second Sight is the ability to see into the unseen through dreams and visions. The art of divination is looking into the unseen through established ritus (a set and stylized pattern of actions). Ritualization may present a link with the Druids and Filidh, who in previous times studied for as many as two decades to master the art of ritualized divination. It is the job of the diviner to see into the unseen (7).

The Second Sight still occurs as a natural gift with some frequency in the Highlands. Someone who has the Second Sight is called taibhsear, the act of seeing is called taibhsearacdh, what is seen is called taibhs (8). As an aside, those who live in the culture, and who possess the Second Sight, are apt to loathe the ability as a curse. They are also typically very melancholy folk.

Diviners, too, did not ever go away - they are still around in the rural areas. In the Highlands, the diviner is called a 'frìtheir', and their divinatory work is called 'frìth' (9) .There are so many ideas regarding this art that we must look for the Gaelic sense of what it is. According to Alexander Carmichael, it is a matter of "looking toward the sea or towards the land to observe signs of good or ill to man or beast, in health or sickness, at home or abroad, when the fate or state of the object of the quest is not known by natural means.(10)"

Amongst the Highland Gaels, the 'Second Sight' is much more common than amongst other groups of people (11). Of course, those born of the Celtic cultures tend to be much more spiritually sensitive as part of their nature. This may very well be because those with the ability are not thought of as evil, such as would happen in other places. In the Highlands there have been, even into modern times, those in whom the Second Sight has been strong. Dr. Ann Ross points out that in the Gaelic areas, everyone is believed to have the Second Sight in varying degrees. Though, while some access the ability only in times of extreme peril, for others it is a constant enough and forceful enough to allow them to work in their communities as seers. So, it has to be recognized that not everyone was a 'frìtheir' and, even those who also had the Sight would themselves seek out those whose abilities were well attested.(12)

Outside of the culture, there are but few referrences to what exactly marked a person to be a 'frìtheir'. It can safely be presumed that, in small communities, those who had certain occurances associated with their births would be watched. Word would spread rather rapidly about those who had been born in the chime hours and other things that foretold the birth of someone with the sight. Certainly though, it would be those upright people whose divinations gained a reputation for being accurate who were sought out.

As they look outside of themselves, the staple of the diviner is looking for signs or omens. Within folk custom to this day, there are more 'signs' for divining than have been recorded. Carmichael recorded them as "... rathadach and rosadach, lucky and unlucky, fortunate and mischievious.(13)" The signs being thus as Carmichael stated, the purpose of the frìth is to see whether things are for or against. Noragh Jones writes:

"It was fitting to assess whether the tides of fortune in every sphere of life were flowing in favour or dragging against. Divination was also used on special occasions of trial or difficulty or loss, however, when a member of the household was in peril at sea, or a precious object lost. (14)"

She later continues:

"Augury or the seeing of the unseen was primarily a means of working out the right times for actions and schemes (and for inaction equally) in the affairs of all God's creatures.(15)"

The Time:

Just as the frìtheir always has a specific purpose for engaging the use of their art, so was the use of the frìth only used at specific times. These were specific times of the year, or very special circumstances. The modern Gaels of Scotland have carried forward the belief that the frìth could only be performed at sunrise on the first Monday after the Quarter Days, particularly Bealtinna and Samhain (16). Regarding the frìth done in conjunction with the Quarter Days, Carmichael states:

"The people's accounts of the manner of divination agree in substance but vary in detail. The frìth is made on the first Monday of the Quarter. It is made in the morning, before sunrise, with fasting, with prayer, with meditation, and in the name of the Virgin Mary - 'praying to Mary the Mother of Christ for the prosperity of the frìth. Some say that the frìtheir has head and feet bare. He says, intones, or sings the 'Fàilte Mhoire,' (Hail Mary) and then the proper hymn of the frìth, 'Fàilte na Frìthe' or 'Frìthe Mhoire.' (17)"

Thus, we can ascertain that the frìth was enacted before or at sunrise, on the first Monday after the Quarter Day. Other times when the frìth was done, were as Ms. Jones pointed out when she stated, "Divination was also used on special occasions of trial or difficulty or loss, however, when a member of the household was in peril at sea, or a precious object lost. (18)".

