The main aim of religious propaganda…has been to tell us that Below is Bad, Above is Good. Celtic tradition tells us something different.
The main aim of religious propaganda in our culture has been to turn humanity away from the Earth, telling us that Below is Bad, Above is Good. Why ? Well, historically, this was to get customers away from the pagan religions and sacro-magical practices, and into those early and poorly funded churches. Such outer evangelizing hides a more subtle inner campaign, for power at a spiritual level. Ancient pagan practices were substantially based upon Earth powers, prophecy, healing, and the widespread worship of goddesses whose divine attributes were founded in the land, the ocean, the Earth . The evidence for this in Ireland is widespread, and central to many ancient Irish manuscripts, and permeates many aspects of folkloric tradition. To the early Christians, any masculine deity became a deo falsus, a false god. Deo falsus has often been proposed as the origin of diabolus or “devil”.
“Let no man indulge in that most filthy habit of dressing up as a stag” thundered St Augustine : but he did not reveal the real reasons why. Animal/human magic, horned deities such as Pan or Cern, are manifestations of UnderWorld power, and drawing that power up to the surface was central to the old ceremonies. Likewise, the goddess powers of wells, streams, rivers, and sacred mounds, were repudiated and often transformed into semi-historical figures or amalgamated with saints.
To this day a most potent figure in Irish legend is the feminine Sovereignty or goddess or fairy queen of the Land.
Books You Might Enjoy:
Richard Roy - 13 Questions On Paganism And Wicca
Al Selden Leif - Pagan Incense Information Pages
Marcus Cordey - Magical Theory And Tradition
