Celtic pagans are polytheistic, which means that we believe in many deities, and, like the candle colors, stones, etc., they each have their own attributes.  For instance, for protection, you would call upon Merlin, for serenity you would call on Rhiannon, for creativity, Druantia.

      Above all, our strongest belief is in the great mother, Danu (a.k.a. mother nature).  The main difference between Celtic paganism and some other pagan beliefs is that the female deity is considered more important and more powerful.

      The Goddesses of the Celts didn't hold secondary positions in their worship or legends.  This respect for the Goddesses carried over into Celtic society.  As a result, Celtic women were highly respected.  Priestesses were held in high honor.  Women were warriors as well as mothers.

      The life of a Celt was filled with magic.  Their intertwining artwork on jewelry, clothing, utensils and their houses was a form of magic meant to confuse the evil eye.  The Celts believed that their deities could appear at any place and time and that it was the duty of the humans to call upon them for aid.

History

  he ancient Celts were a warrior race.  They are commonly thought of as
  the ancient Irish.  In fact, their civilization covered a much larger area
  than Ireland.  The Celts first appeared in history in the 9th century BCE.
  They spread to Gaul, the Iberian peninsula, Italy, Britain, Scotland,
  Wales and Ireland.  At the height of their power their territory stretched from the British Isles to Turkey, but they finally fell to the Romans and Germanic tribes.

      The Celts were among the greatest technologists of the ancient world.  They were also warriors of unparalleled courage, feared even by the Romans.  The Celts laid the foundations of Western European civilization.  They were a brilliant, flamboyant, fearless and dynamic people.  The women were held in high regard and, as warriors, were equal to their men.  Any Celtic woman with her temper aroused was a force to be reckoned with (and still is).  Ancient Celtic women often fought alongside their men.  By the 1st century C.E., the Romans began encroaching on Celtic territory, finally conquering their lands with the exception of Scotland and Ireland.  The Celtic beliefs were not destroyed until the Christians began to make inroads.  Although it has been said that the Celts kept no written records, St. Patrick personally burned close to 180 Irish books written in the Celtic language.  This set an example for Christian zealots who destroyed every piece of Druidic literature they could find.  Christian monk-scribes, for some unknown reason, felt compelled to record the Celtic myths, even while the missionaries stamped out belief in the ancient Gods and Goddesses.

Religion

      The Celts were exceptionally religious.  The ethical teachings of the Druids can be summed up as "Worship the Gods, do no evil, be strong and courageous."  They believed in reincarnation and transmigration (the transfer of the human soul into an animal or plant). Their pantheon held mother Goddesses, war Goddesses and tutelary Goddesses of major importance.  They did not believe in punishment by the Gods after death.

      The Druids were the Celtic Priesthood.  Before the Romans and other religions forced the change, a similar organization of women, called Dryads, lived in sacred groves. A third group, more like grove servants, lived normal lives with families.  The Druids and Priestesses were the healers, judges, astronomers, oracles and religious leaders of the Celtic clans.  The head Druid was the Arch Druid, and his counterpart was the High Priestess of the Grove.  Special schools trained this Priesthood.  It was not easy to become part of this elite group; 20 years of study were required.  It is possible that witchcraft or Wicca evolved when the Druids were driven underground.

  Druids had three divisions: the Bards (poets), who wore blue robes; the
  Ovates (prophets & philosophers), who wore green; and the priests
  who wore white.  These divisions were later emulated by the Christian
  monks.  In Ireland the Ovates and Bards were known as Filid.  The
  Ovates compiled knowledge and the Bards praised and taught through music and poetry.  The High Priests sometimes wore masks or crowns with horns during fertility ceremonies in honor of Cernunnos, the horned one.  These horns symbolized male potency.  The female counterpart to Cernunnos was the White Moon Goddess, the Great Mother, creatrix of all.

      In Celtic beliefs, the areas of being were represented by three concentric circles. Abred, the innermost, is where life springs from Annwyn.  It is the arena wherein the human soul must perfect itself.  The next circle out is Gwynedd (purity) where the life spark finally triumphs over evil and can rest forever from reincarnation.  The outermost is called Ceugant (infinity); it is the dwelling place of the ultimate power of creation.

      There has been a resurgence of Celtic Paganism as people try to find the roots of thier spirituality and culture.  It is an ancient path, yet finds expression wonderfully in our modern world.

      For more information, please feel free to E-mail MamaBEE6, or please read Celtic Magic by D. J. Conway. (LLewellyn press)

1. Magick @ Geocities.com: is a fine source for information about candles, colors and other aspects of Celtic practice and belief.