Celtic Source

In Summary:

- The three powers of Celtic myth are identified as: insight, inspiration, and connection

- Celtic myths are often misunderstood as merely stories about gods and goddesses

- Looking only for deities in Celtic myths misses the richness of the tradition

- These myths go beyond supernatural stories

Power 1: Insight. Celtic myths give insight into:

- Human nature

- The natural world

- The supernatural realm

- The nature of power and sovereignty

- The nature of the soul/spirit

- Relationships between the living and dead

- Connections between nature and super-nature

- The nature of time itself

These insights developed over many generations of storytelling

To gain these insights, we must:

- Pay close attention to what the stories are doing

- Understand them on their own terms

- Think and feel our way through their spiritual concepts and philosophies

Power 2: Inspiration

- Celtic myths inspire creative work

- Many course participants are writers, poets, or authors

People use these myths to:

- Create new stories based on traditional structures

- Explore adjacent ideas

- Develop poetry inspired by mythic elements

- Pursue scholarly research comparing different sources

Power 3: Connection.

Celtic myths connect people to ancient traditions. This connection appeals to:

- People of Celtic heritage

- Those drawn to Celtic traditions for other reasons

Benefits of this connection include:

- A sense of belonging

- Feeling rooted in something profound, stable, and old

- Nourishment for certain aspects of the self

- Understanding what ancestors believed

- Reading words left for future generations

- Powerful personal experiences

Accessing These Powers.

Appreciating these powers requires time spent with the stories. It takes work and direct engagement with the texts.

One should:

- Work directly with original texts when possible

- Go to primary sources rather than relying on secondhand information

- Read and understand what the ancient texts actually say

- Through this work come moments of insight, inspiration, and connection