In this video I dive into why ’otherworld’ is probably a misleading term when thinking of the Irish sidh or Welsh Annwfn, and what the subtle difference between the Welsh and Irish concepts could be.
Celtic Magical Elixirs
Outlining the similarities between the Welsh Tale of Taliesin and the Irish story of Fionn Mac Cumhaill, in particular the very ancient concept of a magical elixir.
The Roots of Celtic Myth
A brief discussion on tracing the Celtic myth of water, divine birth and inspiration back to its Indo-European roots.
The Incarnations of Brigid
Connecting the different incarnations of Brigid, from Iron Age goddess to early Christian saint.
The Bardic Power of Myth
A short discussion on Taliesin’s potential to transform his patron through the bardic power of myth!
Awen, symbol and cauldron
In this talk, I take a look at the role of awen in creating symbolic reality and give an outline of some of the symbolic meanings that can be found in the great mythic cauldron of the Celts.
Celtic Spirituality and Cultural Appropriation
This is an old issue when it comes to Celtic culture and our historical source texts. In this video I try to unpick the position we’re currently in from the perspective of Welsh culture, and explain why I’m not necessarily taking the usual route with this field of study.
Mari Lwyd – The Welsh Sources and Meaning
An overview of the Mari Lwyd folk custom and the meaning of some of the folk verses sung during the festivities.
This Mythic Life
An interview I did in December 2019 with Sharon Blackie, author of If Women Rose Rooted, for her podcast This Mythic Life. We discuss the Welsh Bardic Tradition, how they used myth and how Taliesin is the embodiment of bardic myth making.
What was the real power of Taliesin?
What power did the historical Taliesin wield? As a sixth century chief bard of the early Welsh his ceremonial role involved more than praising and eulogising the great war chiefs of his time. Taken from a live Q&A where I was responding to answers sent in by students following the Taliesin Origins course.