Putting the times of necessity aside, the use of the frìth at the Quarter Days deserves further investigation so that some understanding might be achieved. There are four Quarter Days, these are Samhain, Imbolg, Bealtinna, and Lughnasadh. While each of them have spiritual significance, there are two of them of particular importance. These are Samhain and Bealtinna. In the days of old, Samhain was the begining of the New Year, as well as the begining of the winter period, or dark half of the year. Directly opposite of Samhain, on the Wheel of the Year, sat Bealtinna, which marked the halfway point through the year, as well as the begining of the light half of the year. Because these times are points of transition, from dark to light, cold to hot, they are "in between" times. This sets them off a having special significance. In the spirituality of the Gael, this significance manifests in the belief that these two holidays are the times in the year when the veil between this world and Tir Na Nog, the Shield of Skathach, is at its thinnest. For this reason it was a time of divination as well as the interaction with those who had gone on.(19)

One thing that bears noting in such a study is the Christian influence in the practice of the frìth, as itwas moved from the actual day of the High Day, to the first Monday after the High Day. That influence also manifests in incantations of the frìth being sung to Mary in the Christain times. There is ample evidence to show that St. Brigit (alternatively Bride), who became the foster mother of Jesus, was the beloved goddess Bride, and that She made the first frìth. Bride, who is said to have made the first frìth, was canonized as a saint, becoming the foster mother of Jesus, and at Mary's urging used the frìth for the benefit of Jesus himself.(20)

Methodology:

We have seen from the above that there was a specific knowledge that was being sought when the frìth was enacted. In addition, we have seen that there was a specific time when it was enacted, that being on the first Monday after the Quarter Day, or, in the older times, on the morning of the Quarter Day itself. In either case, however, before or at sunrise. In addition, there was a set methodology to enacting the frìth. From the above quote of Carmichael we see that the work included fasting, prayer, meditation and intoning or singing the appropriate hymn of the frìth. While doing those specific things, Carmichael further relates that the frìtheir engaged further stylized behaviors. Carmichael states:

"Some say that while doing so, he walks sunwise around the fire, which is in the middle of the floor of the house, and that he walks thrice around it, once in the name of the Father, once in the name of the Son, once in the name of the Holy Spirit ... He then goes with closed or blindfolded eyes to fàdbuinn (fàd-bacain, maide-buinn) an taighe (the door step of the house), and places a hand on each jamb. He appeals again to the all-seeing God to grant him his request. He opens his eyes, and looking steadfastly before him, without moving his eyes or his eyelids to right or to left, upwards or down, he carefully notes all that he beholds. According to some, he crosses the threshold and goes sunwise around his house, keeping his gaze always before him as described, and saying or chanting the hymn. From the natureand position of objects within his sight, he draws his conclusions.(21)"

Some things that really need to be noted are that the knowledge or vision is attributed to God, and claim is not made on what comes. It isn't a matter of promoting the self. Also, the measures of fasting, prayer and chants very spiritual in nature, and through them the frìtheir is reaching out into the unseen spiritual realms. Lastly, there is evidence to show that, in pre-Christian times, the Trinity was recognized as Sky, Earth and Sea, as They were known as the Three Gods of Danu (Brian, Iuchar, and Iucharba). (22)

Tools of Divination:

Most of the customs and lore surrounding the frìtheir does not seem to contain statements about associated tools. However, those instances where tools are employed see the worker of frìth to be accomplishing some pretty amazing feats. While there are certain to be a plethora of tools that are utilized in the working of the frìth, the following are four of note.

