There is an expression that comes from an old Celtic myth. It required a state of living fully in the now, this present moment. These people were deep listeners and observers of the natural world. The Celtic way of seeing and being in the world opens us up to a different way of living. Go-between or emissary between humans and spirits. With the spirits of the Otherworld, or the unseen world, and served as a To one extent or another, each of these individuals worked And the ban chaointe or keening woman was the one entrusted with the proper commissioning of souls to the spirit world, what we term in core shamanism, as the psychopomp. Druids played the role of both priest and lawmaker-they were also great magicians and conjurers. We know, as the ancient Celts knew, that stories can change and heal us. The bards, poets, and storytellers were key players in this culture and far from being viewed as mere entertainers, were considered healers in their own right. Oracle work is strong in this tradition and seers or omen hunters provided insight into the future and examined the wisdom of certain actions proposed by the community.

There were those who followed the creideamh si, (faery faith) and were also known as wise wives or faery doctors, whose healing work was inspired by and devoted to the Fae. The ban feasa (woman of knowledge) or ban leighis (woman of healing) could provide remedies and healing rituals, as well as cast out demons and break spells. In this tradition, there is a whole cast of characters, whose skills and expertise could be called upon to serve the community at different times and in different ways. In this culture, there isnвЂ™t one word to describe and capture the wide spectrum of work that would fall under the shaman archetype. The term shaman-being one who enters the spirit world as an emissary to secure healing and wisdom for the community-is obviously not a Gaelic word. There is a tenacious holding on to their earlier practices and beliefs, even in this post-Christian era. Even as early Christians, they firmly espoused a belief in the divinity within nature, a belief in the immanence of God in all things. These beliefs are all a vibrant part of the Celtic consciousness.

If we think about some of the signature characteristics of core shamanism, we would need to include: the understanding that everything has a spirit, a belief in the interconnectedness of all things, that the world of spirit or the unseen world permeates and enlivens our temporal world, and that the unseen world of spirit is available to us for wisdom, healing and protection. They were a fierce and warlike people, appropriating land as they went, but they were also a curious people and allowed themselves to be influenced by the artistic and spiritual expressions and practices of other cultures. As they spread themselves across Europe, they were introduced to many other early civilizations. They came into prominence as miners and traders, becoming affluent and powerful from salt mines in Germany and later, gold mines in France. The indigenous Celtic tribes were believed to have emanated from Asia Minor and spread themselves across eastern Europe, western Europe, the Iberian peninsula and the Celtic Isles. The Gauls of France were also considered to be part of this larger culture.

The word вЂњcelticвЂќ is believed to come from the word вЂњkeltoi,вЂќ which described an amalgamous tribe that settled into the regions around Germany circa 1500 BC. What we term вЂњCeltic ShamanismвЂќ is the study and honoring of the spiritual practices of the ancient peoples of Ireland, Scotland, Wales and parts of England.

Celtic warlike