A. The distaff is a tool utilized in spinning. While not a divinatory tool per se, I am including it here because it was used to locate an item (something usually held to be done with divination). About the distaff the Encyclopedia Brittanica states:

"To make textiles, yarn had to be spun; the earliest apparatus for this work consisted of a spindle and a distaff (a forked stick holding the unspun fibers). The figurative usage of the term distaff to refer to a female possibly indicates sexual division of labour in the early spinning process, with the man operating the spindle and the woman holding the distaff. (23)"

Traditionally, it is made of Rowan (European Mountain Ash), which is a tree sacred to the Tuatha De Danann. Indeed, the tool is a potent symbol of the feminine. While there are other virtues, it would have been a symbol of some authority by virtue of the service it performed for the community. In Brythonic lore it is called the 'stang'. I have yet to find the Gaelic word for this implement, though it exists in abundance in folk custom in Gaelic lands. Ann Ross relays a tale which shows the typical use of this tool in the art of divination. This, actually, is one story of how the Brahan Seer, the most famous seer of the last several centuries obtained his equally famous stone (stones are the next tool discussed). Dr. Ross states:

"His mother was at the shieling (hill-grazing) and was keeping her eye on the cattle one night, round about midnight, on a hill overlooking an ancient burial-ground. She suddenly saw that all the graves were opening in it, and their occupants emerging from them and going off in all directions. After about an hour they returned and re-entered their tombs, and the graves closed over them again. The woman noticed that one grave remained open. With great courage she went to the grave and placed her distaff over it, because it was believed that, being of rowan wood, the spirit could not enter the grave while it was there. Soon she saw a beautiful woman who rushed at her and demanded that she should remove her stick from the grave. The mother refused to do this until the occupant of the grave told her why she came back so much later than the others. The spirit told her why she came back so late; she was the daughter of a king of Norway who had drowned near the island and her body recovered from the nearby beach. While she was released from the grave she had gone back to Norway to look at her old home. As a result of the woman's courage, the spirit gave her instructions on where to find a small, round, blue stone which would empower her son to foresee future events. This she must give to the boy. (24)"

As a side note, it must be pointed out the parellels between this story and other pieces of lore. The roaming of spirits at midnight (true mid-night, not 12 AM) is amongst them. In this case, like so many, a magical gift was given by a lady from the OtherWorld. Also, there is much more to be said about the rowan distaff than is fitting in an article on this particular topic. I'll let the reader discern those things from this story for themselves.

B. The use of stones in divination is an ancient concept. The first recorded instance of, what in all probability was, a divinatory stone amongst Celtic peoples, was written by Pliny the Elder in his book Natural History. Here he states that the druids each had what he called 'anguinum.' This was, supposedly, an egg about the size of a small apple filled with snake poison. The description given by Pliny causes one to seriously reflect on the lore regarding certain stones in Gaelic lands. Of particular interest are the 'Serpent Stones'. Of them MacNeill writes:

"Special virtue attached the Serpent Stone (a Chlach Nathrach), Adder Stone, or 'Druidical Bead,' which is occasionally found amongt the heather. According to a Lewis isleman, 'A number of serpents (adders) congregating at certain times form themselves into a knot and move round and round on the stone until a hole is worn. They pass and re-pass after each other through the hole, which by-and-by becomes hard. It is this slime which gives the stone the healing properties it is supposed to possess.' The Serpent Stone was commonly used in child-bed, as well as for general healing purposes, and as a protection from all enchantments; and it is even found as part of the gear of the distaff.(25)"

There were other stones which had been attached to families since times of great antiquity. Inevitably, these are described as being the size of an small apple or egg. Some of these are the small crystal spheres associoated with scepters in Scotland. One such stone is the Clach-Dearg, which, as is typical, is held traditionally to have once belonged to an Arch-Druid. A great many of these stones are known and they are looked to for their healing properties, as well as divinatory uses.

The most famous of the stones belonged to Coinneach Odhar (Kenneth Mackensie) of Uig in the Isle of Lewis. He is also known as the Brahan Seer. Ross states that the stone was blue (26).MacNeill, drawing on other sources, recounts that the stone was white in color, and typical to the divinatory stones, perforated (27). It would seem from disparate sources that the method of divining with one of the stones was to utilize the methods normally associated with the frìth. The difference being where, in other instances, the frìtheir would keep eyes eyes straightforward till they discerned the signs, with the use of this tool they would look through the perforation in the stone.

It has to be added though, that it is obvious that sometimes, more than just signs were evidently seen by the frìtheir. Whether it be Scathach working the Imbas Fornosi for CuChullain, or the Brahan Seer only a couple of centuries ago, sometimes they received full visions of what was to happen.

C. In Arabic Divinatory Texts and Celtic Folklore: A Comment on the Theory and Practice of Scapulimancy in Western Europe, Robert Kirk reports on a practice called silinnenath, a form of scapulimancy. In this practice the shoulder bone of a sheep, that no knife has touched, is used to divine (28). The prohibition on iron follows a common thread of thought in the old ways "for iron hinders all the operations of those that travel in the intrigues of these hidden domains.(29)" To effect this form of divination, the blade-bone is stripped carefully. Once the bone is clean the seer inspects the semi-transparent part of the bone for spots. A dark spot is said to foretell mistfortune while a black spot foretells death.

Another form of divination using sheep shoulder bones is used to determine the gender of a child who the mother is pregnant with, but who is not yet born. This process see's a similarly stripped shoulder of mutton-bone hung above the door of the house. The bone is stripped and hung the night before the child was expected. The gender of the first person not living in the house, to walk through the door the next morning, is said to foretell the gender of the baby.(30)

D. The last tool I will cover is dowsing sticks, also called 'witchin' sticks'. While not a tool to obtain signs or through which to see visions, they are used for purposes usually attributed to divination. MacNiell records that the Gaels of Scotland used hazel sticks to accomplish this feat (31). She also records that hazel rods were used to locate veins of minerals. Here in the States, my father taught me to use a willow because, "willow is a water tree and will seeks its own". This seems to be a common school of thought, though he stated that his dad sometimes used apple twigs. The ancient association of apples with the otherworld should not go unnoticed.

To use a 'witchin stick' , one must first find an adequate stick. It needs to be green so that it maintains its springy properties. Where most people fail in acquiring a stick is that they don't get one of the proper shape. It needs to be shaped like a 'Y'. The fork cannot be unequal, or one or more segments off to some side, it is a perfect 'Y'. It also needs to be small enough so that the way it is supposed to he held can exert tension into the stick, which will cause it to become rather like a spring.

Having found an appropriate stick, one drops their arms down to their sides and forward just a little. The hands are such as the thumbs are sticking out, as if hitch-hiking. The top segments of the 'Y' are held, one segment in each hand, the tips of the thumbs even with the end of the segment, the bottom leg of the 'Y' pointed at the ground (so that person looking at the doswer from the front will actually see a 'Y' being held by its top segments.). The top segments are firmly grasped, and lightly pulled outward to the sides, the thumbs also exert some pressure on the tips of their segments, this so that spring tension is applied. The fists are kept in a straight line with the forearms, the stick is kept in a straight line with the arms. The forearms are then lifted to be horizontal with the ground, the thumbs are pointed out to the left and right of the dowser. The outward tension is kept constant throughout. A clear mind must be kept focused on what is being sought. Once the hang of the art is achieved, one will feel slight tugs literally pulling at the tip of the 'Y' which is now pointing the way. One simply follows the tugs. Eventually the tip will be pulled down or up or in some other direction denoting exactly the location of what is being sought.

The Signs:

As stated earlier, there are occasions when whole visions are seen. In other instances, what is being looked for are signs to be interpreted. While I will be giving a table which maintains some of the signs, the purpose of this section is not to give an all inclusive list of the signs for which the frìtheir looks. Primarily, one will find here a few sources which hold great amounts of lore regarding the signs.

In The Silver Bough Vol 3, by MacNeill, there is recorded that one form of divination was from the flight of birds. This is an old way of doing things, and such is recorded in quite ancient sources. In the journal E/riu (32), there are two medieval texts on divination by birds, true augury. Specifically these texts describe the use of ravens and wrens, both birds with a big presence in folk tales and folk customs in Gaelic and Brythonic areas. Another text, which has recorded much information about animals in general, is Gaelic Names of Beasts and Birds, by Forbes. It is only for the sake of the size of this article alone, that I restrain myself to giving information from one source. That one source is the same source where most obtain their information, the readily available Carmina Gadelica, by Alexander Carmichael.

Alexander Carmichael recorded a great many beliefs concerning animal divination and particularly birds. Doves, pigeons, widgeons, mallard ducks, skylarks and oystercatchers are seen to be be lucky. Amongst other animals he recorded are "..., the first stonechat on grass; a dog; a horse; a foal; calf or lamb if facing the seer were good signs for begining a journey. The duck is a specially good sign concerning sailors; if it is seen, they are safe from drowning. ... The glaisean (sparrow), is not lucky but blessed. It is a sign of the death of a child. Three or four of these always come before the death of a child, and return each day until the death, not reappearing after it.(33) "

As for the unlucky signs recorded by Carmichael, they include, "Fowls without a cock, the first stonechat on rock or road, the crow, the grey crow, the hooded crow, the rook, especially if approaching - all these are rosadach (harmful). Still worse the raven, especially if approaching: it is a sign of death. ... The meadow pipit signifies the death of a child, three of these signing near a door are singing the requiem of a child within. The grey or ringed plover singing near a house in the dusk is singing the death-song of a person within. ... The pig, when its back is toward the seer is an ill sing for all but Campbells; when facing him (the seer) it is indifferent. ... The goat is bad, especially for beginning a journey - he should defer it.(34)"

It needs to be stated again that the signs would hold the significance when they were seen while actively engaged in the frìth.

Unlucky Woman A woman walking away means misfortune. Woman To see a red haired woman is unlucky. Man To see a man lying down portends sickness in the future or a continuance of sickness. Human in General It is a bad sign if someone is walking away from the frìtheir. Pig A pig facing away is a bad sign for everyone except a Campbell. Fox If the frìtheir sees a fox with pups then fortune is coming soon. Goat If a trip is planned, to see a goat is a bad omen. Beasts in General It portends ill if the frìtheir sees a beast lying down. Rook To see a rook approaching portends that harm is on the way. Raven If the frìtheir sees a raven, death is approaching. Sparrow Three sparrows singing near a house is bad and can mean a death in that house. In the southern USA folk belief holds that if there is a whipoorwill singing whgile sitting on the edge of a house, then someone in that house will soon die. Rooster A rooster crowing before dawn, foretells that sickness is coming. Meadow Pulpit Death of a child.

General White Horse Indicates Land Grey Horse Indicates Ocean Bay Horse Indicates a burial-place Brown Horse Indicates Sorrow

Some of the general beliefs that MacNeill records concerning animals on New Year's day (Hogmany in the Modern, Samhain in the ancient). MacNeil writes:

"An animal, whether standing or walking, with its head toward the obsever, was lucky, but if the tail was toward him, he might expect some misfortune. An animal lying down was a bad omen." (35)

Plants In Divination:

While in the Highlands such plants as Juniper or Mountain Ash were burned in homes to purify the area, other plants had properties which caused them to be used for divination.(36)

In the Highlands, sometimes great effort was made to procure the green juice from the inner bark of the Elder tree. This would then be rubbed on the eye lids of a baptized person, thereby granting them the Second Sight on the quarter days. There were other plants used as well, such as St. John's Wort. (37)

Sacred plants were harvested in stylized ways. Each plant had a verse that was recited while the plant was pulled. (38)

Special Thanks To:

Marilyn Niks - the only real Seer this skeptic has ever met, for her insights

Sources:

1. The Folklore of the Scottish Highlands, Ann Ross, pg. 34

2. The Tain, Kinsella

3. Scottish Gaelic Studies, vol 4, part 2, "Imbas Forosnai", Nora K. Chadwick, Oxford University Press (1935)

4. Dictionary of the Irish Language Based on Old and Middle Irish Materials, E.G. Quin, Royal Irish Academy

5. The Druids, Peter Berresford Ellis

6. The Druids, Peter Berresford Ellis

7. The Folklore of the Scottish Highlands, Ann Ross, pg. 33

8. The Folklore of the Scottish Highlands, Ann Ross, pg. 34

9. Carmina Gadelica, Alexander Carmichael, pg 529

10. ibid

11. The Folklore of the Scottish Highlands, Ann Ross, pg. 33

12. The Folklore of the Scottish Highlands, Ann Ross, chpter 3

13. Carmina Gadelica, Alexander Carmichael, pg 529

14. Power of Raven - Wisdom of Serpent, Noragh Jones, pg. 120 - This source has been heavily screened. Ms. Jones is a resident of a Gaelic speaking area of Scotlkand, is fluent in the Mother tongue, and is respected in the Galeic speaking areas for her work on preserving the culture. Her references are solid as well, as she draws heavily on the Carmina Gadelica and other sources in this work.

15. ibid

16. Celtic Heritage, Alwin and Brinley Rees, pg 89-90

17. Carmina Gadelica, Alexander Carmichael, pg 532

18. Power of Raven - Wisdom of Serpent, Noragh Jones, pg. 120

19. The Celtic Consciousness, "Irish Folk Tradition And The Celtic Calendar" by, Kevin Danaher, whole text edited by Robert ODriscoll
The Year in Ireland, Kevin Danaher
Traces of the Elder Faiths of Ireland, W.G. Wood-Martin
An Irish English Dictionary, Rev. Patrick Dineen
Silver Bough Vol.1, F. Marion McNeill
Medieval Holidays and Festivals, Madeleine Pelner Cosman
Celtic Heritage, Alwyn & Brinley Rees
The Druids, Peter Berresford Ellis
Celtic Heritage, Alwyn and Brinley Rees
Myth, Legend & Romance - An Encyclopedia Of The Irish Folk Tradition, Dr. Daithi OhOgain
The Festival Of Lughnassa, Ma/ire MacNeil
Clannada na Gadelica, "Festivals Part 2 - Samhain v.2.0", Iain MacAnTsaoir

20. The Carmina Gadelica, Alexander Carmichael
The Folklore of the Scottish Highlands, Ann Ross, pg. 49

21. Carmina Gadelica, Alexander Carmichael, pg 532

22. Clannada na Gadleica, "A Tripartite World and Triune Logic v.3.5", Iain MacAnTsaoir
Clannada na Gadelica, "Birth Customs v2.0", Tara NicScothach bean MacAnTsaoir

23. Encyclopedia Brittanica, "History of the Organization of Work", Encyclopedia Brittanica, pg 917 B2

24. The Folklore of the Scottish Highlands, Ann Ross, pg. 35-36

25. Silver Bough Vol.1, F. Marion McNeill, pgs. 91-92

26. The Folklore of the Scottish Highlands, Ann Ross, pg. 36

27. Silver Bough Vol.1, F. Marion McNeill, pgs. 94-95

28. Cambridge Medieval Celtic Studies vol 6, Winter 1983, "Arabic Divinatory Texts and Celtic Folklore: A Comment on the Theory and Practice of Scapulimancy in Western Europe", Robert Kirk

32. ibid

30. The Hand of Destiny, C.J.S. Thompson, pg. 19

31. Silver Bough Vol.1, F. Marion McNeill, pgs. 80

32. Eriu, vol VIII 1916, pgs 120-126

33. The Carmina Gadelica, Alexander Carmichael. pgs 530

34. ibid

35. Silver Bough Vol.1, F. Marion McNeill, pgs. 77-86

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